Prince Edward Island Hunter Safety Course
Chapter 1: Know Your Firearms
Rifle and Shotgun Parts
Both rifles and shotguns feature a long barrel, and each is usually braced against the hunter's shoulder when fired. Each of these types of firearms consists of most or all of the following parts.
1. Stock
Supports the action and the barrel of a firearm and is made out of either wood or synthetic material. The stock may be a single piece or two pieces, depending on the manufacturer.
2. Action
Consists of a series of parts that load, fire and eject a cartridge or shot shell from a firearm.
3. Sight
An alignment device to help aim a firearm. Styles of sights include metallic, fiber optic, peep, open, telescopic, dot and laser.
4. Barrel and Muzzle
The barrel is the tube-shaped part of a firearm through which ammunition is fired. The muzzle is located at the front end of the barrel.
5. Trigger Trigger Guard
When squeezed, the trigger releases the firing pin to hit the primer on a firearm's cartridge, igniting the powder and sending the bullet down the barrel. The trigger guard protects the trigger.
6. Magazine
A storage device for cartridges or shot shells featured on most firearms. Without your magazine, your rifle or shotgun will be limited to a single shot. There are two types of magazines: Box & Tubular. They are available as either a detachable or fixed part. A detachable magazine can be removed from a firearm, whereas a fixed magazine cannot.
Safeties
A mechanical device that, when engaged, should prevent a firearm from firing by stopping the firing pin from striking the primer. While featured in various styles according to the manufacturer, below you will find examples of the most common types of safeties.
IMPORTANT! The safety is a mechanical device and consequently subject to failure. While it is important to know how a safety works and how to use it properly, a safety is no substitute for the most basic rule of firearm safety: ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
Push-Button Safety
Located on the trigger guard, it blocks the trigger or the hammer when engaged. It may have a visible red band when the safety is in the OFF position.
Safety Off
Safety Off
Slide or Tang Safety
It features two positions of operation. In the ON position (i.e., a green colored dot or the letter "S" may be visible) it blocks the firing mechanism of a rifle or shotgun. In the OFF position (i.e., a red colored dot or the letter "F" may be visible) it enables firing of a cartridge or shot shell. A Tang safety, featured on some models of shotguns, is engaged when the letter "S" is visible on top and in the back of the receiver.
Safety Off
Safety Off
IMPORTANT! Be aware of your firearm and its safety mechanism. In most cases, RED MEANS DEAD! If you see a red color dot, your safety is off and your firearm is ready to fire.
Safeties
Lever or Pivot Safety
Safety On
Safety On
Located either on the bolt or just behind the bolt handle on the frame of the receiver, it blocks the firing pin when engaged. On some firearms, the lever safety located on the bolt will have three positions. The back position (i.e., toward the shooter), does not allow the bolt to be opened, and the firearm will not fire. In the middle position, the bolt can be cycled, but the firearm cannot be fired. In the forward position, the safety is OFF, and the firearm can be fired. Other safeties feature only two positions - ON and OFF. These types of safeties are marked either with green and red dots or with an "F" for fire or an "S" for safe.
Hammer or Half-Cock Safety
Step 1. Closed
Step 2. Half Cock
Step 3. Full Cock
This type of safety is not as common as those listed above. It is typically found among lever action and break action firearms or antique and replica firearms. In the half-cock position, the hammer does not rest on the firing pin and the trigger is locked. When the hammer is pulled all the way back into the cocked position, the firearm can be fired. Be sure to check the owner's manual as some manufacturer's firearms are only safe when the hammer is in the "fully forward" position.
IMPORTANT! Trigger must be pulled to move the hammer from FULL to HALF-COCK position. Make sure that you have full control of the hammer and that it does not slip from your grasp.
Rifle and Shotgun Actions
Since there are many firearm styles available for sale, your choices can be overwhelming. To help you find the right firearm to suit your needs, let's review the most common styles and looks and how each operates. Take note, however, that you must always read the owner's manual of any firearm you buy for a detailed explanation on how to operate it safely.
Bolt Action
This firearm has a reputation for high accuracy. It is the strongest action. It is operated by moving the bolt handle up and to the rear to open the action. When the bolt is moved forward, it picks up a fresh cartridge. With the bolt fully forward, push down on it to lock the bolt in place. Engage the safety and you are ready to hunt. Grasp the bolt handle after firing, lifting it up while pulling it towards you. This will eject the spent cartridge from the chamber.
Safety first! When loading any firearm, always engage the safety and keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. To check if your firearm is unloaded, do so only by looking into the chamber.
Bolt Action
Click on the animation below to familiarize yourself with the bolt action firearm.
Lever Action
A lever-action firearm usually has a shorter barrel, is lighter to carry, and is easy to operate for follow-up shots. A popular style of action among rifles, it is a good choice if you are hunting in thick brush (remember to cover the trigger guard to protect the trigger). Most lever-actions have a loading plate where the cartridges are pushed into a tubular magazine. To load a cartridge from the magazine, grasp the lever and swing it down and away from you. Make sure that the barrel is pointed in a safe direction. Next, swing the lever up and towards you. This releases a cartridge from the magazine, chambers the cartridge and closes the action. After you load, engage the safety if your lever action has one; otherwise, place the hammer at half-cock position. After firing the lever action, swing the lever down and away from you to eject the cartridge.
Important! Many older lever-actions do not have a safety to engage before unloading the firearm. Be careful to keep your fingers out of the trigger guard. KNOW YOUR FIREARM.
Lever Action
Click on the animation below to familiarize yourself with the lever action firearm.
Pump or Slide Action
Used in both shotguns and rifles, pump action allows a hunter to quickly eject and chamber new ammunition. It is typically loaded from the bottom into a tubular magazine. The action is opened when the forearm is pulled back to the rear of the firearm. Pushing the forearm forward moves the ammunition from the magazine into the chamber and closes the action so that the firearm is loaded and ready to be fired. On most pump-actions, a slide lever located by the trigger guard releases the action so you can inspect the chamber or unload the firearm.
Pump or Slide Action
Click on the animation below to familiarize yourself with the pump action firearm.
Semi-Automatic Action
This type of action is used in both shotguns and rifles. Many hunters find this firearm a pleasure to shoot due to its reduced recoil. After the trigger is pulled and a round is fired, the action opens automatically, the spent ammunition is ejected, a new round is chambered, the action closes and the firearm is ready to be fired again. This sequence repeats each time the trigger is pulled. The action remains open automatically when all ammunition stored in the magazine and chamber has been fired.
Semi-Automatic Action
Click on the animation below to familiarize yourself with the semi-automatic action.
Break Action or Hinge Action
This firearm is available in single-barrel or double-barrel styles and is ideal for novice hunters due to the limit it places on shots per use. Most firearms with this type of action feature two barrels placed either side-by-side or in an over-and-under configuration. For loading, push on the action release lever and pivot the barrels down. The chamber will then be separated from the stock and firing mechanism so ammunition can be inserted. Once you close the action and release the safety, the firearm is ready for firing. After firing, press the release lever to open the action and eject the spent cartridge or shotshell. Some break-actions have automatic ejectors, others require that you manually remove the spent cartridge or shotshell. Break actions for rifles and shotguns may be designed to accommodate a wide variety of interchangeable barrels for rim fire and center fire ammunition.
Important! Some break-action firearms have an exposed hammer.
Safety first! Be extremely careful when lowering the hammer to a half-cocked position.
Break or Hinge Action
Click on the animation below to familiarize yourself with the break action.
Chapter 1 Summary
After reading Chapter 1, you should have a good understanding of the different types and styles of firearms, as well as how to use and handle them safely. Let's take a moment to review the important points of this chapter:
- There are three basic parts found on all firearms: the stock, the action, and the barrel. You should be able to identify these on any type of rifle or shotgun.
- There are different types of actions found on rifles and shotguns. Be sure you are able to identify a bolt action, lever action, pump action, semi-automatic action, and break (or hinge) action.
- You should know the different types of firearm safeties and how to use them properly. In most cases, red means fire. If you see red on the safety mechanism, it means the safety is disengaged and the firearm is ready to shoot.
- Always engage the firearm's safety as soon as the firearm is loaded, and leave the safety engaged until you have properly identified your target and are ready to fire
- A firearm's safety is a mechanical device and consequently subject to failure. Using the mechanical safety is no substitute for obeying all the rules of safe firearm handling.
Prince Edward Island Hunter Safety Course