Shooting can be a thrilling recreational activity and a fun experience, but firearm negligence can be dangerous. More Americans are becoming licensed firearm holders for self-protection, especially with the soaring crime rates across the country.
The first step to becoming a safe shooter is enrolling in an NRA or any other firearms training course. When practising your shooting skills at a firing range, your safety and that of others always come first. Accidents in the shooting range can happen at any time.
While people can argue students cause most accidents, I can say the instructor is somehow responsible. Simple mistakes like using an NRA Basic Rifle Course for a ‘Glock’ training could lead to the unexpected. Instructors must familiarize themselves with all types of guns for their students’ safety.
Besides using the wrong training course in the classroom and at the range, here are four common things that can cause fatal accidents during training:
Sporterized Rifles
Sporterized Rifles can be a potential hazard in a firearms training course. These old military firearms have been redeveloped for target shooting or hunting. The front part of this rifle is shortened and fixed with target or hunting sights. Common in the late 1970s and 1980s, sporterized Rifles are slowly getting old-fashioned, with modern firearms becoming more common.

Firearms instructors should, however, be aware of these rifles’ comeback and the problems they may cause in a shooting range. Most old military rifles didn’t have a data stamp showing the firearm’s caliber. Many people use the wrong kind of ammunition, witnessed by disastrous results in some cases. To make it more hazardous, some sporterized rifles are modified to take different calibers.
Besides sporterized rifles being specific on the caliber to use, they have also been handled roughly. It is crucial that you’re cautious enough about allowing these firearms in your class. You don’t want to take any chances of a catastrophic failure of a gun in your training.
Antique Firearms
Old firearms are another potential hazard in the classroom or shooting range. A rule you should always stick to is to avoid shooting modern smokeless powder from an old gun designed for black powder. This is specific to antique Firearms that are made to fire shells or cartridges filled with black powder. Muzzle-loading firearms don’t apply in this case.

These guns were phased out by manufacturers in the 1930s and were no longer manufactured after the 1940s. The black powder was replaced with smokeless powder. Modern shells and cartridges produce much higher pressure, so shooting them from old guns could be hazardous and fatal. The high pressure from smokeless cartridges could make the gun glow up.
It is crucial that any firearm instructor is familiar with guns used in different eras. Understanding how they work will help you avoid unforeseen dangerous situations with your students.
Loose Ammunition
Be on the lookout for loose ammunition in your training course. Any bullet getting into the shooting range should be in its original packaging. The packaging should be labelled with all the information to help determine how safe the ammunition is to shoot. Typical data that should never miss include the bullet weight, grains of powder, and muzzle velocity.
Most importantly, the ammunition should be approved by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute (SAAMI). SAAMI sets the recommended specifications for each caliber.

The main reason to avoid loose ammunition is that they could be reloads or hand loads. Reloads could be loaded too light or too hot, which could be a severe issue. Reloading too light ammunition can result in squib loads sticking inside the barrel and subsequent firearm blow-up. Too hot ammunition, on the other hand, can lead to catastrophic firearm failure and blow up under high pressure. Both cases can lead to severe injury and even death.
Another ammunition issue to be careful about is solid and soft-nosed ammunition. How well do you understand the performance of these bullets? While soft-nosed bullets expand quickly, solid ammunition often shows deep penetration. An instructor should understand the type of ammunition allowed in their shooting range.
Another important factor is a shotgun ammunition shell. You should be able to tell whether it’s a lead or a steel shot. You can only ascertain this from the original packaging box. Some ranges only allow lead shots, while others allow steel shots. Ensure only the right shots get into your firearms training course.
Choked Barrels
In some shotguns, the choke is fixed at the end of the barrel. These firearms were common before the 1980s. During this era, a gun would be accompanied by three different barrels depending on the action. The barrels were marked as F (Full), Imp/IC (Improved Cylinder), and M or Mod (Modified).
Current shotguns feature a single barrel and 3 screw-in chokes. When working with choked barrels, it is best to avoid shooting nontoxic shots like steel. Unlike lead shots, nontoxic shells don’t compress, which can blow the end of a choked barrel. As an instructor, ensure only allowed shots are carried to the range. If you only use lead shot, keep steel and choked barrels out of your class.

On the other hand, if you don’t use lead shots yet a student turns up with a full-choked short gun barrel, don’t allow its use in the range. The barrel’s end could split in a single shot since older metals aren’t as strong as those used in modern firearms.
Final Thoughts
Gun safety is all up to us. Instructors can make shooting training sessions safer by emphasizing the basics mentioned above. Clearly spell out the types of guns, ammunition, and shots used in your class, and don’t compromise.
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