Safe use of the Shotgun
Alan Marrs has been maintaining our shot gun for us. The following are his suggestions on the safe use of the shotgun on a race committee boat.
- Designate one person to be the “gunner”. This person should familiarize themselves with the gun while it is still light. More than one person handling the gun invites accidents.
- When firing, hold the gun in both hands and point it about 45 degrees up into the air. Make sure the muzzle is higher than everyone’s head. The muzzle blast expands sideways.
- Use The Safety! The gun is almost always cocked and you cannot tell if it is loaded by looking at it.
- Keep your finger OFF THE TRIGGER until ready to fire.
- Look at what the muzzle is pointing at before you pull the trigger.
- Do not point the gun at anyone, anytime.
- Keep the gun and scabbard as dry as possible
- Anytime the muzzle of any firearm touches the ground, check the barrel to insure no obstruction is lodged there. An obstructed barrel can rupture, as in explode, the barrel severely injuring the shooter.
- Do not put things down the barrel! This sounds stupid, but experience dictates this reminder that the shotgun barrel is not a garbage receptacle. I have personally found ashes, cigarette butts, candy, gum wrappers and cigars stuffed in shotguns. I can’t explain it. Don’t do it!
Safe and fun sailing.