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Straight Talk About Safe Shooting
September 1954 Air Trails Hobbies for Young Men

November 1954 Air Trails
November 1954 Air Trails Cover - Airplanes and RocketsTable of Contents

These pages from vintage modeling magazines like Flying Aces, Air Trails, American Modeler, American Aircraft Modeler, Young Men, Flying Models, Model Airplane News, R/C Modeler, captured the era. All copyrights acknowledged.

Here is something you will probably never find today: a gun shooting club in a public school. As late as the 1970s when I was in high school, gun clubs were common. There were even gun clubs in New York City high schools. Members would bring their .22 rifles with them (often while riding subway trains) for use on the range and during classroom instruction. Shooting ranges used to built in the basements of urban schools that did not have outside areas for use. In the last few years, merely mentioning any kind of gun, pointing your finger like a pistol, or even biting your Pop Tart into a shape that can be perceived by a whacko anti-gun teacher can get you suspended from school and/or prosecuted. Anti-2nd-Ammendment agitators are seeing to it that the Constitutionally protected rights of you and your progeny are being denied. One of the first acts necessary by a government wanting to wield absolute control over its populace is to disarm the citizens and grow the police force - nowadays it goes under the moniker of Hope and Change. History is repleat with examples.

Straight Talk About Safe Shooting

Practical suggestions and friendly advice from a man well qualified to conduct a Firearms Safety Program.

From New Hampshire's Physical Education Director

By Jack F. George

Firearms Safety Program - Airplanes and Rockets

Instructor Jim Dee of Olin Industries in the field with Dover, N. H., High School students.

Author George is State Director of Physical Education for the State of New Hampshire. New Hampshire has established the first school-sponsored Firearms Safety Education Program in the nation. The project has been a cooperative effort of the State Department of Education and the Fish and Game Department. John Dodge, Educational Officer of the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, and the author established the program in New Hampshire schools. New Hampshire's approach to the perennial problem of guns and youngsters has received national acclaim from many school systems in the United States as well as from the National Rifle Association ..

Are you one of the many thousands of red-blooded Americans who enjoy the great sport of hunting? Or perhaps you enjoy the use of firearms through target shooting or just plain plinking. Whatever use you have for a rifle, shotgun or pistol, make certain that you know your firearm thoroughly.

Shooting is one of the most fascinating of hobbies. It can be one of the safest pleasures and it can also be one of the most dangerous. Just what should you know and what conduct is proper when you are associated with firearms and ammunition?

Remember the safest gun is the one that is not loaded. The first step is to be sure your gun has the "action open." By this we mean that the firing mechanism has been withdrawn in such a manner as to make the firearm unable to operate. Each type of gun involves different safety conditions. The rifle is capable of carrying a bullet a great distance. The .22 rifle can kill at a distance of one mile! Higher powered rifles are dangerous at distance of three miles!

Shotguns, of course, have a much shorter range, but they are just as dangerous within that distance. Know all parts of your rifle, shotgun or pistol. Be sure you know exactly how your safety works be-fore you start to use the firearm. Practice using the safety before using ammunition.

Last year 1500 Americans were killed or injured with firearms. One third of these were people under 21 years of age. Most of these accidents happened at close range. The greater percentage of the casualties were careless and inexcusable. Remember when you have a firearm in your possession - cut out the horseplay!

It seems that there are four types of would-be hunters who cause gun accidents. These include: the careless, the untrained, the overanxious, and lastly the improperly clothed. Are you one of these? If you are, you can soon get out of that classification by taking the time to obtain knowledge concerning your firearm and provide opportunity to practice with it.

Most of us are not gunsmiths. If your gun is not working properly, have a gunsmith check it. You are not the expert! Keep your barrel free from obstructions. Many barrels have been known to blow up because of dirt in this part of the gun and have caused the death or serious injury of the person firing it.

A knowledge of ammunition and what it can do is essential in all good shooting. Again, the wrong kind of ammunition in a firearm can injure the operator and destroy the gun. Use only the caliber of shell designed for your firing piece.

Proper gun handling is a "must" for the true sportsman. Treat every gun as though it were loaded. Always point the muzzle in a safe direction. Be sure of your target. These are rules which you can't afford to break. They are really not so hard to learn and practice.

How to move gun over wall safely - Airplanes and Rockets

How to move gun over wall safely - the action is open.

When you come to a wall or fence, do you. try to hurdle it in good track and field style, with gun in hand, or do you find a safe place for your firearm - then cross the obstruction and pick up your gun and continue?

When game is in view, do you make every effort to get the first shot away - the heck with accuracy and general direction - just squeeze this one off with a prayer! Of course you don't. Careful aim does two important things. First, it makes positive identification of your game, and second, you wilt take home more meat for the table.

How about clothing when you hunt? Is it worth a second thought to plan your attire? You better have the proper color of clothing or else some trigger-happy Harry will be giving you a real case of lead poisoning. Bright red and coal fire have been found very successful for hunting. Don't wear brown, black or white. You're right - these colors correspond to those of our game animals. Men have been shot because their socks had white tops. Why? The white stripe resembled the flag (tail) of a deer or the flash of a rabbit. Why take a chance? Only the soldier is interested in camouflaging himself. This is not your purpose; remember there are always more men in the woods than deer!

Don't carry a loaded gun in your car. In most states, this is illegal anyhow. It is dangerous to you in the first place, and you know what? Most of our game does not travel the highways! Bullets ricochet. It just isn't good sense to shoot on or near the highway. Roads curve, bullets glance off obstructions and always this practice leads to trouble.

Good common sense is really the basic ingredient for proper handling of firearms. If you follow the Ten Commandments of Safety your association with firearms and ammunition will always be a pleasant one. These are:

1.    Treat every gun with respect due a loaded gun.

2.    Guns carried into camp or home or when otherwise not in use must always be unloaded.

3.    Always be sure barrel and action are free from obstructions.

4.    Control the muzzle of the gun, even if you stumble.

5.    Be sure of your target before you pullĀ· the trigger.

6.    Never point a gun at anything you do not want to shoot.

7.    Unattended guns should be unloaded.

8.    Never climb a fence or tree or jump a ditch with a loaded gun.

9.    Never shoot a bullet at a flat, hard surface or the surface of water.

10.  Avoid alcoholic drinks before or during shooting.

If you are interested in complete information regarding Firearms Safety Education, write to the National Rifle Association, 1600 Rhode Island Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C., or talk to your high school principal. He may have the information for you. Often, your local Rod and Gun club is willing to work with young people in this very important phase of safety education.

 

 

Posted November 29, 2014

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Even during the busiest times of my life I have endeavored to maintain some form of model building activity. This site has been created to help me chronicle my journey through a lifelong involvement in model aviation, which all began in Mayo, MD ...

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