In the Rathcormac Gun Club, we feel that it is the job of all our members to keep our sport safe. As a club we appoint a safety officer who ensures all our activities are carried out in a safe manner. Also all our members must have participated in a safety course before being allowed to join.



Here are some of the main safety rules we abide by:

• Treat every fire arm as being loaded.
  Check every firearm yourself, do not take the word of another person that a firearm is unloaded. Pass or accept only open and unloaded firearms. Never accept or pass a firearm to another person unless the breech is open and all ammunition has been removed from the firearm.
• Always point the fire arm in a safe direction.
  Loaded or unloaded, always point the muzzle in a safe direction. A safe direction will depend on where you are and what you are doing.
• Do not put your finger on the trigger until you are ready to fire.
Do not rest your finger on the trigger. Keep your finger off the trigger unless you are going to shoot.
• When loading or unloading a gun, keep the muzzle of the gun pointed in a safe direction.
When closing a shotgun keep the barrels pointed at the ground and close the stock up to the barrels.
• Keep the fire arm pointed in a safe direction after a misfire.
  If a chambered round or cartridge does not fire when you press the trigger, point the gun in a safe direction, take your finger off the trigger and wait for 30 seconds.
  If it still hasn't ignited, remove it from the chamber and set it aside for destruction.
• Never fire at hard surfaces or water.
  Consider the area in which you are shooting. Could a ricochet occur? A ricochet will almost certainly result from shooting at water or smooth flat surfaces and rocks.
• Store ammunition and firearms separately.
  When not in use, lock away firearms and ammunition separately.
• No alcohol or drugs when handling firearms.
  Alcohol and many day-to-day drugs and medicines dull and slow your mental and physical reactions. When using firearms, this is an extremely dangerous condition as the ability to recognise and react to dangerous situations swiftly and accurately is essential.
• Do not climb fences or obstacles with loaded firearms
  Before attempting to negotiate a fence or obstacle unload your firearm. Do not rely on safety catches. Safety catches, at best, only supplement the safe handling of firearms.
• Never have loaded firearms in the car or the home
  Before entering a car or home, completely unload your firearm. Ensure that the action is open and that there is no ammunition in either the breech or the magazine.
• Ensure the barrel is clear of obstructions before shooting
  Before loading your gun, open the action and make sure there's no ammunition in the chamber or magazine. Check to see that there's no debris of any kind in the barrel.
• Have your guns serviced regularly.
  It is very important that you clean your gun after every use, but also to have it fully serviced by a gunsmith recommended by your guns manufacturer