Hobbies And Interests
Machine Gun
A machine gun is a firearm designed to shoot continuously as long as the trigger is depressed and ammunition is being fed into the weapon. It was not until the Model 1862 Gatling gun became available than machine guns really began to be used by law enforcement and military personnel.
Before You Handle the Gun
The first rule of any gun user is to always assume the gun is loaded. By assuming this, you should keep the barrel of the gun pointed toward the floor and away from all people, including yourself. The second rule is to never look down the barrel of any gun, even if you believe it is unloaded. There could be a bullet in the chamber that you do not know about. Third, always keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire, and keep the safety mechanism on the weapon engaged.
Know Your Surroundings
Keep the action open and the magazine out of the firearm until you are ready to use it. Once you are ready to fire the gun, and you are standing in front of the target, look around you. Study the trajectory of the spent brass casings from the ammo. If you are not careful, the hot brass may hit a wall and bounce back to you, or it might hit and burn someone near you. Look ahead and visualize where your round will hit. Make sure no one is in front of you before you fire. Make sure to have one foot forward and you are leaning forward.This will prevent you from getting knocked backward due to recoil.
Trigger Happy
If firing the firearm for the first time, plan to let off the trigger instantly after you squeeze it. Sometimes, people panic when firing a machine gun and their finger locks on the trigger as the recoil causes the barrel to rise. In 2008, an 8 year old shooting an Uzi at a gun show fatally shot himself when he could not control the recoil. If this happens you may end up shooting the ceiling, someone else or even yourself. Never let a child fire a machine gun; they will be unable to handle the recoil. Remember: The smaller the gun, the greater the recoil, so first-time machine gun users would benefit from using a larger gun.
Wear Protection
Wear safety goggles and ear protection when shooting any firearm. The eye protection will keep spent casings from damaging your eyes. Using a gun regularly without ear protection can contribute to hearing loss.