The seven firearms safety rules

• Keep your finger off the trigger; always point the muzzle in a safe direction; open the action and inspect the chamber and magazine.
• Never take anyone’s word that a firearm is unloaded. Check every firearm yourself. 
• Only pass or accept a firearm that has the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, the action open, and is not loaded.
• If you do not know how to open a firearm leave it alone and keep clear of the muzzle.
• If the firearm belongs to someone else, ask them to show you it is empty.

Always point the muzzle in a safe direction, whether the firearm is loaded or unloaded.A safe direction depends on where you are. Remember bullets can go through walls and ceilings.

• Never point a firearm at anyone else or at yourself.
• Always stay focused when handling firearms.
• Never lean firearms against vehicles or in any place where they could slide or fall.
• Always take extra care when placing firearms in, or removing them from, vehicles, boats and storage.

Be aware that firearms can go off unintentionally when:

• closing the action
• releasing the safety catch
• uncocking
• opening a loaded firearm.

• Only load a firearm when you need to use it.
• Only load a firearm in an area where it can be safely and legally discharged.
• Remember to unload the firearm when you have used it.
• Only load your ammunition into the magazine when you have reached your shooting area. 
• Carry a loaded firearm with the bolt or action closed on an empty chamber – the cartridges are readily available from the magazine and it only takes a second to open the action and feed a round into the chamber.
• Do not load the chamber until you are ready to shoot.
• Unload the chamber if the game gets away. Put the round back in the magazine and close the bolt on an empty chamber.
• Unload completely – no rounds in the magazine or chamber – before leaving a shooting area or entering a hut or camp. Double check you have unloaded.

Semi-automatic shotguns and rifles

• When you have seen or expect to flush game at any moment, load the firearm and place the previously tested safety catch on ‘safe’.
• If you release the safety catch but decide not to shoot, re-apply the safety catch.
• Whenever a round is in the chamber you must be absolutely sure the muzzle is pointing in a safe direction.
• Test the safety catch before loading any ammunition into the chamber.
• If you have any doubt about the safety catch don’t trust it and have it checked by a gunsmith.

• You must positively identify your target beyond all doubt before firing.
• If in doubt, do not shoot!
• The shooter, and anyone supervising an unlicensed shooter, must both positively identify the target.
• Make absolutely certain you identify your target correctly. Identify the target animal/game using movement, colour, sound and shape.
• Identify all of the animal.

• Do not fire at movement only.
• Do not fire at colour only.
• Do not fire at sound only.
• Do not fire at shape only.
• Keep your finger away from the trigger until you are ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN it is safe to fire.
• Use binocular vision (instead of just rifle telescopic sights) to identify your target. Beware of the ‘tunnel vision’ that limits your view to each side when you are using binocular or telescopic sights. Sweep the telescope or binoculars from side to side to ensure no person is close to your field of fire.

Target identification issues

When you are tired or excited, emotions may override rational thinking (buck or stag fever). Perception can play tricks and you may ‘see’ what you expect to see. Objects – often people – can look like game animals.

There could be other hunters nearby. They may make noises imitating the calls of game. Even the definite sighting of skin and antlers is not enough – hunters have been shot while carrying a deer. BEFORE you shoot ask yourself: “Is this a person?” This will focus your mind toward expecting to see a person, rather than expecting to see an animal.

Stand out to stay safe

Bright coloured clothing and gear can help you to be seen, especially in dim or fading light. Keep in mind that no one colour will be easily seen at all times of the day and in all surroundings. Wear a colour that stands out from the background you are shooting in, and is different from any game animals in that area. While this can minimise your risk of being shot, it will only do so if other hunters properly identify their targets.

Remember – it is ALWAYS the responsibility of the shooter to identify clearly the target.

• Never fire when people are ahead of you, especially when you have lost sight of them.
• Be aware of what you could hit in the area between you and your target, and in the area beyond your target. Ask yourself: “What could happen if I miss my target?”
• Never shoot when there is stock, human activity, or buildings in the area.
• It is unsafe to shoot at a target on the skyline. Remember that rural and urban developments are close to many hunting areas.
• Be extra careful when shooting at a moving target, particularly with telescopic sights, because your field of view is limited and changes quickly. There is a greater danger of someone moving into your firing zone without you noticing.
• Remember you may not be able to see your whole firing zone when shooting near thick bush or scrub.
• A charge of shot from a shotgun has a wide spread, particularly at longer ranges.
• Ricochets can be caused by any flat or hard surfaces – rocks, snow, trees and even water. Be especially careful in rocky river beds.

Night shooting

• Night shooting is dangerous, especially if using telescopic sights, so only shoot at night if you are certain it is safe to do so. Spotlights light up only a small part of the firing zone and the projectile’s range.
• It is forbidden to shoot during the hours of darkness in any state forest, forest park or national park.

Extreme range

Extreme range for projectiles may be as much as:
 .22 rimfire: 1.5 kilometres
 .308 calibre: 4.5 kilometres
 Airgun: up to 400 metres
 Shotgun: from 250 metres to 750 metres (depending on the type of cartridge)

Sights need to be set correctly to prevent rounds falling short or going far beyond the target.

Firing zones

Your firing zone changes rapidly when you follow a moving target with a firearm. As you swing the muzzle around in an arc be aware of the position of other hunters. Make sure they are not caught in the path between your firearm and the target, or beyond the target.

This is especially important when shooting with shotguns. Duck shooters sharing a maimai can drive vertical poles into the ground to prevent an ‘over- swing’ that may put others in danger.

Read the Secure Storage Guidance for Firearms and Ammunition (link is external) (PDF 945KB) to understand your responsibilities for storing firearms and ammunition as a firearms licence holder or applicant.