If you’re like me, and many in the Pacific Northwest are, you grew up with not just one but several firearms in your home. You were taught to shoot, clean and be careful with your weapons. You didn’t touch a firearm without mom and dad knowing and you certainly knew to treat every gun as if it were loaded. 

Pretty sure my dad could have been the pastor at the Church of the Second Amendment. Instead of a cross behind the pulpit, there would have been a lovingly cared for thirty-ot-six, as he called them.  

Instead of a Bible, the podium on the dais would have had hunter’s safety manuals and sermons would have discussed how to properly dress a deer, the proper amount of lubricant to use on a bolt action rifle and why being in the woods is better than being at a desk job.  

In all those sermons, the start of the discussion would have been, “Treat every gun as if it were loaded and don’t be stupid.”  

I’m not going to preach at anyone. I’m not overly religious and I’m not sure any deer I ever got was worth adding a few extra points to in a serious conversation at a local pub.  

I will ask everyone to take a minute and make sure you do a few things to ensure you and your family are safe. 

Secure your firearm. Don’t leave it lying out where children can get to it and don’t leave it in the glove box or console of your car. A large number of accidental shootings involving children can be prevented by putting guns out of reach. Also, a lot of the firearms obtained by criminals are stolen from vehicles.

Maintain your firearm. While I was in the Army, I was a tank turret repairman. The Army believing that “A mechanic is a mechanic is a mechanic,” I ended up working on everything from 9mm pistols and shotguns to M1 Abrams tanks and Howitzers. Regardless of the size of the weapon, maintaining it was priority one. There were multiple reasons, but the primary outside of mission readiness — and for our discussion today, hunting deer and elk counts as a mission — safety was a key factor. A poorly maintained weapon can cause injuries when it malfunctions.

Right gun for the user. Make sure you have the right firearm for the user it’s intended for. Handing a .357 Magnum to a 100-pound person with no experience probably isn’t the way to go. Instead, speak with a reputable firearms dealer and ask for a recommendation based on the user and the usage the weapon is intended for.  

Educate yourself. If you’re unfamiliar with guns but want one for hunting, personal protection or simply target shooting, make sure to take a class on firearm safety. A little knowledge can go a long way toward preventing injuries.

Follow the mantra. “Treat every gun as if it were loaded,” may seem like a cheesy colloquialism, but it’s a very serious thing to live by. Guns aren’t toys, even if they’re used for recreation or sport. They’re weapons that can maim or kill if not handled properly and many accidental shootings nationwide are caused when people don’t realize a weapon is loaded. Pull back the bolt, check the chamber and never point a weapon at someone unless you’re protecting yourself.

Stay safe out there and remember to put a cloth down before you start cleaning your rifle. That gun lubricant gets everywhere if you don’t.  

Take care and thank you for your readership. 

R. Hans “Rob” Miller
Managing Editor
Columbia Basin Herald
Basin Business Journal