When putting together this article we felt we would be remiss in our duties, if we did not start with the most important part of this discussion, safety. If you have never handled a weapon before, it is absolutely vital that you learn, understand, and follow certain safety rules.
Rifle Safety Etiquette
Your Gun’s “safety” Mechanism Is NOT the Primary Safety Mechanism, You Are
Most rifles are equipped with an actual safety mechanism that ensures that each weapon is unable to be fired so long as the safety mechanism is engaged. However, those mechanisms are not fool-proof. Sometimes inexperienced people will hand you a weapon that does not have the safety mechanism engaged or when the weapon was stored the safety was inadvertently disengaged.
For this reason that safety mechanism cannot always be trusted to be in use. Therefore, you are the primary safety mechanism for any weapon that you are holding in your possession.
The rules in this section are meant to ensure that you and those around you are safe at all times when your weapon is in use. If you follow these rules you will find that your experiences while using rifles of various types, will be exhilarating, preparatory, and safe.
Treat every gun as if it is loaded
Many newcomers to the realm of gun sports have absolutely no idea how to even tell if the gun they are holding even has a round in the weapon, whether in the magazine or in the chamber. Unfortunately some only find out after an accidental or negligentn discharge of the weapon.
For this reason it is of the utmost importance to treat any weapon that is in your hand as if it is loaded. Following this rule alone will help ensure that you are being safe and responsible with the weapon in your hands, regardless of your skill level.
Your Rifle should Be Unloaded And Stored Securely When Not In Use
This is a simple rule to follow. If you are not planning to use the rifle make sure that it has been stored with both the magazine and the chamber empty.
For additional safety for your family it is best to store your guns in a gun safe or other locked cabinet to ensure that your guns do not accidentally end up in the hands of individuals who are not intended to use them.
Always Use the Correct Ammunition For The Rifle You Are Using
It is important that you use the proper type and caliber of ammunition for the type of rifle that you are using. If you choose not to heed this advice it can have devastating effects on not just the rifle that you are using but possibly on yourself or those around you.
How can this be? A shotgun shell is for shotguns, right? NO!!!
This image shows what can happen when a 20-gauge shotgun shell is placed inside of a 12-gauge shotgun. From this image it is clear to see that this weapon was not designed to have a 20-gauge shell in use within the weapon. Always use the proper ammunition for your rifle.
Never touch the trigger unless you’ve made a conscious decision to shoot
For some reason many first time gun holders want to instantly put their finger on their weapon’s trigger to see what it feels like to ‘truly hold a gun’. However, those same first-timers have no idea what the term “hair-trigger” really means and how deadly it can be, as a result of ignorance.
If you are holding a gun, regardless of the direction your weapon is aimed, you should never put your finger on the trigger until you are ready to destroy the object that you are aiming at. Your trigger pull is final. There are no take-backs. Therefore be safe and simply do not touch the trigger until it is time to obliterate your target.
The Muzzle Of Your Rifle Should Always Be Pointed In A Safe Direction
Many people believes that this means when you are aiming your weapon at a specific target, however, that is not the complete story. If you are carrying your rifle for any period of time where it is not in a case, then where that gun is pointing, is absolutely key to the safety of those around you.
If you hold a rifle in your hands on the way to the place from where you will be shooting, then you must make sure that your rifle is pointed directly at the ground. It should not pass in the direction of people’s feet or legs. It is critical to ALWAYS point it in a safe direction, so that no harm comes to those that are around you.
When it is time to line up your shot at the target you intend to hit there is still one more thing that you need to consider.
Know What Is Beyond Your Target
If you are in a shooting range then this has typically been taken care of. There are either concrete or sand-filled barriers behind where the targets are deployed to ensure the safety of individuals and property beyond the target.
However, if you are hunting on land that you are unfamiliar with, this poses a potential issue for homeowners in the area that you are unaware of. Some rifles can fire a round that travels for more than a mile. In these cases, you are a potential threat to anyone within that radius if you are not paying attention to the direction in which you are shooting and what lies beyond your field of view.
Reasons to fire a rifle
Self-Defense
Never before has there been an equalizer quite like the gun. If you take a 90 lb. teenage girl being attacked by 2 adult males and put and put an AR-15 in her hands along with some basic instructions in how to operate it, you have given her a way to defend herself. In fact, the two males will seriously regret the misjudgment.
The criminal element preys on weakness. Most would never undertake their illegal activities if they knew there is a high probability the “victim” is armed. None-the-less, self-defense is an important part of life and has been since the dawn of time.
Hunting
Since the early stages of the human race our ancestors hunted both for protection and food. When wild animals attacked a village, a hunting party tracked them down and killed them or ran them off. Throughout our history, hunting has put food on the plates of many, trophies on the wall for some, and the stories from the trail for all.
We may have started with primitive weapons like spears, bows and arrows but we have come a long way in our march to the 21st century. Now we have guns that provide us a more rapid, advantageous, and humane way to take the “kill shot”.
Hunting rifles today come in many varieties. They range from pellet guns and .22 caliber rifles for small game like squirrels and rabbits, to 7mm and .416 caliber for bigger game, and all kinds of rifles in between. The animal you hunt will typically help determine which rifle you need.
Sport
The necessity of guns in everyday life, naturally grew into competitions. It probably started long ago with simple bets between friends on hitting a target with their gun. Over the years these have now turned into worldwide sporting events.
If fact, the 2020 Olympic games will host shooting events shooting both rifles and pistols. From the air rifles and air pistols to the skeet and trap shooting. Even the Olympic games embodies some of the love of guns and the love of shooting them.
Love of shooting guns
Gun love… it’s real. For generations, people around the world have built relationships with their guns. Some love them so much they just can’t get enough. In fact, while uncommon, there are some owners who boast a collection of thousands. As a culture we love them so much we keep their memories in our record books.
The truth is, there are many world records involving guns. These include records about the size of the gun, timed number of shots, timed target hits, new types of gun, weight of gun, and even the age of the gun. The most important reason to love guns… is freedom.
‘merica… that’s why
In the United States of America the right to bear arms was enshrined in our constitution to ensure that “we the people” have a way to protect ourselves from those who would do us harm. Our nation has a rich history steeped in this tradition because of the militia (citizen army) who would be required to keep and care for their own weapons, and get called to use them, in times of need.
That tradition was founded on the principle that every free person has the right and the responsibility to protect that freedom. Since then our traditions have evolved into our rich culture of love and respect for our guns.
Now that I have waxed eloquently about the reasons one might need to fire a rifle, let’s get down to how that happens.
Types of Rifles
When you are preparing to fire your first rifle you need to determine what type of rifle it is. The type of rifle will largely determine how you load and how you fire it. There are eight primary classifications of rifles. These are:
- Muzzle loaders
- Bolt action
- Lever action
- Pump action
- Break action
- Falling block action
- Semi-automatic
- Automatic
Muzzle loaders
A muzzleloader, sometimes referred to as “blackpowder”, is any firearm a shooter loads by pushing a powder charge and a projectile through the muzzle (“the front of the gun”, for the less experienced). This loading method itself is the primary difference between most modern firearms, and this class of firearm.
Muzzleloaders basically fall in one of three basic varieties. These are: Flintlocks, Caplocks, and Inline Muzzleloaders.
Flintlock
The Flintlock mechanism came on the scene in the early 16th century. This mechanism was used on muskets, pistols, and rifles for several centuries. In this mechanism a projectile is pushed through the barrel and out the muzzle by pressure formed by combustion. This all starts when flint and steel collide.
Upon collision, they generate a spark. The spark ignites the powder in the priming pan. That spark in turn, ignites the main powder charge in the barrel and BANG!!! Your projectile is hurdling toward the target.
Caplock
The Caplock mechanism was introduced in the early 1800s. The original purpose was to improve the reliability of weapons while in humid or even damp conditions. This mechanism uses, a percussion cap containing the compound mercuric fulminate, an explosive chemical.
The percussion cap is placed, at the rear of the barrel, over a hollow metal “nipple”. When the hammer from the firearm hits the cap, it causes a small explosion to travel through the “nipple” into the barrel. This of course, thrusts the projectile through the barrel, toward the target.
Inline Muzzleloaders
An Inline Muzzleloader has the cap in-line with the hammer and the barrel. The “nipple”is located at the breech () of the barrel. The cap is accessed by a bolt or break action which starts the explosion that ignites the barrel charge causing the projectile to head toward the target.
Bolt action
A bolt action is a form of breech mechanism. It combines the firing pin, a small but solid spring, and an extractor, inside of a locking “breechlock”. The firing pin is spring-loaded and slides forward and backward inside the bolt. The entire bolt itself is inside the breechlock.
When a round is chambered and the bolt moves to the forward position, the round is chambered and it cocks the piece. When fired the spring-driven firing pin inside the bolt is released and the round is fired.
As the bolt is pulled backward, the spent round is ejected and a new round from the cartridges is pushed to position to be chambered as the bolt again slides forward.
Lever action
The lever-action rifle is a home-grown American design. It is often claimed to have been “How the West Was Won”. The lever in this rifle is directly keyed to the bolt itself. As the lever goes down the bolt unlocks and ejects a spent round. Pull the lever back upward and a new cartridge is fed into the chamber and the bolt is locked to the receiver. The new round is ready for the bolt to start its path toward the target after the trigger frees up the bolt.
Pump action
Pump-action, also known as slide-action is another home-grown American design. There may be a many rifles in pump-action rifle category, however, the vast majority are shotguns. Regardless of which type of pump-action you prefer, the basics are the same.
This weapon functions by means of a sliding tube called a “fore-end”. The Fore-end travels backward and forward, parallel to the barrel of the rifle. As it travels backward mechanism ejects the spent round and accepts the next round to be chambered. As it moves forward, the new round is chambered and the bolt cycled and readied to be fired.
Break action
Break Action rifles are very safe and very straightforward to use. In fact these are commonly used in shooting competitions. This type of rifle has an opening at a hinge-point where the chamber meets the barrel.
Upon opening the gun, you can tell right away whether the gun is loaded or not. With the barrel open, the shooter can either remove spent casings or load fresh cartridges and the close it for storage or usage, respectively.
Falling block action
The classic falling block action was widely used by the end of the 19th Century and were even winning 1,000 yard target matches well before the turn of the century. Due to its single-shot loading, this tends to be a weapon of choice for connoisseurs.
When the lever is moved down and forward, the block is allowed to fall, exposing the chamber. At this time a spent round can be removed and a fresh cartridge chambered. As the lever is moved back into place the breechblock is moved back into place and the hammer is cocked.
Given the compact nature of the breechblock, and the standard size of the barrel, this gives the projectile an extra 4-inches of travel inside the barrel creating a straighter and more accurate trajectory.
Semi-automatic
Blowback
One of the simplest of semi-automatic operation is blowback operation. This form of operation relies on a combination of mass (from a bolt or a slide) and spring tension to keep the slide or bolt in place until the weapon has fired. The combustion of the powder generates a force that overcomes the inertia of the bolt or slide and spring and forces it backward using the spent casing as a buffer, then ejecting it. The spring recoil returns the bolt (or slide) forward again chambering another cartridge from the magazine along the way.
One of the drawbacks to the blowback operation is that there is no locking mechanism thus this type of operation forces us to use it only on low-powered cartridges like rimfires and pistol cartridges smaller than .380 ACP.
Delayed Blowback
The most famous delayed blowback gun is the 5.56 NATO FAMAS (Fusil d’Assaut de la Manufacture d’Armes de Saint-Étienne). This variation is used in guns where more powerful cartridges are chambered. This type of firearm will use some form of lever or roller to restrain the bolt movement. Using the lever example, we find that the lever acts against a cam or inclined surface to increase the resistance against the bolt, thereby slowing the bolt down.
Once the breech pressure is low enough after the bullet leave the muzzle, the bolt moves backward to eject the spent casing and returns again chambering the new cartridge from the magazine.
Roller-Delayed Blowback
Opposing rollers are set into recesses inside the bolt carrier of these arms to restrain the bolt movement but allow the carrier to move backward much faster than the actual bolt until the rollers are “cammed” into recesses in the bolt, allowing it to move freely. Beyond that it works similar to the standard blowback.
Common examples of this system are the Heckler & Koch G3 rifle and MP5 submachine gun.
Recoil Operation
Semi-automatics that are recoil-operated actually lock the bolt to the barrel until there is a decay in pressure significant enough to allow the two to safely separate. Inside the recoil operation classification of firearms there are three sub-categories. These are: long-recoil, short-recoil, and inertia operation.
Long Recoil
In firearms that are long-recoil the bolt and barrel move backward as a single unit when the gun is fired. In fact, the pieces are mechanically joined together, at that point. Upon reaching the furthest point, the assembly separates. While the bolt is locked in place the barrel returns to “battery” and ejects the spent casing. Once the barrel is in place the bolt is released and also returns to battery, picking up a fresh cartridge on the way.
Some examples of this type of firearm include: the Browning A-5 and Frianchi AL-48 shotguns, and the Remington Model 8.
Short Recoil
Short-recoil-operated firearms almost exclusively are used in pistols and as such very little detail is provided in this article. The primary difference is the use of the slide vs the bolt. The slide acts in a similar way to bolt in this firearm.
Inertia Recoil Operated
Inertia-recoil-operated firearms are pretty much limited to shotguns. It is most useful in guns generating a substantial amount of recoil and is intended to mitigate the felt recoil of the gun to the shooter, as well as cycling the gun. Inertia-recoil guns feature a two-piece bolt separated by a beefy spring. The front part of the bolt is locked to the barrel. As the gun is fired, the entire firearm moves rearward due to recoil and compressing the spring between the bolt pieces. Once the bolt spring achieves full compression, it has stored enough energy to launch the bolt rearward, while the remainder of the gun remains stationary. The bolt unlocks, the bolt travels to the rear, extracting and ejecting the fired hull, and returns to battery with a fresh shell from the magazine and the bolt spring uncompressed. Benelli used its version of this system some 37 years ago with some success. Browning and Frianchi also fielded inertia versions of their semi-auto shotguns—with the marketing terms “Kinematic Drive” and “Affinity,” respectively—but these were short lived.
Gas Operation
- Gas impingement is used in Eugene Stoner’s AR-15 rifle. The gases flow through a port several inches down the barrel and flow into a tube in a gas block that is attached to the barrel. The tube transfers the gas to a bolt key attached to the bolt carrier and pushes it rearward to cycle the action against a buffer spring located in the stock.
- Eugene Stoner’s AR-15
- Another form of gas operation is the long-stroke piston, where a piston is connected to the bolt carrier, traveling with it throughout the cycling operation. It is a durable and simple way to operate a semi-automatic arm, as well as attenuating recoil in heavier calibers. Examples of long-stroke piston guns are the AK-47 and M1 Garand rifles.
- AK-47
- M1 Garand
- Since we have seen a long-stroke piston, it should follow that there is a short-stroke piston. Also known as a tappet operation, short-stroke pistons are not connected to the bolt carrier group. The gas quickly accelerates the piston which impacts the bolt carrier group sending it rearward. In this system the piston is attached to a connecting rod with a return spring. Short-stroke piston guns are lighter than long-stroke guns because the piston system is far less massive. Most gas-operated shotguns employ this arrangement, as does the M1 Carbine and the Chinese SKS rifles.
- M1-Carbine
- Chinese SKS
Automatic vs Semi-Automatic
The primary difference between these two firearms type is the number of times the weapon fires on a single trigger pull. With a semi-automatic rifle a single trigger pull will provide you a single shot from the rifle. An automatic rifle will continue to fire until the trigger has been released. The burst-action variety of the automatic rifle sets the rifle to automatically fire a set number of round per trigger pull.
Gun accessories like “bump-stocks” can also provide a type of “simulated-automatic” action without being an actual automatic weapon. The bump stock creates this type of action by using the recoil of the weapon to cause continuous firing. Of course this only happens as long as the shooters finger is on the trigger.
The 3 Main Factors in Firing a Rifle
When firing a rifle there are 3 main factors that will determine how accurately you fire it. These are your stance, how you hold the rifle, and what you are using to aim with. Each of them have options, so it is best if look at each one individually.
Stance
The primary stances that you can choose to fire your rifle from are: prone, kneeling, sitting, and of course, standing. Each of these also has variations from which to choose such as supported or unsupported, as well as placement of your body parts such as, feet, shoulders, elbows, etc.
For the sake of simplicity we are going to go with a standard unsupported version for each of these stances. Of course if you wish, we can go into greater detail on supported options for each in a different blog.
Standing
The most common stance taught by gun enthusiasts everywhere is the standard bladed-off stance. This stance will help ensure that regardless of the rifle that you are firing you have a good chance of controlling the kickback or recoil of the weapon.
In the bladed-off stance, you place your “weak-side” shoulder closer to your target with your “strong-side” shoulder farther back with the rifle firmly secured into the “strong-side” shoulder. If you are right-handed this means the left shoulder is forward while the rear shoulder is farther back and vice versa for a lefty.
This stance is very similar to how a batter stands in the batter’s box, at baseball game. In this stance the weak-side hand-firmly grasps the bottom of the forward part of the weapon.
This is an ideal stance for first-timers as it is more accurate and makes it easier to control the rifle. However, if you are a more experienced gun enthusiast and firing in a more tactical situation there are other stances like the athletic stance or fighting stance that would better suit your needs. That topic, however, will be covered elsewhere.
Kneeling
This stance is similar to the bladed-off stance with the exception that you strong-side knee is placed on the ground, while maintaining a support position with the toes of the same foot. The opposite knee is bent at a 90-degree angle in front of you.
Shoulder position is again similar to the bladed-off stance. The primary difference is the weak-side elbow is placed in a support position on the weak-side knee. The weak-side hand remains firmly grasping the bottom of the forward part of the rifle. This will provide additional support and stability to the rifle and increase your aim precision.
Sitting
This stance is primarily used by hunters who find themselves waiting for long periods of time for the game they are hunting ,to come in for a visit. The ideal way to take this shot is sitting cross-legged but with your weak-side leg pointing at the target and the knee bent for supporting your elbow similar to the kneeling position. This is again done to help improve accuracy.
Next you bend forward at the waist and rest your weak-side elbow (support elbow) on the leg next to or on the knee. The exact position may vary based on the type of rifle being fired and the body dynamics of the shooter.
Again the weak-side hand-firmly grasps the bottom of the forward part of the weapon, for greater support and stability.
Prone
This is the most accurate way to fire a rifle. In this position almost all body dynamics are removed from the action. This is because you are lying flat on the ground, on your belly. In this position you will typically bend your strong-side knee out to the side just enough to adjust for the slight angling of your shoulders.
The shoulders will be far more squared-off in this stance than in the other positions discussed so far. However you will need to place your weak-side elbow forward as that hand will be used to support the weight of the rifle at the bottom of the forward part, of the weapon, while taking the shot. The rifle still remains in the strong-side shoulder.
How to Hold Your Rifle
When considering how to hold your rifle there are 2 primary considerations: your hands and your shoulder. Let us start with the easiest, that is, your shoulder. The rifle should always be placed firmly into your strong-side shoulder. This will help reduce the impact on the shoulder due to recoil.
If you ask any first-time shotgun shooter, who didn’t firmly pull the rifle into their shoulder with their strong-side hand, you will hear about the less-than-fun experience their shoulder had as it absorbed the impact of a 12-gauge round. This is an important step, do not miss this.
Hand Placement
The strong-side hand placement is typically easy. Each rifle is designed for the hand to be placed within easy reach of both the trigger and the safety. Your hand should grip the gun firmly and hold onto the rifle in this location securely.
It is important that you remember that, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DOES YOUR FINGER EVER TOUCH THE TRIGGER UNLESS YOU ARE READY TO DESTROY YOUR TARGET.
That may be a bit strong but this is the most important safety rule. The term hair-trigger is used for a reason. Do not be the person to find out why, unexpectedly.
The weak-side hand placement can be placed in various places depending on the type of rifle you are firing and the type of stance you are using. It is important to note that regardless of location, it is important that you hold firmly to the rifle to ensure absolute control of the weapon.
How to Aim Your Rifle
Lining up your rifle with the target is determined by the type of sights that you are using. In this article we will discuss the two primary types of sights: scopes and iron sights. The basic concept of both is the same. The center of the sights need to line up with the target. The key is understanding how sights line up.
Scope Sights
Aiming with a scope is by far the easier of the two options. A scope conveniently places the target in the same plain as the sights. They allow you to use optics to bring your target into focus with a set, superimposed mark called a reticle. The reticle indicates where the projectile will hit, assuming the gun has been properly sighted in and the target is within range.
To aim with a scope simply place the reticle on the target that you wish to shoot. The key to actually hitting that spot is maintaining that position while pulling the trigger. Breathing is key here, so make sure you are taking regular breaths in and out.
Some people believe it is better to fire the weapon as you exhale, while others believe that you fire once you have completed your inhale. Regardless of which works best for you, firing while doing either will typically cause your shot to be off target.
Iron Sights
Iron sights is a bit more difficult than firing with a scope because you must use three focal planes: rear sight, front sight, and your target. The most effective shooters of this type of sight are typically young people with 25/25 vision or better. This type of sight offers no magnification and as such relies completely on the unaided vision of the shooter.
With iron sights you need to not only line up the front sight with the rear sight but you also need to line them both up with the target. Keeping both eyes open during this will help you maintain the proper depth perception, however, for most people it makes it a bit trickier for proper alignment.
With standard flat iron sights it is important to make sure that the top edge of both sights are in line as well as aligning the front sight horizontally between the blades of the rear sight. Once you have successfully aligned everything you are a trigger pull away from destroying your target.
Trigger management
Most first-timers believe this is the easiest part of shooting a gun, however, it can be the trickiest. Some triggers have slack in them and as such there is a bit of “play” in the trigger action. It is important to understand this.
Another important thing to remember is that you should not be “pulling” the trigger. Many people end up pulling the trigger anticipating a “kick” from the rifle and as a result end up pulling backward/upward on the rifle during their pull.
For better results you should slowly press the trigger. In fact, as the gun fires it should actually be a surprise to you that it fired. When you are able to achieve this, you will find that you are able to fire a rifle with greater accuracy.
Well, there you have it, “how to fire a rifle”. I hope you have learned a great deal and remember. Safety first.