Traditions Side Lock Percussion - Flintlock - Manual (Page 11)

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12. Do not take drugs and drink alcoholic beverages before and during
shooting. Avoid handling firearms while taking prescription medica-
tion which can make you drowsy, slow your reflexes or in any way
impare your normal senses or judgement.
13. Always be mindful of where the hammer is set and routinely verify its
setting. Never solely rely on any rifle’s safety device. It is a mechanical
device and as such can malfunction. No mechanical device has yet been
devised to totally overcome all the laws of physics. Always treat every
gun as if it were loaded and ready to fire. Dropping or a hard blow could,
cause the firearm to discharge, resulting in a serious accident or death. Be
fully aware of your gun’s settings and configuration at all times.
14. Always disable your muzzleloader by carefully removing the percus-
sion cap, or empty the pan of a flintlock. It is always best to unload
the gun when not in use.
15. Never install a percussion cap on the nipple of apercussion gun nor
put powder in the pan of a flintlock gun before the gun is loaded.
When loaded, a bump or an unintentional force could result in the
discharge of the firearm resulting in a serious accident.
16. Never leave a loaded gun unattended.
17. Never climb, jump or move abruptly while carrying any loaded
firearm.
18. Never transport a loaded gun nor shoot one from within a vehicle.
19. Always store the powder, gun and percussion caps in separate locked
places. Always store all firearms and ammunition components in a
secured locked compartment and kept well away from children and
untrained adults.
20. Never store a loaded gun.
21. In the event of a misfire, assume the gun could fire at any moment.
Keep gun pointed upward and down range with the hammer down.
Wait at least one minute before recapping, repriming, or removing the
load from the barrel.
22. Never load a muzzleloading firearm indoors. Only load your firearm
at a location where it is safe to shoot.
23. Be certain that anyone firing this muzzleloader understands and is
willing to follow the instructions and precautions in this manual and
has fundamental knowledge of safe gun handling.
24. Always make certain that the hammer is securely set in the half-cock
position when installing percussion caps, flint or primer powder.
25. Never shoot at a hard or flat surface or into water. Be mindful that a
bullet can ricochet off any object it strikes.