CHAPTER 11SMALL ARMSA number of duty assignments in the Navy mayrequire you to be armed with a rifle or pistol.Examples of shipboard duty assignments include thef o r e c a s t l e , fa n t a i l , a n d p i e r s e n t r y wa t c h e s ,quarterdeck, and magazine security watches.Examples of ashore duty assignments include basesecurity forces and duties of Seabee personnel.Although none of these assignments may be yournormal watch-standing duties, you may be required tosupport these or other security forces at any time. Forthis reason, you must be familiar with the proper useand care of small arms.Strictly defined, the term small arm means anyfirearm of .60-caliber, 15-mm, or smaller bore.However, the term is generally considered to mean aweapon intended to be fired from the hand or shoulder,such as a rifle or a pistol.At most naval commands, the small arms carried bysecurity watches are maintained by armory personnel.Armory personnel should give you instructions on theproper use and handling of small arms.SMALL ARMS SAFETY PRECAUTIONSLearning Objective: When you finish this chapter, youwill be able to—Recognize the purpose for and identify the safetyprecautions to follow when using small arms.Before you learn to use any firearm, you must learnto handle it safely. Remember, firearms aredangerous. Their purpose is to kill or to cause injury.NOTEWhen at the firing range, follow all safetyprecautions.Every firearm used by Navy personnel has sometype of built-in safety device, and some have more thanone. The safety device guards against accidentaldischarge of a firearm. In almost every case ofaccidental shooting, negligence or carelessness is theprime cause. A weapon is only as safe as the personusing it. Learn to respect each firearm as a deadlyweapon.You should observe the following generalprecautions when handling any type of firearm:1. Treat every weapon with respect. Consider itloaded.2. Never point a weapon at anything or anyone youdo not intend to shoot.3. Always make sure that the bore is clear and thatall oil and grease have been removed from thebarrel and chamber before firing.4. Use only the proper size of ammunition.5. Unload firearms before transporting them to andfrom a shooting area.6. Always carry the firearm so as to control thedirection of the muzzle. Keep the muzzlepointed in a safe direction until ready to fire.7. Keep the safety on until you are ready to shoot.8. Never shoot until you have positively identifiedthe target.9. Unload unattended weapons. At home, storefirearms (with trigger locks installed) andammunition out of the reach of children.10. Do not climb trees or fences with a loadedfirearm.11. Do not pull a firearm toward you by the muzzle.12. Avoid shooting a rifle over a hard, flat surface orbody of water because of possible erratic andlengthy bullet ricochets.13. Like oil and water, firearms and alcohol do notmix. Do not drink alcoholic beverages orpartake of any narcotic or drug before or duringshooting activities.11-1A good Navy is not a provocation to war. It is the surest guarantee of peace.—Theodore Roosevelt
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