Browning Gold 12 Owners Manual - Page 4

YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIREARMS SAFETY As a gun owner, you accept a set of demanding responsibilities. How seriously you take these responsibilities can be the difference between life and death. Failure to follow any of these instructions can cause extensive damage to your gun and/or possible serious injury or death to yourself or others. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR CARELESS OR ABUSIVE HANDLING OF ANY FIREARM. AT ALL TIMES, HANDLE ANY FIREARM WITH INTENSE RESPECT FOR ITS POWER AND POTENTIAL DANGER. PLEASE READ AND UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE CAUTIONS, PROPER HANDLING PROCEDURES AND INSTRUCTIONS OUTLINED IN THIS BOOKLET BEFORE USING YOUR NEW FIREARM. 1 ALWAYS KEEP THE MUZZLE OF YOUR SHOTGUN POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION. Do this even though you are certain it is unloaded. Never point any firearm at anything you do not intend to shoot. Be extremely alert and aware of all persons and property within the range of your ammunition. 2 NEVER RELY TOTALLY ON YOUR SHOTGUN'S MECHANICAL "SAFETY" DEVICE. Always assume that your gun can be fired at any time, even with all safety mechanisms engaged. The word "safety" describes a gun's mechanical devices that are designed to place your gun in a SAFER status. No guarantee can be made that the gun will not fire even if the "safety" is in the "on safe" position. See "Operation of the Safety" later in this manual for instructions on operation of this gun's "safety." LIKE ANY MECHANICAL DEVICE, A "SAFETY" CAN SOMETIMES FAIL; IT CAN BE JARRED OR INADVERTENTLY MANIPULATED INTO AN UNSAFE CONDITION. Mechanical "safeties" merely aid safe gun handling and are no excuse for pointing your shotgun's muzzle in an unsafe direction. While it is a good idea to "test" your gun's mechanical "safeties" periodically for proper function, NEVER TEST THEM WHILE YOUR FIREARM IS LOADED OR POINTED IN AN UNSAFE DIRECTION. Safe gun handling does not stop with your gun's mechanical "safety" 2