Airgun Home | Shooting Diary | My Airguns | Airgun Safety | Slavia 622 Restoration First off, it is important to note that airguns are not toys. I don't know why kids always think it's fun to run around shooting pellet guns at each other, or why kids who do it are dismissed as just "boys being boys". That's stupid. People hunt small game with these weapons, which in my mind, immediately kicks them right out of the "toy" category. Here I have cited the safety rules as stated by CZ. In my mind, they left out the single most important safety precaution in the sport of airgunning: ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS WEAR EYE PROTECTION. Indoor or outdoor, a pellet can always hit something hard, ricochet, and come screaming back at you. It poses no threat to your skin, but it takes next to nothing to take out your eye. We've all seen "A Christmas Story" - the only thing that saved that poor kid's eye was his glasses. Take the lesson from that, and learn it the easy way. Don't shoot without safety glasses, period, never ever. That said, here are the general safety rules for airguns, as taken from the CZ Slavia 631 Owner's Manual: 1. Always handle your air rifle as if it were loaded. 2. Never point your air rifle at anything you do not intend to shoot. 3. Never take anyone's word that a gun is unloaded. 4. Always make sure that your air rifle is not loaded before laying it down, or handing it to another person. 5. Always keep your air rifle empty, and uncocked except when you intend to shoot. 6. Never abuse your air rifle by using it for any purpose other than shooting. 7. Never leave the air rifle cocked and ready to fire unattended. 8. Always be sure that the barrel bore, chamber, and action are clean and clear of obstructions. 9. Always use only clean, dry, original high quality commercially manufactured ammunition, which is appropriate to the caliber of your air rifle. 10. Never drink alcoholic beverages or take drugs before or during shooting. 11. Never squeeze the trigger or put your finger in the trigger guard until you are aiming at a target and ready to shoot. 12. Always be absolutely sure of your target, and the area behind it, before you squeeze the trigger. A bullet could travel through or past your target up to several dozen meters. 13. Never shoot at a hard surface such as rock, or a liquid surface such as water. 14. Never indulge in "horseplay" while holding your air rifle. 15. Always make sure your air rifle is not loaded before cleaning, storing, or traveling. 16. Always keep and store your air rifle and ammunition in separate locked receptacles out of reach and sight of children and untrained people. 17. Never alter any parts of your air rifle as the safety and proper function of your air rifle could be seriously compromised. 18. Always be aware that corrosion, use of damaged ammunition, dropping the air rifle on hard surfaces or other "coarse treatment" could cause damage you may not see. If something like this happens, have the air rifle examined and tested by a competent gunsmith. 19. Don't shoot the gun as long as the barrel isn't completely locked. This operation could cause serious personal injury and/or damage to the gun.* *This applies to break-barrel rifles and pistols only.