A Member of the NRA Should Be Able to Get 27/35 on This Firearms Safety Quiz. Can You?

Firearms send projectiles flying at high speed. Always remember that you shouldn't point the gun at anything that you don't intend to destroy.

Every gun is different. If you've never used a particular type of gun before, read the owner's manual. Doing so might save someone's limbs or life.

If you're out alone with a gun and you have to cross a fence, be extra safe. Unload the weapon, place it carefully on the other side of the fence, then cross and retrieve your gun.

Ricochets happen. If you fire a gun without eye protection, you're adding to the risk of shooting.

Most states have strict laws about making sure hunters are visible to each other. Blaze orange clothing is often mandated for specific seasons, all the better to making hunting safer for everyone.

Drinking and shooting are a recipe for horrific tragedy. Don't mix the two.

Guns that sit idle tend to draw dust and other potential issues. Inspect your weapon's action and look for barrel obstructions before you shoot.

Sooner or later, someone totally misses the target … or the bullet passes through. That's why it's so important to conduct recreational shoots in an area with a backstop.

It is, of course, extremely important to evaluate your target before you fire. But you should always look far beyond the target, too -- that way, if you miss you won't accidentally strike an object or person you didn't notice.

Water might seem like a soft, safe target for practice shooting. But lake surfaces can actually behave like solids when struck by bullets, sending the lead ricocheting off in an unsafe direction.

Firearms, like any tool, require continous maintenance. Once you're done shooting, use a cleaning kit to remove debris and gunpowder residue.

There are many situations where you might need to quickly leave a gun unattended for a few minutes. Just be sure to unload it before you go … and do your best to prevent unauthorized people from touching the firearm in the meantime.

Your brain is the only real safety. Mechanical safeties routinely fail. Never rely on them or use them as a substitute for safe gun-handling procedures.

Every year, a few people are maimed or killed because they started to clean a weapon that was loaded. Always clear the chamber before you start the cleaning process.

Gun safes are the best place for weapons when they're not in use. If you opt not to use a safe, at least make sure the gun isn't accessible to children.

Modern rifle cartridges pack a crazy amount of punch. Some bullets can travel well over a mile, meaning you must be extra careful of objects beyond your target.

Some cartridges and shells will slide into weapons they're not made for -- and this can be a life-threatening situation. Always double-check the ammo to make it's the right load for the right gun.

Many drugs make you sleepy or impair your judgement. Be sure you understand those pills before mixing them with a round of shooting.

Muzzle discipline is a catchphrase for assuming that the gun could potentially fire at any moment. That means the muzzle should always be pointed in a safe direction.

If you don't want to protect your own hearing while you're shooting, that's your choice. But protecting the ears of children in the vicinity is critical to ensuring their hearing for decades to come.

Firearms are incredibly dangerous in the wrong hands. And if you're not constantly vigilant while using guns, the wrong hands might belong to you.

Using the wrong ammunition in a gun can be devastating. In some circumstances, it can even cause an explosive event that harms or kills the shooter.

Blanks, like those used for dog training or on movie sets, are anything but harmless. They can injure or kill people, particularly anyone within a few feet of the muzzle.

Never fire a gun until you've analyzed the target and considered the consequences. "Think first, shoot second."

Many manufacturers stamp the caliber or gauge of the gun right on the barrel. It may be hard to spot at first, but with a bit of looking you might that this important bit of information is literally right under your fingertips.

Older guns from the 1800s are common on the used market. Never use modern ammunition with these relics unless you're sure its safe to do so.

Gun cases with sheepskin lining are less than ideal for storage. They tend to attract moisture, and as a result, they can cause rust to begin forming on your firearm in a very short amount of time.

Gun manuals aren't always easy to find online. If you need one in order to better understand your gun, contact the manufacturer -- in one way or another, they'll help you find the information you need.

Trigger locks are keyed locks that snap over the trigger guard. Not only are these devices cheap, but they're extremely effective.

Gunpowder causes fouling and attracts dirt. You should clean the weapon after every shooting session to keep it in working order.

No matter how you stumbled into that used gun -- maybe at an auction or a garage sale -- make sure it's safe to use. A professional gunsmith can easily inspect it for you.

Countless people are ignorant of gun safety rules or simply choose not to follow them. Don't let yourself become a sad statistic. Leave the area immediately and encourage your loved ones to do the same.

Noise-induced hearing loss happens to many shooters who forego ear protection. And in a lot of situations, that damage isn't apparent until years later … and modern medicine does not have many solutions to this problem.

All gun models operate at least a little differently. You should never assume that one action works the same on one gun to the next, otherwise you might wind up as part of an accident.

Safety starts with anyone who handles a gun. That means always making sure that the gun is pointed in a safe direction.