What does unloading a firearm entail?

• A. Removing the ammunition from the chamber and magazine (or confirming there is no ammo in the chamber) and inspecting the chamber to verify it is empty.
• B. Disassembling the firearm.
• C. Cleaning the trigger mechanism.
• D. Testing the safety with a live round.

Answer: (A)

Unloading a firearm means making sure there are no rounds in the firearm and that it cannot fire. The essential steps are to remove ammunition from the chamber and from the magazine, and then inspect the chamber to verify it is empty. Practically, you open the action to eject any chambered round, remove the magazine, and visually and physically confirm that the chamber is clear. Always treat the firearm as loaded and keep the finger off the trigger while you do this, pointing the muzzle in a safe direction. Disassembling the firearm or cleaning the trigger mechanism are separate maintenance tasks, and testing the safety with a live round is dangerous and not part of unloading.