When preparing to carry a firearm on a boat, which step should you take before anything else?

• A. Hand the firearm to a person in the boat.
• B. Unload the firearm and keep the action open.
• C. Place the firearm in the rear of the boat with its muzzle facing forward.
• D. Put the firearm's safety on.

Answer: (B)

The essential idea is to prevent any accidental discharge by making sure the firearm cannot fire before you handle it on a boat. Unloading the firearm and keeping the action open accomplishes this by removing all ammunition and showing the chamber is empty. With the action open, there’s a clear indication that the gun is not ready to fire, which is crucial in a moving, crowded environment like a boat where jostling can cause mishaps. Once you’ve confirmed it’s unloaded, you can safely proceed with other safety steps, but simply engaging the safety doesn’t guarantee there isn’t a round in the chamber. Carrying or handing a potentially loaded gun, or storing it with the muzzle in a risky direction, can still lead to an accident.