You are getting ready to carry a firearm on a boat. What is the first step you should take?

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

Answer: (C)

The most important idea here is to ensure the firearm cannot fire while you’re moving on a boat. Unloading the firearm and keeping the action open does exactly that: it removes any live round from the chamber and prevents the firing mechanism from being ready to fire. On a boat, with movement, spray, and sudden jolts, having a round in the chamber or the action closed creates a real risk of an accidental discharge. Verifying that it’s unloaded and keeping the action open makes it clear to everyone nearby that the gun cannot fire.

Relying on the safety alone isn’t enough on a boat because a round could still be in the chamber, and a safety can fail or be bypassed by a bump or drop. Placing the firearm toward the rear of the boat with the muzzle facing forward risks pointing the weapon at people or gear, which is unsafe. Handing a firearm to someone else without first ensuring it’s unloaded also introduces unnecessary risk.

So, unloading the firearm and keeping the action open establishes a safe, verifiable state before any other handling or transport steps.