Upon setup when preparing to fire the M90, it is first set up by folding down the attached bipod on the weapon and set on whatever space is being used to fire the weapon. The gun is first inspected to see if there is any debris that might cause the weapon to malfunction. Being a bolt-action rifle, there is typically little cause for error, whereas a semi-automatic rifle could jam or the round might have problems ejecting after firing. After the gun is set up in the desired firing space, the five-round magazine is loaded and the gun is ready to be fired after proper safety precautions are followed. The gun is rested on the bipod with the user holding the rifle’s handle firmly to prevent the gun from sliding back. The design that has gone into the M90 allows it to be fired in this manner without being pressed against the shoulder. The gun is able to reduce recoil through the muzzle brakes, and bipod usage. If the Barrett M90 did not have any muzzle brake then the recoil of the gun would be considerably larger and would need a different design incorporating the shoulder being pressed to the gun.