The concept that guns are dangerous, much like any tool that is mishandled, is a given. If they were as safe as a 3-week-old puppy, then they would be about as useful in a self-defense situation.
What is the first thing a new gun owner should learn?
Novices and experienced shooters alike should follow a simple set of rules to avoid mishaps.
These four rules, practiced by a multitude of military personnel and law enforcement officers, are the first things committed to memory before touching a firearm in the line of service. Gun aficionados recognize the name of United States Marine Corps Col. Jeff Cooper through his writing and firearms training academy, Gunsite Academy, in Arizona. This writer has spent time at the training at the facility, and even had a chance to visit with Col. Cooper’s widow. The Cooper’s home sits at the center of the training facility, and instructors and students bustle about the complex on a daily basis. To say that loaded firearms are prolific at the training school would be an understatement. Col. Cooper’s Universal Firearms Safety Rules, or close derivatives, have become the safety mantra of the firearms industry.
1 Treat every gun like it is loaded
2 Never allow the muzzle to cover anything you are not willing to destroy
3 Keep your finger off the trigger until you’ve made the decision to shoot
4 Know the target and what’s beyond it
Expanding on these four basic rules, let’s explore each in detail.
Rule 1—Treat Every Gun Like It’s Loaded
An air of respect for every gun is paramount. Exhibiting respectful caution is best done by always treating every gun is if it is loaded. Never make the assumption that a gun is unloaded. Occasions arise, though, when you need to handle a firearm, such as when you maintain and clean it. The same mindset applies when you conduct dry-fire practice drills. Another good procedure is to have another shooter witness that the gun being handled is verified in an unloaded condition.
When handling a semi-auto pistol, the person handling the gun needs to first place their trigger finger straight along the frame, thus keeping it off the trigger. Next, remove the magazine to ascertain that it is empty. Replace it, locking it in place. Then, draw the slide back fully until it locks in place. If the magazine has cartridges in it, lay it aside before pulling the slide back and locking it manually with the thumb of your dominant hand.
Once that you have verified the gun is empty it is safe to handle the gun for any task.
Rule 2—Control Your Muzzle
Even though the gun has been determined safe, always be conscious about the direction of where the muzzle is pointed. When you read the words, “willing to destroy,” it focuses one on the seriousness of muzzle control. It is impossible to hold a firearm every moment and keep it pointed at its intended target. In practicality, when not aimed at a target, it is always pointed in a direction that will not harm anything if a round went down the barrel at any particular moment in time?
Since you can’t always point a firearm down range when not shooting, so where should it point? Some say at the ground, while others tell novices to keep their gun pointed skyward. Either answer can be correct, or not….
Pointing at the ground can be safe if it is soft enough to absorb a round, but if it is hard like concrete a ricocheting bullet can keep traveling in a harmful direction. On the other hand, always pointing at the sky might not be ideal either. A bullet fired into the air will eventually return to earth and there have been instances where people or property were in its path. Let’s say you are in a two-story house and you are moving from room to room on the first floor. What’s above your head could be a lot more valuable and precious than what’s under your feet.
Rule 3—Trigger Finger Placement
The most easily broken rule of firearms safety is placing a finger on the trigger when not prepared to shoot. The only appropriate time to place your finger inside the trigger guard is when ready to fire the weapon.
Rule 4—Know What’s Beyond Your Target
A flying bullet doesn’t always hit its mark, and the integrity of a target’s backstop determines where the bullet stops. One scenario is that a firearm is used to thwart an attacker inside a house. Sheetrock walls won’t stop a bullet. It is quite possible for a bullet to pass through several walls. Another instance faced by hunters is that a high-velocity bullet might very likely pass through game and keep traveling. This writer personally knew a deer hunter who was struck in the leg and seriously wounded by a bullet passing through a deer more than 100 yards from the victim, and more than twice that distance from the careless shooter.
For safety’s sake, carve these universal firearms rules into your mindset. Period.
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