Gun Safety Rules-Good Read

[TxPhantom]

I read this at www.bersatalk.com some time ago. Posted by "Plink" (Mike),who said he got it somewhere else. I have also posted it on www.texaschlforum.com. So if you have seen this before, it is worth reading again and again. It was posted on 03/07/2006.  Thought it is worth passing on. Plink gave me permission to spread it around. TxPhantom

Gun safety.
NEW SHOOTERS PLEASE READ! Old shooters read too.  

Howdy folks,

Even if this is so second nature that you can recite it in your sleep, please read this, read it all the way to the bottom, read it again, then save it to read down the road. Read it back to me, to all your friends and to yourself, and especially to anyone you teach to shoot. Make them recite it till it's burned into their memories and yours, then recite it again...and again, and again.

Never let us or yourself slip, no matter how long we've been shooting. Humans make mistakes, and if we keep an eye out for each other, we can learn from them and live to pass that knowledge on to others. Yes I'm going to YELL. If you see anyone being unsafe, YELL it back to them/me/us!

As a kid, I remember my dad teaching me gun safety. It seemed that there were 1000 rules. Asking "what's rule 39, paragraph 2, subsection B?" was nothing but confusing. There's no need for a zillion rules if 4 are ALWAYS followed. I repeat and stress ALWAYS.

1: Humans make mistakes.

All guns are ALWAYS LOADED! If someone unloads a gun and hands it to you, they have just handed you a LOADED GUN until you personally prove that it is empty by checking the chamber. If you are handling a gun that you know is "unloaded", it is LOADED until you check it again. Each and every time, no exceptions, no excuses!

There are too many people shot every year with "unloaded" guns. It happens when cleaning an "unloaded gun" (I lost a cousin to that), it happens when someone points an UNLOADED GUN (yes I do mean to shout..please hear me out) at someone or themselves, it even happens at gun stores (more on that later).

2. Humans make mistakes.

Never point the muzzle at anything you do not intend to destroy! Guns are safe, and guns protect lives. They do that by DESTROYING what they are discharged at. They are also indescriminate and will destroy anything or anyone they are discharged at, even by accident. WE are their brains. Do not point a gun at anything you do NOT intend to DESTROY...DESTROY! There's no such thing as a safe gun, only a safe shooter. Please be one.

3. Humans make mistakes.

NEVER put your finger on the trigger unless you are ready to shoot. If your sights are not on the target, there's no reason for your finger on the trigger, right? So DO NOT PUT IT THERE!

Modern guns in good repair will not fire on their own. They don't get in a bad mood and go off because they feel like it. They go off because someone pulled the trigger. If your finger isn't on the trigger, the gun will not go off. Don't put your finger there EVER unless you are ready to fire the shot at that moment. Otherwise, keep that sucker pointed out straight.

4. Humans make mistakes.

Always know where your bullet will go. You can shoot at a target, but the bullet can carry on and kill someone down range unless you know for a fact where that bullet will stop. DO NOT fire unless you know the bullet will stop harmlessly in a backstop and not carry on to injure someone down range.

If you don't get that deer this year because of an unsafe shot that you didn't take, well the hunter's life you might have saved has a family who is grateful. If you're target shooting, please make sure you have a safe backstop that you know will stop your bullets.

I'm fanatical about checking and double checking my guns before I bring them home, to make sure they are unloaded. I remember a trip to the range some years back, where I was having trouble with double action shots. When I got home I decided to do some double action dry firing, which is a great way to practice.

Knowing that I ALWAYS, I mean ALWAYS, check and double check my firearms to make sure they are unloaded before packing them up, I settled my sights on a spot on the wall with the fridge on the other side to satisfy rule #2. I was about to squeeze the trigger when I chastised myself for being so lazy and not checking the chamber, and racked the slide to satisfy rule #1. Out popped a round! A ROUND! Out of an "unloaded gun." Somehow, that gun had gotten overlooked, and even though the magazine was empty, the chamber was not. A moments laziness... Don't be lazy! Takes only a second to check, but a lifetime of regret if you don't...'nuff said.

A few years back, one of the local gunshops had an unforgivable accident. This is a decades old shop, with people who probably deal with more guns in a week than I've ever handled in my lifetime. Apparently a cop brought in his duty weapon for some type of repair, and the employee, in violation of several of the rules above, SHOT THE COP WITH HIS OWN GUN!

Luckily, the man survived, but there's just NO excuse for their unsafe gun handling, or mine for that matter. Now I'm a forgiving fellow, but I have not done business with them since. That's unforgivable, period.

The fact is, we're human. Humans make mistakes. Our mistake can cost someone else their life. That's a lot of the reason we're having to fight to keep our Second Amendment Rights. If we follow safe guidelines, the chances of our mistakes hurting someone is greatly reduced. See above; humans make mistakes! Please teach this to anyone who wants to enter the sport, and please keep an eye on yourself, me, and everyone else who enjoys it so that we can continue to do to.

One of the most satisfying things I can remember, happened last summer. I was teaching a single mother and her 11 year old son to shoot. They had never handled firearms before and I went into "safety nazi" mode and drilled the above over and over, especially the part about keeping your eye on other shooters.

I had finished a string with the .22 pistol I was teaching them with, and kept my finger on the trigger after the gun ran dry, to see if either noticed (most don't). I wasn't finished for more than a couple seconds, and the mother hadn't noticed, when the young son pointed out rather LOUDLY that I still had my finger on the trigger. I was very proud, and so was the mother when I smiled at him broadly with a "well done!".

Sorry for the long rant and I know I'm preaching to the choir, but it's something that many of us take too lightly. It has nothing to do with experience, as shown by my own mistake and the gun shop's, and those that we've all seen from others. Please always keep this at the very front of your thoughts when you shoot and especially when you teach others to shoot.

If any of you ever shoot with me, just know that I'm watching you! lol. I hope you're watching me just as closely, because humans make mistakes.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mike

[Questor]

I stop reading whenever I see the phrase "all guns are always loaded." This is obviously not true and it seriously undermines the credibility of the person making the statement. Gun safety can be dealt with much more reasonably than this.

[Redhawk1]

I stop reading whenever I see the phrase "all guns are always loaded." This is obviously not true and it seriously undermines the credibility of the person making the statement. Gun safety can be dealt with much more reasonably than this.  Even a child is perplexed by that ridiculous statement-- I've seen them react to it, and they're much too smart to be gulled by such moronic tripe.

I agree with you Questor.

[Glanceblamm]

Holy Cow :eek:   :eek:
We have always got to treat the gun as if is loaded.

Redhawk1
If I took the bolt out of my rifle and handed it to Questor then casually
swung the bore across your mid-drift would you like it?
I Think Not.

Questor/Redhawk1
What point am I missing here? Can you elaborate on your points?
Thanks

[oso45-70]

Questor and Redhawk1.

I can't belive you all don't pratice the idea that all guns are loaded all the time. I have seen the results first hand when a person said this gun is not loaded and shot his best friend. No matter how silly you think it is to treat each gun with such carelessness by not checking checking and checking it again. It might save some one's life. TxPhantom has it right in my opinion and its just a good rule to live by. You read every day about some one shooting some one with an unloaded firearm. In my opinion you can't be too careful when handeling firearms. have a good day and stay safe     .........Joe.............

[williamlayton]

IF you check first then you will not have a bad day.
If you trust to the magic of your mind bad days are coming.
This is a ridiculous conversation to be having.
Blessings

[Questor]

No, I was having a pretty good day.  Today is even better.

I have seen new shooters react to the phrase "a gun is always loaded" and their immediate reaction is always to question the assertion and continue to question it while paying no further attention to the instructor. Don't believe me? Try teaching a new shooter with it and see what happens.

We should be saying that "a gun must always be TREATED AS IF it were loaded". That's a small difference, but a huge semantic difference because it keeps the listener's mind open to what will follow, because what follows is the important part: examples of how dangerous they are, and how to prevent accidents, emphasizing good muzzle control, gun handling courtesy, and always checking the chambers when picking up and putting away the gun.

That is why I ranted about it.  This, as I call it, "old way" of teaching gun safety has got to go. Fortunately it mostly has disappeared from gun safety courses.

[Redhawk1]

Again I agree with Questor. I "treat" every gun as if it were loaded. I always clear my guns any time I handle them. I teach my son to do the same thing.

I never assume a gun is loaded, I check to make sure a gun is loaded or not. To say every gun is loaded puts an added fear into novice and beginners in my opinion.  Yes safety is always number one and checking every gun to make sure it is unloaded is the right thing to do when handling a gun.

To hand a novice a gun and tell him the gun is loaded and his responsibility is to check it, is plain stupid in my opinion. Now to hand a novice a gun and explain to him that he must treat every gun as it were loaded makes more sense. Make him be aware of where the muzzle is pointed and to check to make sure the gun is not loaded and rendered safe by opening the cylinder or opening the bolt or slide action which ever apply's.

That is how I see it.  

[TxPhantom]

If you don't agree with a post that was posted with good intent, don't read it. Maybe it will help someone else.

As for "The Gun safety Rules", they were passed around on other gun forums. They were very well received. Not one complaint, in fact they were posted as a "Sticky" post on one of them so they would remain at the start of the posts so no one would miss them. I didn't write them but I wish I had.

Apparently, the wisdom of these rules passed right over a couple of "Gun Experts " heads. Every shooter that's not from El Stupido should read them and decide for themselves. I intend to practice these rules so I don't shoot myself or anyone else with a "UNLOADED GUN". If you believe you always know when a gun is loaded, please warn other people when you are on a gun range.

[Questor]

I've seen people trained both ways, and the method I espouse is the one that works best in actual practice. There really is no room for argument on this any longer.

That's probably why the US Army Pistol and Rifle Team, the Civilian Marksmanship Program, all of the experienced safety instructors I know, the people who teach hunter safety classes in Minnesota, and any recently published book on gun safety I've see do it that way.  As far as the sticky posts are concerned, they should really update their literature. There's been a lot of progress made in gun safety instruction during the past 50 years.

[Questor]

By the way, I hate to seem argumentative, especially to strangers, but this is one thing I'll argue about unashamedly.

[sui generis]

No - a gun is ALWAYS loaded. If you have dropped the magazine and opened and checked the chamber or opened the cylinder, dumped rounds and checked for any hang-ups (insert appropriate treatment of other weapon types), you may consider it unloaded for the purpose of IMMEDIATE cleaning or disassembly. The moment you close the slide or cylinder or if you put the gun on a table and turn 360 degrees, that gun IS loaded.

You can play all the semantic games you want, but guns are ALWAYS loaded. If you don't believe that, then the only thing that'll save your or another's life is your rigid adherence to the other three rules.  

But that could be hard on the underwear.

[Redhawk1]

If you don't agree with a post that was posted with good intent, don't read it. Maybe it will help someone else. There is always some in your face, know it all on every forum who thinks it's their duty to tell other posters off in a very rude fashion when they can find something to nit pick about. It's easy when your many miles apart!

As for "The Gun safety Rules", they were passed around on other gun forums. They were very well received. Not one complaint, in fact they were posted as a "Sticky" post on one of them so they would remain at the start of the posts so no one would miss them. I didn't write them but I wish I had.

Apparently, the wisdom of these rules passed right over a couple of "Gun Experts " heads. Every shooter that's not from El Stupido should read them and decide for themselves. I intend to practice these rules so I don't shoot myself or anyone else with a "UNLOADED GUN". If you believe you always know when a gun is loaded, please warn other people when you are on a gun range.

I guess I am one of those gun expert's you eluded to. But just because I don't see it exactly the way you do, does not give you a right to start getting personal. With that attitude you well surly not make friends here. With only 10 posts and you have resorted to calling people rude and making insinuation about being experts. I did not see myself or Questor
 say anything rude or give the impression we were experts. I am not new to guns and surly I am no expert, but I have been handling guns for over 35 years without a single incident.

Yes, you had good intension's, but don't get upset if not everyone does not agree with you 100%. As far as the gun range. I clear all my guns prior to going to the range and putting them in a gun case, at the range, I again clear the guns. It is not the act of safety that is the problem it is the message that every gun is loaded. I just don't agree with it. My prerogative.    

I am through with this thread.
 :roll:

[TxPhantom]

I stop reading whenever I see the phrase "all guns are always loaded." This is obviously not true and it seriously undermines the credibility of the person making the statement. Gun safety can be dealt with much more reasonably than this.  Even a child is perplexed by that ridiculous statement-- I've seen them react to it, and they're much too smart to be gulled by such moronic tripe.

Moronic tripe? And all else underlined!

That's not being argumentative that's just plain, unnecesarily,  rude and offensive!

If you don't see anything rude about the above post you've got thicker skin than I do. I did not intend to make anyone mad by posting the "rules" & I did not write them. I just thought they were a good FYI post. As I said, they have been posted on several other forums with no complaints, in fact, just the opposite. Again , my intent was just to pass on what I thought was a very good post for anyone who handles a gun. If these rules are out of date please bring us all up to date with what you consider to be the "correct, modern rules". I, by no means, claim to be a gun expert either but I've been shooting since I was a pre-teen and I'm 68 now. Lets get past this. Life is too short!  :toast:

[Redhawk1]

I stop reading whenever I see the phrase "all guns are always loaded." This is obviously not true and it seriously undermines the credibility of the person making the statement. Gun safety can be dealt with much more reasonably than this.  Even a child is perplexed by that ridiculous statement-- I've seen them react to it, and they're much too smart to be gulled by such moronic tripe.

Moronic tripe? And all else underlined!

That's not being argumentative that's just plain, unnecesarily,  rude and offensive!

If you don't see anything rude about the above post you've got thicker skin than I do. I did not intend to make anyone mad by posting the "rules" & I did not write them. I just thought they were a good FYI post. As I said, they have been posted on several other forums with no complaints, in fact, just the opposite. Again , my intent was just to pass on what I thought was a very good post for anyone who handles a gun. If these rules are out of date please bring us all up to date with what you consider to be the "correct, modern rules". I, by no means, claim to be a gun expert either but I've been shooting since I was a pre-teen and I'm 68 now. Lets get past this. Life is too short!  :toast:

TxPhantom, I showed a copy of this post to a couple of my buddies that are Hunter Education Instructors and they agree with me.
What they had a problem with is, "A gun is always loaded."  They teach, treat every gun as if it were loaded. Yes I have some thick skin but still did not see anyone being rude.

oso45-70
A "unloaded" gun has never killed anyone, only a loaded gun handled without checking to see if it was loaded has. So therefor a unloaded gun cannot kill anyone. A very simple concept.

I am very safety conscience and obey all gun rules all the time, but I teach people to respect guns and treat every gun as if it were loaded. There is no reading into that what so ever.

Well it is time to go shoot my bow, and I think that will be a lot more fun than sitting at the computer.  

[shermbob]

EVERY GUN is always loaded until I personally inspect it. Evey time I walk away from it and come back to it I check it again. If you don"t check it for yourself .Your just an accident waiting to happen.I trust no one else's word for it. There for every gun is loaded TILL checked
shermbob

[corbanzo]

I also agree with Questor and Redhawk, and heres my proof that we are right.  OK, all of you guys, who say a gun is ALWAYS loaded.  Have you ever, in your life, dry fired a gun?  And was this at a target?  Or was there sometime in your life, that you dry fired a gun at the shop to see the trigger pull?  Or at your home after you cleaned it?

If you can say that you have truly never in your life dry fired a gun, which wasn't pointing at a target, then you can pose your arguement.  I'll tell you this much, there is no chance of me buying a gun without feeling that click first.  So I just shot a hole in the gun shop wall.....

And yes, every time that I pick up, or am handed a gun, I open the chamber, then after seeing the chamber is clear, go about with my business.  So until I, myself, without the help of anyone else, am sure, then it goes on to whatever else I may do.

[PaulS]

Guns are always loaded

That is what I taught my kids, It is what my dad taught me. We have never had an accident - I unload a revolver before I hand it to anyone - and then I make sure they check it. I unload auto-loaders before I hand them to someone and require them to check it too.

If guns are not always loaded then there is no need to double check.

After double checking before dry firing I always call out when I reload a handgun and place it in the holster; "Loaded gun!" even when I am the only one there - it reinforces that the gun needsto be checked again if you continue to dry fire. I learned that from a friend who is a cop. He put a 357 round through two apartments, "dry firing" when he was interupted by a phone call - loaded his gun and placed it back in his holster. He got done with the phone call and pulled the gun out and continued to dry fire - one shot only.

GUNS are ALWAYS loaded!

Everyone who comes into my home more than a few times hears the same thing - All the guns in this house are always loaded. Is it true? YES! Some may not have a round in the chamber - some may be a few feet away from their ammo but they are always loaded. We treat them that way. I have never said that to anyone who could not grasp that it was a safety statement - a way that they were supposed to react to every gun they came in contact with. If more people were taught to treat guns that way we would probably have fewer accidents where kids get killed because their friend told them it was unloaded.
MY kids learned that it wasn't unloaded until THEY checked it for themselves. Thats the way I learned it. Thats the way their kids are learning it. No surprises - no accidents - no injuries and no deaths.

Every gun is always loaded for me until I check it and it should be treated that way until YOU check it.

[williamlayton]

If there is no chance a weapon is loaded it is unloaded. How does one know?
If I go to my gun closet and get a weapon from it you can bet I know it is loaded! Why? Because everyone that I own from the Sig and PPK in the truck too the ones in my closet ARE loaded.
If I am handed a weapon by a friend I assume that it is loaded, and I, make the attempt to make it safe by unloading it.
Now boys the idea is to trust all but cut the cards.
I may have a good feeling that a weapon in a gun store is unloaded and I am pretty sure it is but I and every store employee I have ever dealt with made sure it was and treated it as loaded until it was examined.
If/When I dry fire any weapon I always point that weapon at a safe area, never thru a wall, always at a ceiling, a floor, a target, down range-somewhere other than any area where a person MIGHT be. Heck I doan even aim at the tires on a truck when dry firing--just my ways.
Now you can say "it is not loaded, go  ahead" and I, by gum, am gonna try and unload it (cut the cards).
You can say it anyway you wish but I am gonna know and until I know, it is not.
Blessings

[Redhawk1]

Say it anyway you want. The bottom line is to make sure all guns are unloaded before you handle them. Never assume a gun is safe until you personally check to make sure.

Treat every gun as if it were loaded.  

[TxPhantom]

1: Humans make mistakes.

All guns are ALWAYS LOADED! If someone unloads a gun and hands it to you, they have just handed you a LOADED GUN until you personally prove that it is empty by checking the chamber. If you are handling a gun that you know is "unloaded", it is LOADED until you check it again. Each and every time, no exceptions, no excuses!

There are too many people shot every year with "unloaded" guns. It happens when cleaning an "unloaded gun" (I lost a cousin to that), it happens when someone points an UNLOADED GUN (yes I do mean to shout..please hear me out) at someone or themselves, it even happens at gun stores (more on that later).

This is considered "MORONIC TRIPE"

Redhawk says:
"Treat every gun as if it were loaded" And "Again I agree with Questor  I "treat" every gun as if it were loaded".
I'm confused. Isn't that what rule #1 said?  So I guess you finally agree with Rule #1.

I never, in my wildest imagination, thought I would set off such controversy over the statement that "all guns are always loaded". If everyone would just follow that simple rule very few would be shot by a unloaded gun.
There are some strange trolls hanging out under this bridge! :shock:

[ShootnStr8]

Folks,

I have edited and deleted a number of the posts that contained personal attacks and other inappropriate statements.  I doubt if I got them all as doing this on a dial up connection is a pain.  

I would like to see this conversation continue as an important issue has been raised.  Should we teach "A firearm is always loaded" or "TREAT every firearm as if it were loaded?"  

Personally, I've always had issue with the "A firearm is always loaded" statement because it is simply is not true.  Sound firearm instruction should be based on truth.  Is a firearm always loaded?  As someone pointed out, we dry fire and we also "lock and load" (How can we load a firearm that is already fully loaded?).  We load and unload our firearms.  We clean unloaded firearms (at least I hope we do).  

Our words in this regard should reflect reality.  So I prefer say that we must treat every firearm as if it were loaded.  

So what is your opinion?

Let's keep this good discussion going in a civil manner.  

Blessings!

ShootnStr8

[sui generis]

So I prefer say that we must treat every firearm as if it were loaded.

This is perhaps what we really do. But, IMO, SAYING it this way does not make the point forcefully enough.

And, yes, I do dry fire. However, I am anal about thinking "this gun is loaded" before I start and after even minimal interruptions during a session.

I have had one ND (which observance of the other 3 rules kept from turning nasty) and I want to do my very best to ensure I never have another one.

I may have a good feeling that a weapon in a gun store is unloaded

Once, I was handed a rifle from the behind-the-counter rack at my then-favorite gun shop. And it really got everybody's attention when I racked the bolt and a live .30-06 round popped out and hit the floor.

[Glanceblamm]

My prefered statement has always been that we treat all firearms as if they were loaded.

I really do think that we are splitting hairs though people as TxPhantoms
first paragraph states........

All guns are ALWAYS LOADED! If someone unloads a gun and hands it to you, they have just handed you a LOADED GUN until you personally prove that it is empty by checking the chamber. If you are handling a gun that you know is "unloaded", it is LOADED until you check it again. Each and every time, no exceptions, no excuses!

IMO: Once you have personally proved that the gun is empty. You have permission to do dryfiring.

[DWTim]

I'm jumping on the "treat all" bandwagon. Without context, "ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED" sounds like an imperative, i.e. the author is commanding you to make sure you load every gun you come across. Considering that the original author found the space to comment on each of the Four Rules, I honestly can't understand why he didn't use grammar in such a way as to make it unambiguous.

Anyway, if it's reduced down to four short sentences, it can be easily memorized. Every child in this country should be able to recite it. Sadly, they are more likely to recite a list of Pokemon with accuracy than know these four basic rules that will prevent serious accidents.

I also find this thread highly amusing.

[TxPhantom]

Those of you who know more about gun safety than Jeff Cooper can disregard these rules. But, please do so in the privacy of your own homes!



About Jeff Cooper
 
If you are a gun person, and you don't know about Jeff Cooper, it's high time you did.  Jeff served as a United States Marine in both World War II and Korea. He is the author of many books about shooting, and taught for many years as a professor of history. Jeff's efforts are responsible for the what is now known as the "modern technique" of defensive shooting.  Jeff Cooper's leadership also led to the development of the "Scout Rifle" (see notes below).  Jeff truly is one of the best.


Jeff Cooper's Rules of Gun Safety

 

RULE I: ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED

RULE II: NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO DESTROY

RULE III: KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET

RULE IV: BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET

 



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


RULE I: ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED
There are no exceptions. Do not pretend that this is true. Some people and organizations take this rule and weaken it;e.g. "Treat all guns as if they were loaded." Unfortunately, the "as if" compromises the directness of the statement by implying that they are unloaded, but we will treat them as though they are loaded. No good! Safety rules must be worded forcefully so that they are never treated lightly or reduced to partial compliance.
All guns are always loaded - period!
This must be your mind-set. If someone hands you a firearm and says, "Don't worry, it's not loaded," you do not dare believe him. You need not be impolite, but check it yourself. Remember, there are no accidents, only negligent acts. Check it. Do not let yourself fall prey to a situation where you might feel compelled to squeal, "I didn't know it was loaded!"



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


RULE II: NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO DESTROY

Conspicuously and continuously violated, especially with pistols, Rule II applies whether you are involved in range practice, daily carry, or examination. If the weapon is assembled and in someone's hands, it is capable of being discharged. A firearm holstered properly, lying on a table, or placed in a scabbard is of no danger to anyone. Only when handled is there a need for concern. This rule applies to fighting as well as to daily handling. If you are not willing to take a human life, do not cover a person with the muzzle. This rule also applies to your own person. Do not allow the muzzle to cover your extremities, e.g. using both hands to reholster the pistol. This practice is unsound, both procedurally and tactically. You may need a free hand for something important. Proper holster design should provide for one-handed holstering, so avoid holsters which collapse after withdrawing the pistol. (Note: It is dangerous to push the muzzle against the inside edge of the holster nearest the body to "open" it since this results in your pointing the pistol at your midsection.) Dry-practice in the home is a worthwhile habit and it will result in more deeply programmed reflexes. Most of the reflexes involved in the Modern Technique do not require that a shot be fired. Particular procedures for dry-firing in the home will be covered later. Let it suffice for now that you do not dry-fire using a "target" that you wish not to see destroyed. (Recall RULE I as well.)

 



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Rule III: KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET

Rule III is violated most anytime the uneducated person handles a firearm. Whether on TV, in the theaters, or at the range, people seem fascinated with having their finger on the trigger. Never stand or walk around with your finger on the trigger. It is unprofessional, dangerous, and, perhaps most damaging to the psyche, it is klutzy looking. Never fire a shot unless the sights are superimposed on the target and you have made a conscious decision to fire. Firing an unaligned pistol in a fight gains nothing. If you believe that the defensive pistol is only an intimidation tool - not something to be used - carry blanks, or better yet, reevaluate having one around. If you are going to launch a projectile, it had best be directed purposely. Danger abounds if you allow your finger to dawdle inside the trigger guard. As soon as the sights leave the target, the trigger-finger leaves the trigger and straightens alongside the frame. Since the hand normally prefers to work as a unit - as in grasping - separating the function of the trigger-finger from the rest of the hand takes effort. The five-finger grasp is a deeply programmed reflex. Under sufficient stress, and with the finger already placed on the trigger, an unexpected movement, misstep or surprise could result in a negligent discharge. Speed cannot be gained from such a premature placement of the trigger-finger. Bringing the sights to bear on the target, whether from the holster or the Guard Position, takes more time than that required for moving the trigger finger an inch or so to the trigger.

 



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


RULE IV: BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET

Know what it is, what is in line with it, and what is behind it. Never shoot at anything you have not positively identified. Be aware of your surroundings, whether on the range or in a fight. Do not assume anything. Know what you are doing.

 

SUMMARY:

Make these rules a part of your character. Never compromise them. Improper gunhandling results from ignorance and improper role modeling, such as handling your gun like your favorite actor does. Education can cure this. You can make a difference by following these gunhandling rules and insisting that those around you do the same. Set the example. Who knows what tragedies you, or someone you influence, may prevent?

Excerpted from: The Modern Technique of the Pistol, by Greg Morrison, Gunsite Press, Paulden, Arizona, ISBN 0-9621342-3-6, Library of Congress Number 91-72644, $40

[williamlayton]

YUP! If it can happen it will happen---well, to paraphase the wise old Murphy's Law.
Blessings

[Cheesehead]

I wonder what would happen if every gun in every store that sells guns were actually loaded, cocked and/or off safety.

Cheese

[Questor]

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BTT/is_144_24/ai_57886968

[Redhawk1]

http://www.nrahq.org/education/guide.asp
http://www.agsfoundation.com/safety/r_universal.html#treat
http://www.shootinggalleryinc.com/Safety.htm
http://www.armchairgunshow.com/gun_safety.htm
http://www.popguns.com/basic_firearm_safety_rules.htm

Here is just cut and past of the sites.

"Fundamental Rules for Gun Safety

"Treat all firearms as if they are loaded and ready to fire."

"This means that you should always have the same respect for an unloaded firearm as you would for a loaded one.  Never play, point or do anything with an unloaded gun that you would do if the gun were loaded and ready to fire."
_____________________________________________________________

Treat Every Firearm As If It Is Loaded
   
 
This is a good way to always remember to be alert around firearms and never relax your attention to the principles of safe gun handling. If you treat every firearm, even the ones you know are unloaded, with the same degree of care that you would when it is loaded, you will not only avoid lapsing into bad habits, but you will also set the best example to everyone around you.

Also, there is always the chance that you might be mistaken in thinking a particular firearm is indeed unloaded. One common handling mistake associated with magazine-fed semi-automatic handguns is to assume the gun is unloaded simply because the magazine has been removed. All too often, a live cartridge is sitting in the chamber because the user failed to open the action (by pushing the slide to the rear) and visually inspect the chamber.

Treating a firearm as if it is loaded also avoids potential accidents that might occur if someone, unknown to you, loaded a cartridge into the chamber when your attention was elsewhere. Another danger is that you picked up someone else's firearm by mistake.

In summary, this rule is designed to neutralize the accidental momentary lapse in attention to safety standards. It also protects against simple human errors that may occur if a loaded firearm is considered "unloaded" or "safe." Always perform safety checks to visually and physically insure that every firearm is, in fact, unloaded."
____________________________________________________________

BASIC GUN SAFETY RULES - Anyone who touches a firearm should know these by heart.

1. Treat every firearm as if it were loaded.

2. Never allow the muzzle to point at anything you are not willing to see destroyed.

3. Be sure of your target and know what lies behind it.

4. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are aligned on target.

5. Be sure your guns are never accessible to unauthorized or untrained individuals.

____________________________________________________________

1. HANDLE ALL FIREARMS AS IF THEY WERE LOADED.
A firearm offers no guarantee that it is unloaded. Therefore, always treat each firearm with respect.

____________________________________________________________

 I guess everyone else is wrong.  :roll: