RULE 1. Treat every gun as if
it were loaded.
Even if you are picking up a gun out of a case in a
store, assume EVERY gun you come across is ready to fire
until you personally observe the chamber and see/feel that
it is empty. If you set an unloaded weapon down,
assume it is loaded again when you next pick it up.
The only way to avoid negligent discharges is to make this
second nature. IMPORTANT- simply removing the magazine
from a pistol does NOT unload it. There may still be a
round in the chamber that can kill or injure someone.
You must observe the chamber of the weapon to
determine if it is unloaded. Click
here for instructions about unloading a weapon, courtesy
of the IHEA.
RULE 2. Never let the muzzle
cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
Do not point even an unloaded weapon at anyone.
(The muzzle is the part of the gun where the bullets come
out) There is never a reason to point a gun at any
person, unless they are a threat to your life, and you
intend to defend yourself. You cannot accidentally
shoot someone or something if you never pointed a firearm in
that direction in the first place.
RULE 3. Keep your finger off the
trigger until you are ready to fire.
The natural instinct when picking up a firearm is to put
your finger in the trigger guard. DON'T! This could cause an
accidental discharge if the gun is loaded. Even if you
are at a shooting range with no one around, you should not
put your finger on the trigger until your weapon is pointing
at a safe target. Almost every accidental shooting
could arguably have been avoided by following this one rule
alone. This is very important.
RULE 4. Be sure of your target
and what is beyond it.
Even if you hear a bump in the night, do not fire at
anything unless you know what it is, and what might happen
if your bullet misses or goes through your target.
Also, be aware that bullets may ricochet off of a hard
target and go in unexpected directions- sometimes back at
you. Ensure that what you are shooting at can handle
being shot, and that you are not going to injure anyone
unless they are an actual threat. Do not use
telescopic sights as a substitute for binoculars when
identifying persons, animals or objects.
Learn these rules until you can recite them without
looking. There is much debate over the exact wording,
but the point remains the same. There is no excuse for
unsafe firearm handling. Discipline yourself to follow these rules
and avoid
becoming a statistic. If you do not know how to do these
things (eg. are now sure how to safely inspect a weapon to
ensure that it is unloaded), find someone who can show you
before you attempt to learn on your own. Always read
the manual that is provided with your weapon. Each
weapon is different, and has unique facts that must be known
about it to ensure its safe operation.
Gun safety for children- their Four
Rules
Children who are generally considered too young to be
allowed to handle firearms at all have a different set of
rules which can be taught to them:
- Stop.
- Don't touch.
- Leave the area.
- Tell an adult.
These rules for children are promulgated by the
NRA's Eddie
Eagle Program. The point of these rules are not to
instill that firearms are bad, only that they are dangerous,
and that they should not be handled by anyone not able to
understand and practice the Four Rules stated above.
Accepting a Firearm
When accepting a firearm from another person:
1. Check that the action is opened before touching the
firearm. If it isn't, ask the person who is handing you the
firearm to open it for you.
2. Visually check that the chamber and magazine are empty of
ammunition before touching the firearm.
3. Grasp the firearm with both hands, keeping the muzzle
pointed in a safe direction.
4. Say thank you to alert the passer to release the firearm.
5. Once the firearm is in your control PROVE that it is
unloaded and safe to handle. (see the Unloading procedures)
