It’s all about being safe. I could not pass up using the image for this particular post. The picture is from a video clip I show in all of my firearm training classes. A link to the video is http://youtu.be/MeGD7r6s-zU for those who have not seen it. The video reinforces the fact no matter how experienced you are an accident can happen. An accident is supposed to unintended or so it says in the dictionary, but if you neglect to follow certain guidelines the “unintended” likelihood increases. So what are the rules of gun safety? Here are the basics:
1) ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. A safe direction is not pointed up in the air, pointed down at your feet and NEVER point it at anything you are not willing to destroy. Control where the muzzle (barrel) is pointing at all times. If this rule was always followed we would not have injuries or fatalities from “accidental shootings.”
2) ALWAYS keep your FINGER off the trigger until you are ready to shoot. This rule is perhaps the most ignored and most frequent violation I see. It is natural to put your finger on the trigger just as it is natural to flinch when you are startled. Keep your finger along the outside of the frame until you have the made the decision to shoot.
3) ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until it is ready to be used. A gun that is not in use should be unloaded and secured in a safe manner. When is a gun in use? If you carry a firearm for personal protection it needs to be ready to use. If you are not confident enough in your training and decision making to carry a loaded gun I suggest you get more training. A responsible gun owner will know how to safely check their firearm to see if it is loaded and take the necessary safety measures to load or unload the firearm as needed.
4) ALWAYS know what is behind you intended target. You are responsible for every bullet leaving the gun. Whether you are at the shooting range, in your home or out in the world bullets are dumb and they don’t have brakes. The bullet stops when it runs out of energy, think first!
I meet a lot of people who are intimidated by firearms. They usually use the term scared, but it is really just intimidation. Following the basic gun safety rules can go a long way in overcoming that intimidation. Firearms are tools and you can be trained in how to effectively use one without endangering those around you.
If you have not watched the video of the DEA Agent shooting himself while giving a safety lecture it’s worth a few minutes. Do me a favor and while watching it see how many of the four basic rules he violated.
Mark Shuffield is a NRA Certified Piston Instructor and Personal Protection Instructor
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