Fourth Rule Of Firearm Safety

Protecting myself and those I care most is what first interested me nigh firearms. Given my goal of existence more condom in more situations, it'd exist ironic—and fifty-fifty stupid—of me to not have gun safety incredibly seriously.

Regardless of what led to your involvement with firearms, whether you came from a similar identify as me or not, following gun safety rules is a necessity.

In this guide, I'll exist covering the iv universal gun safety dominion and explaining the importance of each. I'll then get on to add a few I've picked up in my life that I retrieve everyone else can do good from.

The 4 Rules of Gun Safety

If you lot've e'er been to a gun range, chances are you've seen these rules plastered on the wall somewhere or been required to watch instruction explaining them. The 4 universal rules of gun safety are :

Treat all guns as if they are always loaded.
Never allow the cage point at anything that you are not willing to destroy.
Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on target and yous take made the determination to shoot.
Be certain of your target and what is behind it.

You lot should Ever follow every single one of these rules , just I want to touch on each individually and explain how these rules can help protect you even if you forget to exercise another one of them. In the (hopefully) unlikely event you catch yourself breaking ane of these rules, be sure to make a mental note of it and then yous can avert doing so in the future.

1) Treat all guns as if they are always loaded.

Many of these rules should be "mutual sense"—a phrase gun owners take learned to hate due to its frequent use by politicians seeking extreme gun control measures.

Actual common sense, though, is something some people just seem to lack. Shockingly, not everyone intuits things like not pointing a gun at themselves or their friends.

"Treating all guns as if they are always loaded" is largely intended to ensure you lot follow the other three gun condom rules, no thing the status of the weapon.

If yous follow our additional rules, you should always know whether your gun is loaded or not. With that being said, people are forgetful; then you should however treat every firearm as if information technology is loaded, as it really could be. I'd even contend that many seasoned gun owners tin can become more careless than newbies virtually ensuring their guns are cleared after employ.

There's no reason not to treat your gun like it's loaded; then just practice it.

If you always assume guns are loaded, you lot'll be even less likely to break any of the following rules.

2) Never let the muzzle point at annihilation y'all are not willing to destroy.

Every year, people shoot themselves or others unintentionally. Aside from "freak accidents" similar ricochets (where in all likelihood the shooter probably didn't follow the adjacent two safety rules), this means they probably broke the 2nd dominion of gun rubber.

I don't retrieve I need to go into much explanation on how ANY gun can kill someone shot by it or damage anything it comes into contact with.

While you should e'er also follow Rule 3, you should never assume that you or someone else volition keep their finger off the trigger. Even if y'all/they do, you don't want to be a part of an incredibly unlikely gun malfunction that leads to something or someone unintentionally getting shot.

If I were the guy on the left in the higher up GIF, fifty-fifty if I was incredibly confident that gun wasn't loaded, I would no longer exist friends with the idiot on the correct.

iii) Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on target and you have fabricated the conclusion to shoot.

By this indicate yous're probably starting to detect how these rules work together, potentially avoiding a disaster if yous break another one of them. DO NOT EVER bespeak a gun at something you don't desire to destroy, but if you lot mistakenly practice, and your finger is off the trigger, you lot're less likely to shoot that matter.

Trigger subject area, every bit it'southward known, is incredibly important to brand a habit of. It's incredibly important in recreational shooting and too very important in a high-pressure defensive state of affairs. Only because you describe your firearm for self-defense, does not necessarily mean you desire to shoot.

Good Trigger Discipline - keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot

Good Trigger Discipline

As a side notation, I wouldn't recommend throwing surprise parties for concealed carry holders Y'all meliorate hope they accept good trigger discipline.

4) Exist sure of your target and what is backside it.

This is some other rule that applies to recreational shooting and defensive situations. You lot might have likewise heard it as "ever know your backstop".

Fifty-fifty if y'all're shooting a .22 pistol at an AR500 steel target, you might miss. When shooting recreationally, you should e'er have a backstop behind your targets to stop whatever missed shots or shots that penetrate your targets. If you're shooting at a private or public shooting range and follow rule 3, you should be prophylactic.

Be aware of what's behind your target - use a good backstop

Outdoor Gun Range With Skillful Backstop

In self-defense situations, this rule can exist more difficult to assess and follow on the fly. It's of import to identify your target, be sure that you lot want to have a shot, and know what lies behind your target. Even if y'all hit your target, an over-penetrating bullet may striking something you don't intend to shoot. Always ensure there are no innocent bystanders behind (or infront) of your target.

More Gun Condom Rules To Follow

While the above rules should go along you safe the vast majority of the time, at that place's another rules I follow that can continue anybody even more safe.

5) "Clear" a firearm anytime you lot touch one.

As presently every bit you pick upwards a firearm, without the immediate intention to shoot it, the first matter you should do is ensure that information technology's empty. For semi-automatic firearms, release the magazine, then inspect the chamber to ensure that information technology'south empty.

Yous should besides e'er do this before leaving the range or putting away your firearm.

At this betoken, it's become instinctual for me to do this 99% of the time as soon equally I touch a firearm.

vi) Exist sure that your barrel is articulate of any obstructions before use.

Get-go, be certain that your firearm is empty past removing the magazine and inspecting the sleeping accommodation.

I mostly shoot pistols and AR-style rifles, so here's my procedure earlier using those:

Pistols

Quickly field strip your pistol to the signal you tin can remove your barrel, so ensure there are no obstructions.

AR-Mode Rifles

Remove the upper receiver from the lower receiver. Remove your charging handle and commodities carrier group. Ensure there are no obstructions.

No affair what fashion firearm yous are using, never look down the barrel, especially if it is fastened to the remainder of your firearm. For other firearm platforms, inquiry how to safely check your barrel.

7) Article of clothing your eyes and ears.

This shouldn't need to be said, only ever wear shooting glasses and ear protection when using or being around firearms. In the two linked guides, we've gone into particular on the dangers of non follow this dominion, and provided information to find the all-time safety gear.

If you're shooting at a public or privately owned range (that you pay to use), they ordinarily do and should require you to put these on earlier entering the expanse where firearms are being shot.

8) Make a habit of safely removing your holstered handgun.

For those of yous who curtained carry or just use holsters, make a habit of safely putting away your firearm. Whenever possible, remove the entire holster with your firearm nonetheless in it before removing the firearm from the holster.

In that location'south no reason to unholster a loaded handgun that's pointed towards parts of your body.

ix) Apply the right ammunition for your gun.

Using ammunition that'southward not intended to be used by your firearm can cause a catastrophic malfunction. Always carefully read the possessor'southward manuals for your guns and only use the listed ammunition.

For those of you who frequently shoot different calibers, you lot may want to consider using color coded tape or prophylactic bands for your firearms and magazines. This tin help remind you which ammunition to utilize.

Use the correct ammunition for your gun

Faxon has fifty-fifty introduced this every bit a product, with colour-coded and labeled rifle quotient marker bands—though y'all could also just use regular rubber bands.

10) Don't handle firearms under the influence.

In most states information technology's illegal to possess a firearm while under the influence of booze or drugs. Regardless, doing then is a really stupid thought.

11) Store firearms safely.

There are numerous reasons to deeply store your firearms. Always store firearms in secure gun safes when non in employ. Yous can see our list of the best gun safes here .

For those of you with children of your own or who frequently have children at your firm, it'southward even more important to follow safe gun storage practices. I'd recommend Project Child Safety for more info.

12) Practice Safe Gun Range Practices

When you bring guns to the range , exist certain to always have them in a range purse or case .

Do not remove them from the instance until you lot are in your shooting bay. This keeps you from "flagging" others at the range.

Practice firearm safety in the gun range at all times

This is a dominion at most ranges and if it's not, it should be.

Once you've unloaded your firearms, yous can then motility your bags out of the fashion.

Decision

This article wasn't intended to scare you about what can go incorrect with firearms, but rather to help teach you how to use them safely. If y'all follow these rules, you should take no issues.

As a concluding note, be sure to signal out anyone treatment firearms in a dangerous mode to your gun range'southward safety officer. Those who don't follow proper gun safety put not simply themselves, but you and others at run a risk.

The original commodity can be accessed at GunPros .