Stop! If you read no other articles from me, read this one!
Ever wondered why gun accidents happen? I can sum it up with one word "Stupidity", if I was in a better or more generous mood, I could also say "Negligence". I would like to share with you the 4 rules of gun safety. If you always follow these rules then I guarantee you will never have a gun accident.
Yep, you heard me. I guarantee it. What I'm about to tell you, I did not create. These are long established rules of gun safety that have kept people safely enjoying firearms for many years. If you research these 4 rules then I believe most sites will tell you that Col. Jeff Cooper was the creator. Hats off to Cooper if that is true.
This may arguably be the most important article on SurvivalReviews.com.
If you are already a gun pro, I still suggest that you take the time to read this information. It never hurts any of us to be reminded of these rules. One more item before I get into the safety rules...
GUNS are not magical things. Guns are complex machines and like all complex machines, they require care when being used. Guns do not kill people. People kill people and people have been killing other people long before there were guns. People will continue to kill other people whether they have guns or not. There are many and better ways to kill a person than with a firearm. I guarantee that a firearm can set on a shelf until the shelf breaks and the firearm crumbles to dust and it will not shoot anyone, unless a person picks it up and uses it that way.
Alright, enough of my preaching. To my Liberal friends, set your Kool-aid down and please go back and read that boldfaced paragraph 10 more times.
I follow these gun safety rules, and I know because of this, that I have no accidents in my future.
Always assume a firearm is loaded (AKA - Always treat a firearm as if it were loaded.)
This means that if you are handed one, that you follow all of these safety rules and immediately check the firearm to ensure that it is not loaded. This is also known as clearing the firearm. If the firearm ever leaves your hands, then you must check and clear the gun again, immediately upon touching the weapon. Once again, all of the other safety rules must be followed. Trust me, if you make a habit of this it will become second nature and you will do it almost as a reflex. It doesn't matter if your best friend, or Sister Mary Jane of the Immaculate Discretion church just handed you a firearm; you must immediately check it. If you are handed a gun that you do not know how to check, then you need to decline touching it until someone that follows these gun safety rules has shown you how to verify the gun is unloaded. If you come upon a gun that you do not know how to verify whether it is loaded or unloaded, DON'T TOUCH IT!Never point the gun at anything you are not willing to destroy (AKA - Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.)
No matter what you are doing with the firearm, never point the business end (the muzzle, or the side that the bullet comes out of) at anything that you don't want to put a hole in. Doesn't matter if it is person, animal, vegetable, mineral, or other thing, don't point it in that direction unless you are willing to destroy it. Never point it at a person that you are not willing to kill. You must always be aware of the muzzle and the direction that you are pointing the gun in. This means that whether it is in your hands or sitting somewhere, you must always keep it pointed in a safe direction.Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on target (and you have made the decision to shoot).
You should make a conscious effort every time that you put your finger on the trigger of that weapon. You should never, ever rest your finger on the trigger until you have the sights of the weapon on target and are ready to shoot. Always rest your trigger finger on the side of the gun and not in the trigger guard or on the trigger.
How do we define a target? A target is anywhere you deliberately point the weapon, where you would not mind sending a bullet. If you are not deliberately pointing the weapon at the optimal spot for your bullet to land, your finger does not belong on the trigger. It is that simple.
If you do not have a decent spot to deliberately point your gun, with an adequate backstop, you should not put your finger on the trigger. No matter what kind of gun you have and no matter what you intend to happen when the trigger is pulled. This is as true at the gun range, as it is in your home or anywhere else.Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.
Simply put, identify what you are about to shoot as something that you want to shoot, and know what is behind your target in case you miss or the round penetrates through the intended target. When hunting, you must identify your target and determine the backstop, or what is behind the target. You are responsible for where your bullet lands.
When shooting at the range, you must never commence firing until you are certain that no one is lurking behind or around the targets. It isn't enough to simply hear someone call the range clear. You must look for yourself, because you are the one responsible for where your bullets land. You are the one operating that machine and you are the one responsible for where that bullet lands. Yes, I said that last sentence twice.
Rule Four also means that every time you fire a gun in practice, you must have an adequate backstop which will stop a bullet. When you practice dry firing, you must have a safe backstop in your home. On the range, you must never allow the muzzle of your firearm to point above or around the berms/bullet traps which are designed to contain the bullets.
What is an adequate backstop? It depends upon the type and power of the firearm you are shooting. A shotgun loaded with birdshot, for example, requires only a long stretch of open air before the pellets will come harmlessly to rest. But rounds from a hunting rifle can travel a mile or more if they are not stopped by hitting something very solid.
That's it. Four rules. Four little rules that will save a life and that will prevent any firearms accident. Learn them and follow them at all times!
Now let's take a quick look at this Youtube viral video and see if we can determine which rules this idiot guy broke.
Which rules did this moron break? Did you guess it?
You are correct, he broke all four rules.
He did not check to make certain that the firearm was unloaded.
He pointed the gun at his own leg as well as waved it around the room. I am sure that he didn't want to shoot his own leg or any of the children in that room.
He put his finger on the trigger and even more incredible, he squeezed the trigger. This man should not be a police officer.
He wasn't certain of his target (his own leg).
Do I think he is a bad guy? Well, I don't know him so I can't tell you that. Do I believe that he was ignorant with his actions, and that he failed to obey these safety rules. You bet I do!
Remember folks, follow these rules at all times. We don't want to give anyone any reason to infringe upon our Second Amendment rights.
Until next time. Be safe, be healthy, and look out for the little guy.
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