There’s no such thing as “too safe” with firearms, because a single mistake could be deadly. Here are a shooter’s Four Commandments:
- Treat every gun as if it is loaded. Always. Every time. Even when the slide is locked back and it’s been checked and double-checked open and clear. Remember that our repeated actions are committed to muscle memory, so our natural handling of any firearm should include pointing it in a safe direction, and:
- Never let the muzzle cover (gun point at or sweep) anything you are not willing to destroy. This includes parts of your own body and anyone or anything who may be in the path of your drawstroke from concealment.
- Keep your finger out of the trigger guard until your have sights on your target and you are ready to shoot. This eliminates 90 percent of all unintentional discharges, since the gun can’t pull its own trigger. Practice keeping your finger high up on the frame until you’re ready to fire.
- Be sure of your target and what is behind it. Not sure if there’s a house or a car on the road on the other side of that berm? Don’t fire in that direction. Planning your home defense approach? Drywall and siding will not stop an errant round, so who is in that next room? And, you know what? Let’s add a fifth rule just because we absolutely should:
- Keep all firearms out of the hands of unauthorized persons. Little hands, criminal hands, any hands that aren’t yours. Because, ultimately, you’re responsible for every single round that leaves your firearm, no matter who fires it.
If this all seems too basic and a little overzealous, review it anyway. Post it where you shoot. Better to be paranoid about safety than to let your ego cost a life. Even Hickock45 thinks safety is important enough to produce an entire video about it.
