Four Rules of Firearm Safety – Sample

The most important lesson you must take away from a firearms course is the need to be safe when handling firearms. Whether it be a handgun or long gun you must be safe with your firearm at all times. Let’s review the four cardinal firearm safety rules.

1. Treat every gun as if it is loaded.

• Even if you are certain the firearm is empty, always treat it as a loaded gun.

• Don’t do anything with an unloaded gun that wouldn’t be safe with a loaded gun. Many people have been accidentally killed by “unloaded” guns.

• Never accept another person’s word that a gun is unloaded—verify this for yourself.

*A firearm cannot fire if it is unloaded.*

2. Never let the muzzle cross anything you are not willing to destroy.

• Imagine a laser beam coming out of the barrel of your weapon. Never let that laser touch anything—even for a moment—that you aren’t willing to shoot.

• Keep the weapon pointed in a direction that will safely stop any bullet fired.

3. Keep your finger off the trigger and outside the trigger guard until you want the gun to fire.

• Keep your index finger extended along the frame of the weapon until your sights are on your target and you want to fire.

• This prevents you from unintentionally firing because you were startled or clinched something with your other hand.

4. Know your target and what’s beyond it.

• Always positively identify your target as what you intend to shoot.

• Be absolutely certain of what or who you are shooting.

• Bullets may travel through a target and strike something behind it.

• You may miss, especially under stress.