Firearms Safety Procedures
- All guns are always loaded. Even if they are not, treat them as if they are.
- Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy. (For those who insist that this particular gun is unloaded, see Rule 1.)
- Keep your finger off the trigger till your sights are on the target. This is the Golden Rule.
- Identify your target, and what is behind it. Never shoot at anything that you have not positively identified.
No one can explain them better that the man himself.
I am uncertain as to the origin of the so-called Rule 5. It’s been around for many, many years. Although Col. Cooper certainly didn’t like his decrees to be trifled with, some felt this should have been amended to his four basic rules of gun safety, thus the “Rule 5” designation. I concur wholeheartedly.
5. Maintain control over your firearm(s) at all times. - This rule applies whether one is actively shooting, engaged in physical combat, simply carrying and/or handling, or has stored their firearm(s) in or out of reach i.e. unattended. To maintain control while shooting, engaged in physical combat, and/or carrying, at the very least, reference rules 1 thru 4. Control while unattended means, as a minimum, unloaded, cleared, and secured.
- Every time you touch a firearm CLEAR IT. Even if you’ve just cleared it and set it down, if you pick it back up, it’s loaded, CLEAR IT.
- Simply removing the magazine does not mean the gun is unloaded – you MUST clear and proof the chamber as well.
- NEVER hand anyone a firearm with the action closed. You should unload the weapon yourself and then, with the cylinder out or the slide or bolt locked back, hand over the gun with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
- If you have no idea of what the hell you are doing, DO NOT TOUCH the firearm. Get someone who does, who really knows what they’re doing.
One would be well advised to enroll in a simple firearms safety class prior to pursuing any interest in the shooting sports or combat shooting fields. Contact the NRA, your state rifle association, your local rifle/pistol club, or a certified firearms instructor for more information.
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SAFETY WITH DRY-FIRE PRACTICE
Dry practice IS important especially with today’s artificially inflated ammo prices...
But, for the sake of yourself, your loved ones, your neighbors, and the entire pro 2A community, please do the following:
- MAKE CERTAIN THE FIREARM IS UNLOADED.
- CHECK IT TWICE, BOTH VISUALLY AND PHYSICALLY.
- PUT ALL THE AMMO IN ANOTHER ROOM.
- IF, FOR SOME REASON, YOU NEED TO TRAIN WITH CARTRIDGES, SPEED LOADING FOR EXAMPLE, PURCHASE DUMMY TRAINING ROUNDS.
- PRACTICE IN A SAFE ROOM AND WITH THE GUN POINTING IN A SAFE DIRECTION.
- ASK YOURSELF THIS; "IF THIS PISTOL WERE TO DISCHARGE, WHERE WOULD THE BULLET GO?"
- WHEN YOU ARE DONE, YOU ARE DONE.
- WHEN YOU LOAD UP AGAIN DO NOT TRY JUST ONE MORE TECHNIQUE!!!
Note: added are the Massad Ayoob Group's safety rules for dry fire practice in the post below.
- ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. This is the primary rule of gun safety. A safe direction means that the gun is pointed so that even if it were to go off it would not cause injury or damage. The key to this rule is to control where the muzzle or front end of the barrel is pointed at all times. Common sense dictates the safest direction, depending on different circumstances.
- ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot. When holding a gun, rest your finger on the trigger guard or along the side of the gun. Until you are actually ready to fire, do not touch the trigger.
- ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use. Whenever you pick up a gun, immediately engage the safety device if possible, and, if the gun has a magazine, remove it before opening the action and looking into the chamber(s) which should be clear of ammunition. If you do not know how to open the action or inspect the chamber(s), leave the gun alone and get help from someone who does.
- Know your target and what is beyond. Be absolutely sure you have identified your target beyond any doubt. Equally important, be aware of the area beyond your target. This means observing your prospective area of fire before you shoot. Never fire in a direction in which there are people or any other potential for mishap. Think first. Shoot second.
- Know how to use the gun safely. Before handling a gun, learn how it operates. Know its basic parts, how to safely open and close the action and remove any ammunition from the gun or magazine. Remember, a gun's mechanical safety device is never foolproof. Nothing can ever replace safe gun handling.
- Be sure the gun is safe to operate. Just like other tools, guns need regular maintenance to remain operable. Regular cleaning and proper storage are a part of the gun's general upkeep. If there is any question concerning a gun's ability to function, a knowledgeable gunsmith should look at it.
- Use only the correct ammunition for your gun. Only BBs, pellets, cartridges or shells designed for a particular gun can be fired safely in that gun. Most guns have the ammunition type stamped on the barrel. Ammunition can be identified by information printed on the box and sometimes stamped on the cartridge. Do not shoot the gun unless you know you have the proper ammunition.
- Wear eye and ear protection as appropriate. Guns are loud and the noise can cause hearing damage. They can also emit debris and hot gas that could cause eye injury. For these reasons, shooting glasses and hearing protectors should be worn by shooters and spectators.
- Never use alcohol or over-the-counter, prescription or other drugs before or while shooting. Alcohol, as well as any other substance likely to impair normal mental or physical bodily functions, must not be used before or while handling or shooting guns.
- Store guns so they are not accessible to unauthorized persons. Many factors must be considered when deciding where and how to store guns. A person's particular situation will be a major part of the consideration. Dozens of gun storage devices, as well as locking devices that attach directly to the gun, are available. However, mechanical locking devices, like the mechanical safeties built into guns, can fail and should not be used as a substitute for safe gun handling and the observance of all gun safety rules.
- Be aware that certain types of guns and many shooting activities require additional safety precautions.
- Cleaning. Regular cleaning is important in order for your gun to operate correctly and safely. Taking proper care of it will also maintain its value and extend its life. Your gun should be cleaned every time that it is used.
- A gun brought out of prolonged storage should also be cleaned before shooting. Accumulated moisture and dirt, or solidified grease and oil, can prevent the gun from operating properly.
- Before cleaning your gun, make absolutely sure that it is unloaded. The gun's action should be open during the cleaning process. Also, be sure that no ammunition is present in the cleaning area.
For more information on this most important topic reference this thread: Firearms Safety Procedures
Take care and stay safe,
Joe Doakes aka Kilogulf59
Integrated Close Combat Forum
Joe Doakes aka Kilogulf59
Integrated Close Combat Forum
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Please note: prior to commenting or passing judgment, either in a positive or negative manner, I suggest you read About Joe Doakes’ Place and the Disclaimer
assuming you haven't already. Thank you.
Another perspective on dry fire safety. This from the Massad Ayoob Group. While these aren't new, they're still valid.
ReplyDeleteMassad Ayoob Group Safety Rules: Dry Fire
Keep This Copy For Your Records
Like virtually every training school, MAG recommends dry-fire practice to maintain manipulation skills. However, we have seen over the years that many unintended discharges occur in dry-fire, perhaps because “the empty gun” lulls the practitioner into complacency.
1. Follow the MAG live fire safety rules. These include, but are not limited to: treat every weapon as if it is loaded; never point it at anything you are not prepared to see destroyed; do not place your finger in the trigger guard until you are in the very act of intentionally pulling that trigger; and always be certain of your target and what is behind it.
2. Always check by sight and feel to confirm that the gun is in fact unloaded. THERE SHOULD BE NO LIVE AMMUNITION IN THE SAME ROOM WHERE YOU ARE PRACTICING DRY-FIRING.
3. Always aim the gun at something that can safely absorb the most powerful round that particular gun can fire…because one day, it may indeed fire that round unexpectedly. Thickly packed bookshelves with no airspace, or cartons packed with books or magazines, serve nicely as dry fire backstops; so does body armor and the dedicated Safe Direction™ dry-fire backstop.
4. Never practice trigger-pulling and reloading in the same session. It is a good idea not to even practice them on the same day.
5. When practicing reloading, disable the gun. A field-stripped auto pistol with only frame, slide stop, and magazine(s) suffices for practice, and guarantees no shot can be fired. With a revolver, wrap a handkerchief or rag through the topstrap of the frame so the cylinder cannot be closed into firing battery. Opening and closing the cylinder is easy: getting the cartridges into the chambers is the hard part you want to work on.
6. When using dummy ammunition, take great pains to be sure that live ammo has not migrated into the “dummy cartridge” supply, and vice versa.
7. After a dry-fire session, do not reload and holster for “street carry.” Give mind and body time to absorb the fact that “draw gun, pull trigger” practice is OVER.