| Safety around firearms is essential. It's not hard to | | | | fire. If your firearm is equipped with an external |
| be safe around firearms; it just takes the knowledge | | | | safety device, never disengage it until you are ready |
| of basic safety rules and a little common sense. | | | | to cause your firearm to discharge a bullet. There |
| There are many variations of safety rules taught by | | | | have been many instances where people have |
| differing organizations but they all encompass the | | | | disengaged safety devices while their firearm was in |
| same thoughts and goals. The following are what is | | | | the holster and then proceeded to shoot themselves. |
| commonly called the four fundamental safety rules. | | | | Do not turn off a safety device until the firearm is |
| Treat every weapon as if it were loaded. This rule is | | | | actually pointed at the target. |
| sometimes overzealously and incorrectly taught as | | | | Keep your finger straight and off the trigger until you |
| load every firearm. This is not what it means. This | | | | intend to fire. Actually placing your finger on the |
| rule means that no matter what condition you believe | | | | trigger should be the very last action before firing the |
| the firearm is always act as if it is loaded. It is | | | | weapon. As soon as you are done shooting the |
| generally not possible to tell just by looking if a | | | | finger should be immediately taken off the trigger |
| weapon is loaded. | | | | and lain along the frame of the firearm. This helps |
| Never point a weapon at anything you do not intend | | | | ensure a firearm is not discharged accidentally. |
| to shoot. Firearms are tools. And like any tool it has a | | | | Humans have a flinch response that causes them to |
| purpose. A firearm's purpose is to punch holes in | | | | clinch their hands when startled. If your finger was on |
| things. You would never use a saw on something you | | | | the trigger while you were walking with a firearm and |
| did not want to cut, or hit something with a sledge | | | | you tripped, you would instinctively pull the trigger. |
| hammer that you did not wish to break. It is the | | | | With your finger outside the trigger guard and |
| same with a firearm. | | | | alongside the frame of the weapon this will not |
| Keep your weapon on safe until you are ready to | | | | happen. |