David Forrest

THE INVIOLABLE TOP TEN RULES OF FIREARM SAFETY THE FIVE PERSONAL FIREARM SAFETY RULES: 1. The gun is ALWAYS loaded! 2. Never allow the muzzle to point at—or, even, so much as sweep across—ANYTHING you are unwilling to see destroyed! 3. Never put your finger inside the trigger guard until AFTER you have made a conscious decision to fire! Page 1 4. CLEARLY identify your target, the target’s backstop, and what is beyond! 5. The frequently unstated fifth rule is, NEVER play with a gun! (Because people do!) Don’t embellish these rules. They are what they are for good reasons! In order for any firearm safety rule to become truly effective, it must first stop being little more than a simple mental guideline, and rigorously develop itself into a PROFOUND PERSONAL HABIT THE FIVE SOCIAL FIREARM SAFETY RULES: 1. NEVER point the gun’s muzzle anywhere except downrange and at the targets. 2. When you’re on a firing line, NEVER turn around with a gun in your hands; and never—for any reason like a jam or misfire—turn the muzzle toward either side of the line. The muzzle should ALWAYS point only at the targets. 3. When you’re finished shooting: CLEAR THE GUN; and always return the gun to the shooting bench with the action or cylinder open, and/or the magazine out. On a semiautomatic pistol the slide should be locked back with the open breech-side showing. (Usually the right side of the pistol, OK!) As always the muzzle should continue to point downrange. 4. NEVER so much as touch a gun, or handle any ammunition while someone is downrange at the targets. 5. If you are either watching and/or helping someone else to shoot remember to STAND ON HIS GUN HAND SIDE. ‘Why’? Because a novice shooter’s muzzle tends to break, or climb towards his support hand or, ‘weak side.’ (Which is exactly where you do NOT want to be!) Page 2