The GOLDEN Rule of Gun Safety
 

OK... This is just my opinion, so if you disagree please feel free to blast me.
It seem to me that much is made of Jeff Cooper's 4 rules of gun safety:

RULE I: ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED

RULE II: NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO DESTROY

RULE III: KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET

RULE IV: BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET

However, I think Rule #3 is THE most important of the 4. While it doesn't nullify the others or make them unnecessary, I think that it IS the "Golden Rule" of gun safety. Let's explore this rule as it applies to the other 3:

Rule I: All guns are always loaded... BUT they won't actually fire unless you pull the trigger.

Rule II: Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy BUT if you accidently do, and your finger is not on the trigger, nothing WILL get destroyed.

Rule IV - Be sure of your target BUT if you are unsure of your target, and don't have your finger on the trigger, nothing unwanted will be shot.


I think that, if there is ONE MOST IMPORTANT rule with regards to firearms safety, it should be KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO FIRE.

I've spent so much time at shooting ranges and hunting with friends that I've completely lost all track of events, but the one thing that sticks out in my mind is how often this firearms "Prime Directive" is violated. I don't know if it's our movie culture that constantly shows gunmen with their fingers on the trigger full-time, or the human reflex to wrap their finger around any available control surface or switch, but this rule seems VERY hard for people to "Get" for some reason... which may be in large part the reason for the overwhelming necessity of the other 3 rules.

Thoughts?

Re: The GOLDEN Rule of Gun Safety
 

Rule 2 might be paraphrased for nubies as , ALWAYS point firearm in a safe direction.

As far as most important, I have to agree, finger OFF the trigger until you are going to fire. Is second nature with pistols, as for my AR, a bit harder, had to make effort to just wrap my hand around the hand grip . I have smallish hands, and if place trigger finger in the usual safe position, sometimes slips onto the trigger. Kind of frustrating, but have gotton use to it. Feels more natural with a VFG, having both firmly around both grips, but I am actually more comfortable with out a front grip.

No such thing as an accident with a firearm. Either carelessness/irresponsible or lack of understanding (noobness)

Re: The GOLDEN Rule of Gun Safety
 

Thanks, ir's always good to be reminded of gun/weapon safety and procedures.

I would add "Keep the muzzle pointed down, or down range" and "Safety always ON until ready to fire" if carrying or at a shooting/practice area".
I don't know how many times people around me at shooting ranges have violated this one and inadvertently swung/swept the muzzle past me. :censored::rant:

R.

Re: The GOLDEN Rule of Gun Safety
 

your exploratory analysis is missing the word 'usually' at the end of each sentence....

Re: The GOLDEN Rule of Gun Safety
 

Yes, I realize that... which is why I also stated that Rule #3 does not nullify or do away with the need for the other 3. It is foolish to trust any mechanical device to NEVER malfunction (including gun "safety" switches). Just stating that Rule #3 is the "golden rule" of gun safety, if there is one.

Re: The GOLDEN Rule of Gun Safety
 

I agree.

. . .

Re: The GOLDEN Rule of Gun Safety
 

Rule IV can turn into a discussion on its own. At a range, identifying target is a breeze. In a CC situation...............would like to see some input also. Just got my permit couple days back. I am sure their can be numerious scenarios, but to start, Say you are in a convience store , trying to decide if its worth the extra $3.00 for a bag of charcol, and some asswipe walks in and sticks up the place, he is at the register, and none of his attention is on you, his gun pointed at the clerk....what do you do? are their any legal ramifications? was watching a couple vids , same basic question, a what would you do vid...and started to get me thinking. will post link, they are all less than a minute.

Re: The GOLDEN Rule of Gun Safety
 

know your target and what behing it

Re: The GOLDEN Rule of Gun Safety
 

When I saw your title, I assumed you would be talking about Rule One. If I'm teaching children or newbies, I can't expect them to remember every rule. So I just keep repeating number one. Treat every gun as if it is loaded. Period. Don't unload, check, check it again, and then figure it is fine to point at your head or your buddy whether you put your finger on the trigger or not.

The way I teach it, Rule One is "tied" to Rule Two. If you treat a gun like it is loaded, then you won't be pointing it at something you don't want to shoot.

The VAST majority of gun accidents happen because people disregard rule one. Either they "didn't think it was loaded" or they thought "the safety was on" or whatever. If you always treat every gun with the exact same respect and care as if it was fully loaded and with no safety, you won't ever have a problem.

Gregg

Re: The GOLDEN Rule of Gun Safety
 

It reaches a point where you wish people would not touch a gun until they have a few years experience handling it.

Re: The GOLDEN Rule of Gun Safety
 

what are you supposed to do, roll up to the pump everytime you need gas with your 92fs hanging out the window?

Re: The GOLDEN Rule of Gun Safety
 

You can't get any experience handling a gun until you touch it.

Re: The GOLDEN Rule of Gun Safety
 

++++1

:ok:

Re: The GOLDEN Rule of Gun Safety
 

My Rule:

1. Have gun loaded and ready to use at all times.

This does not mean having it unloaded, trigger locked, and stashed away in a safe.

That is not safe.

Re: The GOLDEN Rule of Gun Safety
 

Good man!!!!

Re: The GOLDEN Rule of Gun Safety
 

Many of the newer weapons don't have a safety.

Re: The GOLDEN Rule of Gun Safety
 

I worked with a guy who encountered a similar scenario.

He drove into the lot of a convenience store, parked and exited the car. Suddenly the 2 clerks run out of the store yelling "help we're being robbed". He corralled the 2 clerks, took cover behind a vehicle with gun drawn and waited for the perp to leave.

This seemed like a good response. Being a hero isn't all the TV makes it out to be.

However in your scenario if the perp fires his weapon it is party time.

Re: The GOLDEN Rule of Gun Safety
 

Re: The GOLDEN Rule of Gun Safety
 

My four rules of firearms:
0.The contents of the chamber is checked upon touching a firearm.
1.Never point a firearm at something you're not willing to destroy.
2.When it becomes NECESSARY to violate rule number 1: it can only be violated if the chamber has been DILIGENTLY cleared.
3.Never set a gun down with a round in the chamber.
4.Once a round is chambered in a firearm: attention to safety is on 110% until the magazine is dropped, and the chambered round cycled clear of the action.

Rule 5, 6, & 7:
5. It's irrelevant how unloaded a gun is: around others: the slide is locked back, or it's point at the floor or ceilling.(whichever is safer)
6. An empty chamber is the only safety I trust.
7. If using a firearm: switch to condition 1 or higher when moving around.

Someone gave one of my pistols a bubba trigger job and the hammer dropped while the gun was sitting on a table. :36_1_32v: :signs14: Every since: I trust neither triggers, nor safetys to function properly.

I had a drunk move a rifle that I had set down next to me and the trigger caught on another firearms charging handle dropping the hammer on an empty chamber which was pointed at my thigh/~femoral artery.



It's a little bit more complicated than the original 4 rules, but considering most of my guns have excellent penetration: I had to create an exception to the "destroy" rule for transportation, storage, and gunsmithing purposes.

It became necessary for me to create modified rules, because the original rules were inadequate to take in to account storage, transport, & maintenence of guns.