Arguably, the most important things you need to learn as a gun owner have nothing to do with the mechanics of actually using the weapon, such as presenting, proper grip, aiming, trigger control, reloading, etc. Proper safe gun handling is more important and the first thing a gun owner should learn. It could save a life, possibly yours.
There are four rules of basic firearm handling which, if followed, would vastly decrease the number of "accidental" shootings. I put that in quotes because guns very, very rarely go off accidentally, as when dropped and such. Most of what people refer to as firearms "accidents" are in fact negligent acts. The gun did as it was supposed to do; it fired when the trigger was pulled. That's no accident. They're designed to do that. But the person pulling the trigger negligently discharged the firearm when not intending to do so. A Negligent Discharge (ND) is no accident. It is sloppy, unsafe gun handling. If you pull the trigger and get a "bang" when you were expecting a "click," That's no "accident", it's a Negligent Discharge.
The Four Rules exist to prevent us from ever shooting anything or anyone we do not intend to shoot, primarily by preventing NDs. I'll explain the Four Rules and how each contributes to this overall goal.
Rule #1 is probably the most misunderstood rule of the four.
Rule 1 says: "Treat every weapon as if it were loaded until you, personally, have determined that it isn't."
Many people misunderstand the purpose of Rule 1 and state it as: "Treat every weapon as if it were loaded", leaving off a very important part. One NRA instructor on YouTube has a video teaching Rule 1 as "Every gun is always loaded", which isn't even a rule; it's a declarative statement, and demonstrably incorrect.
The essence of Rule 1 is "Never assume a weapon is unloaded." Or "Never take anyone's word for it that a weapon is unloaded; check for yourself." Many people have been shot, either by themselves or by others, by what the weapon handler believed was an unloaded gun. If you are going to do unloaded weapon things with a gun, first check to be sure it is unloaded.
When I explain this to people who teach the shorter version, they invariably say something like: "Yeah, but even if a gun is empty, you wouldn't point it at someone", which is true, but that's covered by Rule #2, which is coming next.
Too many times, NDs are caused by someone who thought a weapon was unloaded when it wasn't. Perhaps the negligent shooter was told by another that the weapon was unloaded. Perhaps he simply didn't bother to check but assumed the weapon was unloaded. Maybe he (wrongly) recalled unloading it earlier. Maybe someone loaded it recently without his knowledge. Whatever the case, never assume a gun is unloaded. Check it yourself.
If your best buddy hands you his new gun and says, "Feel how crisp that trigger is. Squeeze off a few. It's unloaded", first check to ensure it is in fact unloaded. Don't take his word for it. And don't worry about insulting him. If he's familiar with the Four Rules, he'll expect you to check. And if he's not familiar with the Four Rules, it's time to educate him.
Rule 1 is there to ensure that people who are about to treat a weapon as unloaded first assure themselves that it actually is unloaded.
Rule 1 doesn't end after "as if it were loaded" because we do treat loaded and unloaded weapons differently. That's the reality, and it makes no sense to treat them all as if they are loaded. But it makes perfect sense to treat a gun as if loaded until you personally verify that it is not! Only after we've done that should we do the things we do only with unloaded firearms.
We would never put a trigger lock on a loaded gun. We would never dismantle and clean a loaded gun. We would never dry fire a loaded gun. These are all things we do after unloading a gun. If Rule 1 ended after "as if it were loaded", we would never do these things because they should only be done with unloaded weapons.
I know a guy who shot himself in the hand while "cleaning his gun". He's not alone. A person who does this obviously was doing unloaded gun things without first personally ensuring that the gun was unloaded by checking for himself. The result was a Negligent Discharge, a bang instead of a click.
If Rule 1 simply says to always treat a gun as loaded, but doesn't say how to do that, then it may as well just say: "See rules 2-4."
Rule 1 is there not to treat all weapons the same (loaded!) but to ensure that, if you're going to do unloaded weapon things, you are certain the weapon is unloaded, in order to prevent negligent discharges. If the gun isn't loaded, you can't fire it unintentionally, can you?
Rule 2 says: "Never point a gun at anything you aren't willing to destroy." Maintain proper "muzzle discipline."
The essence of Rule #2 is to always keep your weapon pointed in a safe direction. Of course, Rule 2 could have been: "Always keep your weapon pointed in a safe direction" but we should never forget that guns are meant to destroy.
I know what some of you are thinking. Invariably, there's some dude who says, "Yeah, but if it's unloaded, then we don't need to be careful, right?" Wrong. Oh so very wrong.
Develop the habit of never, ever pointing a gun, even an empty gun, at anything you aren't willing to destroy, and you're far less likely to inadvertently point a loaded gun dangerously. There are no exceptions to this rule.
Rule 2 is not just about aiming at or pointing at someone or something, as if to shoot, but about all gun handling. Never let the muzzle of a gun "cover" someone even for a short while, transiently. Whether picking it up, putting it down, examining it or carrying it from place to place, loading, unloading, always keep the muzzle of a gun pointed away from people when you are handling it. It's extremely bad manners to point a gun at someone, even inadvertently, even briefly.
You may think it's funny to point an unloaded gun at someone but consider this: Does the other person know the gun is unloaded? Even if you don't inadvertently shoot that person, you might cause a great deal of anxiety. It's not funny. Try pointing an unloaded gun at a law enforcement officer and it might get you dead.
Rule 2 is ironclad. No exceptions. That said, there may be times when you are willing to destroy a person and would be justified in pointing a gun at that person. Indeed, it may become necessary in the case of self defense. Just be sure not to point the gun at that person until you are willing to destroy him or her.
If you never point a gun at anything you aren't willing to destroy, it's far less likely that you will inadvertently destroy something, isn't it?
That fellow I mentioned earlier, the one that shot himself while cleaning his gun? He'd violated Rule 1 by not checking to ensure his gun was unloaded. But he also violated Rule 2 by allowing the muzzle of his gun to point at his hand, something I think he was not actually intending to and willing to destroy. Had he developed the habit of never, ever pointing his gun at anything he was not willing to destroy, even when "unloaded", he would not have shot himself. Yes, there would have still been a ND due to violating Rule 1, but his hand may have been spared.
I've seen lots of videos on YouTube where a person points a weapon right at the camera. Personally, I would not even do that. Not even with a finger gun. It's just impolite.
Rule 3 says: "Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target."
This one is so simple, I shouldn't even have to explain it. But I will. You can't shoot something or someone if your finger is not on the trigger. So keep your finger off the trigger until the gun is aimed at your target. Simple. Unfortunately, many people violate this rule. Watch some of the firearms related videos on YouTube and see all the people who have their fingers on the trigger or within the trigger guard full time.
It doesn't matter whether the gun is loaded or not. Unless you are ready to pull the trigger, keep your finget outside the trigger guard. Make it a habit, even with unloaded weapons. Keep your trigger finger pointing straight ahead along the frame of your weapon. When it's time to shoot and your gun's sights are on target, that's when to put your finger on the trigger. Heck, even when I carry my portable drill, my firearms training makes me keep my finger off the switch until I'm ready to drill!
People often make the mistake of putting their finger within the trigger guard as they are drawing. This may result in a "racing stripe" down the length of their leg, or worse. Your trigger finger should remain straight and outside the trigger guard until you're ready to shoot.
Rule 4 says: "Be sure of your target and what is in line with it."
Rule 4 comes with questions:
What am I shooting at, really? Am I sure that's a deer and not a cow that got loose from the Murphys' place?
What's between me and the deer that might be shot?
What's beyond the deer that might be hit if I miss?
You need to be sure or you shouldn't take the shot.
If you're at the range, you can be fairly certain that there's a good backstop behind the targets and nothing in the way. But in other places, it's not as clear cut.
Suppose you're at home and you have a home invader in your sights. What's behind him if you miss? The neighbor's apartment? The baby's room? What happens even if I hit him? Will the bullet pass through him and into the next room?
Are you sure it's a home invader or burglar and not your son, returned home from college a day early? Be sure of your target! Know what you are about to shoot.
Recall the South African "blade runner" Olympian, Oscar Pistorius, shooting through a bathroom door at what he stated he believed to be a burglar. Rule 4 violation. He was not sure of his target. He killed his girlfriend.
Always be sure of your target and what lies in line with it. Lives may be at stake.
Four rules.
Simple rules. Follow them and the odds of you shooting someone you did not intend to shoot fall to practically zero.