As an organization that promotes not just open carry, but that citizens carry however they choose, I felt it important to begin a thread containing safety rules and general guidelines while handling firearms. Please feel free to contribute.
I'm of the school of thought that there's no such thing as an 'accidental discharge' when an adult is handling a weapon and, to an extent, a minor. 'Accidents' occur due to negligence and complacency. Follow these rules strictly and to the letter each and every time to avoid negligent discharges.
General Firearms Safety Rules
1. The firearm is always loaded -- treat it as such.
When moving the weapon from Location A to Location B when it's not holstered, lock the action open. Even when you'recertain that the firearm is unloaded, still obey all of these rules. It's when we become complacent that negligent discharges will occur.
2. Never point the firearm at anything you are not willing to destroy.
Regardless of what it is, something or someone will be seriously damaged or injured if a bullet hits them. Always keep your firearm pointed in a safe direction -- holstered, your weapon is safe. Down range is a safe direction. The ground is generally a safe direction, provided you are not pointing straight down or at water... be careful of riccochettes. Up is NOT a safe direction -- what goes up will come down and, if you've ever seen that episode of CSI where the guy shot into the air in a populated area and hit someone a quarter of a mile a way, you'll know that the bullet can maintain quite a bit of velocity.
3. Keep your finger off of the trigger until you're ready to fire.
If you're carrying a weapon, even with the action open, keep your finger off of the trigger and on the frame of the weapon. If you're holstering your firearm keep your finger off of the trigger and on the frame of the weapon. KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF OF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO FIRE. This is a crucial rule -- if you're on target, you're on the trigger. If you're off target, your finger is on the frame. It's the easiest rule to break and the rule that, if broken, has the potential to be the most lethal error.
4. Be aware of your target and what lies behind it.
The bullet part of the cartridge, especially if it's a full metal jacket, has quite a bit of penetrating power. Soft targets or flimsy backstops may only slow down the bullet; however, if it doesn't fragment and doesn't loose enough velocity, it is still lethal. I recall the story about an officer who was attempting to shoot a snake at a lake, missed and wound up hitting and killing a young child who was down the embankment. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you cannot escape and you must use lethal force to defend your life, if you are in an urban area, do your best to realize that you will have tunnel vision, but be aware there are other citizens and houses around. Take care to place your shot with extreme care!
5. Never grab for a falling firearm. (My Rule)
This is my contribution -- primarily being a range and competition shooter, I've had the occasion to accidentally brush my firearm from the bench when reaching for it. Most modern firearms have safety mechanisms to prevent the weapon from firing if the trigger isn't pulled (Glock style trigger safety) or a secure grip is on the weapon (1911 style grip safety). It is much safer to allow a firearm to fall to the ground than blindly grab at the weapon, possibly pulling the trigger with the muzzle in an unsafe direction. Allow the weapon to fall. If you don't have a weapon with one of these safety mechanisms in place, you're best option is to purchase the best retention holster possible to prevent the weapon from falling out of your holster if you find the need to run, fight or sit.
Please feel free to add safety tips for cleaning your weapons, range rules and etiquette and anything else that shooters and the general public should know about firearms and their safe use.
I'm of the school of thought that there's no such thing as an 'accidental discharge' when an adult is handling a weapon and, to an extent, a minor. 'Accidents' occur due to negligence and complacency. Follow these rules strictly and to the letter each and every time to avoid negligent discharges.
General Firearms Safety Rules
1. The firearm is always loaded -- treat it as such.
When moving the weapon from Location A to Location B when it's not holstered, lock the action open. Even when you'recertain that the firearm is unloaded, still obey all of these rules. It's when we become complacent that negligent discharges will occur.
2. Never point the firearm at anything you are not willing to destroy.
Regardless of what it is, something or someone will be seriously damaged or injured if a bullet hits them. Always keep your firearm pointed in a safe direction -- holstered, your weapon is safe. Down range is a safe direction. The ground is generally a safe direction, provided you are not pointing straight down or at water... be careful of riccochettes. Up is NOT a safe direction -- what goes up will come down and, if you've ever seen that episode of CSI where the guy shot into the air in a populated area and hit someone a quarter of a mile a way, you'll know that the bullet can maintain quite a bit of velocity.
3. Keep your finger off of the trigger until you're ready to fire.
If you're carrying a weapon, even with the action open, keep your finger off of the trigger and on the frame of the weapon. If you're holstering your firearm keep your finger off of the trigger and on the frame of the weapon. KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF OF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO FIRE. This is a crucial rule -- if you're on target, you're on the trigger. If you're off target, your finger is on the frame. It's the easiest rule to break and the rule that, if broken, has the potential to be the most lethal error.
4. Be aware of your target and what lies behind it.
The bullet part of the cartridge, especially if it's a full metal jacket, has quite a bit of penetrating power. Soft targets or flimsy backstops may only slow down the bullet; however, if it doesn't fragment and doesn't loose enough velocity, it is still lethal. I recall the story about an officer who was attempting to shoot a snake at a lake, missed and wound up hitting and killing a young child who was down the embankment. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you cannot escape and you must use lethal force to defend your life, if you are in an urban area, do your best to realize that you will have tunnel vision, but be aware there are other citizens and houses around. Take care to place your shot with extreme care!
5. Never grab for a falling firearm. (My Rule)
This is my contribution -- primarily being a range and competition shooter, I've had the occasion to accidentally brush my firearm from the bench when reaching for it. Most modern firearms have safety mechanisms to prevent the weapon from firing if the trigger isn't pulled (Glock style trigger safety) or a secure grip is on the weapon (1911 style grip safety). It is much safer to allow a firearm to fall to the ground than blindly grab at the weapon, possibly pulling the trigger with the muzzle in an unsafe direction. Allow the weapon to fall. If you don't have a weapon with one of these safety mechanisms in place, you're best option is to purchase the best retention holster possible to prevent the weapon from falling out of your holster if you find the need to run, fight or sit.
Please feel free to add safety tips for cleaning your weapons, range rules and etiquette and anything else that shooters and the general public should know about firearms and their safe use.
Rob/Wynder
Delaware Open Carry, Founder
Notary Public
Delaware Open Carry, Founder
Notary Public
Jacques ARMoirED
