The 4 Most Important Gun Safety Rules When Carrying

January 28, 2023

Guns are powerful weapons, and no matter how much experience you have with them, you must treat firearms with respect. Be sure to follow the four most important gun safety rules when carrying.

1. Treat All Guns As Loaded

Many negligent discharge tragedies could have been avoided by following this first rule: treat all guns as if they’re loaded. Adhering to this rule will help you follow the other three on this list. When you treat firearms as though they’re loaded, you treat them with ultimate respect and handle them safely.

Check a firearm’s state when you pick it up, put it down, hand it to someone, and receive it from someone. Developing the habit of checking a gun every time will help protect you from making dangerous assumptions. Even after you’ve checked the gun’s state, treat it like it’s loaded as a necessary safety practice.

2. Watch Where You Point the Muzzle

The next important gun safety rule when carrying is to never let the muzzle point at anything you aren’t willing to shoot. Safe directions to point the muzzle depend on the circumstances you’re in, so make sure you thoroughly assess your environment.

When at an indoor gun range, keep the muzzle pointed at the bullet trap, with the muzzle parallel to the sidewalls, floor, and ceiling. In contrast, hunters walking side by side will want to keep their muzzles pointed either to the side or front as they walk, always away from other hunters.

3. Keep off the Trigger Until You’re Ready To Shoot

Handling all guns as though they’re loaded and watching where you point the muzzle will help keep people safe. You’ll also need to keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to shoot.

Even when you understand the importance of trigger finger discipline, it can be difficult to follow. Your hand intuitively wants to grasp the gun and touch the trigger guard.

You must train yourself to keep your trigger finger extended and outside the trigger guard. When you hold a gun you’re not ready to shoot, place your trigger finger against the gun’s frame, parallel to the gun barrel.

4. Know the Target and What’s Beyond It

When it comes time to shoot, you aren’t ready until you know the target and what’s beyond it. Identify the height of your target and your gun’s shooting angle.

No matter the caliber of your weapon, always assume the bullet will go through the target and possibly wound people or damage items behind the target. If possible, wait until your target is stationary and has nothing behind them that you’re afraid of hitting. Never shoot a bullet at a flat, hard surface or water since these can cause the bullet to ricochet at an uncontrollable angle.

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Note: The information provided in this blog is purely for general informational purposes and should not be taken as legal advice. Readers should contact their personal attorneys for advice regarding legal matters.

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