grampajack
AR Junkie
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2016
- Messages
- 1,714
I agree with the sentiment expressed by others that the four rules are meant for those very new to shooting. In that capacity, I think they're good. As the person progresses they will learn the exceptions to them. But for the time in which they're learning basic gun safety, it's best to keep it as basic as possible. I learned this when teaching safety classes for work about how to use protective equipment. The training was taking too long and there were too many people leaving confused, so we had to simplify it. In so ding, we definitely were letting them leave with some information that didn't hold true in all practical applications, but this was only in regard to scenarios where that information would not present a danger. It just made some things more awkward for them in the beginning. However, most people who took the training would never actually use it after that day. They were just there to get the certification and never use it again, so for the most part we were concerned with their safety for that day, not a year down the road when they were more accomplished. I think this generally holds true for most people taking gun safety courses. A high proportion of them won't ever shoot a gun again in the immediate future, and an even higher proportion will only shoot occasionally, maybe several times a year.
For example, it's not dangerous for someone to think they can't point a gun at themselves while field stripping it. It may lead to them being in a very awkward position and make field stripping certain guns more difficult, but then again maybe new shooters shouldn't be doing that, especially considering how long it takes many of them to figure out that removing the magazine doesn't unload the chamber.
Although I would like to add a fifth rule: When a person is downrange hanging targets do not under any circumstances touch your gun for any reason whatsoever. People at my local range who obviously have no business being there on their own are constantly breaking that one. "Oh, I was just putting the safety on..." they always say, while their gun is locked and loaded, pointed directly downrange at some poor guy unwittingly hanging his target.
For example, it's not dangerous for someone to think they can't point a gun at themselves while field stripping it. It may lead to them being in a very awkward position and make field stripping certain guns more difficult, but then again maybe new shooters shouldn't be doing that, especially considering how long it takes many of them to figure out that removing the magazine doesn't unload the chamber.
Although I would like to add a fifth rule: When a person is downrange hanging targets do not under any circumstances touch your gun for any reason whatsoever. People at my local range who obviously have no business being there on their own are constantly breaking that one. "Oh, I was just putting the safety on..." they always say, while their gun is locked and loaded, pointed directly downrange at some poor guy unwittingly hanging his target.