Pistol Safety Golden Rules

[Skribs]

Get a quality holster that won't allow you access to the trigger guard. Flimsy holsters or holsters that do not cover the trigger provide poor safety. The holster is a combination carrying device and safety device. Treat it well.

When holstering, make sure your shirt is clear of the holster so it doesn't get caught in the trigger. Make sure the strap (if applicable) is clear.

The big thing to remember about the four rules is that they always apply. They create safety by overlapping. Don't point a gun at someone because "I checked, it's empty" and don't forget to keep your finger off the trigger just because it's pointed in a safe direction.

One thing someone else on this forum said in another thread: don't get so wrapped up in knowing what you do, that you forget to do what you know.
In other words, just knowing the rules is pointless if you don't practice them.

 

[303tom]

I did not not write these rules, but have lived by them for longer than I care to remember.

My remembrance of Jeff Cooper's four general Firearms Safety rules:

1. All guns are always loaded (treat all guns as if they are loaded regardless whether there is any ammunition present)

2. Never point a gun at anything you are not willing to destroy.

3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target

4. Know your target and what is behind it.

5. guns are NOT toys, so do NOT refer to them as such.

 

[Deer_Freak]

Some of the four rules are not so easy to follow. The first is keeping your finger off the trigger. Shooting in a match or just goofing around it's pretty easy to do. But get a blue gun and let a friend grab the gun and see where that booger hook ends up. Quite possibly your finger will end up on the trigger before the gun clears the holster. People say what they will but until they try it they are clueless. Don't just watch to see if you put your finger on the trigger. Put some chalk or baby powder on the trigger so there is no doubt.

 

[tipoc]

From Dmazur:

Except that, there was enough concern over Rule 1 that he wrote an exception for it, as I explained above.

He did not have "concern" over it. He did not add another rule. Neither did he lengthen the first. In many of his writings he spoke of situations and circumstances where any and each of the rules are overwritten or there are exceptions. But he did not add each of these exceptions to the rules. There could be no rules if there weren't exceptions to them, he knew this and said as much. He figured people could handle this apparent contradiction.

The rules are a tool for clarity. To keep things simple. So that the 4 are focused on and not the many exceptions. There are logical exceptions to each of the rules but he did not add written "provisos" to any of them though he did speak of them. The signs hanging at Thunder Ranch still today don't have amendments or explanations added to them.

The rules are brief and to the point so that they can be easily pounded into a head.

tipoc

 

[Zardaia]

If you make it common practice to always follow all 4 rules you'll never have a problem. That said, if you brain fart and break one the other three should provide redundecy to either prevent a nd or at least ensure the round goes off in a "safe"direction. I'll reiterate safe clearing though as that's were I've seen the most nd's at clearing barrels. Actually visualy inspect to see there is no ammo in the chamber or magazine well, if you make that a habit then you should be able to catch youself if you forget to drop the mag first.

 

[Skribs]

Some of the four rules are not so easy to follow. The first is keeping your finger off the trigger. Shooting in a match or just goofing around it's pretty easy to do. But get a blue gun and let a friend grab the gun and see where that booger hook ends up. Quite possibly your finger will end up on the trigger before the gun clears the holster. People say what they will but until they try it they are clueless. Don't just watch to see if you put your finger on the trigger. Put some chalk or baby powder on the trigger so there is no doubt.

That's why you constantly practice and reinforce these rules. I don't see "if you remember to do so" as the preamble to the four rules. Zardaia hit the nail on the head: practicing all four means when you bugger up on one of them, you're less likely to have a tragedy.

 

[dmazur]

From the referenced publication -

RULE 1
ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED
The only exception to this occurs when one has a weapon in his hands and he has
personally unloaded it for checking. As soon as he puts it down, Rule 1 applies again.
RULE 2
NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT PREPARED
TO DESTROY
You may not wish to destroy it, but you must be clear in your mind that you are quite
ready to if you let that muzzle cover the target. To allow a firearm to point at another
human being is a deadly threat, and should always be treated as such.
RULE 3
KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER TIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE
TARGET
This we call the Golden Rule because its violation is responsible for about 80 percent
of the firearms disasters we read about.
RULE 4
BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET
You never shoot at anything until you have positively identified it. You never fire at a
shadow, or a sound, or a suspected presence. You shoot only when you know
absolutely what you are shooting at and what is beyond it.

The point that "short is good" is valid. I'm sure I've seen the Four Rules posted, but I can't remember seeing any explanatory text on these signs. So, whoever is making the decision to post must be content with the Rules themselves.

I must disagree, however, with the idea that explanation is unnecessary. Without it, gun owners are left to decide that Rule 1 is crazy, because obviously guns are unloaded under certain conditions. Or decide that catching a falling gun or keeping your finger out of the trigger guard during holstering is somehow different than Rule 3.

Cooper's brief explanations are helpful. They explain how the Rules should be applied.

IMO, it is unfortunate that the full text isn't posted. It isn't that lengthy, and it helps explain things. Understanding should mean greater safety.

 

[thecarfarmer]

First, glad to see the OP is taking time to look into safety. I'd recommend Kathy Jackson's 'cornered cat' website. Although it's a little frilly and pink for me (being as I'm a guy and it's geared towards women), it's full of a lot of good info for a new shooter. A great place to start.

Second, I think Col. Cooper's rule was made in anticipation of Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, and the legislation of one Mr. Murphy.

That's the most ridiculous statement I've read on this or any other forum. If I believed that nonsense I'd sell every gun I own and join the anti-gun groups to get them all outlawed. You're claiming that guns are too dangerous, or people are too stupid (or both), to prevent a firearm from discharging unintentionally.

All guns are NOT always loaded. Anyone who makes this statement is a liar, and is doing more to make themselves unsafe than they realize. Do you clean your loaded gun? Do you function check your loaded gun? I think not. So your actual claim is that all guns are always loaded except when...

(snip)

Most of gun safety boils down to muzzle awareness (where is it pointing? am I okay with it putting a hole in what it's pointing at?), checking a gun for being cleared (reasons why to do this have been amply described already) before handling it or giving it to someone, and lastly, as my friend Ben put it: "keep your booger-hook off the bang switch until you're ready to shoot!"

One other thing I'd mention... for those who decide they want to carry a gun with a round chambered: do some research to see if it's a good idea w/ your model of pistol.

On some striker-fired pistols, if a round is chambered, (even if the safety on), there's a chance that the gun could be handled in a way (dropped, takedown button pushed, some other action) which would cause it to unintentionally fire. Glocks (and probably a lot of other modern guns) have a firing pin safety which precludes this from happening - older guns often don't. I can attest that a Phoenix P-51 doesn't...

-Bill

 

[TarDevil]

Mainsail, there's only two types of gun handlers.........those that HAVE had an unintended discharge, and those that WILL.

When I started flying 40 years ago, I read the same thing about pilots flying retractable gear aircraft...those who have made gear up landings and those who will.
Now retired from flying, I'm one of those who never did.
Now, as then, I refuse to accept the notion of inevitability.