Safe firearm handling is a martial skill unto itself. It speaks volumes about the depth of your competence as a modern self-defense practitioner. The following safety rules are offered as a guideline and are a fusion of the best work of Jeff Cooper and Andy Stanford:
1. Every firearm is always loaded. Handle every firearm with the same care you would exhibit if you knew the weapon was loaded and ready to fire. This rule is never suspended, including when your revolver’s cylinder is swung open and the chambers are empty.
2. Always control your muzzle. Never let it cross anything you are not prepared to kill, destroy or buy. Some fellow snub shooters argue that following this rule to the letter will make maintenance and inspection impossible. Neither is true. With a dedicated forcing cone-to-muzzle style cleaning kit (Otis Technology makes one of the best) the snub can be cleaned without having to turn the muzzle toward the shooter. Furthermore the use of a bore light at the forcing cone end and a mirror at the muzzle will also permit inspections without having to turn the muzzle toward the shooter.
3. Always keep you finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target and you have made the conscious decision to start firing.
This rule often generates a lot of in-class discussion. Consider the example of the “compliant” home intruder held at gun point and lying face-down on the floor. You may need to and probably should keep your muzzle directed at him while waiting (behind cover) for the police. But by the same token your finger should not be on the trigger. To do so is neither safe nor reasonable. Whenever handling a firearm it is only when your sights are on the target and you have made the decision to fire should your finger be moved to the trigger.
4. Be aware of your target and all things around it.
You have to presume that in a gunfight there will be innocent people to the right, left, and rear of your attacker. You also have to presume that there will be innocent people to your right, left, and rear as well. Clearly your attacker’s gunfire is a threat to everyone including yourself within that 360-degree bubble. If you are forced to shoot in self-defense your disciplined, practiced and morally defensible gunfire is going to be called on to protect every innocent life within pistol shot range of that 360-degree bubble including your own. Failing to deliver fast, accurate and controlled gunfire will only compound the threat to the innocents. Every shot you fire must land in the only safe backstop available: the attacker’s body. It is incumbent on you to train constantly in an effort to produce that standard of shooting on demand when required under stress.
5. Whenever around any firearms you have both the authority and the responsibility of a safety officer.
Anytime you see careless gun handling, say something. If a gentle word doesn’t work, leave the area and notify the range staff, the local police or both. Not all dangerous gun handling should be dismissed as the mark of a shooting neophyte possessing poor safety fundamentals. History is replete with stories of violent individuals who were inappropriately and publicly mishandling firearms prior to tragic events. Though a cliché, range responsibility requires that if you see something, say something.
Final Safety Reminder – Your gun is not your friend. It is devoid of personality, loyalty and love. You must avoid anthropomorphizing your firearms. You must constantly remind yourself that firearms are inanimate machines designed for a lethal function. You must actively work to make their safe handling a conscious behavior and not a relaxed routine.
