Wednesday, February 22, 2012

On Safe Gun Handling


The Gunsight rules are well thought out and have gained many followers and endorsements:

  1. All guns are always loaded. Even if they are not, treat them as if they are.
  2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy. (For those who insist that this       particular gun is unloaded, see Rule 1.)
  3. Keep your finger off the trigger till your sights are on the target. This is the Golden Rule. Its violation is directly responsible for about 60 percent of inadvertent discharges.
  4. Identify your target, and what is behind it. Never shoot at anything that you have not positively identified.

-Col. Jeff Cooper, USMC Retired, 1920-2006

The fact that Col. Cooper liked the CZ 75 and based the design of the Bren Ten on it did not influence our decision to endorse and adopt his rules for safe gun handling for our employees. (but it didn't hurt)

Most of us know these rules by heart.  If they are new to you, learn them. Spend some time thinking about them.  What could happen if you break one of the rules?  The chances for a tragedy go up exponentially when 2 or more are broken.

Complacency is the cause of most accidents, firearms related and otherwise.  Be conscious and very deliberate in your actions when handling firearms, do not rely on habit or muscle memory.  Do not rely completely on the mechanical safety, follow the rules regardless of the position of the safety lever.