SAFETY TOPIC #2: THE FOUR LAWS OF GUN CONTROL

If you learn nothing else from practical shooting, learn the four laws that are the foundation of all safe gun handling. Remember...Someday you will have an "accidental discharge!" The only questions are when, where, and how. If you are obeying the four laws of gun control when it happens, it will be scary. If you're not, it could be tragic.

FIRST LAW... THE GUN IS ALWAYS LOADED!
EVERY TIME you pick up or draw a gun, inspect it in a safe manner (control your muzzle) and always treat it as a loaded gun.

SECOND LAW... NEVER POINT THE GUN AT SOMETHING YOU ARE NOT PREPARED TO DESTROY!
The only safe way to operate is to assume the worst case scenario: Pretend that your “empty” gun is going to function perfectly. When you press the trigger it will FIRE! Since you are prepared for that, you only point the gun in a safe direction. This way when brain-fade does result in an AD, it will be into a safe impact area and there won’t be a tragedy.

THIRD LAW... ALWAYS BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET AND WHAT IS BEHIND IT!
Bullets can penetrate lots of things. Identify your target before firing. If you are not sure, DON’T shoot! Make sure there is a safe impact area behind it before firing. For home practice, find and aim only at a BULLET PROOF BACKSTOP. Plasterboard walls and outer walls are not bulletproof. A .45 bullet will easily travel through several rooms before stopping.

FOURTH LAW... KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET!
Almost all of the accidental discharges during a match are caused by placing a finger on the trigger when not ready to fire.

Some examples: Finger on trigger during reloading, during movement, during the draw, and during jam clearing have all led to accidental discharges and disqualifications. Finger on the trigger during reloading or movement calls for instant disqualification (you don’t have to AD) and two ROs are watching for just that.