The basic rules of firearm safety are paramount to keeping yourself and others safe while enjoying firearms. Jeff Cooper, the founder of Gunsite Academy and a pivotal figure in modern firearm technique, codified these four "Golden Rules" to ensure safe handling. They are designed to be redundant; if you violate one, the others are there to prevent a tragedy.
1. All guns are always loaded.
- The Principle: You must treat every firearm with the respect due a loaded weapon, regardless of its actual status. Even if you have just checked it, or someone handed it to you saying it is empty, you continue to handle it as if it is loaded.
- The Goal: This creates a mindset of constant vigilance and prevents "I didn't know it was loaded" accidents.
2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
- The Principle: You are responsible for where the barrel points at all times. The muzzle should never sweep across a person, a pet, or valuable property.
- The Goal: If a negligent discharge were to occur (because Rule 1 was violated), this rule ensures the bullet causes property damage rather than injury or death.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.
- The Principle: Your finger should be indexed high on the frame of the gun (often called "indexing") and outside the trigger guard until you have made the conscious decision to fire.
- The Goal: This prevents the gun from firing due to a startle response, a stumble, or a sympathetic muscle reflex (clinching your hand).
4. Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.
- The Principle: You must positively identify your target and know exactly what is behind it. Bullets can pass through walls, doors, and targets themselves.
- The Goal: This prevents "pass-through" injuries or hitting an innocent bystander who might be obscured by darkness or cover behind the intended target.