Part I: The 4-rules of Gun Safety

RULE 1
CONSIDER ALL GUNS AS LOADED.
When handling a gun, always check if a magazine is inserted or open a revolver’s cylinder to verify if there are any bullets. For pistols, release the magazine and repeatedly rack the slide while looking into the chamber.
There may be instances when a chambered round fails to eject. In the case of AEG’s, notice that a few BB’s spill out of the mag well during reloads. You might think that your feed tube is empty—think again! This may lead to a serious accident.

Editor’s note:
It is a common misconception among some firearms owners that just because they have the best firearm money can buy; they will be able to handle any real-world defensive scenario. For serious shooters: lawmen, military and competitive shooters, a trip to an indoor target range, fifty practice rounds and a static paper target every six months or so will never make a “shooter” out of a gun owner. A gun—whether firearm or airsoft—must be treated with the same respect and the same amount of care when handling. There is a very fine line that separates airsoft weapons from real air rifles or pistols. Technically speaking, air guns and firearms have rifled bores which cause the bullet to spin. And while AEG’s have smooth bores, the “hop mechanism”
enables a BB to achieve the same accuracy of a rifle though the BB may travel shorter distances with less power. In this two-part article, we will learn about the 4-rules of Gun Safety and the basics of Practical Shooting. Most of the topics will concern real firearms but they also apply to airsoft guns.

RULE 2
KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL READY TO FIRE.

Despite all the safety devices incorporated into today’s modern firearms like the firing pin block, magazine safety and the manual safety lever, nothing can make a firearm more unsafe than an incompetent user. Most common firearm accidents recorded involve a situation where a firearm discharged while being handled with the trigger finger in the trigger housing while handcuffing a suspect and during the draw or even while re-holstering a sidearm. I have witnessed an accident where the “shooter” blew-off three fingers in his left hand because he was “finger-in” while clearing a jam—and this was a man in uniform!

RULE 3
ALWAYS KEEP THE MUZZLE POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION

Technically, the muzzle should always be pointing “downrange” in a perfect right angle. In the strictest sense, you must never lower or raise the angle of the muzzle or swing it too far to the left or right. For most lawmen and military personnel, this rule sometimes does not apply given that rifles and pistols are carried either “port arms” or Israel-style, low-ready while moving or when not engaging targets. In simpler terms, do not point at anything you do not intend to kill. This also means, when discharging BB’s prior to storage or when “de-cocking”, point the muzzle away from spectators or to a sandbag, soft earth or a thick bush rather than upwards or at right angle to avoid hurting anyone.

RULE 4
BE AWARE OF YOUR TARGET AND WHAT LIES AROUND AND BEYOND IT.
A bullet will travel a long way. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a lowly .22LR or a .50 BMG. There is no way to stop a bullet unless it hits something or even someone! When target shooting or “plinking”, clear the immediate vicinity of any living thing that you do not intend to harm whether it be human, animal or newly washed car. Never shoot at a paper target without an adequate backstop to catch bullets. Always yell, “Firing!” or “clear the range!” even before you handle you gun so that anyone or anything that shouldn’t be there won’t.