Slims

Martian: I could give you a good basic safety class in about 10 minutes. It isn't complicated..The rules are redundant so a simple mistake results in nothing more than embarrasment. you really have to break a bunch in order to cause harm.

In no particular order:

1: Don't point the gun at things you would rather not get shot (self explanatory)

2: Always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot: If you look, you will notice all trained firearms users have their index finger laying flat along the side of the weapon when they are not actually shooting. If you have your finger in the trigger you may accidentally squeeze a round off for any number of reasons (surprise, excitement, you tripped, got bumped, etc) and as a general rule, a safety is used but not relied on. If nothing touches the trigger the weapon won't fire.

3: Treat your weapon as if it is loaded. Just because you unloaded your pistol does not mean you should demonstrate by pointing it at someone and pulling the trigger. Exceptions are dry-firing and other drills immediately preceded by a deliberate clear of the weapon. Edit because that sounds wrong: You are still not going to shoot at anyone, unloaded or no. You are just asking for the worst mistake of your life. The only exceptions I am aware of are retention drills after multiple parties have verified the weapon is unloaded.

Almost forgot 4: Be sure of your target and what is behind it. Cardboard doesn't stop bullets. Make sure the bullets are going to stop where you want them and won't hit anything you don't along the way. I know it's common sense, but it's a rule because someone screwed it up.

Clearing your weapon:

1: Attempt to put your weapon on safe.
2: Remove the source of feed (magazine, rounds in a tube, etc),
3: Remove any round in chamber
4: conduct 3 point check of the chamber itself, bolt-face, and magazine well/tube/lifter.
5: Situation dependent (before dry-firing, doing certain drills, etc): point unloaded weapon in a safe direction and pull the trigger: This will fire any round your dumb ass missed during the clearing process. Embarrasing the shit out of you but not hurting anyone (because you pointed in a safe direction).

If you follow those rules, and conduct a proper clear anytime you wish your weapon to be unloaded, you can't go wrong.

There is more to being a competent, lethal shooter, but that pretty much covers the basics of safety. Oh, and make sure your kids can't get to them.

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"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." - Winston Churchill

"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act out their dream with open eyes, to make it possible." Seven Pillars of Wisdom, T.E. Lawrence