The Universal Rules of Firearm Safety
By Weapons.com Editorial Team · Published
The core safety rules taught in nearly every firearms course, what each one means in practice, and why they overlap on purpose.
Nearly every firearms course starts with the same short list of rules. They are written to overlap: if one rule is broken, the others still prevent an injury. The wording below follows the NRA's published rules.
The three fundamental rules
Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. The NRA calls this the primary rule of gun safety. A safe direction is one where, if the gun went off, no one would be hurt. What counts as safe depends on where you are, so it takes thought every time.
Always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot. Rest your finger along the frame, outside the trigger guard, until you're actually ready to fire.
Always keep the gun unloaded until ready to use. If you don't know how to open the action or check the chamber, leave the gun alone and get help from someone who does.
Rules for using and storing a gun
The NRA adds rules that cover the rest of the picture:
- Know your target and what is beyond. Identify your target beyond any doubt, and know what's behind it. Never fire toward people or anywhere a mishap could happen.
- Know how to use the gun safely. Learn its basic parts and how to open and close the action and unload it before you handle it.
- Don't rely on the mechanical safety. A safety is a mechanical device and can fail. It never replaces safe handling.
- Be sure the gun is safe to operate, and use only the correct ammunition for it.
- Wear eye and ear protection. Guns are loud enough to damage hearing and can throw debris and hot gases.
- Never use alcohol, over-the-counter drugs or prescription drugs before or while shooting.
- Store guns so they aren't accessible to unauthorized people.
Practice them until they're habits
The rules only work if you follow them every time, including with a gun you "know" is unloaded. A supervised beginner class is the best place to build the habits. If you're interested in teaching safety to others, see the NRA instructor and range safety officer guides.