Gun Safety: A Moral Decision

According to an October 2007 story published by the NRA, accidental deaths resulting in death have steadily decreased since the 1930’s. To quote the story:

1. Firearm accident deaths have been decreasing for decades. Since 1930, their annual number has decreased 80%, while the U.S. population has more than doubled and the number of firearms has quintupled. Among children, such deaths have decreased 89% since 1975.
2. Firearm accident deaths are at an all-time annual low, while the U.S. population is at an all-time high. Therefore, the firearm accident death rate is at an all-time annual low, 0.2 per 100,000 population, down 94% since the all-time high in 1904.
3. Today, the odds are a million to one, against a child in the U.S. dying in a firearm accident.
4. Firearms are involved in 0.6% of accidental deaths nationally. Most accidental deaths involve, or are due to, motor vehicles (39%), poisoning (18%), falls (16%), suffocation (5%), drowning (2.9%), fires (2.8%), medical mistakes (2.2%), environmental factors (1.2%), and bicycles and tricycles (0.7%). Among children: motor vehicles (45%), suffocation (18%), drowning (14%), fires (9%), bicycles and tricycles (2.4%), falls (2%), poisoning (1.6%),environmental factors (1.5%), and medical mistakes (0.8%).

When we talk about firearm safety we are discussing, in effect, a moral responsibility to handle weapons-firearms or otherwise-with all the care they deserve. With regards to firearms, you should never be in a position to say, “I didn’t know it was loaded.” Frankly, if you are saying that to anyone, you are negligent in your civic responsibility.

Since this is a firearms related site it is prudent to cover the basics of firearm safety. If you violate any one of these, it’s possible nothing can happen. If you violate more than two, you are likely to be involved in an accident. Each rule builds upon the other, and violation increases in severity. There are only four, so it’s not burdensome to practice safe gun handling.

Firearms Safety Rules

1. All firearms are always loaded.
2. Never let the muzzle point at anything you aren’t willing to kill, maime, and/or destroy.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your weapon is on target and you have decided to fire.
4. Be absolutely certain of your target’s identity, surroundings, and what’s behind that target.

The first rule may sound familiar. There are those who say you should treat a weapon as if it’s loaded. The problem is this leaves too much room for error. If you make the mental adjustment to believe a weapon is loaded, you will never find yourself horsing around with an unloaded weapon. Treat a weapon like it’s loaded; even after you have verified there are no bullets in the chamber.

The second rule says that you shouldn’t point a gun at anything or anyone. Always be aware of what you’re pointing at. If you’re cleaning your weapon, unloading, practicing your draw, or putting the gun in a holster be certain of what’s around you. There is a flip side to this as well. If you are standing near someone with a gun, don’t walk in front of the muzzle. Be aware of what that person is doing so you don’t inadvertently put yourself in harms way. The gun handler may violate rule two through no fault of his own because someone else was stupid.

Number three is self explanatory. Barring a jolt to the firearm a gun should not go off unless a persons finger is pressing the trigger to release the seer and hammer. Also, be aware that if your finger is on the trigger, even if you have no intention of firing, studies show that if you are startled a natural reflex is to grip your hands tightly. A sudden grip in a trigger will be followed by a vary loud noise.

Finally, if you can not identify your target you have no business letting a bullet fly. Do not let yourself be fooled into thinking you see something you do not see. Verify the target, then verify it again and again. It is better to be certain, than shoot someone accidentally. You must also check what’s around your target. Bullets have a tendency to fly a very long way when you miss what you’re aiming at. Eventually something will get in the way of the intended path and “catch” the errant round. Can you afford to be responsible for that object if you miss what you were intending to shoot?

Closing Remarks
I’ve suggested that firearms safety is a moral issue. In the beginning you may have thought, “Whatever-how can this be a moral issue?” It’s moral because when you make a mistake with a firearm, the impact can be disastrous. Loss of life is the first on the list of possible problems due to negligence. When life is at stake, we’re dealing with a moral issue.

There are only four rules to follow. These four can keep you from spending many years in prison and courtrooms. Negligence can be avoided. Burn these rules into your mind. Put a copy in your gun bag and re-read them every time you go to the range. Don’t excuse yourself for poor safety rules, and don’t excuse others of it either.