0307 – The Problem with Firearm Safety Rules

• Think about a gun counter in a gun store.  Many gun shops have the barrels of the guns inside the case pointing back behind the counter toward the legs of the clerk.  Think about this rule.  Does it work?
• You are in a basic pistol course at your local whatever…  Throughout the entire class those pistols are pointed at SOMETHING!  If this rule is true and shouldn’t be broken every instructor needs to be canned, including me.
• It is virtually impossible to follow this rule.

Paul – As I am getting closer to having my pistol permit, I am thinking about the general safety rules and how they apply to concealed carry.  I have thought for awhile that there seem to be some very clear clashes that never come up in conversation.  But some of these will probably seem obvious as well as ridiculous to someone who is used to carrying.  It seems the rules are beat into us, but then overlooked when it comes to carrying, since they would really preclude carrying a hand gun.  I am just curious what your thoughts are on this.  Is it  just a matter of benefits out weighing perceived risk, as with our general training?

Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.  Inevitably the muzzle of my concealed pistol will be pointing at something that I do not wish to destroy.  Whether it is my own leg, or my four year old running up to me for a hug, or a co-worker as I climb up a step ladder, etc.

Unloaded until ready to use.  Obviously an unloaded handgun doesn’t help us in self defense, but I also would not be considered a very safe gun owner to being strolling around my house with my AR slung over my shoulder and leaving it loaded and one in the chamber.

Anyways I am sure you get my point.  I guess my goal in bringing this up is coming to terms with breaking some of these safety rules, in the name of ultimately being safer by carrying, and being honest with myself about the risks and benefits, etc.

Kelly

• On the square range, all seems well with the last of the Cooper Rules.
• Keep in mind we want safety rules to be as universal as possible.  This means that we want them to apply in the real world, in 360′ environments and under the stress of a Dynamic Critical Incident.
• The human brain does a wonderful job recognizing and focusing on threats that present themselves to us.  This focus is both a physical focus where the body squares itself to the threat and the eyes collect data in the center of the field of vision and also a psychological focus where our mental energy is directed toward processing information about the threat.
• All of this information helps us to achieve the second part of the rule to positively identify the threat, but it makes the first part of the rule more difficult.
• If our physical and psychological attention is focused ON THE THREAT how can we be expected to be able to evaluate the back ground?  Are there times when we may have the ability to do so?  I say yes, but can we always do so?  I think we would have to agree that the answer is no.  Does this mean we shouldn’t shoot?  I can’t answer that either.  What I can say is that I will not teach my students to live and die by a wishy-washy rule.

• I don’t even know what to say to this kind of insanity.
• How am I supposed to clean a gun if it is loaded?  Don’t get me wrong, I only clean unloaded guns.  Wait, except there is no such thing.  The manual says unload the gun before cleaning, so I remove the magazine and rack the slide.  Now the gun is unloaded but I need to treat it as if it is loaded so it’s back to step one.  How do you unload an unloaded loaded gun.  I’m confused.  Wait, I understand it, this is why no one ever cleans their guns!
• I need to admit some guilt here and I’m a bit worried about the fact that the statute of limitations hasn’t expired but here goes.
  • Every time I fly I check my gun loaded.
  • Totally illegal.
  • But I don’t have any choice.  See, all guns are always loaded.  So, I break the law even though I take the bullets out, it is a loaded gun because the rule says so.  Therefore, I am in violation of federal law.  If  there is a delay in future podcasts, you’ll know I’m doing hard time.  Internet upload speed will probably be better on the inside anyway…
• So when we look at this rule we must ask ourselves where does the madness end?
• I like hamburgers, but we must agree that raw ground beef can be dangerous.  Treat all hamburgers as if they are raw.  Even if they are not, treat them as if they are.

• So, how do I disassemble a Glock?
• How do I function test a gun I just repaired?
• The absolute kills this rule!

• How do you define when a gun is in use?  Especially when we are talking about a defensive firearm?  A home defense gun could sit idle for months.  Is it in use.
• I don’t want my students to train administrative function into their gun handling.  The last thing I want is for a student to pick up a gun for defensive purposes and to check to see if it is loaded.

Although the Cooper Rules and the NRA Rules are intended to help improve gun safety I find that they develop confusion among students.  We can’t give absolutes and then dismiss the exceptions that we make for ourselves and the exceptions that students will find them selves making when the operate a firearm.  Our rules need to outline good safety practices and empower our students to make good decisions instead of instilling a rules are made to be broken attitude.

What firearm safety rules do I teach my students?

Good question.

• Keep your finger someplace other than the trigger until you are ready to shoot.

  • First off, it is a positive statement.  It tells students what they should do always a good practice when you want to avoid a specific action.
  • Second, there is no absolute, there is room for exceptions.

• Keep the firearm pointed in a relatively safe direction.

  • Again, positive
  • Second, the word relatively empowers the student to make decisions about the specific scenario that they are in.
  • Finally it acknowledges that it some circumstances we must make concessions if I must choose between pointing my gun at my child or my truck, the truck is relatively safe direction by a long shot.

• Remember that you are in control of a deadly weapon which if used with malice or negligence can injure or kill you or someone else.

  • This is all about safety as a concept as opposed to some arbitrary list of rules.
  • I cannot cover every scenario in a set of rules, so your brain must be in gear.

• These rules are derived from I.C.E. Training.
• I began using these rules long before I was associated with I.C.E. in any way.  They are that much better.
• These rules are not a numbered set.  You could make an argument for why any one of these rules should be on the top of the list.  For that reason, there is no order.
• Also, these rules are not independent.  They work together and provide checks and balances for each other.  Cooper and NRA rules do the same except the checks and balances are there for when you break a rule.  With these rules they are in play all the time.