The four rules of firearm safety

These four rules, attributed to Col. Jeff Cooper, are taught at every credible shooting school in the world. They overlap deliberately — break one and the other three save you.

1. Treat every firearm as if it is loaded.

Always. Even one you just unloaded yourself. The rule isn't "check it then handle casually" — it's "behave as if loaded, every time".

2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.

A negligent discharge that hits a wall is property damage. The same discharge that hits a person is a manslaughter charge. Where the muzzle points decides which one happens.

3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target and you have decided to fire.

Trigger discipline is the single biggest separator between trained and untrained shooters. Index your trigger finger along the receiver until the moment of firing.

4. Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.

Particularly for hunting and home defence: a projectile may pass through the target, ricochet, or you may have misidentified the target entirely. Confirm the target and its background.