Firearm Safety

OK people, lets go over this again.
After hearing about yet another situation where some idiot has maimed or killed someone else through their amazing negligence and stupidity, I felt it is incumbent on me to once again lay out the basic rules of gun safety.

So for the basics:

Four Rules of Gun Handling:

RULE I: Always treat all guns as if they are loaded.

RULE II: Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.

RULE III: Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.

RULE IV: Be sure of your target and be aware of what is behind it.

Also:

It is your duty to know whether the gun you are holding is loaded. I have a lot of friends with guns, some never have their guns loaded, some always do. But whenever I pick up or are handed a firearm, I check it. POINTING IN A SAFE DIRECTION. Check the safety, check the magazine, check the chamber. REMEMBER TO CHECK THE CHAMBER.

The saying (which I believe is from the Marine Corps) is that there are no firearms accidents. Only negligent discharges.

Another way to say that is anything that happens with your gun is always your fault. ALWAYS.

Also keep in mind should you ever shoot someone you did not intend to, it will very likely be a family member or friend. So be even more careful than you think is necessary.

Another tip- if you think the person holding a gun is an idiot or drunk or any other reason you wouldn't want to trust your life to them, you should probably get the hell away.

Never let breaches of gun safety go. Always let people know when they are in error.
They might be ignorant or forgetful or stupid. That does not relieve your responsibility to yourself and others. This goes the same whether they are new to firearms and learning about
them, or an experienced shooter or a combat veteran. Keep in mind the next time they do something dangerous, it could be your ass.

OK, that is all I have for now.
BE AWARE AND BE CAREFUL