You Should Know

Before I ever got a firearm, or before that paintball gun, I had this driven into me regarding power tools. I hold a drill the same way I hold a gun which I’ve been made fun of for, but I’ve never caught my clothes in a drill bit, or cut myself with a hole cutter like others I know. I also always put the safety on.

Maintenance should probably be in there too: A poorly maintained firearm is potentially dangerous to the user.

Does every gun store have a jar for rounds they found in guns that have been handed to them?

I've never so much as touched a gun and I know all of this. I suppose I've just absorbed it through constant contact in my peripheral. Recent movies are getting trigger discipline better, but TV shows still get it wrong.

Some years ago I acted as crew on an ultra-low budget film. We didn't have the budget for simulated firearms so we had to use real ones. Everyone involved in the project agreed that extreme care was warranted. We made certain that there was no live ammunition anywhere near the set. Firearms were locked up unless they were being held by a trained crew member or an actor. The actors were all taught the basics of how their firearms operated and how to check the chambers. The prop handlers and actors checked every firearm every time it changed hands, even when they had just watched the person who handed it to them check the chamber.

With all of that in place, we still insisted on following the other rules as well. Trigger discipline was maintained at all times, including while filming scenes. Camera angles were adjusted so that firearms never had to pointed at anyone or anything that we were not willing to damage. Actors were careful to keep their firearms pointed in the safe directions that had been arranged, even when simulating their use.

It was a fair amount of trouble and it added time to a very tight operation, but there were absolutely no incidents, or near incidents, or concerns that there might be an incident. That is how everyone who handles firearms should treat them in real life. It takes a little time and attention, but it isn't difficult. And following even one of the safety rules makes it impossible for anyone to be hurt accidentally.

Learning and following the safety rules is a cheap investment for the benefit of not accidentally killing someone.

Lastly, secure your firearms you uncultured swines that don't.

Not only for your safety, but the safety of your children if you have some. I hate that people don't follow this rule.

Average Aussie here.. aside from on the hip of a police officer, the blokes moving money or on video, I haven’t even seen a gun in over 20 years.. good post for those who do hang around guns though

Also, couldn't most of this also apply to things like industrial paint guns or grease guns given the very real possibility for a horrible death by high-pressure injection with those?

Even if you don't like guns or even want to be around firearms, this is incredibly important information to understand. We live in a world of violence and weapons. Understanding how they work is important or at the very least how to not kill someone accidentally because you were ignorant.

If you see someone ignoring these rules, you know to look out, say something, or act. Whichever is the appropriate action. And, God forbid (or whateveryou might believe), you have to use a firearm, you understand the important rules of gun safety. Remember, you have to screw up multiple of the rules to cause a real deadly incident, if the gun goes off because your a dummy and put your finger on the trigger, but you had it pointed to the ground then likely everyone is okay and you are just an idiot. Safety first, always

….. And don’t go out in the woods during deer season because there’s always someone treating a deadly weapon all too casually

These are good practices for anything that shoots projectiles, not just weapons. I replaced some baseboard trim in the house a few months ago, and was extremely careful regarding where I pointed the air nailer, particularly when it was under pressure.

This just happened. Could not ask for better.

And now, for the obligatory drivel:

I live in one of the countries where more guns are owned and kept by civilians in Europe and the times I've seen one, it was on a police officer belt or on a museum.

Portugal (I was surprised when I learned this) has a lot of guns in civilian hands, mostly small handguns and hunting rifles, mostly shotguns and carabines.

The average hunter - I live in a somewhat rural area - stores guns empty, with trigger locks in place. And having more than one gun requires a gun safe, that is routinely inspected by police. Handguns have to be stored in lock boxes or safes unloaded. Ammunition must be stored separately and outside a minimal range of the guns.

Secret storage compartments are forbidden. Open carry is forbidden. Concealed carry is mostly standard here but manifesting it, with no reason, is a serious crime.

Gun violence is not rampant here, regardless what sensationalist news outlets and social networks desinformation campaigns try to do.

Most people never see a gun their entire life and if confronted with one will instantly call the police for safe removal.

So... I appreciate this kind of topic but it always strikes me as unnecessary for the average reality.

Rule 0: Don’t fucking handle with guns in the first place, if you don’t know the basic rules.

I'd offer this as well: if you don't have to pick up a gun, don't pick one up.

In other words :

1. Gun can go bang ! Scary.
2. Point gun at bad guy, never good guy.
3. Fingy behave until bad guy show up.
4. Good guy close or behind bad guy ? No bang !

(This is meant to make the rules easy to remember, not to make fun of them)

Another rule - If you're actually firing a gun and never have, only load one bullet. I've seen plenty of videos where someone fires a second accidental shot because they weren't ready for the recoil. More of an issue with bigger caliber guns but firearm negligence can be fatal so don't fuck about.

Treat the barrel of a gun like it has an infinite length death laser pointing out of it at all times.

No, it doesn't matter if you just unloaded it, or saw someone else unload it. The barrel stays pointing down range and away from people.

1. Don't live in America.
2. You won't need to know about guns unless you really want to.
3. Seriously, you're likely to never see one in real life, so it's all good.
4. ...