As you’d expect, the 4 Rules of Firearm Safety gets referenced quite often here on USA Carry. I wanted to have an article to link back to discussing the 4 Rules of Firearm Safety. But instead of just listing them, I thought I’d find some real-life examples of what happens when the rules are broken. So let’s get right into it.
4 Rules of Firearm Safety:
1. Always treat every gun as if it were loaded.
Even when you “know it is unloaded,” treat the gun as if it were loaded. In the video below, a man is handing a pistol in a gun store that he might potentially buy…or not (we’ve all been to gun stores). At some point, he has his left hand over the muzzle and pulls the trigger, shooting himself in the hand.
Now, I’m sure he assumed the gun was unloading since it was on display for sale. I would assume that as well if I were in a gun store. But no matter what, always check to ensure the firearm is unloaded when taking control of it.
But even if he had checked and ensured it was unloaded, there’s no reason to point the muzzle in the middle of your hand…and then pull the trigger. This brings us to our next Firearm Safety Rule, “Always point the muzzle in a safe direction.”
2. Always point the muzzle in the direction of least consequence.
A common phrase in firearms training is, “Never point a gun at anything you don’t intend to destroy.” While that’s well-meaning, it can create real problems in court. Imagine being asked under oath if you followed that rule—then having to explain why you pointed a gun at someone you were trying to stop, not destroy.
That’s why we’ve updated our wording based on insights from John Correia of Active Self Protection. He shared a real courtroom example where this exact phrasing was used against a defendant. The better, more legally sound articulation—and the one ASP now teaches—is:
“Always keep firearms pointed in the direction of least consequence.”
This emphasizes practical safety and legal defensibility. Whether at the range or in a life-threatening encounter, your muzzle should always be directed in a way that minimizes potential harm if something unintended happens. Downrange at the range. At the threat in a justified defensive encounter. You are responsible for every direction your muzzle points—make sure it’s one with the least possible downside.
UPDATE: There was another video that showed a man having a malfunction at a gun range and then pulling the trigger while trying to clear it. He had the pistol pointed at himself and his friend. This negligent discharge led to him being shot in the arm and his friend being fatally shot in the abdomen. But that video was taken down and I was unable to find it anywhere else.
But I found another video that fit in perfectly for Rule #2. This is from an incident we covered back in Jan 2022.
Recently, a man and two women were at the Parma Armory Shooting Range in Parma, Ohio. We don’t know if they are preparing to go shooting or just finishing up. You can see the man explaining something to the two women, and then he picks up his Glock 9mm handgun. It is hard to tell what he is trying to do. But then you see him turn the gun slightly so that it was then pointed at the woman next to him. It seems like he tries to rack the slide with his finger on the trigger. And then he has a negligent discharge.
The round went through the man’s wrist, into the woman’s stomach, and then in and out of her leg, according to Clevland19. Both were treated at the hospital and released. Luckily, no one was severely injured.
3. Always keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
I’m sure we’ve all seen this one. The instructor is demonstrating how to grip the gun. Then he talks about being able to shoot the 44 Magnum revolver that he is holding single-action by cocking the hammer, and then he pulls the trigger causing the revolver to go off right in front of his face. The recoil nearly caused the revolver to hit his face. When asked if he meant to do that, he brushes it off, saying yes, but we all know that was not intentional.
4. Always be sure of your target and beyond
I found this video intriguing when I first came across it. It showed the aftermath of a negligent discharge. A man was putting a bag into the back of a truck when someone at the rear of the truck accidentally fired an AK-47. In the video, which has since been deleted, the man traced the bullet’s path through his truck. He was maybe two feet away from the round when he put the bag in the truck.
This incident highlights the critical importance of the fourth rule of firearm safety: knowing your target and what is beyond it. In this scenario, the individual who discharged the firearm failed to consider what lay beyond their intended target. The bullet’s trajectory through the truck could have easily resulted in serious injury or death, demonstrating the potential consequences of neglecting this fundamental safety rule. This rule is designed to prevent such accidents by ensuring that all shooters are aware of their surroundings and the potential path of their bullets, thus minimizing the risk of unintended harm.
