Firearms safety - a core competancy

A core topic is firearms safety, be that safety in storage, safety in handling and safety  in firing.  One of the best Michael Bane episodes was #184 where he discussed how he and his television team stay safe while handling firearms.  He talked about sneaky little bullets and how they will always find their way into a bullet while you weren't looking - a good way to think about things.
downrange.tv/blog/down-range-radio-184/6559/

As well as Cooper's four rules there are finer points of etiquette - always showing a firearm is clear when passing it, not touching a firearm behind the firing line or when some one is downrange, hopefully obvious things.  However last week I asked a gun store worker to show a rifle clear before I picked it up and they were snarky.

There there are some specific times and rules - hunting orange, being sure of your target, wrapping orange around anything you carry out.  There are concealed carry specifics we in Australia don't know about, you chaps will be able to cover well.

+1

The best among us exhibit a culture of safety. Checking a firearm immediately when it is picked up, scrupulously observing Cooper's Four Commandments, opening the action before passing off the firearm, observing range rules, and practicing all the safety requirements when afield are all behaviors in support of that culture.

Set a good example, teach, gently correct, learn from others, and continuously evaluate your own actions are all ways of building good safety etiquette in the Firearms Culture.

I was a Double A Grade, Extra Large idiot when I first started with guns. I'm eternally grateful that no one had to pay for my stupidity. I hope I can help others avoid those errors.  

Great post, mate!

Thinking about this after I posted I thought there had been an episode on safety?
There was episode #57 on etiquette.

sthwestvictoria wrote:Thinking about this after I posted I thought there had been an episode on safety?
There was episode #57 on etiquette.

Thanks! I'll look for it.

We will likely devote a show to this topic...
Thanks