Consider the following rules for basic range safety.
- Business-end downrange. At all times. Period.
In other words, be entirely too sensitive about where your gun is pointed – At All Times. Your gun stays holstered or bagged OR else it points downrange. Period. Same for your friends: you need to be entirely too sensitive about where your friends or fellow shooters point their guns – At All Times. If you see a barrel pointed in any direction other than downrange, then you need to say, "Business-end downrange, please."
It's easy to get caught up in a conversation when you're shooting with friends, especially if you're an English major and can't shut your pie hole. And conversation is great, but you don't need a pistol in your hand to do it. In conversation, people often point and gesture, pivot or twist their bodies, but if you do that kind of thing with a pistol in your hand you're likely to be pointing that pistol in a direction other than downrange. That's a violation of Rule Number 1. It's careless, and if you want careless, then you need to give up guns and take up video games. Business-end points downrange. At all times. Period.
Having firmly established Rule Number 1, I will admit that there are times when a gun is legitimately in-hand but pointed at the ground. Sure. And in that case, Rule Number 2 applies. We should all continue, nevertheless, to advocate and live by Rule Number 1: Business-end points downrange. At all times. Period.
- Finger off the trigger and outside the trigger guard AT ALL TIMES. Period.
Obviously there's one exception: when you're ready to make a shot on your target. But too often in the course of a magazine, shooters pause to look over their shoulder to ask a question, make a statement or crack a joke—with their finger still on the trigger and/or still in the trigger guard.
That's bullshit. At no time—for no reason whatsoever—should your finger be inside the trigger guard and/or on the trigger unless you're about to make an intentional shot on your target. If you see a friend or other shooter violate this rule, then you need to say, "Finger off the trigger and outside the trigger guard, please."
- Table weapons and show chambers.
If you're not shooting, don't stand around with a gun in your hand: leave the weapon tabled. If you're at an outdoor range and shooters have gone downrange to view, collect, or replace targets, don't (for any reason) pick up a gun from the shooter's table. Want to holster or bag your gun? Just wait a minute for all the shooters to return, then nonchalantly announce that you're going to holster or bag your weapon. It's polite.
Furthermore, when your gun is on the table, leave the slide locked back and lay the gun chamber-side up, magazine out, so that everyone can see that the gun is empty. If you can't see an open chamber, then you need to assume that a bullet is in there. Period. Table your weapons and show chambers.
- At all times, follow (and be an advocate for) all the rules that apply at any given range.
If the range rules aren't posted, ask for them, and follow them. If you see other shooters violating the rules, report them to the range master or range owner immediately. In some cases, you'll need to follow Rule Number 5.
- If range shooters are violating rules without consequence, leave.
At the very least, I'd leave the range and say something to the range master or range owner. Some people are somewhat scrupled about speaking up or speaking out about this kind of thing—nobody wants to be a jerk. But we're talking about basic safety protocol for lethal weapons: I'd rather be perceived as a jerk than see you or someone else accidentally shot because of some jackwagon's carelessness.
Those five rules by no means exhaust safe procedure. Here are some links to additional resources:
- Firing-Line Indoor Range Rules: Note especially number 13
DO NOT BRING ANY LOADED OR JAMMED WEAPONS OFF THE RANGE FOR ANY REASON. IF THERE IS A PROBLEM, LAY THE GUN IN THE BOOTH AND NOTIFY RANGE OFFICER.
To the words "lay the gun in the booth" I'd have added "pointing downrange" in compliance with Rule Number 1 listed above. But either way this is key because jams and misfires do happen, and new shooters may not be trained how to handle the situation. If you belong to that category, and you experience a weapon malfunction, do not attempt to inspect your weapon. Simply table it, business-end downrange, then ask for help.
- Rules for Shooting Range Safety (via National Shooting Sports Foundation)
I recommend reading the whole thing, of course, but you can also scroll down to see the rules listed a–j and, after those, a second series a–h.
- NRA Gun Safety Rules: Know (and be an advocate for) them.
