Mar 24, 2023 4 min read

You may have witnessed the scenario a hundred times or more. The gang is gathered around the tailgate of the truck after a morning’s hunt. Maybe some sportsmen friends have stopped by the house for a gathering. One thing leads to another and a new firearm has been brought out for inspection.

Assuming that the new piece has been safety checked for unloaded/clear condition – and you know what they say about assuming – the likely scenario is that it will be passed around for perusal by all parties, shouldered if it is a shotgun, maybe pointed or brought to confirmed ready position if a handgun is involved. After seeing this play out through the years, I am still amazed by either the frequent, unintentional passing of the muzzle across human beings or maybe better phrased, a careless disregard for covering another human being with the muzzle of a weapon.

It is about this time that I will hear the feathers of my boo birds start to ruffle as they begin to coo such phrases as, “Well it’s not loaded.” or “Oh, Mr. Gun Expert has to put on a sermon about gun safety.” Yes, indeed I do. The older I get, the more fussy I become over poor firearm handling. There’s simply no excuse for putting another person in jeopardy. Rule No. 1 of firearm safety is keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction at all times. Never point it at anything that you do not intend to shoot or are not willing to destroy.

Depending upon the school of training you subscribe to and which verbiage one uses, the intent and purpose are basically the same. Let’s keep all concerned parties safe. I’ll address all four rules later on in my column but for now, let’s stick with rule No. 1. There is no earthly reason to allow the muzzle of a long gun or a handgun to sweep another human being. Everything else is simply excuse making. If it does not serve a legitimate purpose then why risk it?

Over the years, we like to try to make ourselves believe that kids don’t do things as well as adults (except maybe fix the television remote control.) I must say that I am impressed with some of the handling skills I have witnessed at hunter safety training. The young folks I have come into contact with are receptive to safety training and generally adhere to the rules. They are quick learners and take to training with little difficulty. Most are comfortable with handling firearms with several others present. This can compound the problem of keeping the muzzle in a safe direction.

Often times it is the old salt who is unwilling to address the constructive criticism that goes with the territory. Life experience is not a substitute for firearms safety. I come into contact with military, former military, law enforcement, civilians, both men and women and generally folks from all walks of life in my work as a firearms instructor. There is no magic formula for safe handling. It requires discipline.

Without putting anyone on the spot as an example, I have witnessed those that should know better and it is not necessarily the case. Complacency is usually the biggest culprit. Individuals who received their instruction in another time or era are quite comfortable in stating, “That’s how we were taught in the (fill in the blank). That may well be the case, but times change and so does training. I used to ride on Dad’s lap as he drove his car, neither of us wearing seatbelts. Try that one in this day and age and you might find yourself in some hot water. Not exactly a best practice. There are better ways of doing business and occasionally we have to force ourselves out of our comfort zone in order to benefit from new methodology.

One constant that I frequently encounter, and I have experienced this myself, is getting a bit too comfortable. Covering another person with the muzzle, especially in hunting situations might unintentionally occur from time to time in the field. Simply being aware is usually enough to put us back in line. A quick mention from a hunting partner brings attention to the safety breech.

Conversely, about the time we feel that we are solid with our handling skills is when I notice an uptick in the number of muzzlings. I’m not sure what an expert is and don’t care for the term. I don’t consider myself an expert at much of anything. When I find myself making mistakes in handling form, I slow myself and return to the basics of “watch that muzzle.”