Muzzle Discipline

"Don't point the muzzle of a gun at something that you're not willing to destroy."

It's a quote uttered by many who train or teach firearm safety. I have witnessed many people who would call themselves "gun experts" who show blatant disregard for possibly the most important rule of gun safety. If you are at a range and you see someone point the muzzle of a gun at you or someone else, SPEAK UP! Let that person know what they did, and even though they may say something like, "I'm not going to shoot anyone" or "It's not even loaded," you will have made an impression in that person and they may think twice about how they handle their weapon. If a person gets defensive about the issue, it's only because they're embarrassed. You should NEVER feel bad about embarrassing someone that's being unsafe. A possible alternative is someone getting accidentally shot.

I cannot stress this enough - if you see someone acting irresponsibly with guns (anywhere, not only at the range) and they repeatedly make you feel uncomfortable, LEAVE THE AREA. So what if you're not done shooting? So what if you're in the middle of a conversation with other people in the room? There is no reason to risk your life in the hopes that they won't make a critical mistake. There is no reason the barrel of any gun (yours included) should sweep across anything you don't intend to shoot- even if the gun is unloaded- because we've all heard the saying: "Everyone is shot with an 'unloaded' gun."

There's a video circulating right now of a man who was at an indoor range who was trying to see if the laser on his gun was working. He had the bright idea of testing it by putting his hand in front of the barrel. And yes, he did press the trigger, and yes, he did shoot a hole in his hand. These type incidents cause many responsible gun owners to shake their head in shame.

Be alert. Stay safe out there.