Study Module 1 - Pistol Safety

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Safety While Cleaning Your Gun The four basic safety rules covered above always apply while cleaning your gun. In addition, the gun must be unloaded in a safe place prior to cleaning or disassembly. Note that some semiauto pistols (like the Glock) require that the user pull the trigger in order to disassemble the gun of course, this means that the user must have a safe place to unload the gun, point the gun and pull the trigger before disassembling the gun. The safety ritual which must be observed whenever you clean or disassemble your gun is this: You must remove all ammunition from the gun and the immediate area. The gun must be unloaded, the magazines empty, the duty belt and speedloaders extra magazines removed from sight and reach. Verify that the gun is empty both by looking and touching. Place your smallest finger in the chamber of an auto pistol (it is possible for a mechanical defect to cause a cartridge to remain in the chamber). Permit no distractions during the process . If you are interrupted during the unloading or cleaning, you must go back to the beginning of this ritual to verify again that the gun is unloaded. Some interruptions which may lead to an accident include taking phone calls, watching television, having visitors or children come in. What often happens is that the gun is loaded at some point just before or during the interruption, and the user does not remember that the gun is loaded when he returns to it after the interruption. The user of the gun then treats the gun as if it is unloaded and fires it. Make a conscious switch to practice mode . Tell yourself out loud that the gun is unloaded for the purpose of cleaning. You must have a safe, bullet-stopping aimpoint if you will snap or dry-fire the gun during the cleaning, disassembly or assembly process. Never violate the safety rules which require you to treat all guns as if they are loaded and point the gun only at something you are willing to destroy. Once the gun is reassembled make a conscious switch back to reality. Say out loud, The gun is loaded and will fire if you pull the trigger." You must impress upon yourself that it is no longer safe to handle the gun. When the gun is reassembled you should put it away immediately. The gun should be bolstered and cased, whether loaded or not, and removed from sight and reach. If the gun is left within sight and reach, there will be a temptation to pick it up and snap the trigger. There are no shortcuts to gun safety . If you follow the above ritual every tune you will not have a gun accident.