New gun owners and seasoned shooters alike will find practical handgun safety rules, how to clear a pistol or revolver, ammo basics, safe steel target use, and the essential safety accessories that keep training smart and injury free.
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The Four Gun Safety Rules: Jeff Cooper’s Handgun Safety Fundamentals
Jeff Cooper originally established four gun safety rules. These rules became the gospel of firearm owners. These four rules can be found at any range, in every military branch, and amongst every law enforcement agency. They are the core of handgun safety, and every gun owner should memorize them.
- Treat Every Weapon as if it Were Loaded: Even when you know the firearm is unloaded, treat it as if it were loaded. This prevents complacency and ensures you treat the firearm seriously at all times.
- Never Point a Gun at Anything You Do not Intend to Shoot: Your firearm should be oriented in a safe direction. A safe direction is one where an accidental discharge would cause no injury or damage.
- Keep Your Finger Off the Trigger Until Ready to Shoot: Rest your finger alongside the frame. Only place your finger on the trigger when your sights are on the target and you have made the decision to fire.
- Be Sure of Your Target and What is Beyond It: Bullets can travel far and penetrate objects. Be aware of anything or anyone that might be behind it. This is critical when training and for self defense. If you are unsure of your shot, you could harm an innocent person.
How to Clear a Handgun Safely: Magazines, Cylinders, and Chamber Checks
Clearing a firearm is the act of removing ammunition from the weapon. This includes clearing the chamber and any device that holds ammunition. Ammunition is held in a magazine or a cylinder. Magazines can vary widely, but cylinders are kept to revolving weapons.
Magazines can be tubular, rotary, box, and more. They can also be fixed or removable. Regardless of what type of magazine or cylinder you have, you have to be able to remove the ammunition from the firearm.
Most modern guns are easy to clear by removing the magazine and then clearing the chamber by working the slide or bolt. You must remember to remove the magazine first, and then clear the action to clear the chamber.
Some guns are a little more complicated. For example, the KelTec KSG is not standard by any means and can be difficult to clear without reading the manual. Manuals are an extremely valuable source of information on how your firearm operates. They will contain the information necessary to clear the weapon.
Most companies keep an archive of manuals, and they can be easily found with nothing more than a Google search.
+P Ammo and Caliber Basics: Pick the Right Handgun Ammunition Safely
You would think the gun world could be simple. If your gun is a 9mm, then you go buy some 9mm and you are fine. In most cases, you will be, but there is more than one kind of 9mm. We have 9mm Makarov, 9mm Short, 9mm Laugo, and even more. Most of the time, a gun store or even a big box store knows 9mm means 9×19 Parabellum.
What is more important is that you know which 9mm you have. In some guns, the 9x19mm will not fit, like a 9mm Makarov. In other guns, like a 9mm Laugo, it will fit and could damage your gun. If it is a modern 9mm, then it is exceedingly rare that it will be anything but a standard 9×19.
A more critical question you should ask is if your gun is +P rated. +P loads exist for 9mm, .38 Special, .45 Colt, and many more. The +P symbol indicates it is an overpressure cartridge; it is loaded hotter than the specs of the round allow for. Some guns are +P rated, but not all. When purchasing ammo, you have to keep an eye out for that +P rating.
It is generally not recommended that you utilize reloads that are not your own or do not come from someone you would trust with your life. A great many guns and shooters have been damaged by handloads loaded too hot, or with the wrong powder.
Anytime you are not sure of what ammo to use, take a moment and check the manual or a trusted source of information.
Steel Target Safety: Minimum Distances, Angles, and Smart Practices
Steel targets are awesome. That D I N G sound? Pure serotonin for a shooter. Instant gratification. The ding lets you know you got that hit. When steel targets are involved, unsafe practices can get you a one way ticket to the emergency room, or at least a nasty boo boo.
Distance is your best friend. Generally, for pistols, you are looking at a minimum of 15 yards. For rifles? You are going to want at least 100 yards. When bullets hit steel, they do not just disappear. They flatten out, they fragment, and that lead and copper are going to go somewhere. That somewhere is usually backward or sideways. With a hanging target, it can also go downward. The further away you are, the more energy those fragments lose.
Angles Matter for Steel: Use a 10 to 20 Degree Forward Tilt
If you are setting up your steel targets, you should be knowledgeable about angles. You want your steel targets angled downward. A ten to twenty degree slope works. When that bullet slams into the angled plate, it directs the splatter downwards into the dirt, safely away from you and others.
Never shoot steel at a sharp angle from the side. If you start throwing bullets at the edge of a steel plate, that is when those nasty ricochets get creative, sending a piece of lead spinning off to who knows where. You want to hit the face of the target, head on. Straight and true. Just like your intentions when you are asking for extra fries.
Know your target’s limits. Some targets are rated for handguns and not rifles. If you shoot handgun rated steel with a rifle, it will at best pockmark it; at worst, it will put a hole into it. As steel degrades, it becomes dangerous due to weird angles being created. If your steel looks like a lunar landscape, get rid of it.
If your target is rated for rifle rounds, it is best to avoid armor piercing and steel penetrator rounds. They will destroy a rifle rated target. Also, rifle is a big category. .50 BMG is a rifle round, but it is a bit more potent than .223. With that in mind, ensure you understand your steel target’s rating.
Essential Handgun Safety Accessories: Safes, Locks, Flags, Eyes and Ears
Gun Safes and Lock Boxes: Theft Prevention and Safe Storage
I also advise new shooters to include the price of a gun safe of some sort into the purchase price of their firearm. The term gun safe encapsulates a lot of different sizes, designs, and price points. If you own a single handgun, you do not need a Winchester safe the size of a small closet. A competent lock box is often enough from a safety angle.
Safes can prevent theft, and even a lock box can be tough to break into. It is always advised to hide it in a discreet location and to use a cable to secure the box, or to use bolts to lock it into a position. A larger safe has the benefit of weight, but anchoring the safe is always a good idea.
The purpose of a gun safe is to prevent theft as much as possible. Ultimately, anything can be cracked, but safes provide a level of friction that makes things harder for thieves. Additionally, safes prevent unauthorized users from accessing the firearm. For me, that means keeping my kids away from my guns.
Some states also have safe storage laws that require firearms to be locked up. It is wise to understand and adhere to your state laws.
Trigger Locks and Cable Locks: Layered Security for Travel and Home
If you want to double up on your firearm safety, storing a gun with a trigger lock or cable lock can be a great safety device. These prevent access to the firearm, and for me, are great tools when traveling. If I am at a hotel or Airbnb, I use a cable lock to secure my gun, and then place it inside a travel sized safe.
You can use these tools combined with a safe to add layer of safety and make life much harder for thieves. These tools are very cheap and often included with the gun.
While a safe is great for long term storage, trigger and cable locks are perfect for temporary security. Maybe you are traveling, or at a range where you need to render a firearm inert for a moment, a cable or trigger lock works well.
Trigger and cable locks are not a replacement for a robust gun safe. A gun safe offers a far higher level of security against theft, fire, and more determined unauthorized access. Think of trigger and cable locks as an additional layer of safety, especially when a firearm is not in a dedicated, heavy duty safe.
Chamber Flags: Instant Visual Proof of an Empty Chamber
A chamber flag is one of those simple and incredibly effective safety tools. It is not fancy, it does not have Wi Fi, but it does one job, and it does it perfectly: it provides immediate, undeniable visual confirmation that a firearm’s chamber is empty.
For a lot of ranges, these are mandatory during cease fires, and are also used extensively in shooting competitions. It is another tool that is often included with a firearm, or can be had for nearly no money. It not only tells you your gun is clear, but lets everyone around you know that your gun is clear.
That does not mean you start to carelessly handle the gun. Remember rule number 1.
Eye and Ear Protection: ANSI Z87.1 Glasses and Hearing Choices
If you are shooting a firearm, you need to wear your eye and ear protection. Always. Every single time. Even if you are just standing there watching. Do not skimp on the gear that saves your senses. It is not optional. It is mandatory.
Ear and eye protection can vary wildly. You can have ear protection that works with comms, allows you to blast Wu Tang Clan via Bluetooth, and provides amplification for speaking with your shooting buddies, or you can have orange squishies in your ear.
Pair the ear protection with the activity. If you are shooting .22 LR outdoors, those little squishies work fine. If you are shooting a break action rifle indoors, get over the ear muffs. Sometimes it is even wise to double up. If it feels loud, it is loud.
Safety glasses can range from the hottest Oakleys to basic clear safety glasses. The accepted standard is ANSI ISEA Z87.1. This rating is given to glasses designed to be protective and not just sunglasses.
READ MORE HERE: Comprehensive Guide to Handgun Types
Safety is Key: Train, Follow the Rules, and Ask Questions
There is no excuse for poor firearms safety. With all the free and downright cheap resources available to gun owners, you do not have an excuse not to be safe. Most of gun safety seems like common sense, but to new gun owners, it is a critical component of firearm ownership.
The best accessory you have for firearm safety is six inches between your ears. If it feels unsafe, it is likely unsafe. When in doubt, be safe. If you have any gun safety questions, please ask below, and if we cannot help you, I am sure the community can.
Handgun Safety Gear Quick Reference
| Category | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Lock Box / Safe | Secure storage to prevent theft and unauthorized access |
| Trigger / Cable Lock | Temporary security and travel use |
| Chamber Flag | Instant visual confirmation of an empty chamber |
| Eye Protection | ANSI Z87.1 rated safety glasses |
| Ear Protection | Foam plugs, earmuffs, or electronic hearing protection |
| Steel Target Setup | 15 yards pistol minimum, 10 to 20 degree forward angle |
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