What Happens When You Break Three Rules at One Time?

Like Mama used to say, "It's all fun and games until..."

From The Wichita Eagle:

By Stan Finger

Man twirls gun, shoots himself

It looks so easy on those old movies and television shows, but an 18-year-old man found out the hard way that twirling a revolver may not be a smart thing to do.

Understatement of the day.

Police said the gun went off as the man was twirling it in his south Wichita apartment early Thursday morning, and the bullet struck him in the leg.

It has been awhile since I've mentioned the "Four Rules of Firearms Safety", and this article offers a great excuse to do so.

1. All firearms are loaded - There are no exceptions, period. Know this rule and live it. Handle all firearms accordingly. If the gentleman in the above article treated that revolver as if it were loaded, do you think he would have been twirling it around like a toy?
2. Never let the muzzle of a firearm point at anything you are not willing to destroy - If you are not willing to see a bullet hole in it, do not allow a firearm's muzzle to point at it. Another obvious violation by our current individual of ineptitude.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger unless your sights are on the target - Practice this until it becomes second nature. If this rule were followed 100% of the time, there would be no negligent discharges. I guess this one really required no comment.
4. Be sure of your target and what is behind it - Be aware of your surroundings whether on a range, in the woods, or in a potentially lethal conflict. Never shoot at sounds or at a target you can not positively identify.

Tragedies could be avoided if everyone involved with firearms followed these rules all the time.

Fr. Frog lists these rules and other firearm safety procedures here. It is very well put together and even old hands at the firing range would be advised to look it over.

Folks, if you own a firearm, it is your responsibility to handle that firearm safely. You have the responsibility to become proficient in the safe handling of your firearm, and in insuring that anyone who may have access to that firearm are also capable of handling it safely.

Our erstwhile gunslinger in the above news report learned the importance of gun safety the hard way, but it could have been much worse.