On October 21, 2021, on the Bonanza Creek Ranch in New Mexico, tragedy struck. Most of you are probably aware of the unintentional shooting that took place on the set of the movie “Rust.” As a lifelong shooter and firearms instructor, I find these kinds of preventable losses of human life agonizing and heartbreaking.
The purpose of this article is not to delve into this horrific incident, but rather to look at it as a cautionary tale — and to review the four universal firearm safety laws.
Had these four laws been adhered to, the tragedy on the “Rust” set would never have occurred.
Unfortunately, too many people have never even heard of these safety laws, much less committed them to memory. The purpose of this writing is to rectify this deficiency.
I am about to break a cardinal rule of declaring absolutes, but here goes:
If the Four Universal Firearm Safety Laws are strictly followed, is it IMPOSSIBLE to have an accidental discharge (AD) or any other firearm-related mishap.
*note: I imagine that many folks are wondering how somebody could have been killed by a “prop gun.” This is a misleading term that’s used in the movie industry to refer to any firearm used on a set. The fact is that most firearms used in the industry are actual, real, functional firearms. But because they are used as “props,“ they are granted that confusing nomenclature.
Don’t be fooled. The four laws still apply.
It is incumbent on everyone to not only learn these rules but to adopt them as one’s own. I am going to plead with you, the reader: please memorize and employ these Four Universal Firearm Safety Laws.
It is a matter of life and death.
The Four Universal Firearm Safety Laws
First of all, I’ll lay out the four laws; then I will elaborate on each.
- Treat every firearm as though it is loaded and ALWAYS know the condition of your firearm.
- Never point your firearm at anything that you are not willing to destroy.
- Keep your finger off of the trigger until your sights are aligned and the decision to fire has been made.
- Always be aware of what is behind, to the left of and to the right of your target.
There they are. Print them out, memorize them, make them a part of who you are, and teach them to everyone you know.
Rule One:
Treat every firearm as though it is loaded, and always know the condition of your firearm.
This first rule alone would have prevented the “Rust” tragedy. You will notice that it consists of two parts. Part one of this rule is to treat every firearm as though it is loaded. This means that you would never do ANYTHING with an “empty” firearm that you wouldn’t do with a fully loaded one.
This rule changes your mindset in a vital way: You come to understand that there is no such thing as an “empty” firearm. Follow rule one, and you’ll automatically follow rules two and three.
Now turn your attention to the second part of rule one: Always know the condition of your firearm. (For the purposes of this discussion, let’s define “your firearm” as any firearm that is under your control. This means that if I were to hand you a firearm, you are now responsible for knowing its condition.)
It is never acceptable to “think” or “suppose” or “guess” whether your firearm is loaded. You must know. There must be no doubt.
Here’s the appropriate procedure to employ anytime you come into possession of a firearm:
- Check, YOURSELF, to ensure that it is unloaded — even if the person handing it to you did so. It is better to be laughed at and called overly cautious than it is to unintentionally kill or wound someone.
- Check again. It is far better to be twice sure than insecure.
Rule Two:
Never point your firearm at anything that you are not willing to destroy.
Whether it’s fired from a pistol, a revolver, a rifle, a shotgun, or even a BB gun, a bullet is designed for the singular purpose of punching holes in things. Punching holes in human bodies devastates and kills.
Knowing that, we have the responsibility to never point the potentially destructive power of a firearm at anything or anyone we are not willing to destroy. It is really that simple.
Rule Three:
Keep your finger off of the trigger until your sights are aligned and the decision to fire has been made.
My (much) older brother has always trained up his grandchildren in proper firearm safety. He developed his own paraphrase for this rule: “Keep your bugger picker off of the bang switch until you are ready to unleash hell.” Not as sophisticated, but just as effective.
In rule three, there are two criteria that must be met before we are allowed to touch the trigger. First is that your sights are aligned. This means that no matter what, you have a proper sight picture and justification.
The second criterion is that the decision to fire has been made. If you are on a shooting range, this means that all range safety protocols have been satisfied, and you are free to safely fire. In a real-world situation, it means that you have articulable justification and no other alternative.
Rule Four:
Always be aware of what is behind, to the left of, and to the right of your target.
Famed firearms instructor John Lavell of the Warrior Poet Society has laid it out this way: “You, the shooter, are responsible for every round fired, and every bullet has a lawyer attached to it.”
Again, it is the responsibility of everyone who handles a firearm to (1) make a positive identification of the target, (2) ensure that all rounds fired hit only the intended target.
We NEVER have justification to endanger others, no matter what threat we face.
It’s also important to be familiar with your weapon, your ammo, and the potential for “over-penetration.” Know what is down range before you fire.
As you read over these four universal firearm safety laws, you can probably see how adherence would have prevented that tragedy on October 21. If you are a gun owner, or ever find yourself handling a firearm, understand the responsibility that accompanies that power and respect it.
About the author:
Clay A. Kahler, B.A., M.Rs, M.A., Ph.D. brings an extensive background of military police and civilian law enforcement experience. He has earned degrees in Biblical Studies and Theology. He is an author, instructor, professor, lecturer and pastor. Clay also holds OSHA certifications in “Basic Accident Investigation” and “Effective Accident Investigation” as well as numerous certifications from the Federal Emergency Management Administration.