Which is a basic firearm safety rule?

• A. Leave the weapon unloaded and point it at people.
• B. Keep finger on the trigger at all times.
• C. Treat every weapon as loaded; never point at anything you don’t intend to shoot; keep finger off the trigger until ready to fire; know your target and what lies beyond it.
• D. Never touch a firearm.

Answer: (C)

Basic firearm safety rests on four universal practices: treat every weapon as loaded; never point it at anything you don’t intend to shoot; keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to fire; and know your target and what lies beyond it. This combination is the best because it actively reduces the main risk factors: it assumes the worst, keeps the weapon pointed in a safe direction, enforces discipline with the trigger, and ensures you’re aware of what’s around and beyond your target. The other ideas promote unsafe habits—pointing at people, keeping the finger on the trigger all the time, or avoiding handling a firearm altogether—so they don’t provide a reliable safety framework.