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I have had more and more friends asking me about wanting a gun for protection. They are seeing the writing on the wall about our economy and our society becoming more violent.

I think it is very important to know firearm safety and to teach others about safety. No... it is not funny to give someone, who has never fired a gun, a powerful weapon and not train them on the basics. No... it is not funny to videotape their reaction to that powerful weapon either! No... it's not ok to use a firearm at the celebration of the upcoming New Year's Eve Party.

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The three basic general rules of safe gun handling:
1. Always point the muzzle in a safe direction; never point a firearm at anyone or anything you don't want to shoot.
2. Keep your finger off the trigger and outside the trigger guard until you are ready to shoot.
3. Keep the action open and the gun unloaded until you are ready to use it.

Safety Rules Related to the Shooter and His/Her Behavior
** Treat every firearm as if it were loaded.
** Never pass a firearm to another person, or accept a firearm from another person, until the cylinder or action is open and you've personally checked that the weapon is completely unloaded.
** Before handling any firearm, understand its operation.
** Never rely on any mechanical device for safety.
** Think before shooting: once you pull the trigger you can't take back the shot you've just fired!
** Never joke around or engage in horseplay while handling or using firearms.
** Be alert at all times; never shoot if you're tired, cold or impaired in any way. Don't mix alcohol or drugs with shooting.
** Safeguard your sight, hearing and health. Always wear eye and ear protection. Endeavor to limit your exposure to heavy metal particulates and gases, and minimize your contact with aromatic organic solvents (such as those commonly used in gun cleaning products).
** If you see unsafe behavior any time when firearms are being handled or used, speak up and take action to correct the unsafe behavior at once.
** Receive competent instruction from a qualified person before beginning to shoot. If questions arise later, after you've been shooting for a period of time, get answers to those questions from a competent authority.

Safety Rules Related to Your Target
** Positively identify your target and the threat it poses before firing at it.
** What's behind your target? Always make sure that a stray shot, or a bullet which penetrates its intended target through and through, will be safely stopped.
** Never shoot at a hard surface, or at water -- your shot may glance off, ricochet and injure someone.
** Never shoot at glass bottles, living trees, or inappropriate targets which would create a hazard for other persons or damage the environment.
** Never shoot a rifle or handgun directly upwards, or at a high angle of elevation. Even a rimfire .22 bullet fired at an angle into the air can have enough energy a mile and a half away to accidentally kill someone!