At a Missouri campaign event on Oct. 22, Senate candidate Lucas Kunce was involved in a shooting range incident where a ricocheted bullet fragment struck a TV reporter. Kunce, a former Marine, was demonstrating his marksmanship when the shrapnel injury occurred, prompting him to provide immediate first aid to the reporter, who sustained a minor arm injury. Law enforcement later determined there was no intent to harm, and Kunce faced no charges. The incident has sparked discussions around firearms safety during public events.
After examining the photo of the scene and making an educated guess, it appears the ricochet may have come from “bullet splatter” created when a rifle was fired into a metal target set up too close for the weapon used. This is not a critique of that incident but an opportunity to review “firearms safety” in light of an event that, thankfully, was not a tragedy.
This incident reminded me of a simple truth about “firearms safety,” as quoted from “Street Survival II”: “Firearms safety is a misnomer. Firearms are made to go ‘Bang!’ They exist to go ‘Bang!’ Since they are inanimate objects, they can’t be safe! However, they can be handled safely and made safe by disciplined professionals.”
Most disciplined professionals follow these rules on duty, off duty, recreationally and during training.
Firearms safety rules to live by
1. Assume all guns are loaded. Keep your muzzle pointed in a direction where a bullet would do no harm if the gun suddenly discharged. Keep your finger off the trigger until it’s time to fire the weapon. To reinforce this discipline, follow it even with non-firing training weapons. Do not play with any weapon, including training weapons. To train for a fight, you must train seriously.
2. Never let your muzzle cross anything you are not prepared to destroy. Imagine a laser coming out of your muzzle; it should not touch anyone unless you are fully prepared to destroy them if they pose a deadly threat to yourself, your partner, or the community at large.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger and out of the trigger guard until it is time to fire. The best safety system is a trigger finger controlled by a fully concentrating brain. Be in 1000% concentration mode whenever your firearm is in your hand, whether you are pointing it at a suspect or preparing to clear it for cleaning.
4. Know your target and what’s beyond. Before firing, identify your target and confirm that they pose a threat of death or great bodily harm by being in possession of a weapon (or as a weapon), intend to use it, and are in the process of activating its delivery system.
Acquire the target with sights, optics, or if instinct shooting, by pointing at the target you intend to hit. Isolate the target so that your bullet will hit only that person. Consider penetration — you want to ensure your bullet will be contained within the suspect and that no innocent bystander is behind them who may be struck.
When considering isolation, also factor in the “Greater Danger Rule.” If the suspect’s actions in a crowd pose a greater lethal danger than the threat posed by you shooting them, consider stopping the threat.
Note: Be specifically trained in the safe use of any training enhancement systems, such as:
- Metal targets
- Computer-aided firearms training systems
- Moving targets
- Simunitions FX force-on-force scenario training
Common sense reminders
1. Remember that a gun is not a toy, so don’t play with it. Avoid the temptation to show off your weapon or skills.
2. Don’t mix intoxicants and firearms. Carrying a gun while intoxicated is as dangerous as driving while intoxicated, and both are against the law. Rum and Colt do not mix as well as rum and Coke.
3. Don’t carry finely tuned target-shooting arms on duty. These guns may be accurate in competitions, but their altered tolerances can lead to jams and malfunctions under the wear and tear of police work. Also, a very light trigger pull can result in an unintended discharge during times of stress.
4. Never loan your gun to someone else. You can’t be sure how it will be used out of your control or what condition it will be in when returned. A firearm is a very personal possession.
5. Always be firearms aware. When you carry a firearm, know where it is and its condition. Don’t accidentally leave it behind (e.g., in a toilet stall or weapons locker) or lying around unattended. Locking a weapon in your car doesn’t ensure it or the car will be there when you return.
If the weapon is to be concealed, make sure it stays concealed but accessible. Ensure your duty weapon is accessible only to you, and avoid having access obstructed by other equipment.
6. Stop and think before performing a mundane function with your weapon. For instance, when it’s time to clear your weapon, stop and focus on what you’re about to do and how to do it safely. Stop any conversation or mind-cluttering activities so you can fully concentrate on the task.
Too often, highly trained officers, even instructors, perform a routine task with their weapons mindlessly, miss a step, and suddenly, “Bang!”
7. Everyone in training must be allowed to identify safety issues. Anyone who notices a safety issue in training should be encouraged to report it immediately.
Conclusion
You must know how to engage and disengage the safety function on any weapon you handle. However, the “true safety” is not actually on the weapon. The “true safety” is the fully engaged brain of a disciplined, well-trained handler, controlling that handler’s trigger finger. The “true safety” keeps us left of bang until the time is right.
Final question: How much training does it take to ensure you won’t cause an accident with a firearm?
Answer (old axiom from Anonymous): Don’t train until you get it right. Train until you can’t get it wrong.
