As good red blooded Americans we sure enjoy our firearms. In a Small Arms Survey report conducted in 2018 estimated that nearly four million firearms are held by private citizens in the United States while making up only 4% of the world population. No other country on the planet is close to those numbers. Hell Yeah!
Would it be safe to say that marksmanship is truly America's sport over football? The data suggest so. With the year closing in just a few months, IBISWorld reported their market research study for 2019 shows the gun range industry will earn revenues north of $2 Billion dollars in revenue. My friends, that is just for use of facilities.
So why is this important? With the amount of firearms and time you may spend on the range, proper safety is paramount. We have all seen someone on the range or in the field, more than once, violate what is considered standard safety rules. And, if you haven't personally seen it, you have on social media. One of the most important things I ever learned in the military is that we are all Range Safety Officers when handling firearms and it is up to us to police ourselves and others to ensure proper weapons handling.
Lets refresh ourselves on the four rules of safety and commit to the safety of ourselves and others as we practice our rights provided to us be it hunting, target shooting, range day or self defense.
Rule # 1
ALWAYS treat every firearm as if it was loaded.
Rule # 2
ALWAYS keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
Rule # 3
Keep your finger out of the trigger guard until ready to shoot.
Rule # 4
ALWAYS know what is in front of your target and what is beyond it.
It is never a waste of time to refresh yourselves and teach others about effective and safe use of a firearm. As new shooters come into community everyday, do your part ensure safety is always front of mind.