Basic firearms safety & terminology, Marine Corps Style
By “Chesty Puller”
Former Marine, OIF II veteran
Not endorsed, developed, or affiliated with
the United States Marine Corps.
Nothing contained here is legal advice, so go
find a lawyer if you want legal advice.
This class came into being because of this infographic/meme floating around the web. I
believe in it, and this is your free period of instruction on how to safely handle a
firearm.
This class comes with a 100% money back guarantee.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
A magazine is a device used to actively
feed a weapon during firing.
A clip is a loading aid; it is used to
assist in the loading of a weapons
magazine.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
6
5
10
1
4
7
9
3
2
4
15
1
14
11
5
6
7
12
2
3
13
4
9
8
8
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Buttock
Pistol Grip
Trigger
Magazine
Front sight
Rear sight
Barrel
Muzzle/muzzle
device
9. Bayonet mount
10. Carry handle
11. Laser
12. Flashlight
13. Fore grip
14. Red dot (optic)
15. Optic sight
Vocabulary
2
1
5
3
4
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
2
6
7
Forward assist
Charging handle
Ejection port
Ejection port cover
Magazine release
Bolt hold open
Safety selection
lever
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
USMC Weapons Safety Rules
Why the USMC safety rules vs the NRA, the NJ, or any others?
• They can be committed to memory easily.
• They are simple and straightforward.
• They work in peacetime, wartime, garrison, patrol, duty, and any
number of other circumstances.
• They cover a variety of weapon systems.
• They cover things more thoroughly than civilian rule sets.
• There’s no hint of political correctness to them.
Since I’m teaching, I’m comfortable with them, and I prefer them, so that’s
what I will teach.
USMC Weapons Safety Rules, verbatim
1. Treat every weapon as if it were loaded.
2. Never point a weapon at anything you do not intend to shoot.
3. Keep your finger straight and off the trigger until you are ready to fire.
4. Keep the weapon on safe until you intend to fire.
USMC Weapons Safety Rules, appended
1. Treat every weapon as if it were loaded.
2. Never point a weapon at anything you do not intend to shoot.
3. Keep your finger straight and off the trigger until you are ready to fire.
4. Keep the weapon on safe until you intend to fire.
5. Know your target and what is behind it.
NRA Weapon safety rules, for reference
1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
2. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
3. ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Know your target and what is beyond.
Know how to use the gun safely.
Be sure the gun is safe to operate.
Use only the correct ammunition for your gun.
Wear eye and ear protection as appropriate.
Never use alcohol or over-the-counter, prescription or other drugs
before or while shooting.
• Store guns so they are not accessible to unauthorized persons.
• Be aware that certain types of guns and many shooting activities
require additional safety precautions.
• Cleaning
Other sets of rules, for reference
1. Treat every gun as if it was loaded.
2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.
4. Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.
—Jeff Cooper’s Safety rules
http://aegisacademy.com/community/gun-safety-rules/
The Canadian Firearms Program uses the concept of The Four Firearm ACTS:
1. Assume every firearm is loaded.
2. Control the muzzle direction at all times.
3. Trigger finger off trigger and out of trigger guard.
4. See that the firearm is unloaded. PROVE it safe.
—Canadian Firearms Centre, The Four ACTS of Firearm Safety
USMC Weapons Safety Conditions
Condition 1
Magazine inserted
Round in chamber
Bolt forward
Safety on
Ejection port cover closed
Condition 2
Does not apply to the M16A2/AR15.
Does apply to external hammer fired weapons and weapons with de-cocker leavers.
Condition 3
Magazine inserted
Chamber empty
Bolt forward
Safety on
Ejection port cover closed
Condition 4
Magazine removed
Chamber empty
Bolt forward
Safety on
Ejection port cover closed
Weapons conditions, safety
Less safe
Condition 1
Condition 2
Condition 3
Condition 4
More safe
Weapons conditions, readiness
More ready to fire
Condition 1
Condition 2
Condition 3
Condition 4
Less ready to fire
USMC weapons commands
Primarily for range use
Load – Takes the weapon from Condition 4 to Condition 3
Make Ready – Takes the weapon from Condition 3 to Condition 1
Fire – engage target(s).
Cease Fire – Stop target engagement.
Unload – Takes the weapon from any condition to Condition 4.
Unload, Show Clear – Unload the weapon, show another individual that it is clear*.
1. Treat every weapon as if it were loaded.
Also known as: Your weapon is not a toy.
Some firearms handlers are lulled into a false sense of security because their firearm is not
loaded. Because [their] “firearm is not loaded”. We’ve already established that weapons safety
Rule #1 is treat every weapon as if it were loaded. That means that you need to clear, or watch
a weapon being cleared, each time you receive it, and each time you had it off. That’s just good
manners.
Some philosophical warriors make the argument that you can stop with this one weapons safety
rule. Philosophically, that makes sense. Practically, not so much.
All negligent discharges happen because someone wasn’t treating the weapon as if it were
loaded. If they were, it wouldn’t be a negligent discharge, it would be a purposeful discharge,
wouldn’t it?
2. Never point a weapon at anything you do not
intend to shoot.
Also known as: Muzzle Awareness, Muzzle Discipline.
Some other safety rules talk about killing or destroying things. You’re not guaranteed to destroy
or kill anything with 1 shot*, but you are guaranteed to shoot it. Fuck a damn political
correctness.
Part of this rule is a courtesy to those around you. They don’t know if there’s a round in your
chamber, and they don’t know if you intend to shoot them or not. The proper way that you
inform someone you do not want to shoot them, is that you do not point your weapon at them.
Therefore, if you are pointing your weapon at someone, everyone knows that you want to shoot
them. This transcends all languages and is very simple and easy to understand.
There are several ways to carry your weapon without “flagging” someone (the term used when
you point your muzzle at someone unintentionally). You can point it towards the deck/ground,
towards the sky, downrange, or just away from other people; whichever is applicable and
appropriate in your circumstances.
3. Keep your finger straight and off the trigger until
you are ready to fire.
Also known as: Trigger Discipline.
For some reason, the first instinct for too many people is to put their finger on the trigger and
pull it as hard as they can as rapidly as they can as soon as they pick up a weapon like they are
Ahnold or some other action hero. Keep your finger, also know as your “booger hook”, off the
trigger until you are ready to fire the weapon.
For those weapons without mechanical safeties like duty pistols, your trigger discipline is the
only safety that you have.
DO NOT PULL THE TRIGGER TO SHOW THAT THE WEAPON IS CLEAR. There are some ranges
and/or instructors that insists on pulling the trigger as proof that the weapon is clear. This is a
bad idea and is the cause of the 2 negligent discharges that occurred in my unit while we were
overseas.
4. Keep the weapon on safe until you intend to fire.
Also known as: Keeping the weapon on safe.
For those weapons with external safeties, keep them on safe until you are ready to fire, click
them off safe, fire, and then click them back on safe. For those weapons without a mechanical
safety like duty pistols (i.e. Glocks), trigger discipline is of utmost importance.
Some weapons are not drop safe unless their safety is engaged, so that means that you could
feasibly drop the weapon on its but and discharge the weapon. Vietnam era M16’s were like
that. If you’re wearing a lot of gear and you sling your weapon, or attempt to holster your
pistol, a piece of your gear may catch the trigger, and a safety may prevent a negligent
discharge.
This rule may seem overbearing, but it builds good and proper discipline and habit.
5. Know your target and what is behind it.
Bullets go through a great many things and go for a long, long, way.
Rounds tend to go long distances and can penetrate some barriers, depending on the caliber
and weapon. If you are setting up a target range, make sure to have an adequate backstop for
your caliber. However, stateside, if you are involved in a Defensive Gun Use (DGU), you must be
aware of your surroundings and the ramifications of firing your weapon. Especially in our
litigious society.
If you plan on using your firearm to one day protect yourself, your loved ones, or a random
stranger, you should consider finding a legal service to join or pay for such as Legal Shield, Legal
Heat, or something similar.
Questions?