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THE 5TH CARDINAL RULE of GUN SAFETY:
Unloading a Semi-Automatic Firearm
By Roger E. Temple- Sheepdog Firearm Training LLCUnloading a Semi-Automatic Firearm
Jeff Cooper’s 4 Cardinal Rules of Gun Safety:
1. “Treat every gun as if it is loaded.” Make sure you prove a firearm is unloaded and then still treat it as if it is loaded- even airsoft and plastic guns.
2. “Don’t point the muzzle at anything you don’t intend to destroy.” Only point it in a safe direction.
3. “Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire.” Clint Smith says “On target- on trigger. Off target- off trigger.” The most effective safety on every firearm is your extended trigger finger along the frame.
4. “Know your target and what’s beyond it.” Don’t shoot unless you know where your bullet will stop.
The 5th Cardinal Rule of Gun Safety:
Unloading a semi-automatic firearm that has a detachable magazine is not difficult but the sequence of tasks must be performed in the proper order. If the shooter mistakenly pulls the pistol slide or rifle bolt first, a new round from the magazine will be inserted into the chamber and the gun will still be loaded even after the magazine is removed. The shooter who does this mistakenly thinks that his firearm is now empty when in fact it is still loaded! This is a very dangerous situation and has resulted in many negligent discharges, injuries and even deaths.
Some firearm manufacturers have come up with a mechanical solution for this problem which is called a “magazine disconnect safety”. It’s only available on some firearms: The Ruger SR9, Walther P22 and the Sig Mosquito are a few examples. Any firearm which has a magazine disconnect safety is designed not to fire if the magazine has been removed. Even if the gun was unloaded incorrectly and still has a round in the chamber, it won’t fire once the magazine is removed.
This solution is fine on the guns that have a magazine disconnect safety but what about the millions of pistols and rifles out there that don’t have one? Or what happens if the magazine safety fails? A better solution that works every time is for shooters to learn a simple, 13 word rhyme that I have written. It is so simple that I have even taught it to an eight year old. Once she learned the rhyme, she was able to unload a semi-automatic pistol perfectly by herself every time (using snapcaps of course).
How do you teach a child to remember the alphabet? You use the “ABC’s” song. How do you remember the color sequence on a deadly coral snake versus that on the non-lethal scarlet king snake? "Red on yellow, kills a fellow; red on black venom lack" These two examples use a common memory aid, rhyming, that makes the job of remembering information and proper sequences much easier. Using this technique, I have written a simple rhyme for properly unloading a semi-automatic firearm with a detachable magazine:
“Drop the Mag then Pull the Slide. Take a Look and Feel Inside.”
Did you notice that the first letter of each of the first four significant words are in alphabetical order? What is most important is if you mistakenly start the rhyme with “Pull the slide…” it no longer rhymes. You can only make a rhyme if you say the words and perform the actions in the proper order. Try it for yourself.
Learn the rhyme and save a life!
Please pass this information onto other gun owners. Be Safe.
