Courses / Self-loading rifle / Lesson 1
Safety first
The rules that prevent accidents. Lesson 1 of 8 · about 6 minutes to watch.
Watch
Step through the slides. The trainer's words are under each one.
Safety first
Self-loading rifle, lesson 1 of 8: the rules that prevent accidents
Welcome to the self-loading rifle course. Over eight short lessons you'll learn to handle, use and look after a self-loading rifle or carbine safely, which is what unit standard 119650 asks of you. You'll follow Thandi Nkosi, a club sport shooter working towards dedicated status, and her instructor, Anel Botha, at Ridgeview Firearms Academy. We start where every good instructor starts: the rules that stop accidents before they happen.
A self-loading rifle is ready again after every shot
- Each trigger press fires one shot
- The rifle then loads the next round by itself
- So it stays ready to fire until it's unloaded
A self-loading rifle uses some of the energy of each shot to throw out the empty case and load the next round. You don't touch the action between shots. That's convenient on the range, but it means the rifle is ready to fire again the instant a shot has gone. A moment's carelessness with your finger or the muzzle has no built-in pause. So everything in this lesson applies with extra force.
Four rules that prevent accidents
These four rules are in the unit standard, almost word for word. Treat the rifle as loaded at all times. Define a safe muzzle direction and keep it there. Keep your finger off the trigger until you're ready to fire. And before you shoot, identify the target, what's behind it, and where the bullet will come to rest. Most accidents break more than one rule at once. Keep all four, and an accident needs a lot more to go wrong.
A safe direction is where a shot would hurt nobody
- On the range: downrange, into the backstop
- Indoors: think about who is behind the wall or ceiling
- Never at yourself, another person or anything you won't shoot
A safe direction isn't a fixed place. It's wherever an unexpected shot would cause no injury and come to rest safely. On a range that's simple: downrange, into the backstop. At home it takes thought. A thin wall or a ceiling may not stop a rifle bullet, and someone may be on the other side. Pick your safe direction first, then handle the rifle, and keep the muzzle there the whole time.
Where your finger goes
| Moment | Your trigger finger |
|---|---|
| Picking up or carrying the rifle | Straight along the side, outside the trigger guard |
| Loading or unloading | Straight along the side |
| Walking to the firing line | Straight along the side |
| Aiming but still deciding | Straight along the side |
| Sights on target, decision made to fire | On the trigger |
Your finger has one place to be until the very last moment: straight along the side of the rifle, outside the trigger guard. Only when the sights are on the target and you have decided to fire does it move to the trigger. Under stress, people tighten their hands without meaning to. If your finger is outside the guard, that tightening does nothing. If it's on the trigger, the rifle fires.
The safety catch is a back-up, not a plan
- It's a mechanical part, and parts can fail
- It may be on, off or half-set without you noticing
- The four rules still apply when it's on
Most self-loading rifles have a safety catch, and you should use it as your trainer shows you. But it's a mechanical device. It can wear, break or be left half-set. Never say 'it's safe, the safety's on' and then let the muzzle drift. Muzzle discipline and finger discipline are what actually keep people safe.
Thandi's first morning on the range
- 1Arrive with the rifle casedUnloaded, covered, under her control
- 2Uncase only at the benchMuzzle downrange from the first moment
- 3Magazine out, action openSo everyone can see it can't fire
- 4Wait for the range officerNo loading until told
Here's how Thandi's first range morning at Ridgeview goes. She arrives with the rifle unloaded and in its case. She opens the case only at the bench, with the muzzle pointed downrange. She leaves the magazine out and the action open, so anyone looking can see the rifle can't fire. And she doesn't load anything until Anel, running the range, says so. Different ranges use slightly different routines, so always listen to the range briefing.
Range commands are followed at once
| When you hear | You |
|---|---|
| Cease fire | Stop immediately, finger off the trigger, muzzle downrange |
| Unload and show clear | Magazine out, action open, show the empty chamber |
| Load (only when told) | Load at the bench, muzzle downrange |
A range works because everyone does the same thing at the same moment. If you hear 'cease fire', stop immediately, even mid-shot, take your finger off the trigger and keep the muzzle downrange. Never turn around with the rifle in your hands. The exact words vary between ranges, so listen carefully to the briefing before you start. When in doubt, stop.
Your turn
Before lesson 2
- Do the exercise: Safe or unsafe?
- Answer four quick questions on this lesson
- Apply: name the safest direction to point a rifle in your home
Now it's your turn. Sort a few moments from Thandi's morning into safe and unsafe, then answer four quick questions. Then think about your own home: if you had to check a rifle there, which direction would be safe, and why? Next lesson, we open the rifle up and see how it works.
Do: Safe or unsafe?
Thandi and the other delegates on the range at Ridgeview. Is each moment safe or unsafe?
Check
Four quick questions. The reason shows as soon as you answer.
Apply
Where this shows up in your own life.
Name the safest direction to point a rifle in your home, and say why it's safe.
Ridgeview Firearms Academy and its people are fictional. This is study material written from the Firearms Control Act and the SAQA unit standards. It isn't an accredited course or legal advice; your accredited training provider runs the official tests.