I was taken to task by a couple of readers and a Boondocks Firearms Training Academy (Raymond, MS) representative regarding my report of BFTA’s media-reported instruction of a rule to keep your gun unloaded until “ready to use.” Our commenters correctly stated that this is one of the NRA rules for gun safety that is taught in NRA classes and that what the student/reporter probably missed is that a firearm for personal protection is always ready to use and thus is always loaded, and that “use” is defined as when you’re in your home, vehicle, place of business, or when one is carrying. One commenter correctly noted that the MS Enhanced Permit only requires a “firearms safety class” not a “defensive firearms class.” (H/T John, Ben & Cliff)

I apologize for the confusion and the negative slant against BFTA. I was guilty of not following my own advice to beware of lamestream media reports.

The commenter has a good point about it possibly being a safety class and not a defensive class, and frankly I don’t know which it was. But my comment was intended in the context of defensive class instructions, and in that context I stand by it. The NRA ain’t right all the time, and their Rule 3 (unload) is simply faulty if used in the context of defensive weapons. Also, by the NRA definition all of my guns are “in use” pretty much all the time, mostly negating the rule.

I do not consider NRA’s version of the rules to be optimal, and instead subscribe to the four rules as attributed to Jeff Cooper. NRA’s 3rd rule of course conflicts with Cooper’s first rule (All guns are always loaded), which is paramount. There is no rule saying all guns are always loaded, unless they’re not.

The “unload it until you’re ready to use it” rule doesn’t make Cooper’s list.

For comparison, NRA’s list.

Anytime you see me refer generally to “the rules” or to “Rule #X,” it is from Cooper’s list.

Also, NRA’s 1st rule is a poor rendition of Cooper’s 2nd rule, and NRA’s 2nd rule leaves open the definition of “ready,” while Cooper’s similar 3rd rule should add “and you are ready to fire.”

(Have you ever noticed how many people [typically cops] get shot due to their incessant daily fooling around with loading and unloading defensive sidearms which usually should simply remain loaded and ready?)