New Gun Owners Guide to Safety - rule 4

RULE 4: "BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET AND WHAT IS BEYOND"

The fourth safety rule is related to your environment. "Be sure of your target" governs at what we are pointing our firearm at, much like rule number two. "Your target and beyond" refers to the environment around what you are shooting.

On the range, this is easy. We have an established target. We have side berms. Often we are shooting into a berm, sometimes the side of a mountain. A good range has limited your risk of rule #4 problems.

The real world is far less clear cut. You need to be aware of where your target is moving, as well as the background and the foreground which might contain innocent people. You need to also be aware of how your bullets may penetrate things behind your target.

Be sure of your target, it's background, and it's foreground.