Know Your Target (And What’s Beyond It): Guns for Beginners

By Robert Farago

“Know your target and what’s beyond it” is the red-headed stepchild of the four rules of gun safety. Most people fixate on the “what’s beyond it” part– and not without reason. The most likely mistake when not following this rule: shooting at a target and hitting something that isn’t a target. A target, not a person. Despite gun control advocates’ [disingenuous] hand-wringing, I’ve yet to encounter a defensive gun use where a [non-police] armed civilian shot at a bad guy and hit a good guy. But the first part of this rule — know your target — is where bad things are more likely to happen. At home. For example . . .

Recently, at exactly 3:30am, I heard the distinctive thump of a schnauzer jumping off my bed. Normally, the sound lets me know that Rosie has a pressing need to defecate. If I don’t get out of bed and put her outside, she leaves a gift on a 200-year-old Afghan rug (her favorite repository). Groggy as a drunken sailor, I rousted myself and headed downstairs. Without a gun. Fortunately . . .

I turned off the alarm, opened the back door and called my canine. Nothing. I went …Read the Rest

Source:: Truth About Guns