As a gun owner, you are responsible for following all the safety rules of firearms. If you allow others to use/handle your firearms, it is your responsibility to instruct others, especially new owners, of proper use and responsibility of gun ownership. See the four established rules accepted in the firearms community. Additional rules are derivations of these four core rules.
1. HANDLE ALL FIREARMS AS IF THEY ARE LOADED
Remember that a gun has the potential to cause serious injury or death in a single instant of carelessness. Make safe gun handling a habit to be followed at all times. After you determine that a gun is unloaded, continue to handle it as though it were loaded.
2. ALWAYS KEEP YOUR FIREARM POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION
When selecting a safe direction, you must also take into consideration that a bullet can ricochet or glance off any object it strikes, and that bullets can penetrate walls, ceilings, floors, and windows.
3. KEEP YOUR FINGER OUT OF THE TRIGGER GUARD UNTIL READY TO SHOOT
By keeping your finger completely outside the trigger guard until you have aimed at the target, you guarantee that any shots you fire will go safely in the direction of your intended target.
4. ALWAYS BE CERTAIN THAT YOUR TARGET AND SURROUNDINGS ARE SAFE BEFORE FIRING
Remember that a bullet can travel as much as several miles, so you should be certain of what your bullet could strike before you pull the trigger. Never fire at a movement, a noise, a flash of color, or a rustling bush without positively identifying your target.