Which of the following is one of the three cardinal safety rules of handling firearms in training?

• A. Treat every weapon as unloaded
• B. Always keep the weapon safety off
• C. Keep finger straight and off the trigger until ready to fire
• D. Disassemble and clean after each drill

Answer: (C)

Keeping your finger straight and off the trigger until you are ready to fire is a fundamental safety habit because it directly prevents unintended discharges during every stage of handling a firearm. The trigger is the release mechanism, so even a slight, unintentional pressure or a snag can cause the weapon to fire if your finger is on the trigger. By keeping the finger along the frame or outside the trigger guard, you maintain control and dramatically reduce the chance of an accidental shot while loading, unloading, passing, or moving the weapon in training. This rule aligns with the purpose of the three cardinal safety rules, which emphasize preventing accidental discharge and not pointing a weapon at anything you don’t intend to destroy. The other options don’t fit this purpose: treating every weapon as unloaded is not correct because you should assume it’s loaded; keeping the safety off is unsafe until you’re ready to shoot; and disassembling and cleaning after each drill is maintenance, not a safety rule.