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Integrated Firearm Safety Principles
Mas: Heavy focus on safety before the student is ever on the firing line with a gun.

RIGID firearms safety rules: first safety infraction, shooter is off the line for the day,
may observe but no longer participate. Back the second day under strict watch and
something like probation; second violation results in expulsion from class. There

are always ample firearms safety officers on the firing line.

EIJ: In your line of work, do you see the need of more highly qualified range offi-
D cers training?
E
C Mas: While I don’t think there’s such a thing as too much training, I can’t say that

E inadequate training of range officers has resulted in any sort of epidemic of uninten-
P tional discharges producing injury.

T
I EIJ: As a former police officer, have you ever encountered a situation where a vic-
O tim had suffered a self-inflicted gun shot wound due to the lack of training?

N

Mas: Never encountered that as a responding officer. The one self-inflicted gunshot
wound I’ve responded to on the range was due to an advanced (instructor) student

simply pushing too fast.

EIJ: Is there any legislation in place, to regulate safety factors among CCW enthu-
siasts when it comes to citizens interacting with police?

Mas: Some states require that CCW holders identify themselves as such when in-
teracting with police in the latter’s performance of their duties. Insofar as safety

factors per se, I have not seen that.

EIJ: Have you ever seen or heard of a situation where a pistol range was caught up

in litigation due to the lack of safety procedures due diligence?

Mas: That is often a stated cause of action in lawsuits resulting from people shoot-
ing themselves or others at shooting ranges. Remember that “caught up in litiga-
tion” covers a lot of ground, much of which may be unmeritorious allegations.

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