Which action is a key step when you drop a firearm?

• A. Point the muzzle toward a safe direction; engage safety if present; keep finger off the trigger; treat as loaded until verified unloaded.
• B. Immediately fire to test.
• C. Check the safety only after picking it up.
• D. Assume it's unloaded and continue.

Answer: (A)

When a firearm is dropped, the priority is safety: control the firearm and verify its status before you move it. Point the muzzle in a safe direction so that if anything happens, it won’t harm anyone or anything. Engage the safety if the gun has one, to reduce the chance of an accidental discharge as you handle it. Keep your finger off the trigger at all times to prevent a negligent discharge from any unexpected movement or impact. And treat the firearm as loaded until you have personally verified that it is unloaded. This precaution follows the fundamental rule of firearm safety: never assume a gun is unloaded, always check for yourself.

Firing to test the condition is dangerous and unnecessary; you should not discharge a firearm simply because it’s been dropped. Checking the safety only after picking it up can miss the critical step of keeping the muzzle controlled and the finger off the trigger during handling. Assuming it’s unloaded and continuing ignores the need to confirm its condition, which can lead to a dangerous situation.