Can negligent discharges be prevented?

Interesting question. For an expert's opinion, let's go to Alec Baldwin for his commentary.

It has never been about safety. It is about the government having all the guns and the people having to submit. Just look at the failing countries with government tyranny for verification.

When taking apart a Glock for cleaning after a session at the range, before the slide can be taken off, the trigger must be pulled. If your defensive pistol is a Glock, you know to make certain there's nothing in the chamber before you pull the trigger. Otherwise, BANG. Glocks are known to work. Order: magazine out, lock the slide to the rear, and make sure the chamber is empty. Shake the gun if necessary to get rid of the live round. It takes only a few seconds, but you must do it right. If you do it right, you and everyone near will be safe. Always abide by the rules when handling any deadly weapon.

One might ponder about how many people are killed by gun fire and how many with AIDs? The emphasis is on getting rid of guns but not the people who spread AIDs and that seems illogical.

Years ago, I was helping a friend conduct a class for people applying for a concealed carry permit. We were going over basic handling procedures and safe practices. He picked up a .357 Magnum revolver, opened the cylinder to make sure it was empty, closed the cylinder and handed the gun to me. When I took it, I opened the cylinder again and checked it again. He turned to the class and said “did you notice that he checked to see if that gun was unloaded? Right after I did it?” They all said yes. He then said “you also notice that I didn’t get upset?” I like the way he made his point.

This is the reason I have Ruger LCR revolver. As long as you follow the four rules. in the article, it's impossible to have a Negligent Discharge. I've had my self-defense weapon since I was 60. The first thing anyone must do when touching any gun is to assume that it is loaded. Proceed from there, following the rules. Most revolvers have hard pulls; my hands are small and relatively weak. Had to have it retriggered so I could pull the trigger with one hand. Never, ever point a gun at or near a person-even if you really, truly think that it's not loaded-unless you really, truly want to shoot that person. Carry your weapon pointing downward even when moving it from the house to the car. Have a strong lockbox in your car so if you're going to a place where guns are legally prohibited, it's not accessible. Practice regularly. I'm a woman and I don't do victimhood.

A good start is not to carry a Sig P320.

Totally agree with the rules for gun safety EXCEPT the idea that the trigger finger enters the trigger guard 'a millisecond before firing'... You WILL be safe with that rule... but will likely miss your target. Personally, my finger is on the trigger as soon as my gun is pointed in its intended direction and I KNOW a round is going to be fired. Suddenly getting into the trigger guard AND firing in one motion is going to push the barrel one way or another. Having the trigger finger touching the trigger (most pistols require at least 4 pounds of force to fire) will result in more accurate targeting. Again... ONLY after the gun is pointed in its intended direction and firing is imminent. Now... I have a .22 rifle with a 12 OUNCE trigger. That is a different story.

#8 is absolutely correct. It doesn't take long to move one's index finger from alongside the trigger guard to the trigger. (The trigger finger should not habitually rest on the trigger.) No millisecond stuff. That could cause an accident.

Like #6, I too carry an LCR and have never considered myself underarmed. The gun is near impossible to fire by accident but on purpose that .357 out of a 1.8" barrel is horrendous. That and two speed loaders and I'm happy. I like automatics and own a few, but never carry with one in the chamber. I dont care how well designed they are, a live round with a compressed spring behind the firing pin is just trouble looking for a place to happen. I dont want that place to be me.

As Jeff Cooper once said: "If you are concerned about having a round in the chamber, you need a better pistol, training, or both. To me, one either needs a firearm at the ready or one does not. A semi-auto that is semi-empty is only effective on a semi-threat."

Easy, peasy! Don't allow liberals or democrats to own guns!

I'm a little older, so my 40+ years in multiple levels of law enforcement does not comport with the 'ND' terminology; I've trained to avoid accidental discharges or 'ADs,' since finishing my first police academy during Reagan's first term and starting out with a department-issued wheel gun, the Smith Model 67. If there was one most universal rule, from military special operations shooters and tactical LEOs down to ten year old boys and girls learning to shoot BB guns, it is 'keep your finger OUT of the trigger guard until ready to shoot' (intentionally undefined in terms of measurable time). Ready to shoot means being sure of your target and the clear need to use deadly force, as well as knowing what is behind your target, in terms of bystanders, animals, or objects like propane tanks, sheetrock walls, etc. No millisecond nonsense, as it is not practical to measure to that level of detail on a range or in a 'shooting house,' much less on the streets, especially if you are receiving return fire, which most casual shooters never (thankfully) experience. Most non-professional shooters are not trained and experienced with moving and shooting, an essential skill set for SF operators (SEALS and DELTA primarily), tactical entry team officers, hostage rescue team operators, Secret Service and Federal Air Marshals (not everyone can shoot a stamp sized target inside of a narrow aluminum tube, such as when moving down the length of a narrow body MD-80 crowded with innocent passengers and flight crew members). It is highly impractical and dangerous for casual shooters to train in moving and shooting, except on a closed range and only after years of basic handgun proficiency training, requiring factory depot-level maintenance of your weapon, including barrel changes after every 10 to 20,000 rounds expended. While I prefer H&K products, my personal favorite being the older, no longer manufactured, P7 M13, with a very unique squeeze-arming (censors won't allow the more commonly used "c" word, synonym for rooster) lever on the leading edge of the grip, that sets the firing pin, allowing a very light trigger pull every time (no double action first pull and single action thereafter), Sig Sauer comes in a close second but I prefer the P226 over the newer models. Real familiarity with a handgun comes only with training with many thousands of rounds, fired safely downrange, a level of skill that all casual shooters can attain, which makes them decidedly not as casual.