Which of the following statements is true?

• A. Check behind and beyond your target to be certain you have a safe backstop and that no person or property could be endangered.
• B. The most dangerous part of any gun is the trigger.
• C. When a rifle has its safety in the ON position, it is impossible for the gun to fire.
• D. Guns not in use should always be on safety, unloaded, and stored with the ammunition.

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is awareness of what lies beyond the target. Safe shooting hinges on not only aiming properly but also making sure bullets won’t reach people or property you didn’t intend to affect. Checking behind and beyond your target to confirm a safe backstop and clear area is a practical, everyday step that embodies responsible range behavior. It ties directly to knowing your target and what’s beyond it, a foundational habit for preventing unintended harm.

That emphasis helps explain why this statement is the best. It focuses on the real-world consequence of firing: what could happen beyond the target. If there’s a person, a building, or other sensitive targets just beyond where you’re aiming, a shot could cause harm or damage. The safe choice is always to ensure a legitimate, protected area behind the target before shooting.

Why the other ideas don’t fit as the best guidance: the notion that the trigger is the most dangerous part is a simplification. A firearm can be dangerous in many ways, and safety comes from how you handle it—keeping the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, finger off the trigger until ready, and treating every gun as if loaded. The idea that having the safety in the ON position makes discharge impossible is false because safeties can fail or be overcome under some conditions; never rely on a safety as your sole protection. As for storage, the standard practice is to keep guns unloaded and stored separately from ammunition; keeping a gun with ammo or assuming it’s always safe because the safety is on aren’t reliable practices.