Which of the following is one of the four fundamental M9 pistol safety rules?

• A. Be sure of target and what’s beyond.
• B. Treat every weapon as loaded.
• C. Never point at anything you don’t intend to shoot.
• D. Keep finger off trigger until ready to fire.

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is the safety mindset you bring to every firearm handling: always treat the weapon as if it is loaded. This mindset forces you to act with caution at all times, which is the foundation for safe habits in all situations.

Why this is the best answer: treating every weapon as loaded makes you practice the most protective behavior first—you’ll verify and treat the gun as live, keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, and avoid putting your finger on the trigger until you’re ready to shoot. This baseline ensures other safe actions—like being sure of your target and what’s beyond it, never pointing at anything you don’t intend to shoot, and keeping your finger off the trigger until ready to fire—are more than just rules you memorize; they become automatic habits grounded in that initial assumption.

The other rules are all essential aspects of safe handling, addressing muzzle direction, trigger discipline, and target awareness. They work together with the foundational principle, but the habit of assuming the weapon is loaded is what makes all the safeguards consistently reliable.