What Is the Primary Cause of Firearm “Accidents”?
After several years as a firearm and CCW instructor, I’ve noticed a concerning trend. More police officers and judges are holding gun owners accountable for what many people call “accidents.” In legal terms, these incidents are often charged as unlawful discharge of a firearm.
As a training provider, I regularly receive calls that begin like this:
“The judge ordered me to take a gun safety class.”
My first response is always the same:
“Tell me what happened.”
Understanding the situation helps determine the type of Texas gun safety training that will address the real issue.
The #1 Cause of Unlawful Discharge Incidents
The most common reason for firearm-related incidents is simple:
Failure to keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
When a firearm is not pointed in a safe direction and it discharges, the result can be:
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Injury to another person
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Property damage
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Criminal charges
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Court-ordered training and fines
The Second Most Common Cause
The next major issue is:
Improperly clearing a handgun due to lack of training.
Many new gun owners:
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Remove the magazine
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Assume the firearm is unloaded
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Pull the trigger
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Fail to check the chamber
In most cases, these are not intentional or reckless actions. They are untrained, uninformed mistakes — and they often lead to court involvement.
A Real-Life Example
One caller was a schoolteacher who had just purchased his first handgun.
Here’s what happened:
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He went home and read the owner’s manual
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He used live ammunition to practice loading inside his apartment (always use dummy rounds to do this at home, never live ammo)
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He removed the magazine
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Believing the firearm was unloaded, he pulled the trigger
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A round fired through the wall into a neighboring apartment
Thankfully, no one was injured. However:
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Apartment management called police
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He was arrested for unlawful discharge of a firearm
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The judge imposed:
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$580 fine
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Court-ordered basic pistol training ($250)
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All of this — with no prior criminal record.
The Real Problem: Lack of Training
While careless mistakes do happen, the vast majority of incidents come from new gun owners who simply were never trained properly.
Reading a manual is not enough.
Safe firearm ownership requires:
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Hands-on instruction
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Safe loading and unloading techniques
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Understanding safe direction and trigger discipline
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Supervised range practice
How to Avoid These Mistakes
The best way to prevent accidents — and potential criminal charges — is proper training.
Our Basic NRA Pistol Course includes:
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Approximately 4 hours of online classroom instruction
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2 hours of live range training
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Hands-on demonstration of:
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Safe handling
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Loading and unloading
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Proper firearm operation
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Range qualification with a certified instructor
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This course is an excellent foundation and a perfect preparation for the Texas LTC class.
Preparing for Your Texas License to Carry (LTC) YOU can take the DPS Texas approved online course from our website here. https://TexasLTCtrainingacademy.com/schedule/#online-course
If you plan to carry a handgun for personal protection, professional training is essential.
Our program helps you:
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Build safe firearm habits
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Gain confidence on the range
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Prepare for the Texas License to Carry qualification
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Avoid costly mistakes, legal trouble, or dangerous situations
Responsible gun ownership starts with training.
Final Thoughts
Most firearm “accidents” are preventable.
They don’t happen because people are malicious — they happen because people are untrained.
Investing a few hours in professional instruction can save you:
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Thousands in fines and legal costs
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Criminal charges
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Injury or worse
If you’re a new gun owner — or planning to take your Texas LTC course — start with proper training.
Phil Snyder
Texas & Utah LTC Instructor