Rules for Safe Gun Handling
Rule # 1: All firearms are always loaded. Even if they are not, treat them as if they are.
Rule # 2: Never allow the muzzle of your firearm to point toward anything you do not intend to kill or destroy. (For those who insist that this particular gun is unloaded, see Rule 1.)
Rule # 3: Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are aligned with your target and you are ready to shoot.
Rule # 4: Be sure of your target, it's surroundings, and what's beyond it. Never shoot at anything that you have not positively identified.
A discussion of Cooper's Rules vs. the NRA's Rules
Kid's and Guns and
Disarming Children's Curiosity