Carry over from last night's discussion...
One of the 'sacred rules' of gun handling is "
All Guns are
ALWAYS Loaded". While I get the need to consider the lowest common denominator (i.e. Idiots) when setting rules, I think this rule is absolute horse doo doo.
What say you?
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I think that people get too caught up in catch phrases and assign them literal meanings without reference to the underlying foundation they're actually based on.
"All guns are always loaded" is a reference to how all guns are to be
treated and handled UNTIL
personally verified by the person actually handling the firearm.
If I pick up a firearm, I handle it as if it is actually loaded UNTIL I verify it otherwise. If I hand that firearm to someone else, THEY should do the same.
Arguing semantics over this is an eye-roller for me because you can argue semantics with all three other rules as well. The gun is handled as loaded until THAT PERSON actually verifies it's not loaded. And even so, it's not to be pointed in the direction of other people who, themselves, have not physically verified for themselves that it's not loaded.
It's not a difficult concept and I'm not going to argue semantics with people over it. If they want to go overboard with it, fine. I'm all about safety, so whatever dude. If they outright poo-poo it, to the point where they obviously have no concept of the purpose of this rule, then I may point this out...and leave if it's not clarified to my satisfaction.
As for the other rules...
You absolutely CANNOT handle a firearm such that it's NEVER pointed at anything "you're not willing to destroy". I don't want to destroy my ceiling, floor, wall, appliances, etc. And yet it can be pointed at any of these things during the most cautious of handlings. There are people who appendix carry, which points their loaded carry piece in a very "delicate" orientation. People carry loaded firearms in shoulder rigs, some of which orient their carry piece horizontally. Firearms are put in and removed from drawers, which may orient their muzzles in any direction in a house through the walls.
"Always be sure of your target" is all fine and dandy, but training for self defense often involves deliberately positioning firearms in ways which do, in fact, sweep and cover non-targets. Of course, the actual meaning is to be sure of your target (and all other aspects between the muzzle and beyond the target itself) BEFORE actually shooting. But that phrase is much easier to remember than a more detailed, and lengthy, statement like
"Always be sure of your target, all other people in the surrounding area which may move into the bullet's bath in front of or behind your target, objects which may deflect or ricochet the bullet when struck, dangerous mechanical equipment which may be damaged, flammable materials which could ignite by flash or spark, and that no pets or livestock may be harmed."
And, while I can't personally think of a time to put my finger on the trigger outside of actually lined up to shoot at my intended target, there are plenty of people who were not trained this way at all "back in the day". It was not, for example, part of the military's intentional training when Mom and Dad were in WWII back in the early 40s. The intent, of course, is that training this way means a finger not on the trigger won't cause a negligent discharge through poor trigger control.
Bottom line: be safe.
