You know, that saying always bothered me. I can understand saying "Always assume a gun is loaded", but that above statement is just not true and it's like saying "All rockets CATO". Do they? No, but we should always assume there is a chance of it happening. My :2:
There...managed to get some rocketry stuff in on the gun conversation.
I used to feel exactly the same way. My dad always said "all guns are loaded" as if it were fact and I would try to rationalize it the way you have. Logically and technically speaking you're correct, but I have since realized that his teaching that "all guns are loaded" created a sense of doubt of doubt in me that I will never forget. Now, even though I or someone else just dumped the magazine and emptied the chamber two minutes ago, I doubt myself. I have to check to see if it's unloaded, multiple time, almost like an OCD mannerism, but one that I hope will prevent the kind of complacency that kills gun owners far too often.
Steve Shannon
, I wholeheartedly support the "assume that all firearms are loaded" mindset. The incident was over 30 years ago while dry firing my brand new .22 lr Ruger Mark II, to learn proper trigger pull techniques. Several minutes into the exercise I lined up the sights on the old style round thermostat in the adjacent bedroom, about 15 yards away. Breathe, steady pressure and POW the unloaded pistol went off. :shock: The dead center hit destroyed the thermostat and deflected the bullet through the glass in a second floor window towards who knows what. No one was injured, thank the FSM, but I was damn lucky. It was a lesson I never forgot and I've already started teaching my girls proper weapons handling and muzzle discipline.
