Kirk Freeman
Grandmaster
If it's unloaded, it's only a misdemeanor.
Still a crime with adverse consequences to your LTCH.
If it's unloaded, it's only a misdemeanor.
Total straw man.
Both shotguns are broken open, fingers are nowhere near the trigger guard, let alone the trigger.
There are two layers of safety that make it impossible for either shotgun to fire right there, and they're not really pointing them at each other.
Get back with me when you can find a photo of either guy with the action closed and with it pointed at someone.
I'll wait.
Wow, so I guess all guns aren't always loaded?
Except that ATM and you are being pedantic in the opposite direction from what has been learned over centuries of experience.
If you're treating a gun at all times as loaded, you will instinctively not point it at someone else or otherwise point it in an unsafe direction, or put your finger on the trigger.
The other rules are only explanatory and additive to the first.
Give me one example of someone accidentally shot with a gun that was consistently treated at all times as loaded.
I'll wait.
Everyone who shot themselves with their own loaded gun while holstering or unholstering, everyone who shot themselves or someone else with the gun they were shooting when they got stung by a bee, caught some hot brass, etc. Everyone who had drawn their loaded gun on a person and managed to sneeze, trip, etc. and negligently discharge without meaning to.
There are countless examples of known loaded guns being handled negligently (in violation of the specific, instructive rules of safe gun handling).
Let it go - it failed. Don't teach people to handle guns like they're loaded, teach them how we handle guns safely.
Ironically, there are FOUR rules to the mindset. Every example you've given violated one of the FOUR rules. .
Taking this back to the Origin of the thread, how do you function check a used pistol in a WalMart parking lot during a FTF transaction and strictly adhere to the NRA 3 rules? Looks like we all have to go to the range, rent a lane and then buy our handguns from one another so that we do not violate the "Golden Rule" of safe firearm handling. Perhaps there is some other way to dry fire a pistol in public to check function that I'm unaware of?
It's not ironic at all, Cooper's first "rule" was his only rule until it proved disastrously ineffective. The specific, instructive rules of safe gun handling were still very much needed.
My only question is why he didn't discard the failed mantra. Why keep it around after it's been replaced? Why perpetuate the notion that loaded guns should be handled differently than unloaded guns?
I ensure that the gun is unloaded and maintain the muzzle in a safe direction (up, down, depending on terrain and surroundings, toward something I'm willing to destroy if an unintended discharge occurs).
Once I make the decision to dry fire, I place my finger on the trigger and pull it.
No gun handling rule violated, no need to journey to a firing range, no tragedy. Am I missing something in your question?
Wow, so I guess all guns aren't always loaded?
Give me one example of someone accidentally shot with a gun that was consistently treated at all times as loaded.
I'll wait.
Your method violates all 3 NRA rules.
ALWAYS keep your gun pointed in a safe direction. There is no such thing in a Walmart Parking lot, not the ground, not the sky, not the horizon
ALWAYS Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot. I'm not going to shoot, I'm dry firing, but the rule says ALWAYS, so no dry firing, by your logic.
ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready for use. How would I know if the gun is unloaded? It's not mine yet.
If you can't find safe directions to point a gun outside of a firing range, you should not handle a gun outside of a firing range. I can and do. No violation.
If you don't consider dry shooting to be the same as dry firing, unloaded trigger manipulation or any other terms to describe manipulating the trigger without intending to ignite and send a projectile out of the muzzle, then you should only do so at a firing range. I consider them the same and do this regularly. No rule violation.
It doesn't have to belong to you to safely unload it. I have unloaded guns that do not belong to me. No rule violation.
Not going to get me off task here.
Your point, I infer, is that simply having a rule, "treat all guns as loaded" is enough. I say nay, nay.
Because, what does that mean to treat it as loaded? You and I know, but Suzy Sixgun that just bought a Judge to protect herself does not know. She may infer from your rule that not pulling the trigger is safe enough.
Pedantic rules that avoid all notions about being loaded alleviate the ambiguity and don't provide any excuses or wiggle room.
Not going to get me off task here.
Your point, I infer, is that simply having a rule, "treat all guns as loaded" is enough. I say nay, nay.
Because, what does that mean to treat it as loaded? You and I know, but Suzy Sixgun that just bought a Judge to protect herself does not know. She may infer from your rule that not pulling the trigger is safe enough.
Pedantic rules that avoid all notions about being loaded alleviate the ambiguity and don't provide any excuses or wiggle room.
Nope, no safe place to point my pistol in a heavily populated area/parking lot. Rule violation 1
What part of ALWAYS keep your finger off of the trigger until ready to SHOOT do we not understand? Explain how you dry fire without touching the trigger
Rule violation 2
Where in the 3 rules does it say to Unload a firearm that I do not own, again, how can I keep something unloaded that is not mine. I can't Keep the million dollars I do not have.
Let's just stick to the rules here, we need to be specific.
So you cannot provide one single example of someone shooting themselves or others while following the 4 rules?? I'm shocked!
So you cannot provide one single example of someone shooting themselves or others while following the 4 rules?? I'm shocked!
Nope, no safe place to point my pistol in a heavily populated area/parking lot. Rule violation 1
What part of ALWAYS keep your finger off of the trigger until ready to SHOOT do we not understand? Explain how you dry fire without touching the trigger
Rule violation 2
Where in the 3 rules does it say to Unload a firearm that I do not own, again, how can I keep something unloaded that is not mine. I can't Keep the million dollars I do not have.
Let's just stick to the rules here, we need to be specific.