Why All Guns Are Always Loaded: It's NOT Just You

[Gluemanz28]

Why get rid of them instead of teaching them right from wrong?
You know, getting rid of them just makes them that much more intriguing!

I take them to the shooting range and teach them the proper way to treat and respect a firearm. Even the 3 yr old gets to go. But having a toy gun in their bedroom and pointing it at each other is a no no.

 

[IndyGunSafety]

There is no such thing as an "UNLOADED" gun. Ever. Period. To truly understand and apply this concept means never uttering the words: "I didn't think it was loaded!"

 

[Gluemanz28]

It is not just guns that we have to protect the little ones from. My brother and I were walking home from school. I was probably 6 and he was 9. We found a shotgun shell on the walk home and didn't know what it was, but being curious boys we were going to find out.

We had messed around with it for some time before my Dad got home from work. We took it to Dad and asked what it was. Upon his inspection he asked how the bottom got beat up so bad and if that was the way we found it. We said no very proudly that we had put it face down on the concrete and was trying to knock the round thing (primer) out with a hammer and a nail. My Dad turned white as a ghost and explained that we could have been hurt very bad. He didn't have a gun to put it in so he cut it opened and poured some of the gun powder in his ashtray and lit it to show us the danger.

If we hadn't hit our thumb with the hammer we wouldn't have stopped until it was taken apart.

I spend a lot of time explaining guns and safety to my Grown kids as they were growing up and now I am doing the same with the Grandkids.

 

[Bunnykid68]

I take them to the shooting range and teach them the proper way to treat and respect a firearm. Even the 3 yr old gets to go. But having a toy gun in their bedroom and pointing it at each other is a no no.

I was probably killed 1000's of times with cap guns as a kid along with everyone I know and to this day none of has ever accidentally shot anyone because we pointed toy guns at each other. Are squirt guns dangerous too?

 

[Gluemanz28]

My son in law was going with the youth at church to have airsoft wars with each other. Just like paintball but cheaper and less mess or pain. My Daughter asked him if it hurt and he said not too bad and went to the end of the hall and let her shoot him. She then let him shoot her to see what it felt like. The gun looks very real and my grandkids told me that mommy and daddy were shooting each other. We all sat down and had a talk and agreed no toy guns. If they were to get a real guy and shoot each other to see how bad it hurts it wouldn't turn out so good.

I spent a lot of time playing army and cops and robbers without any harm other than skinned knees, but I didn't have the access to guns like kids do now.

I'm not judging anybody that feels that it is ok to play with toy guns, but for us it isn't worth the gamble. They go shoot with me a lot and don't want to shoot the BB guns anymore. I have a Single Six, Henry Lever 22, Savage Rascal, 10/22 and others for them to shoot. I'm sure they would tell you that the trade off was worth it.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

The officer killed his wife and child, not by thinking it was an airsoft or cap gun but by violating the Four Rules. I just wish he was taught about sand barrels in the academy and the importance of Rule 4, or had been a member of INGO, so his wife and child would be alive now.

When we think we are smarter than the myriad of years experience which gave us the Four Rules, there will be tragedy. Always.

BBIs, qualified immunity reference is a reference to his job, not the legal construct. He was an officer who killed his wife and child, thus the political consequences will not be the same.

 

[Mark 1911]

The four rules bear repeating often. Unfortunately, as in so many life lessons, the ones who most need to hear are the ones who don't listen.

 

[ATM]

There is no such thing as an "UNLOADED" gun. Ever. Period. To truly understand and apply this concept means never uttering the words: "I didn't think it was loaded!"

It is impossible to truly understand and apply a concept that is so blatantly false and unnecessary. Adhering to the 3 rules shouldn't be predicated upon such nonsense.

The reason to follow rules 2-4 is to prevent tragedy, not because the "gun is always loaded".

 

[Gluemanz28]

It is impossible to truly understand and apply a concept that is so blatantly false and unnecessary. Adhering to the 3 rules shouldn't be predicated upon such nonsense.

The reason to follow rules 2-4 is to prevent tragedy, not because the "gun is always loaded".

 

[ATM]

Which part do you need explained?

 

[Birds Away]

It is impossible to truly understand and apply a concept that is so blatantly false and unnecessary. Adhering to the 3 rules shouldn't be predicated upon such nonsense.

The reason to follow rules 2-4 is to prevent tragedy, not because the "gun is always loaded".

Treating a gun as if it is "always loaded" is a psychological tool to reinforce safe gun handling. Everyone knows that every gun is not always loaded but treating them as if they are will prevent tragedy. You are arguing semantics and you are smarter then that.

 

[ATM]

Treating a gun as if it is "always loaded" is a psychological tool to reinforce safe gun handling. Everyone knows that every gun is not always loaded but treating them as if they are will prevent tragedy. You are arguing semantics and you are smarter then that.

I'm arguing far more than semantics. I believe that rule #1 often has the opposite of the desired psychological effect.

People dismiss the next 3 rules when they can't convince themselves that their firearm is truly loaded. Why is this? Because the next 3 where predicated upon the first.

Those 3 should stand on their own and would without the first.

 

[Birds Away]

I'm arguing far more than semantics. I believe that rule #1 often has the opposite of the desired psychological effect.

People dismiss the next 3 rules when they can't convince themselves that their firearm is truly loaded. Why is this? Because the next 3 where predicated upon the first.

Those 3 should stand on their own and would without the first.

There are four rules. Adhering to any one doesn't preclude the others. This is nonsensical.

 

[ATM]

There are four rules. Adhering to any one doesn't preclude the others. This is nonsensical.

Tell that to the people who continue to ignore the other 3 when they're convinced it's not loaded.

Just following rules 2-4 would prevent tragedy regardless of loaded status, so why predicate the reasoning upon such status?

 

[JettaKnight]

Which part do you need explained?

Absolutely nothing. Maybe those "feeling" type of people readily grasp the concept of ""gun is always loaded". However, for those of us that require facts, it causes cognitive dissonance.

Tell that to the people who continue to ignore the other 3 when they're convinced it's not loaded.

Just following rules 2-4 would prevent tragedy regardless of loaded status, so why predicate the reasoning upon such status?

So true. Just follow one rule and the two people in the story wouldn't be dead.

 

[ATM]

One of these rules is not like the others, one of these rules just doesn't belong...

Why is it that the odd one in front is always the one people holler about the loudest? Isn't it always ignoring one or more of the other three at the root of negligence and tragedy?

I think some folks are more vested in defending the failed notion of "rule #1" than they are in actually teaching people to simply avoid negligent gun handling.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

I think some folks are more vested in defending the failed notion of "rule #1" than they are in actually teaching people to simply avoid negligent gun handling.

A rational basis argument can be made for that. As Rule #1 WAS the only rule. The problem is that Rule #1 did not provide any instruction on what to do with the guns so all kinds of stupidity still transpired.

 

[Birds Away]

I guess I follow the other rules because #1 always applies. Do as you will.

 

[Gluemanz28]

Which part do you need explained?

If I believed that you would be able to, I would have asked for an explanation.

 

[ATM]

I guess I follow the other rules because #1 always applies. Do as you will.

I follow the other rules because I don't want to be negligent. I do not require that the gun be loaded to handle it safely so it does not apply.