A gun is always loaded even when it isn't loaded.....

Pulling the trigger sure isn't the way to prove the chamber is empty.

Rule 1. Firearms.Are.Always.Loaded.

If people would just follow that simple rule so many needless gun-related incidents would be prevented.

Time for that gentleman to hang 'em up.

Posting something this obvious makes me wonder if....perhaps.... the OP has recently had an unintentional discharge? For the record, I have had two in my life, one witnessed by others. At that moment, I felt like the stupidest person on the planet.

Because I was.

I disagree John, It depends on what you mean in public. There are times it is OK, but a dinner at church is not one of them.

And that’s why I only trust one indicator....my own eyes.

I used to help my dad teach hunter safety courses when I was a teenager. He would let students handle different types of actions so they could become familiar. He would use a 4 " model 28 to show revolvers. He would always ask one of the students to try the trigger pull. Of course the gun would have a blank in it. That loud pop would get everyones attention. Then he would ask why the student didn't inquire if the gun was loaded. It's always loaded until you inspect it yourself. Then you still treat it as if it were loaded.

I have a friend who used to own a pawn and gun shop. He ALWAYS opened the action or cylinder on any gun before handing it to a customer.. He showed a semi-auto pistol to a customer he had never seen before earlier in the day and as always handed the gun to the customer with the action open. Kevin was alone in the shop with only the customer when the phone rang. While on the phone a couple of other customers came in and the customer looking at the gun handed it back and left. Never to be seen again.

Later in the day Kevin had another customer ask to see the same pistol. When he opened the action a 9mm round fell out on the counter. Kevin thinks the guy loaded the gun while he was distracted by the phone call and planned to rob him. When other customers came in he backed out. At any rate he made a habit of checking any gun after customers looked at them.

Many, many times he had people bring in loaded guns to sell, pawn or trade. I make it a habit as well and have found 2 loaded guns at gun shows over the years. One had a round chambered, the other with a loaded mag, but nothing in the chamber.

Never ASS/U/ME anything when someone hands you a gun. You both may end up looking like an ASS.

Charliefrank said:

I used to help my dad teach hunter safety courses when I was a teenager. He would let students handle different types of actions so they could become familiar. He would use a 4 " model 28 to show revolvers. He would always ask one of the students to try the trigger pull. Of course the gun would have a blank in it. That loud pop would get everyones attention. Then he would ask why the student didn't inquire if the gun was loaded. It's always loaded until you inspect it yourself. Then you still treat it as if it were loaded.

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I bet your dads method stuck with people,the gut drop feeling you would have thinking that you just shot that gun would stick with you for a long time.

It sure did. Can you imagine doing that nowadays? You would probably have a line of parents with their attorneys, lol.

JohnKSa said:

What's an example of when you think it would be a good idea to pull a gun in public other than when you need to use it?

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I think his definition of public and yours differ. I'm guessing he would classify a dinner of the elders of a church as not public, and to an extent, I agree. I would NOT have pulled it out to show anyone in that case, public or private.

You live in TX and never heard of a BBQ gun?

I'm surprised when asked if anyone brought a gun he didn't just way "yes". It wouldn't ever occur to me to pull out a gun around a bunch of people nor do I think my friends would either. Kind of strange someone would pull a gun out like that if you ask me. He likely feels pretty awful shooting his wife in the stomach.

OK, I gotta ask; what gun and caliber? It hit a woman in her 80's in the abdomen after passing through her husband's hand, and it's non-life threatening?

entropy said:

OK, I gotta ask; what gun and caliber? It hit a woman in her 80's in the abdomen after passing through her husband's hand, and it's non-life threatening?

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The article I read said 380. However, don't something like 80% of handgun victims survive? I don't think it would be unusual to be shot and have non life threatening injuries.

I hate that saying almost as much as x many people are shot with unloaded guns. Its false and impossible and misleading. How about "treat all guns as if they are loaded"?

Read about this today.

Folks that pull out their carry gun for show and tell in public are exactly the types of people that shouldn't be carrying guns, and give the rest of us a bad rap.

You would think a 80 year old would know better. Just stupid.

Good Ol' Boy writes:

You would think a 80 year old would know better.

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You would, and most do. This guy probably did at one point.

But a lot of people who have reached "octogenarian status" have some significant diminishing of cognitive status. Come hang out with us in Florida for a spell and see.. for an accelerated course, spend about 20 minutes in a hospital district.

FL-NC said:

I hate that saying almost as much as x many people are shot with unloaded guns. Its false and impossible and misleading. How about "treat all guns as if they are loaded"?

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That’s what I was taught. The Army seemed to do something similar to treating guns like they were loaded. I never heard anyone say “all guns are always loaded.” No one was that obtuse.

Wisco said:

That’s what I was taught. The Army seemed to do something similar to treating guns like they were loaded. I never heard anyone say “all guns are always loaded.” No one was that obtuse.

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6 of 1, half a dozen the other. I was taught the saying “all guns are always loaded” by my father. A SWAT officer and an 82nd Airborne Company Commander in the Army....