So I treat them with the utmost respect, because they are loaded and ready to go..... no question...... haven't had an accident since.....
The "Four Rules" pretty much cover gun operation, and Rule 1 is that all guns are loaded. (Even if you
know they are unloaded, and that's the hard part to follow in practice.)
What isn't discussed very often is how to deal with guns for routine things like cleaning and inspections. (And yes, the inevitable "showing guns to friends".) How do the Four Rules cover this? Sometimes not very well.
I believe there should be more mention of "gun store protocol", which is the routine opening of the action to verify the gun's status, every time it is picked up. If you hand it to someone else, it is handed across with action open. (For DA revolvers, with cylinder open; for bolt-actions, with bolt open, etc.) Insist on the same when it is handed back.
When you are verifying and opening the action, follow Rule 2. Now that you have proven, for this single instance, that the gun is in fact unloaded, Rule 1 doesn't apply. Until you set it down. Then you've reset the conditions and you have to verify if you pick it up again. (This is where a lot of purists insist that Rule 1 can never be broken...)
This is what is done in the more professional gun stores that I've visited. The salesmen routinely point the muzzle at themselves when they hand it across the counter, action locked back. If you release the slide during your inspection, it is considered impolite to aim at anything except the wall or perhaps the ceiling lights. (Rule 2 again) If you receive permission to dry fire, you can then put your finger on the trigger and test trigger pull (Rule 3).
While a lot of potential purchasers simply hand the gun back, I mirror the protocol and hand it back with the action open. (Yep, muzzle pointed at myself.)
In the end, all that matters is that we never assume guns are safe, and never handle them without diligence. The exact rules can be argued endlessly. In fact, some manufacturer's manuals list 20 or more rules for safe gun handling, no doubt carefully written by their attorneys. Do they really think anyone can remember 20 rules?
I'm glad you have a routine that works for you.