Loaded gun!

[dbb1776]

Does anyone remember the bright orange rubber bands with "LOADED GUN!" printed on them? You stretched the heavy band from the back of the gun to muzzle, then there was a plug that slipped into the muzzle. It was supposed to be to stout of a band for youngsters to manipulate.
I just remembered them today.

 

[Doggy Daddy]

1) What was the purpose?
2) So, you had to fiddle around with putting a cork in the muzzle of a loaded gun to use these things?

DD

 

[danprkr]

Remember them yes. Seen on in YEARS no. I thought it was a good idea, but I'm guessing the product liability and/or legislators disapproved the things. I never thought they were good for keeping kids out, but they were good visual aids.

 

[MedWheeler]

If I see a gun, it's loaded until I myself verify otherwise.

 

[samtron]

There is no such thing as an unloaded gun.

 

[Zack]

There is no such thing as an unloaded gun.

+1 to this

 

[Hatterasguy]

Unloaded guns don't exist.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

There is no such thing as an unloaded gun.

Amen and a unloaded gun is useless; I rather have a hammer or a bat.

 

[MedWheeler]

I've also told newbies that, though a gun can by made safe by unloading it, they don't like to be empty, and frequently reload themselves when left alone.

 

[longdayjake]

Unloaded guns don't exist.

There is no such thing as an unloaded gun.

Tell that to a guy in combat that just ran out of ammo.

 

[benEzra]

I remember those. I think they were intended solely for exposed-hammer semiautos and (possibly) DA revolvers, as the band locked the hammer in the forward position. Didn't solve the access problem and easily defeated by older kids, but a toddler might have a hard time with it. On the other hand, toddler gun accidents are already rarer than lightning deaths, and putting a rubber band on your gun doesn't mean you can leave it out where kids can get to it.

 

[PT1911]

I really hate when I hear 'there is no such thing as an unloaded gun" and "all guns are loaded." Good principles to live by until you verify other wise? Definitely!!! Any gun I encounter is checked as clear before any further interaction and will be once again any time it is picked up thereafter, but guess what.... while it is in my hands and i have verified it is clear the thing is unloaded, otherwise I could never clean it, dry fire it, check the bore, and I definitely couldnt/wouldnt hand it to someone who is new to guns to examine after my instruction.


Does that mean you should be careless with an UNLOADED gun? Hell no! It means you should be responsible regardless of loaded status.

As to the rubber bands you speak of, I dont see a point. In fact, it seems like an incredibly horrible idea, but then again, so does any locking system designed to be used with a loaded gun. Last I checked, I am not likely to have ample time to disengage some sort of locking mechanism (not speaking of integral safeties on a gun) in the event I need a gun.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

It is not a substitute for Rule One. One should not be led to believe that any time it is off the gun that the gun is unloaded.

 

[DeepSouth]

Unloaded guns don't exist.

There is no such thing as an unloaded gun.

Tell that to a guy in combat that just ran out of ammo.

Or the guy who practices by dry firing.

Or the guy who cleans his guns, while there.......Loaded?

Or the guy who leaves his guns on the shooting table while changing targets.

Or ect... ect..

Guns can be very much unloaded, if they couldn't be I probably wouldn't own one. The problem is people ASSUME they are unloaded, when they should be assuming the their loaded, until they check, and then double check.

Does anyone remember the bright orange rubber bands with "LOADED GUN!" printed on them? You stretched the heavy band from the back of the gun to muzzle, then there was a plug that slipped into the muzzle. It was supposed to be to stout of a band for youngsters to manipulate.
I just remembered them today.

I don't remember them, and they don't sound like a good idea either. Handling the barrel of a loaded gun isn't sounding like a good idea to me. Not to mention a kid could possibly still get to the trigger, and thanks to plug in the barrel it could easily be worse off than if the bullet just left the muzzle in a straight line.

 

[dbb1776]

It was an idea that occured years ago. I was looking through some old magazines and I was reminded of the device. Obviously no one liked it much or thought it was a great idea. I wonder what devices available today will be scoffed at tommorow?

I tried googling the device for a picture but it is ungooglable.

 

[DeepSouth]

I wonder what devices available today will be scoffed at tommorow?

I'll start.

I tried googling the device for a picture but it is ungooglable.

Heresy!!!!
You should be banned from the internet for spreading such lies!!!

 

[Zoidberg523]

Originally Posted by longdayjake
Tell that to a guy in combat that just ran out of ammo.

As unfortunate as that scenario is, I still wouldn't want the muzzle of that "empty" gun to point at my face when he asks for a magazine.

For the sake of safety, NO gun should ever be considered unloaded until you, yourself, have verified otherwise. Smarty-pants.

Even if someone else clearly demonstrates that the firearm is unloaded (save for an open, break action single shot), you should check it yourself before allowing the muzzle to cover anything which you do not wish to see destroyed.

 

[Hatterasguy]

Yeah well no duh guns are not always loaded. But I wouldn't trust an orange rubber band to tell me so.


Most accidential discharges are a result of people assuming they are unloaded.

 

[W.E.G.]

I let off an "unloaded" 30-30 in my Mom's kitchen in 1974.

Man, was I in trouble.