[Vaquero]

In microcosm, guns are dangerous albiet fun impliments. I used to shoot far more often then I do now. I might shoot hundreds of rounds at one action shoot. I know in my head I have to be careful, but the fun of it is so intense as to make it seem less dangerous than it is.

It is while hunting that the true destructive power is revealed. A walking breathing big game animal just folds up and dies. It’s internals destroyed. It no longer exists save for my use of it as food.

It is the message I constantly re-enforced in my kids when they were little and having fun (it should be fun too), shooting up targets. When things like muzzle direction are kept safe, then even brain fart mistakes like accidental discharges are no more than an embarrassment.

[trebb]

Safety is paramount and Dad taught me well many years ago. I don't care if I cleaned the gun last week and put it up empty and know it hasn't been touched since. The next time I handle it, the first action is to verify it's not loaded.

If a gun is "stashed" or on my person, I can guarantee it's loaded and ready to fire - if I ever do an "insurance" cycle to know a weapon is ready, I'll be sending a perfectly good bullet out of the chamber.