Lock and Load?

The New York Sun ^ | June 29, 2010 | Staff

[neverdem]

Lock and Load?

What's the origin of that bass ackwards statement? A round has to be loaded into the action of a firearm before the action can be locked.

[Joe Brower]

IIRC, it goes back to the old muzzle-loader days, where one would fully cock the action before reloading from the bore. Can't recall ever doing that myself with my old CVA .45 Kentucky rifle, tho'...

[I cannot think of a name]

I believe it also applies to certain types of rifles that can have the action cycled with the safety on. The idea being to “lock” the action and then “load” as a way to prevent accidental discharges.

[Max in Utah]

Probably refers to loading a magazine that is still in the weapon, by using stripper clips. The bolt must be locked back then the rounds pushed down into the mag.

I load my SKS in this way, one clip of ten rounds, remove clip, pull back on the bolt handle and release to let it go into battery.

[frogjerk]

In this sense it continues a process known as incorporation, in which the Bill of Rights, which was originally intended to restrict only the federal government, is extended via the 14th Amendment to restrict the states and local governments from interfering with the people’s rights as well.

Justice Thomas disagrees with this silly logic, with regards to the 2nd Amendment, and he disproves it fully in his brilliantly written opinion.

If we didn't need Clarance Thomas so badly on the Supreme Court I would nominate him to run for President of the United States.

[Redleg Duke]

Well, I don’t know where you took your basic, but we locked our M-14s (Put the safety on.) before we inserted a magazine into the mag well and then chambered a round.

[Redleg Duke]

Well, I don’t know where you took your basic, but we locked our M-14s (Put the safety on.) before we inserted a magazine into the mag well and then chambered a round.

[Yosemitest]

Watch this video, Loading and Shooting the M1 Garand.

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This is the source for that saying.

"The second explanation is that
the phrase (as "load and lock") originated during World War II
to describe the preparations required to fire an M1 Garand rifle.
After an ammunition clip was loaded into the rifle
the bolt automatically moved forward in order to "lock" a round into the chamber."

Or ... this source.

"This imperative phrase originally referred to the operation of the M1 Garand Rifle, the standard U.S. Army rifle of WWII. Its meaning is more general now, referring to preparation for any imminent event.


The original phrase was actually reversed, "load and lock."
The phrase refers to inserting a clip of ammunition into the rifle,
"loading," and "locking" the bolt forward
thereby forcing a round into the chamber.


The phrase first appears in Gach's 1941-42 In the Army Now. It was immortalized by John Wayne (who else?) in 1949's "Sands of Iwo Jima," where the Duke reversed the phrase to the current "lock and load."

I SAY AGAIN ... Watch this video, Loading and Shooting the M1 Garand

.

[SJSAMPLE]

That sounds insane.
Why would you cock a rifle and then pour powder down the bore and then begin ramming in the ball, which could cause the action to trigger?

I think the original meaning was lost somewhere and people just apply it to the genre or weapon they’re familiar with.

With the M-16, I was told to “lock” (a magazine in the well) and “load” a round into the chamber.

[neverdem]

Probably refers to loading a magazine that is still in the weapon, by using stripper clips. The bolt must be locked back then the rounds pushed down into the mag.

I load my SKS in this way, one clip of ten rounds, remove clip, pull back on the bolt handle and release to let it go into battery.

Maybe it was a command during World War II on U.S. rifle ranges for the M1 Garand?

[Fido969]

fully cock the action

As a frequent black powder shooter, and shooter of period pieces and flintlocks, I will state you would never do that if you were loading properly, not in 2010, 1810 or in 1710. The piece has a "half cock" position for that.

Maybe you would lock into half-cock, then load.

[I cannot think of a name]

Actually I have seen muskets and other muzzle loaders that had a lock that could be applied specifically for loading or for carrying through heavy brush.

Also, there are many varieties of Mouser, as well as other bolt action rifles, that can have the action cycled with the safety applied. It is always recommended that the safety be applied (action locked) before cycling live rounds.

[Yosemitest]

"It was immortalized by John Wayne (who else?)
in 1949's "Sands of Iwo Jima,"
where the Duke reversed the phrase to the current "lock and load." "

Having fired the M1 GARAND myself, I can understand John Wayne's reversing this saying.

BECAUSE ... you have to "LOCK" THE BOLT "BACK"
BEFORE ... you "LOAD" A FULL CLIP OF AMMO into the weapon.
Hence ... "LOCK and LOAD."

[04-Bravo]

“Lock and Load”

When used as a range command, the word “lock” traditionally means to set the weapon on “safe.” The term was used with the 1903 Springfield, and maybe even before that.

The ‘03 Springfield range command was “load and lock”, meaning to load five rounds from the stripper clip into the magazine, close the bolt, then set the three-position safety to the “safe” position, which also locked the bolt closed. It was even called a “safety lock.”

When the M1 Garand came into service, the range command was reversed to “lock and load”, since the M1 could be set to “safe” before it was loaded with the en bloc clip. The M14 used the same type of safety.

The traditional term “lock” was kept when the M16 was brought into service.

[SJSAMPLE]

I understand a positive safety, but why would you COCK any muzzle-loader before loading it?

[neverdem]

Thanks for the link & comments.

[I cannot think of a name]

I'm no expert on that, however I have several friends that are big black powder shooters. One of them has a gun that I am absolutely certain had some kind of small handle device that locks the hammer at least part of the way back while he loading. Maybe to allow burnt powder to be pushed out of the charging hole? Next time I see him at the range, I'll ask.

[Joe Brower]

Heh. I knew that tossing out my, er, 'half-cocked' idea would inspire some informative comments. $;-)

I never liked the term "lock and load". Too much bravado in it with today's vernacular. I always use the term "Make Ready". More businesslike, and more widely applicable.

[Terabitten]

What's the origin of that bass ackwards statement? A round has to be loaded into the action of a firearm before the action can be locked.

Lock the magazine into your rifle, then load a round into the chamber.

At least, that's how my drill sergeant explained it to me lo these many years ago.

[!1776!]

Ignoring the semantic, and I must say useless "lock and load discussion, there is something more important here...

After all, the idea of states rights is thought of as a conservative idea, and the process of incorporation uses the 14th Amendment to limit what the states can do.

This is an example of the ignorance that the left uses to smear conservatives. Stated plainly - they want states rights, but they support removing states rights.

We need to be more focused on directing the discussion to the true issue - this isn't about state rights, this is about personal rights for which no government, federal, state, or local, has the authority to interfere with. Period. This is specifically stated in the Bill of Rights, no questions asked unless you want to contort and torture the plain reading.

I could care less what "lock and load" means to anyone. The subtle dig in the article is - conservative ideals and respect for the Constitution are not compatible.

We really need to get better at countering this kind of BS.