This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things... Or Guns.

SSG Swan, I agree with your comments to a degree. Where I diverge is primarily this: one does not have to be able to tear a weapon down and put it back together to a certain skill level to understand and use proper gun safety and thus be able to successfully carry and employ a firearm. Nor does a professional level of skill in breakdown and reassembly mean an individual is safe with a given firearm. It is the gun owner/bearer's personal responsibility that is in question and it is a great responsibility. Someone with a lot more smarts than me once said, "With great power comes great responsibility." Unless we are properly prepared to take this responsibility and its repercussions, then we should not be carrying firearms.

CPL Robert Ray - I really can see what you mean. I wanted to put more in there, but I'm a firm believer in knowing the weapons and what it can/cannot do. Imagine if someone had a DE.50cal. They are feeling kinda John Wayneish. Now someone familiar with weapons knows that the round from that will go through a lot before stopping. If you were knowledgeable, you'd know to check your backdrop. One round makes a big difference. Plus I'm using me and you as examples. We know to check the door, pay attention to what looks weird or out of place. The one who doesn't will be the one that causes the hell. Once you fire and you "thought", "felt", "assumed", or anything close to that, a good idea just went out the window, and we'll never live it down. I still believe in if the weapon is cleaned, neither you or me will hear that "click" when the hammer falls. It's the little things you take for granted that really do hurt the most. But BELIEVE ME I see what you're talking about. I even agree with it, but Carl will fuck it up for us, and if he doesn't Ol Murph is right there.

SSG Warren Swan - When you're right, you're right. I do believe if you can't clean your weapon, you shouldn't shoot it. And a clean weapon is a happy weapon! Certainly, though, to me, weapon safety is all about knowing your systems capabilities, limitations, and how to clean. But it is also about target selection, range (backdrop, as you put it) safety and situational awareness, and weapon security, amongst many other things. So I think that we are on the same page (probably on the same paragraph and sentence, too). I just used different words to say it, I suppose.