Tam: “I think Elmer Keith had a good idea when he kept all his guns loaded, all the time.

That way you wouldn’t get into the mindset of thinking ‘Well, this one’s not really loaded…’”

You know what? I generally reject the idea of habits around this stuff. “Generally,” I said. Thinking about it in a largely context of zero-defect performance, I recall that my airplane pre-flights used to sort of look like a routine, but the only routine thing about it was a conscious demand of myself to actively think about every single item in the checklist.

That’s the thing: to keep thinking all the time.

When it comes to things like guns and airplanes — to my mind — every element that can possibly be relegated to unconscious routine is a serious danger. A “mindset” is an abdication of thought, and that’s the worst thing that a human being can come to.

“Always keep your gun in the holster unless cooking dinner” is a new one to me. But what about breakfast and lunch?

Ok, I’m a xenophobe and a racist and totally ashamed of myself.

The CZ 75 SP-01 I bought a few months ago has a lanyard ring. They’re still around.

My favorite warning label remains the one I saw on a Henkels knife package: “Never try to catch a falling knife”

We used to play a lot of darts, and if one bounced all the way back to you, and you caught it, you got a free re-throw.

Ya gotta use your judgement. For a gun, I’d try to get a foot in the way not to break the fall entirely, but to slow it down a bit. A little change in velocity might make the difference between an AD and not firing. A Glock (as in this case) you can let fall unimpeded, with confidence in your safety.

Knives, motorcycles, and chainsaws, I’ll let drop. Screws also . . . trying to catch a screw might result in a screw across the room . . . just watch very carefully to see where it falls.

1. Always point in a safe direction
2. Don’t touch trigger until ready to fire
3. Keep unloaded until ready to use

Just finished the instructor course so it’s fresh in my mind.

NRA teaches 10 rules, not 4. A lot of people like to skip: ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.

I think Elmer Keith had a good idea when he kept all his guns loaded, all the time.

That way you wouldn’t get into the mindset of thinking “Well, this one’s not really loaded…”

Character on guns=good. Character on body=bad.

Other than old single action revolvers, will many guns fire if dropped? Is a slightly marred finish worth putting your body in front of a firearm barrel while you grab at it?

I was a Chemist once, and while glassware is expensive most beakers usually contained something that a “foot break” would splatter all over me. I learned to let a dropped beaker fall, and to get out of the splatter zone if possible. Guns might should be treated similarly.

Sure, it has to be reconciled against CCW, but too many people ignore the principle altogether.

I wouldn’t put it in with the Four Rules, but it’s one of those important corollaries, like “Guns & Booze Don’t Mix”.