Half cock

[mike16]

safe fire arms handling is as much a state of mind as a mechanical contrivance on a rifle.

range handling and hunting handling are like comparing apples and oranges.

why not remove the bolt and lock it in one safe and lock the rifle in another safe, perhaps on another planet and dont possess any ammo...just in case. this mindless one upmanship does nothing to help understand how to operate the enfield safely.

range safety is the set of rules you agree to play by when on the range.

hunting may be the same set of rules or another set...

the rules are in place because idiots dont know what they are doing. safely handling a fire arm is a mind set that starts with a clear understanding of the capabilities of your weapon. stoopit idiots will always endager others no mater what the rules say.

I've been to a range where you must remove the bolt from the fire arm , unload it, and put a red flag in the chamber, step back from your weapon behind a designated white line and hold both arms in the air and are not allowed to go neer the rifle until the RO says so. thats how stoopit some idiots are. vendors even sell wool lined pouches for bolts so its not just lawyers who capitalise on idiocy. I know of a range officer who insisted on putting a rod down the barrel. If you refused to allow him to rod your gun you were invited to leave the range.You could not convince him that it damaged the muzzle and rifling. Or rather "safety" took priority over damage to the rifle. This jerk actualy tried to get Bullet traps set next to each table so you would put the barrel in it while you essentialy disassebled your rifle and waited for him to strut over and damage it further with his phalic rod. That idea was nix'd. it got so bad that we boycotted the range while he RO'd it. He made such a fool of himself during several competitions that within 7 months he was DX'd. too safe is just as bad as not safe enough.

I have always embraced Darwins theory on stupidity.

I carry a loaded enfield on half cock and pointed in a safe direction, without my finger on the trigger. havent had a missfire so fare but again , its pointed in a safe direction just in case. I am very conscieous of whom I am around when it comes to safe handleing of fire arms. zero tollerance for fools and idiots.