Pre-war MAS 36

[browningautorifle]

Changed my mind...not worth arguing with people that have little or no experience in the military, talking about what we do.

[Aragorn243]

Must be a Canadian vs US thing is all I can figure. Not using a safety is old fashioned, connection with seatbelts being the same. Some people just don't want to accept new things despite safeties being around for a long time. I have never heard of an accident occurring because of a failed safety. Idiots using guns yes, but not a failed safety. Pennsylvania has a million hunters in the deer woods every season all carrying fully loaded rifles with safeties being used, a required firearms safety course being given prior to the first license being issued and almost no incidents in the deer seasons. Most incidents are all in spring gobbler season with idiots not following the law and failing to identify targets.

[browningautorifle]

Must be a Canadian vs US thing

No, we military carry loaded and on safe. Wait until Sentryduty wakes up and comes over for more testimony.

[Aragorn243]

No, we military carry loaded and on safe. Wait until Sentryduty wakes up and comes over for more testimony.

Sorry, I know better than to lump everyone together. Just feeling baffled by the entire concept.

[Sentryduty]

No, we military carry loaded and on safe. Wait until Sentryduty wakes up and comes over for more testimony.

Interesting turn this has run.

Our military practice is, aside from formal ranges, if one is in an area where shooting is reasonably expected be necessary, the weapon is loaded, a round placed in the chamber, and the weapon on safe. Blank or ball, rifle, MG, Grenade Launcher, or Bushmaster 25mm Autocannon, this is practice.

However weapons handling is extremely regimented, and safeties are not "tested" by yanking with the booger hook. Negligent Discharges (ND) all result in charge parade, around $400 (and up) or so is what I remember hearing assigned, from Private to Top Officers, an ND is applicable. It is taken very seriously, Cpl. Sxxxxx was once charged for an ND, by making light of the rash of ND's (two) on exercise once by shouting "bang!" during a field O Group.

I weapon with an untrustworthy safety is considered "Not Servicable" (NS) and should be repaired. A safety is only one facet of proper weapons handling, to include controlling the muzzle etc, and I use it as trained and designed. I have am aware of this carry empty and chamber when ready to fire stuff, both in civilian hunting and historical military, but to carry with a weapon loaded and on safe as habit serves as a weighty reminder of this weapon is always loaded, and the responsibility it requires. Carry on an empty chamber generally leads to carelessness and a lax attitude with empty weapons which follow into live handling.

As quite usual, Jim had this wrapped up before daylight broke over my slit trench.

[Eaglelord17]

There have been cases of safeties failing and killing people. A great example is the Remington 700. I have also personally seen two situations where broken safeties could have resulted in discharges as soon as the safety was taken off. One was a M1903 Springfield where the safety held the striker however it didn't hold it far enough behind the sear so when the safety was disengaged the striker would drop and fire a round. The other was a sporterized Lee Enfield where the safety had a bad habit of just disengaging of its own free will (i.e. rotating to fire when it was supposed to be in safe).

I have also seen cases where people who don't know what they are doing have done a 'trigger job' where the round would fire if the bolt was closed due to lack of sear contact.

Advocating that someone carries there firearm with the chamber empty isn't a safety issue. The biggest thing is to have the firearm in a safe direction at all times, though we all know this here. It is simply a different methodology to the same problem. Even in the States you see a fair bit of people concealed carry with a empty chamber, again due to safety concerns. Personally I prefer not to rely on mechanical systems if I don't have to, they can fail. Its up to the individual for what they prefer.