Geez, if I didn't know better, I might think I'd offended you <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I suspect neither of us, by mutual agreement, are likely to become hunting partners.

Other than that, all I can say is that in the military, as far as I can recall, it was drummed into us that you never chambered a round unless you intended to fire the weapon, and that the safety on a gun was a device for lulling the unwary. (In particular, the 9mm SMG used by the Canadian Army in those days was notorious for its ability to squeeze off a round with the safety engaged; in fact, I believe it would actually chamber a round AND fire with the safety engaged if you dropped it butt-first on the ground.)

Of course, this was sometimes taken to extremes, such as the time the Penitentiary Guards went on strike and the army was called in to patrol the maximum security institution in Kingston, and the officer in charge refused to allow his men to load magazines in their rifles - until a Mountie NCO caught on and tore a strip off him in front of his men. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

In deference to norad, I've never fired a revolver (in fact, I don't think I've even held one) and I'm not familiar with the built-in safety precautions on them, so my comments were not intended to apply to them. (As an aside, hunting with handguns is illegal in Canada.)

Perhaps "irresponsible" was too strong a word. On the other hand, as a matter of personal preference, I won't go into the woods with anyone who feels it necessary to shave milliseconds off their quickdraw reaction time, and I prefer not to vacation in locales where such attitudes are deemed necessary.

Your Mileage May Vary, as they say <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />