04/18/2026
“All guns are always loaded” is one of the most repeated—and most misleading—phrases in fi****ms training.
I understand the intent. It’s meant to drive caution. But it’s not accurate, and more importantly, it doesn’t teach real gun handling.
There’s a tragic video circulating of a retired police officer shooting a student during a training exercise. Predictably, the comments are full of “all guns are always loaded.” That kind of thinking misses the point.
A firearm has a condition—and it’s our responsibility to know it.
If all guns were always loaded, we couldn’t:
* clear them
* dry fire them
* disassemble and clean them
* verify them safe for training
We do those things safely every day because we confirm status, not assume it.
Telling people “it’s always loaded” is like telling a child the stove is always hot. It might prevent a mistake early on, but it doesn’t build understanding. It doesn’t build competence.
The standard should be higher:
Know the condition of your firearm at all times. If you do not know, stop and verify. Never proceed on assumption.
That’s not a slogan—that’s responsibility.
