Re: Lock and Load

["Michael H. Warfield" <mhw@wittsend.com>]

Mix enscribed thusly:
> Jim Choate wrote:
> > Forwarded message:
> > > Not being a native English speaker, I do not understand the
> > > meaning and origin of the phrase "LOck and Load".
> >
> > It means to lock the rifles safety and load it's chamber in preperation for
> > firing at an enemy. It is usualy used in a military context but head-bangers
> > and such use it when talking about loading their bongs and I am shure other
> > groups use it as well in various contexts.


> Wait a second, aren't we supposed to load first and lock later? How
> can you load a rifle if it is on safety? 

	The reference goes back to old flint lock muzzle loaders.  You would
"lock" the firing mechanism in a safety position (kind of a half cocked
position), then load it through the muzzle (picture this and some old
cartoons about raming a ball on top of gun powder down the muzzle of a
riffle and the possiblities to picture why you would want this locked on
"safety"), then finish cocking the rifle to prepare it to fire.  This also
relates to the term "half cocked" since a rifle that was only half cocked
(in its locked position) was not ready to fire.  So going off "half cocked"
became a reference to going into something unprepared while "lock and load"
evolved into a reference to actively or vigorously preparing to engage in
something, be it a battle, an arguement, or what ever...

	Mike
-- 
 Michael H. Warfield    |  (770) 985-6132   |  mhw@WittsEnd.com
  (The Mad Wizard)      |  (770) 925-8248   |  http://www.wittsend.com/mhw/
  NIC whois:  MHW9      |  An optimist believes we live in the best of all
 PGP Key: 0xDF1DD471    |  possible worlds.  A pessimist is sure of it!