"Paul J. Adam" wrote:

In message , B2431
writes
From: "Paul J. Adam"
As a firearms enthusiast, Jim, you might be familiar with the phrase
"going off half-cocked".

Paul, that term comes from having an accident while stuffing one's side arm
into the front waist of one's pants.


Dan may have been joking a little Paul

Sorry, Dan, but it dates back to the flintlock days: back when you'd
half-cock your firelock so you could charge the pan, and a
fumble-fingered soldier or one cursed with a badly-made weapon
(remember, this was before mass production and interchangeable parts)
could discharge his weapon at an inopportune moment.


That might have been so too , but modern weapons have that 'half
cock' feature, it's done to keep the hammer off the firing pin,
this position locks the hammer from being released by the
trigger, but you likely knew that already...now a question, do
you know how "flash in the pan" originated?





And whether you call the relevant garment pants, shorts or trousers, I
was only sticking a loaded and ready firearm in there if there was a
proper holster ready to receive it

--

-Gord.