Quote:
Originally Posted by Jazuela
Trigger locks are not part of the gun culture, in general. Most people with firearms don't have them, don't use them, and some don't even know what they are. Similarly to drivers of cars and trucks: The vast majority of drivers buckle up - not because it's the law, but because the law and the existence of these belts have changed the culture of drivers.
So change the culture of gun owners, by having all firearms come with trigger locks installed and locked, upon initial sale. Some folks won't use them. But eventually, more people will, than won't, because this one change will have changed the culture such that their use is just an automatic thing people do. Like stopping at red lights - those didn't always exist, afterall. But the culture was changed. Even a typical law-breaking person who drives too fast, is very likely to stop at a red light as opposed to ignoring it.
There's no barrier preventing anyone from running a red light. But they stop anyway. Because the culture has changed.
That's what I mean about changing the culture of gun owners.
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Trigger locks have their place in safety, like storing a firearm that is in your home and not in a safe, so that a child can not stumble across the firearm and accidentally discharge it (if the owner is stupid enough to leave it loaded). Or if a firearm owner is traveling so that if they go into a store someone can not steal the firearm from the car and easily use it. However, in my home state of Massachusetts, they have gone overboard with the requirements. My pistol needs to be stored in a safe or with a trigger lock, unloaded. The ammunition needs to be stored in a separate, locked area. So if a thief breaks into my home, I need to tell him/her, excuse me, please wait her while I unlock my pistol, then go to a separate area and unlock my ammunition. Then please wait patiently while I load my firearm. I don't think someone who has no regard of the law, and has already broken into my home, will abide. I am better off owning a knife, baseball bat, or Ax to protect my family. Oh well, so goes it in the state of Massachusetts.