"Locked and Loaded" -- or, 'Euphony Farts'

The phrase "locked and loaded" has long puzzled me. It relates most specifically to preparedness to employ firearms, but it's always seemed to me to make more sense the other way 'round -- "loaded and locked". Here's the best explanation of it I've seen so far: (I got it from here.)

- - -

"Lock and Load"

The origin of the phrase "lock and load" is not entirely clear, as there are two similar, yet distinct, explanations for its origin. Regardless of its exact origin, the phrase has come to relate to any activity in which preparations have to be made for an immediate action.

One explanation of the phrase comes from the actions needed to prepare a flint lock rifle for firing. In order to safely load a rifle of this type it was necessary to position the firing mechanism in a locked position, after which the gun powder and ball could be safely loaded into the rifle barrel without any chance of the rifle misfiring.

The second explanation is that the phrase (as "load and lock") originated during World War II to describe the preparations required to fire an M1 Garand rifle. After an ammunition clip was loaded into the rifle the bolt automatically moved forward in order to "lock" a round into the chamber.

- - -

'Loaded and locked' is not so euphonious, though.

I suspect that when you hear an American politician use the phrase "locked and loaded", what you're hearing is a horse's ass blowing a euphony fart -- a bit of meaningless, good-sounding drivel meant to make the politician appear 'tough' -- tough on crime; tough on drugs; tough on terror; tough on whatever.

I further suspect that a great deal of what the mainstream media pass off as news/information ia nothing more than a whole stream of euphony farts.

# # #