Looking for a few wise old men.

[Mstrty]

Can someone who has been there done that tell me where the phrase "lock and load" comes from? Why is it not load then lock. Im assuming it has nothing to do with artillery, or maybe adopted from something else cause It sounded cool. Amy way I will sit back and listen to the wise men school the uneducated.

[Once A Marine]

I believe it's a shorthand range command to "place your weapon on safe, load, and stand by for further command."

With the advent of magazine fed rifles, the term can also mean to "lock a magazine in place and load."

[Librarian]

This looks like the explanation for the word order:

There is not direct correlation between the saying "Lock and Load" and modern weapons.
It stems from the Percussion rifle and pistol such as used in the Civil War.

The "Load" is obvious but the "Lock" came from the term used for the hammer and trigger on these weapons. The Trigger, "Locked" the hammer to the rear. Hammers were always locked during loading, so that once the powder and projectile was rammed into the barrel, the soldier could place the percussion cap over the nipple and be ready to fire.

The recognized method of firing a Percussion weapon was to fire, then "Lock" the hammer, discard the cap, blow into the barrel, move it away from your face and pour in the new charge, start the bullet and ram it home, replace the ram rod, bring the weapon back up into a ready position, install a new cap, and fire. I think cocking the weapon and removing the spent cap prior to loading was probably a safety measure, as was blowing into the barrel. Many times, after repeated firings, there would be powder residue in the breech and it might have a glowing ember. By "Locking" the weapon with the hammer back and removing the spent cap, the barrel was allowed to vent some before the new charge was poured. That's another reason for holding the muzzle away from your face when pouring powder. I would imagine many inexperienced shooters gained unwanted experience when they bent over the muzzle to watch the fresh powder charge pour into the barrel only for it to find one of those smoldering embers from the last shot. OUCH.

[Greg-Dawg]

Sands of Iwo Jima

Lock and load, boy, lock and load.

[Mstrty]

3 people 3 explanations were batten a thousand so far.

[Librarian]

Maybe you got the 'old' but the 'wise' have not yet answered? [I resemble that remark!]

[MAC USMC]

LIBRARIAN is totally correct on "lock and load". It is a very old term.

[MAC USMC]

BRAIN TEASER - KNOW THE ANSWER?

We all know that there is FUZE as well as a FUSE term in the English language.

Do you know why there are two spellings and the diffence between them"

[Sunwolf]

I dunno,I`m a north going zax.

[Doheny]

Why is it not load then lock.

I've always wondered the same thing.

[Once A Marine]

This looks like the explanation for the word order:

I'd have to side with this one as the original meaning.

[bsim]

"Lock" the slide back, then "Load" a magazine. One button push from battery when ready.

[Mstrty]

Maybe you got the 'old' but the 'wise' have not yet answered? [I resemble that remark!]

Ok I will go with Librarians post since our civil war veterans are no longer with us. but still keeping an open mind

[MAC USMC]

FUZE vs. FUSE ANSWER

A fuze is a mechanical device to set off a bomb, rocket, or other device. Can be a spring, or mercury switch, gravity switch, pressure switch, etc.

A fuse is a burning type device (Detcord, etc.) used to set off explosives.

Currently the two terms are being used inter-changeably --- but incorrectly.

[Fjold]

3 people 3 explanations were batten a thousand so far.

Speaking of odd sayings: It's "batting one thousand" not "batten a thousand".