The origin of the term ‘Locked and Loaded’

The original terminology was ‘Lock’ and ‘Load’ and originated with the military and the M1 Garand back before WWII. The Range Officer would issue a series of commands to the recruits on the firing line.

“Lock”, ordered the shooter to pull back the operating rod that cleared the chamber and locked it in the open position.

“Load”, ordered the shooter to insert the clip, push it into the magazine and let the bolt cycle forward chambering the first round.

The next command was, “Commence Firing”.

These commands have morphed into the popular jargon ‘Locked and Loaded’, which refers to a live round in battery ready to be fired.

This is for those who didn’t already know that.

Now I always thought it originated with flintlock muskets as a statement of condition. I'm locked, eg my weapon is on half cock with priming powder in the pan, and loaded.

To "lock and load" was the command to place the lock in the half cocked position and load with ball and powder.

I have heard the phrase in a old t.v. show called Tour Of duty the sergeant would shout lock and load! at the men in his unit then the soldiers would pull the charging handles on their m16 rifles before going into battle.

When was the phrase "the eagle ****s" first uttered?

Heck, I thought it had something to do with 1911s!

JcMack said:

When was the phrase "the eagle ****s" first uttered?

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Probably right after the first time someone got hit with eagle ****.

jlrhiner said:

Now I always thought it originated with flintlock muskets as a statement of condition. I'm locked, eg my weapon is on half cock with priming powder in the pan, and loaded.

To "lock and load" was the command to place the lock in the half cocked position and load with ball and powder.

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This is where I understood it to be from also. But variations probably exist with adjustments to the arms used at any time.

With the Flint Musket,
The cadence was to 'lock' the musket lock in the 1/2cock position, open the frizzen and prime with a bit of the powder from the paper 'cartridge' the soldier had torn the end off with his teeth.
(Having at least 2 opposed teeth was a very important Military demand in those times.)

Close the frizzen, and then dump the remaining powder down the muzzle followed by the paper and ball wrapped in it. Ram the ball w/paper down onto the powder.
The paper becoming a patch of sorts in the smoothbore musket.
Speed & high volume of fire is what they were after.

Since the soldier is loading the projectile down the bore of an already primed lock with the frizzen closed,,,the distinct possibility of a discharge is present if the lock were to 'go off half cocked' due to a worn sear.
Or if the soldier had placed the lock on full cock for the priming phase instead of half cock.

In a well maintained arm,,the half cock or 'locked' position was considered safe for loading purposes by the Militarys of the world in an already primed flint lock long gun.

Good to know....I knew it originated from the military....but not pre WWII

And I thought it meant putting the safety on on the M1 Garand which blocked the trigger and then loading it---the safety being in the forward part of the trigger guard and engaged when pushing it into the guard, disengaging it by pushing it forward with the trigger finger.

While I don't date to WWII I do go back to 1959 and Army ROTC summer camp shooting the M-1, M-2 Carbine, BAR, and .30 Browning Machine Gun. The range officer's command was very clear and explicit. It was not simple "lock and load" as is usually portrayed. This was a three part command which leaves no question what was meant. The first order on arrival at the range was to open the bolt, to assure there were no loaded guns, just like on every range where organized shooting is being conducted.

Once on the line, and in shooting position, the next command was "Lock" which was clearly explained beforehand as meaning "Engage the Safety" or lock the action so it is safe. The final command was not simply "Load", but "With one cartridge (or with one clip of 8 rounds), load". This meant literally to place one cartridge in the chamber, or a full clip in the rifle, and close the bolt to prepare to fire. The final commands were the question "Ready on the right? Ready on the left?" The statement once everyone had indicated they were ready then was "Ready on the firing line". And, finally, "Commence firing!" Range commands exactly like this were used while I was on active duty several years later! The difference, with the M-14, was "With one magazine of (5 to 20) rounds, load!"

Thus, there is, properly, no such range command as "Lock and load"! These are simply two portions of several commands and questions during range firing exercises intended to assure safety on the range.

It strikes me that only someone who has never been in one of the military services would not understand the above meaning, or ask the question in the first place.

Another variation of this was at a Police range for bullseye competition, where the ready commands were always: "With 5 Rounds, Load, lock and come to ready pistol", then "Ready on the right, Ready on the Left, Ready on the Firing Line, Commence Firing"

JcMack said:

When was the phrase "the eagle ****s" first uttered?

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Well, for me, it was in around 1961 just before I turned 10 years old. One or two days a week during the summer I would go work with my dad (and get out of my mom's hair ). He had his own small business. I would hang out and help as much as a 9 year old kid could. Sometimes we would make a "run to the bank," usually to make a deposit. On one such occasion it turned out to the the 3rd of the month. The bank was overflowing with old folks. My dad, just rolled his eyes and said, "Oh boy, it looks like the eagle just ****." It was later explained to me that the old folks would get their Social Security checks on the 3rd of the month and RUN to the bank to cash them.

I also recall one time when my mom announced loudly to my dad when he got home one evening that a nice sized income tax refund had arrive. She did so by saying, "Look Shug, the eagle ****."

Wow , with so many folks now getting government handouts, I guess the eagle has a bad case of diarrhea.

"Lock and load" actually originated around the Year 2375 (Stardate 52000–52999) as documented in "Star Trek: Insurrection."

The android from the latest United Federation of Planets starship USS Enterprise (ship registry NCC-1701-E), Commander Data, was leading a group of crewmembers in battle against the Son'a and some renegade Federation members.

He raised his phaser (PHASed Energy Rectification) rifle and exclaimed "Lock and Load!"

"Lock" is the step to adjust the phaser beam's width which can range from a concentrated beam to a wide beam capable of encompassing several humanoid life forms at close range (actual specifications are classified).

"Load" is the step to adjust output power (effective from stun to complete disintegration). There is a misconception that "load" refers to the charging of the phaser system characterized by a high pitched whining sound but in modern day phaser technology, charging is instantaneous.

Live long and prosper.

LennyLames said:

"Lock and load" actually originated around the Year 2375 (Stardate 52000–52999) as documented in "Star Trek: Insurrection."

The android from the latest United Federation of Planets starship USS Enterprise (ship registry NCC-1701-E), Commander Data, was leading a group of crewmembers in battle against the Son'a and some renegade Federation members.

He raised his phaser (PHASed Energy Rectification) rifle and exclaimed "Lock and Load!"

"Lock" is the step to adjust the phaser beam's width which can range from a concentrated beam to a wide beam capable of encompassing several humanoid life forms at close range (actual specifications are classified).

"Load" is the step to adjust output power (effective from stun to complete disintegration). There is a misconception that "load" refers to the charging of the phaser system characterized by a high pitched whining sound but in modern day phaser technology, charging is instantaneous.

Live long and prosper.

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Yes, that's all well and good, but Jolene Blalock was still sexier. Even if she never said "lock and load" and walks around with her finger in the trigger guard. Hey, she's Vulcan. She has good finger control. Deal with it.

As with so many things Army, it was probably a garbling of a command found in a manual-which nobody has read for 40 years or so-that was then handed down and passed from mouth to mouth until it became Gospel Truth. I ran plenty of ranges and I never had any formal instruction, it was always "watch the experienced guys." or remember what you saw in BCT.
When I went through BCT at Fort Dix in the Summer of 1967, if you fired a tight shot group-all 3 rounds touching with the M-14 on the 1000 inch range you had fired a "Ballantine group"-named after a then popular brand of beer whose logo was 3 rings touching. However, it was available only in the Northeast NJ-NYC area, when I mention to veterans who went through BCT at other posts, they give me a blank stare.
2 phrases from the black powder era are still with us-"Lock, Stock and Barrel" and "going off half cocked".

BLACKHAWKNJ said:

2 phrases from the black powder era are still with us-"Lock, Stock and Barrel" and "going off half cocked".

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Add "a flash in the pan."

Kelly Green said:

The original terminology was ‘Lock’ and ‘Load’ and originated with the military and the M1 Garand back before WWII. The Range Officer would issue a series of commands to the recruits on the firing line.

“Lock”, ordered the shooter to pull back the operating rod that cleared the chamber and locked it in the open position.

“Load”, ordered the shooter to insert the clip, push it into the magazine and let the bolt cycle forward chambering the first round.

The next command was, “Commence Firing”.

These commands have morphed into the popular jargon ‘Locked and Loaded’, which refers to a live round in battery ready to be fired.

This is for those who didn’t already know that.

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This is what is reported in the current issue of American Rifleman.

calmex said:

... Hey, she's Vulcan. She has good finger control. Deal with it.

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And a belly button?!

I don't think real Vulcans have belly buttons.

Lint is just so ..... illogical.

JcMack said:

When was the phrase "the eagle ****s" first uttered?

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The actual phrase "The Eagle Flies On Friday..." is from the song Stormy Monday by T-Bone Walker. Laborers were paid on Friday and in that era the quarters and fifty cent pieces had Eagles on the back. Throw a quarter to the bartender for drinks and the Eagle was flying!