Taking A Good Idea Too Far

Making sure your weapon is empty: Good Plan.

Institutionally and obsessively checking that weapon so many times you're actually breaking guns:  Bad Plan.

"[E]very soldier had to demonstrate his or her weapon was empty by pointing it down toward a barrel of sand and pulling the trigger, causing it to make the “click”"

That almost seems reasonable, right?

Diamond's clearing barrel thing reminded me of something I'd read about from more than one source.

They're making the troops do this every time they pass a clearing barrel, and those things are popping up like they're some kind of cash crop.

Then there's that click.  It's got to go CLICK.

The M16 and M4 aren't double action, that means you've got to charge the weapon to get the hammer cocked to get a click.

The troops are charging their rifles so often they're starting to break lugs off the bolts from the repeated slamming on the empty chambers.  ("This wouldn't happen with an M14!" --W. Fleetwood)

 A recurring thought about this and the military.

Sooner or later, Sir, we're going to have to trust them with ammo.
Sooner or later, Sir, we're going to have to trust them with their weapons loaded.
Sooner or later, Sir, we're going to have to trust them to shoot their weapons while we're forward of them.