Useless Gun Locks?

Most of my links are to liberals. I get all queasy when I read a string of pro-Bush blogs; so I don't usually link them, even when the writing is very, very good. One exception is The Smallest Minority. I love his standing offer to provide guns, ammunition, and the cost of using a range to anyone who has never fired a gun before. I avidly read news of the gun world on his blog. I enjoy every minute of it; especially the points I disagree on. But this is beyond ridiculous.

Ages ago, I bought a rifle. Shortly thereafter, I bought a gun lock. I wore the key on a cord around my neck. I carried the spare on my keyring. When my hubby bought his rifle, (a beautiful Enfield .303 bolt action sniper rifle) we immediately locked it. Perhaps, if we never had a child in the house -even as a guest- we might consider doing away with the locks. But really... If you have the time to get to your gun, switch off the safety, make sure there's a round in the chamber, and aim; then you can spare a few seconds to remove the lock. Otherwise, you may as well use it as a club.
I have a rifle for just in case. Just in case I need to hunt for food. Just in case the country falls apart. Just in case a crowd of rioters breaks into my home. In any of these instances, I'll have plenty of time to get that lock off my gun. If someone breaks into my home in the middle of the night, and I actually wake up; I'm more likely to hit the 911 button on the security monitor.

It would be foolish to have a child and a gun in the house, without the extra precaution of a gun lock. I'm proud to say that my son has never played with either of the two rifles in the house. He's never played with the collection of swords and knives. We taught him well. He understands the purpose of weapons, and he understands that they are not "cool".
Perhaps we taught him too well. He's 13, and he's still afraid to fire my rifle. I would like him to get comfortable with it. I would like him to practice. I would like for him to feel that rush of power, then put that feeling aside; so that he understands all the aspects of weapon ownership. And I let him proceed at his own pace. I will not force him to handle a weapon; but when he does, I want to be right there -teaching the difference between Hollywood and reality.