Captain Williams: Your house- your rules. Practice any way you like. I don't live anywhere near Texas nor do any of my family members so your 500 NE round cannot reach me or mine. I have personal knowledge of 3 handgun negligent discharges but only one rifle negligent discharge. It involved a 308 rifle, stripper clips and a target shooter who has probably sent more rounds downrange than you and I combined. He too swore there were no loaded 308 rounds "anywhere near the rifle". Fortunately, the only damage was to a doorknob which was used as an aiming point and a concrete foundation wall. Check with Thunder Ranch, Gunsite and Front Site as to how many incidents of this type occur each year. Of course, to my knowledge no fighter pilots were involved.

Sorry, I agree with Todd. My sons and I clear our weapons religiously, before putting them in the safe, when we first take them out, etc. etc. We are also very very careful with muzzle control, always. We also dry fire, not as much as I used to, but a significant amount. If I can't trust someone to dry fire with a snap cap safely, I sure as hell don't want to hunt with them.

There are only two ways to condition a firearm to reside in a home! One is LOADED, and other is UNLOADED! Which ever way you choose should be consistent. Everyone who comes in that home should be made aware they are not to handle any firearm in that home if they don’t live there.

The home owner and his semi-adult family should be trained as to when, how and why to handle any firearm in that home.

Regardless of where you encounter a firearm it should be considered as loaded until verified to be unloaded.

There are two ways this is safe from different schools of thought! A firearm for the protection of the home LOADED but secured is the ONLY way to go! As John Wayne said in the movie TRUE GRIT, “A gun that is unloaded ain’t worth nothin!”

To protect from an accident, especially from outsiders, UNLOADED and still secured is the way to go. I always have a loaded handgun on my person, and the rest of my firearms are in my vault unloaded.

I don’t dry fire firearms, but that is not to say others shouldn’t do it safely. I just don’t see much benefit in the practice. Without the recoil it just seems wasted wear on the firearm to me. I do enjoy stump shooting, and I believe that is the most beneficial practice one can do. Although any type of practice is better than none at all!
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As much as I love doubles, I still realize their limitations. That being said, I think that Elephant hunting is where doubles come into their own. The ranges are short (iron sights), and the game is close (2 immediate shots). Since this is your first Elephant hunt, you owe it to yourself to put the time in to become familiar with the double, by any of the methods mentioned by others here. An Elephant with a double rifle is an experience you don't want to miss.

Doubles have their limitations, but also their strengths. Agree with Ivan: thats what I did when I got my first double. Except no sights.