Maybe because they wanna be like Jack Palance in the movie Shane, throwing the pistol at the sheepherder's feet.
Palance: "Pick it up."
Sheepherder: "I don't wanna pick it up, mister, you'll shoot me."
Palance: "Pick up the gun."
Sheepherder: "Look mister, I don't want no trouble, I just came to town to get some hard rock candy for my kids, and some gingham for my wife. I don't even know what gingham is, but she goes through about 4 or 5 rolls a week of that stuff. I don't want no trouble, mister."
Palance: "Pick up the gun."
Palance: "You all saw him. He had a gun."
(quote from the late comedian Bill Hicks, gotta love him)