it can safely be left out

Honestly, I wouldn’t leave hammers lying around where kids could get to them any more than guns. The hammer will be less deadly, sure, but a dumb kid will still cause a lot of damage with it.

you don’t have to load it

True

or aim it

False, lol. You out there protecting yourself with unaimed hammer swings?

I trust my ability to swing and hit someone in a panic far more than I do my ability to handle a gun under the same pressure.

Skill issue. Requires training time.