Full Magazine for HD?

[tyro]

What is the consensus: A full magazine for HD, or minus one shell so as to not compromise the spring?

[jthuang]

I don't know if a consensus exists. :)

I keep mine downloaded by one to preserve spring life. Total magazine capacity in my Benelli is seven shells, so I have six in the tube and one on the shell lifter.

Justin

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Justin T. Huang, Esq.
late of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

[Coinneach]

Consensus amongst gunnies? Surely you jest!

I keep my Mossberg fully loaded (including the chamber), and a buttcuff with 6 extra shells. In for a penny...

[tyro]

Justin: "....and one on the shell lifter" -Does that mean the position of the shell when the fore-end is in the rearward position and the receiver is open?

[Shok]

I keep mine completely unloaded and will do so till my kids are older. In the future I will load the tube full and the chamber empty. Until you get a DAO shotgun I would never store the gun with one in the chamber (never trust the safety). One on the lifter sounds OK but not in the chamber IMO.

Shok

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"In 1789, when used without any qualifying adjective, 'the militia' referred to all citizens capable of bearing arms."
Akhil Reed Amar, Yale University

[Coinneach]

Until you get a DAO shotgun I would never store the gun with one in the chamber (never trust the safety).

Shok, by that reasoning, I should carry my 1911 in Condition 3. :rolleyes:

[jthuang]

tyro,

Having "one on the shell lifter" with a Benelli means that the bolt is closed on an empty chamber with a shell on the shell lifter. There is no slide with a Benelli M1S90, as it is a semi-auto shotgun.

Here's an informative article (however, I disagree with some of its points on the relative merits of semi-autos and pumps) which you may want to peruse:

http://www.angelfire.com/tx/ShotGun/TTS.html

It, by the way, mentions that you should download by -1 to avoid spring set.

HTH,

Justin

[taco]

My 870 has 6 shot tube but I download 1 shot and chamber empty with hammer down.

[Badger Arms]

Mossberg Markets a Double Action Shotgun.
http://www.mossberg.com/pcatalog/Specpurp.htm

Also, I load the magazine completely but leave the chamber empty, hammer back and safety on. It's a simple matter of flipping the safety off and cycling the action. That noise will solve most problems. Hell, I'd buy 20 new shotgun springs and swap them out once a week if I thought loading the gun up would make a difference. My opinion, Stuff it full. (btw, I only use 2 3/4" Magnum 12 pellet buck so that might give me a smidge more spring space if I cared)

[tuc22]

I'll second what Erick said. Empty chamber, mag downloaded by one + some rounds in a side saddle, buck and slug.

[This message has been edited by tuc22 (edited July 28, 2000).]

[CMOS]

Fully loaded with one in the chamber.

Not for a second do I buy that "let them hear the sound of the bolt being racked!" line.

Be prepared.

CMOS

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NRA? Good. Now join the GOA!

The NRA is our shield, the GOA will be our sword.

[Icopy]

Empty chamber, mag downloaded by one. If the sound of me racking the slide, whether it be a pistol or a shotgun, doesn't scare the BG away, the next sound sure will.

[Dave McC]

Cruiser ready....

Empty chamber, full mag(downloaded one rd), safety on, action locked shut.

Kept this way, it's very hard for kids or untrained adults to fire the weapon, but fast for a trained person to activate..