The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - unloaded gun, okay for slide locked open?

**44 AMP** · August 11, 2014, 09:37 AM

While springs today are better than ever in the past, it is still a poor idea to store them compressed, if there is any other acceptable solution.

When circumstances permit all springs should be relaxed as much as the design allows for. This is storage. Long term, short term, and permanent storage are different things.

Permanent storage is the gun coated with preservative, and capable of sitting for decades or more safely. A fair amount of work is required to return the gun to a ready condition.

Long term storage is the gun well lubed and protected, can be left for months, maybe years safely. A small amount of work is needed to ready the gun (dry patch down the bore, etc.)

Short term or "ready" storage is the gun cleaned and lubed and ready to run, simply stored for a few days or weeks.

Situational conditions determine which is used, and when.

Safes store things. Things you don't need instantly. It takes some time to open a safe, and although its a short time, if there is something you are going to need as fast as you can get hands on it, putting it in a safe is a poor idea.

Perhaps one of the small fast open handguns storage cases/safes (not the general storage safe) would be a better solution in your situation?

August 11, 2014, 09:37 AM	#20
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,833	While springs today are better than ever in the past, it is still a poor idea to store them compressed, if there is any other acceptable solution. When circumstances permit all springs should be relaxed as much as the design allows for. This is storage. Long term, short term, and permanent storage are different things. Permanent storage is the gun coated with preservative, and capable of sitting for decades or more safely. A fair amount of work is required to return the gun to a ready condition. Long term storage is the gun well lubed and protected, can be left for months, maybe years safely. A small amount of work is needed to ready the gun (dry patch down the bore, etc.) Short term or "ready" storage is the gun cleaned and lubed and ready to run, simply stored for a few days or weeks. Situational conditions determine which is used, and when. Safes store things. Things you don't need instantly. It takes some time to open a safe, and although its a short time, if there is something you are going to need as fast as you can get hands on it, putting it in a safe is a poor idea. Perhaps one of the small fast open handguns storage cases/safes (not the general storage safe) would be a better solution in your situation? __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.