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Old March 1, 2005, 01:08 AM   #1
hawken50
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any reason to unload a pistol before locking it up?

just looking for opinions. the reason i ask is i'm kinda leery of leaving a loaded gun not in my direct control. yes it is in a combination safe (touch pad type) but i just don't like to do it. on the other hand loading it takes time, granted not much (it's a semi auto) but if i'm gonna need it i'd like to have it ready quick like. also i've read that repeted cycling of ammo can be damaging to the round. like i said, just looking for opinions.
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Old March 1, 2005, 01:27 AM   #2
chris in va
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I leave mine loaded, ready to go...but you could always just have the mag loaded and separate from the gun. Slap in, rack and done.
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Old March 1, 2005, 02:11 AM   #3
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Howdy,
I have an electonic key pad safe as well. I leave mine loaded and chambered with the safety on. This may sound like paranoia but trying to load and chamber in the dead of night certainly would compromise your tactical advantage in my opinion.
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Old March 1, 2005, 09:15 AM   #4
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If you were to draw (safely) unload and reload everyday. Things start to become very natural. Rotate your rounds and you shouldn't have any problems. Also that RACKING of a round has a giddy up and go effect when heard by BG.
For what its worth just the way I like to do it.
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Old March 1, 2005, 09:31 AM   #5
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If it really worries you, don't chamber a round, but if its chambered and a DA, leave it in DA with saftey on. Perfectly safe, unless you pull the trigger.

And BIC, you said,

Quote:
Also that RACKING of a round has a giddy up and go effect when heard by BG.
Yep, sure does. Also alerts BG to the fact that you are awake, and armed, and takes away all element of suprise you may have had. If he is determined, now he KNOWS he HAS to KILL YOU FIRST. In my opinion, stupid move that looks good in movies, compromises you in real life.
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Old March 1, 2005, 09:47 AM   #6
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I live in a house with 3 other guys - all unfortunately not firearm saavy and reject requests to learn how to use them. (Side Note: I can't believe I found these people in TEXAS!). Anyways, I keep my 9mm chambered at night, but pop out the round and throw on a lock when I'm gone during the day. All of the other guns are locked up. Just rotate the rounds to avoid loading one cartridge too many times and occasionally take your defensive ammo to the range and shoot it out for some new stuff.
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Old March 1, 2005, 11:52 AM   #7
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God knows I'm a strong believer in securing all firearms but if it's in a safe ... it's secure whether it's got a round chambered or not. Chambering a round certainly doesn't take any time once you get the safe open, so whatever you feel best with.

Most of my firearms are stored unloaded, but the one I would grab for HD is ready to go.
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Old March 1, 2005, 03:53 PM   #8
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As I stated the way I like to do it Comments like in your opinion is a stupid move. I have to ask is that really nessasary.....It worked for me, only diffrence was it was a 870 12 gauge racking. not something in a movie...friend
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Old March 1, 2005, 04:08 PM   #9
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Leave it loaded the more you play the more chance for a ND. I agree racking a gun in middle of night no good. Some people aren't worried about sound of you shot gun . Cause they took cover and are waiting on you.
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Old March 1, 2005, 09:41 PM   #10
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Howdy,
You guys really gave me something to think about. As I stated earlier my handgun is locked in the safe with a round chambered and the safety on, I think it is important that one has as much as a tactical advantage as possible with a secured firearm.... However if I had a shotgun for home defense I think I would have it loaded but not chambered until trouble came stumbling in my house. I think the psychological effect of racking a pump shotgun is the international sign to get the heck outta of dodge.
I must admit I think it is a lot easier for me as it is most people to rack a shotgun than it is to chamber the first round in a pistol during clutch situations. Does anyone else feel this way?
I feel that a lot of it has to do with chambering a shotshell sounds a whole lot more intimidating than chambering a pistol round.
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Old March 2, 2005, 07:27 PM   #11
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The concept of SSV is often taught to those who may have to become involved in altercations in their employment.

As I recall, those elements are: Surprize, . . . Strength, . . . and Violence of Action.

Racking an 870, a 1911, or pulling back the hammer on a Colt .45 and spinning the cylinder would just throw the first element out.

To me, it is kinda like stepping up to bat, with one strike already levied against you.

If the bg has real good hearing, . . . he may hear the sound of my 1911 safety going off, . . . then again, his first indication may be my 1911 going off.

I really do not ever want to have to go through all the legal mumbo jumbo of proving it to be a legal "shoot", . . . but I want to preserve all the odds of my coming out as the one tried by 12, rather than the one carried by 6.

That is also why I shoot my 1911, . . . clean it (if it needs it), . . . load it, . . . and the next logical step is again the beginning: shoot it. I put it in my holster, in my pants, in my coat, in my truck, in my car, in my safe, on my nightstand, . . . loaded until it is shot. Just the way I do things.

One thing for sure about that system, . . . don't never have to ask the question: Is it loaded?

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Old March 2, 2005, 08:04 PM   #12
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A lot of good posts. My guns find their way to the safe at night on a spin dial combo but it is set so that I can get into it but not anyone else. (long story) I keep all my carries loaded in the safe. Anything I don't plan to carry or not use for awhile is unloaded.
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Old March 2, 2005, 08:13 PM   #13
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Bic wrote:

Quote:
Comments like in your opinion is a stupid move.
Would you mind trying that in english.....friend?

And I am just saying and yes it is my opinion, (although alot of people in the self defense world reguard it as common sense) that racking a shotgun or a pistol in the dead of night, in a home invation situation, only alerts the BG to your armed presence. You have immediately lost your element of surprise. If I were BG, and didn't see you, but heard that sound, it would put me on high alert, and FORCE me to act violently and kill you, even if it weren't my first intention, because now I know, you have a gun, and will no doubt shoot me.

Now because of your movie shotgun rack and scare the BG, I know you are armed, and with what, and I know your approximate location. I'll wait for you. You come on out in the dark to me......friend....
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Old March 2, 2005, 08:36 PM   #14
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Please excuse my punctuation....I think most understood, I got all the time in the world, to wait for you to come to me, BG dosn't....and if anyone thinks that your at an advantage coming through a doorway, in my home....to kill me all I can say is good luck....friend.
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Old March 2, 2005, 10:14 PM   #15
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You never want to reveal your position to a BG. That is common sense. I don't care how skilled you are, basic defense courses state this. It is a bad idea to give your location in a dark house with a bad guy in it. Don't rack the slide, not everything works like it does in the movies.
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Old March 4, 2005, 02:05 AM   #16
Wendi5000
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I was taught from when I as young, firearms safety - never, ever store a loaded gun... and for that matter, don't store the ammo with the gun. But of course, still treat every gun as if it is loaded, even if you know it isn't.

But... defensively speaking... you would have the advantage if the gun were already loaded. I liked the idea of keeping the mag loaded & ready...

Of course a lot of it depends on how secure your gun is, who *may* have access to it (can the BG get there first? Are there kids in the house? etc.)
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Old March 4, 2005, 04:00 AM   #17
too many choices!?
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Disclaimer: I don't have kids or particularly want them......

"Any reason to unload a pistol before locking it up"....Why would it need to be locked up? Was it bad? And why take the bullets out unless they are time delayed ? The only reason to unload a defensive firearm is to clean it or while "using" it("uload" while "using" get it ).....The only reason to lock up a defensive firearm is if it is not going with you(unless slide lock counts also)......reread my disclaimer at this time.....

The only other reason to unload a defensive firearm, would be if you are too forgetful to remember to use the safety rules.....In wich case I hear they are making some wicked stun guns now a days :barf:
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Old March 4, 2005, 11:53 AM   #18
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Got three locked & loaded in there right now - and I'm the only one with the combo.

Only thing I can think of beyond this is the fact that the magazine springs will compress over time with a fully loaded gun and your last round will start jamming because of a weak spring. One partial solution to that is leave one round out of the mag so the spring doesn't stay as compressed.
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Old March 4, 2005, 01:49 PM   #19
hawken50
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thanks for all the input. yes i do have kids, so the gun is locked up when not on me. i was taught the same as wendi5000, always unload a gun before you set it down, and always check the chamber when you pick one up. that's the reason for the question. i didn't think it was necessary to unload befor putting it in a safe but old habits die hard. (p.s. my old man taught me this and we only had rifles and shotguns.)
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Old March 4, 2005, 06:07 PM   #20
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I have Springfield XD. At night I usually keep it next to my bed with a loaded magazine but an empty chamber. My reasoning is because I don't like the gun sitting there cocked for extended periods of time. Correct me if I am wrong to think that having it cocked for days on end is bad for the gun.
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Old March 4, 2005, 06:16 PM   #21
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My use pistol only gets unloaded when I'm reloading, cleaning or preparing for transport.

All other pistols (1/2 doz) are in safe, unloaded, action open. That safe is bolted down bedside, and is electronic locking.

All ammo is in other safe. THAT safe is over 200lbs empty. With ammo...usually 3-4k rounds of 9mm, .45 & .22lr

Ammo safe is fire retardant (as it should be!), bedside safe is not.

I'm trying to work my way towards a big ol safe that will hold 12+ long guns, etc.

Rifles are also unloaded, in closet.

Magazines are locked up with ammo, not with guns. That way, if guns are accessed, it would take a leap of genius on one of my kids part to put that loose 9mm round into the chamber of my handgun/long gun and then fire it.

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Old March 4, 2005, 06:59 PM   #22
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Wendi, . . .

In a perfect world, the training you got (the same that I got also, by the way) about never storing a loaded gun, . . . great stuff.

It took all of one tour in VietNam, . . . I began to re-think that decision. Now, I shoot em, . . . clean em, . . . re-load em, . . . and be ready to shoot again.

Safe? Very much so I think, . . . they are in my gun safe (no pun intended) or in my holster, . . . or in my hand. Only exceptions are the ones my wife or son may have out of the safe.

I would like to have enough guns where I could keep the vast majority of them in a display rack, . . . unloaded, . . . shining for all to see: like the old sheriffs did on the westerns on television a few decades back. Flip side of that is that I just have working guns, . . . no display pieces.

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Old March 5, 2005, 12:25 PM   #23
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I don't have kids either; just me and my girlfriend, who are both responsible adults and fully capable of using the firearms I own (a .38spl and a .45ACP). The .38spl stays loaded ALL THE TIME as a home-defense gun and is kept in a hidden location where it's not easily found, but readily accessible in an emergency. The .45ACP is carried with me during the day, but kept unloaded at night (magazine unloaded as well, for the same magazine spring reason as noted by Nortonics).

The only time both guns are left completely unloaded and locked up (integrated system on the .45, trigger and/or cable lock for the .38) is when we will be away from home for an extended period and cannot carry (i.e. traveling out-of-state).

Once I finally order a spare mag for the .45, I will probably keep one mag loaded, one empty at night and alternate which mag stays loaded from night to night.

Steamboat, as far as leaving your XD "cocked", I don't necessarily see how it's bad for the pistol. Then again, my Bersa is a DA/SA and when loaded, is with hammer down/safety on.

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Old March 14, 2005, 02:34 PM   #24
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Well, a gun that's unloaded and cocked,ain't good for nothin!
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Old March 14, 2005, 04:44 PM   #25
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In my safe, the guns are unloaded.

Two years ago, my father-in-law died, and family from all over the states converged on his home. He had quite a collection of guns. I thank God that his widow refused to open his safe until I arrived to check the weapons. Every one of them was loaded and ready to go. Had the gun ignorant know-it-all son-in-law from Indiana had access to those guns, we would possibly had two funerals that week. Always consider that it may be someone other than yourself pulling a gun from that safe.

Now the HD shotguns and my CCW are another matter. They are outside the safe, hidden but accessible, and ready to go.
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