Poll: Rack the shotgun?

[boomvark]

Originally posted by kentucky_Dave:
He racked it because he kept the chamber empty for safety.

It makes perfect sense to me.
Rack as you bring it up on target, if they hear it and run, great, if not, there is a bead on the threat...as desired.

This makes the most sense to me also, in a HD context. I do, in fact, keep my 870 with chamber empty, for reasons that you (and others) have already covered. It's just that I would be racking the slide to chamber the first round, not assuming it would scare the BG away. If it did have that effect--which seems at least somewhat likely, if this thread is a reliable indication--then so much the better.

What I really need to do, though, is practice tactical reloads with my H&R singles, since those are the shotguns I'm much more likely to have at hand.

 

[DAVIDSDIVAD]

When a drunk friend came pounding on my door at 2 a.m. one night( we didn't open the door until we figured out it was him) he nearly messed his pants at the sight of the big black meanie hanging off of my right arm.

The funniest part was that he hadn't seen it until he caught sight of the glowing front sight.


I'm all for any means of resolving a sitation without having to hurt anybody.

If that means taking the extra second to yell at them or to rack the shotgun so they can hear it, I'll do it.

 

[Zedo]

Yeah, rack that puppy --

Give the bad guy a position indicator to shoot at.

There are a zillion Viet Cong in Nirvana Land because the AK-47 makes a loud "click" when the safety is released -- giving away their position.

First sound the bad guy needs to hear is the crack of the bullets breaking the sound barrier -- followed shortly by the boom of the muzzle blast.

 

[NonConformist]

I sold an Old SCHP Remington pump to a guy at the shop I worked for. I tried to suggest some ammo, but he didnt want any ammo he was just going to rack it to scare them away!


True story!

 

[ReloaderFred]

I notice in reading the varied posts that there are clearly two lines of thought on this. Most posters are thinking along the lines of self defense in their homes, while the police officers, both active and retired, are thinking along the lines of "in the line of duty".

These are clearly two entirely different circumstances, and require different lines of thought and preparedness. The situations require different mind sets, one is clearly defensive and the other is offensive.

In my case, the many, many times that I racked a shotgun and pointed it at someone, ready to pull the trigger in an instant, it was clearly offensive. They were doing something against the law and it was my sworn duty to stop them, and I was hunting them. By hunting them, I don't mean that literally in the sense that I was out to kill them. I was after them to take them into custody so as to protect life and property and to stop them from their illegal deeds, whatever that may have been at the time. I've arrested murderers, rapists, child molesters, burglars, etc. at the point of an 870, and never did I expect the sound of the shotgun to do the job. It was up to me to do the job, and the shotgun was just one of my tools. Looking down the barrel of an 18" shotgun, after hearing it racked, or not, is very intimidating, unless the person is so intoxicated, or so under the influence of drugs, that they have no comprehension of what is taking place.

Was I prepared to pull the trigger each time I pointed my shotgun at some perpetrator? The answer is "yes", each and every time. Did I want to? The answer to that is, "no", but I would have, if required.

This isn't a subject for speculation, as Fast Frank clearly posted in the original question. Unless you've been in the situation, you can't guess as to what will happen, as people react differently. Even the same person won't necessarily react the same on two different occasions, in the same exact circumstances. One should never expect the sound of the shotgun racking alone to scare someone away. Sometimes it does, but sometimes it doesn't, and it only takes one miscalculation to result in tragedy. If you aren't willing to pull the trigger when you're confronted with a life threatening situation, then the gun shouldn't even be involved, whether it's a handgun, rifle or shotgun.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Justin]

well, as far as I can see the poll shows that racking the slide works.

Pretty hard to argue with those numbers.

Well, insofar as a completely unscientific poll on an internet forum is indicative of anything, I suppose so.

 

[SteelyNirvana]

I've "racked the slide" only once and it seemed to work. Had just gotten home about 12:30am from a visit with my dad. Had a great visit and he let me take home my grandad's Mossberg .410 bolt action. My grandad passed away a few month earlier. I had been in the bedroom with the lights on admirimg the .410 (working the bolt, figuring out how to load and unload it,etc) went into the kitchen to get a glass of tea. Heard someone banging on the front door, I figured at this time whoever it was was up to no good. I quietly walked into the bedroom and grabbed my Mossy 500 in 12ga. I steped right infront of the front door and gave the mossy a quick rack. Next thing I hear is some chick saying "Hello?, I ran out of gas and need gas money" I peered back the blind on the door and find a heavy set woman in her mid 40's she explains thats she's outa gas up the road and needs gas money. I told her I did'nt have any, she then says that she's got alot of problems and needs to talk to someone,and wants to come in. I said lady its almost 1am in the morning I don't know you and your not comming in my house. (I had started to get a feeling that someone was hiding out in the yard and they were using to woman as a ploy) then she asked if I have .50 cents so she could make a phone call. I finally gave in and said yeah I'll give you .50 cents but I'll hand it to you through the bedroom window. So I raised up the window just enough to get my hand through along with the screen and she went on her way. I never did see anyone else in the yard but I just had one of those feelings.

That was the only time I've racked the slide in a form of intimidation and it worked pretty good.

 

[inherentical]

Based on the poll, racking the slide works.

Pretty hard to argue with those numbers.

Nah, it just shows that we need hip boots to wade in here. Consensus doesn't equal fact.

Well, insofar as a completely unscientific poll on an internet forum is indicative of anything, I suppose so.

Edit: I should have read all the way to the end. Pure truth, that.

 

[rondog]

I don't have a h/d shotgun, at least a 12 gauge pump anyway. The only "deterrent" sound I can make is the slight "click" of the thumb safety on my 1911. Doubt they're gonna hear that.

 

[swingpress]

My 870 is stored with an open chamber because I don't trust myself to disengage the safety under stress as much as I trust myself to chamber a round as it comes out of the safe.

I have six guns with a manual safety and each has it in a different location or operates in a different way. I need to standardize!

I have never operated my pump in the presence of danger, and voted such in the poll.

Thanks to those who filled out the poll based on actual experience!