"Cruiser Ready" - Cocked or Not?

[Kind of Blued]

Does the term/condition traditionally entail leaving the gun cocked so that the release must be used, or uncocked so the gun can freely be racked?

I can think of advantages and disadvantages for either condition, but I'm curious to see what you all think.

<Edit> Option three really should have been "I use a different condition or gun".

 

[MrCleanOK]

Decocking a well broken in shotgun will give the forend a certain amount of wiggle and jiggle room that I don't like it to have. Granted, my job does not require me to use a shotgun, but if it did I would go nuts every time I hit a bump with my car and my shotgun rattles.

I think using the release when you need it is a small price to pay for having a forend that is securely held in place.

 

[DMR]

It's about the gear you use. With a Remington 870, to place the shotgun on safe it has to be cocked. Mossbergs allow for you to have the safety on even when the shotgun is not cocked, other then that it's the same process. Since this means you have to operate three controls to put the shotgun into operation (release, forend, then safety) most agencies have the hammer forward on a empty chamber weapon on fire. To put it into action all you need to do is pump the shotgun.

Some agencies want the weapon to be on safe, even with no round in the chamber, so with the Remington line they have to be cocked.

 

[jdh]

The shotgun rattles around in the rack alot more than the slide rattles on the tube. You get used to it.

Since when can you not put an 870 on safe when it is not cocked? The 870 safety is a trigger block. It will go one cocked or not, slide open or closed.

 

[Virginian]

Since when can you not put an 870 on safe when it is not cocked? The 870 safety is a trigger block. It will go one cocked or not, slide open or closed.

Seriously. There sure is an awful lot of MISinformation floating around on this site.

 

[ReloaderFred]

There has been a discussion on this subject a few months ago on this forum.

In my 26 years of carrying a Remington 870 in a patrol car, the shotgun was always cocked, the chamber empty and the slide release used to put it into action. With training and practice, it becomes second nature to hit the action release as soon as you're ready to put a round in the chamber.

As I posted in the earlier thread, there are several things to consider. First is the firing pin. In the 870, it's about the diameter of a 16p nail, and almost the same length. When I was rangemaster, I found several that were broken from dry firing. Sometimes they will fire with a broken pin, and sometimes they won't. It all depends on how the pieces are aligned when the hammer falls.

Another thing to consider is the chance of an accidental discharge if you get in the habit of working the action and pulling the trigger. It happens, and it's dangerous.

The best course of action is to learn the controls of your firearm, no matter what it is, and use them as they were designed to be used. With practice, their use becomes part of the drill.

I'm retired now, and have been for 14 years, but even today, when I pick up an 870, my finger still goes to the action release automatically.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[rcmodel]

+1
Empty chamber
Cocked
Safety on
Use the release.

Much much much safer for an unattended gun!
And just as fast to get into action if you practice it.

rc

 

[PTK]

On roadtrips here in CO, I leave my SBS 870 chamber empty, hammer down, safety off. That way if I need it I can simply pump the slide and fire.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Cocked, safety on, chamber empty, magazine one round short. If I need a slug first up, it's easy to get it done. It's hard to get a round in the magazine on an 870 with the action unlocked.

lpl

 

[ChCx2744]

just keep the pump locked with nothing in the chamber; just use the action release when you need to rack a round...it really isn't that much trouble to push a little button.

 

[209]

Based on the OP asked, we call what he refers to as "Cruiser Safe".

"Cruiser Safe"- empty chamber- gun on safe- tube full.

"Cruiser Ready" has a round in the chamber and the tube recharged after chambering the shell- gun still on safe.

Different definitions and all.

Same with the AR.

"Cruiser Safe"- Lock bolt to the rear. Inspect for empty chamber. Release bolt. Close dust cover. Safety rifle. Insert magazine. Put in car.

"Cruiser Ready"- Remove from car- chamber round- weapon on safe.

Then it can escalate to "Combat Ready" and of course- "Bang" (not really what we call it).

 

[2ndamd]

+1 to what 209 said.

 

[KenW.]

My agency mandates cruiser ready as;

chamber empty
trigger pulled
mag full of 000 buck
sidesaddle full of slug
safety off

 

[inSight-NEO]

When I think of "cruiser ready," I think of having no round in the chamber, hammer dropped/action released, mag tube full (or partially so).

Regardless, I never keep a shotgun with a live round in the chamber (the safety remaining engaged). I also adopt the same philosophy regarding my HD handgun. Different strokes.....

 

[jakemccoy]

I currently use hammer down, empty chamber, safety on.

However, I'm thinking about going to hammer cocked, empty chamber, safety on. It seems safer. Also, when I go to the range, there's never a natural situation where I have the hammer down on an empty chamber. I'm always reaching for the release.