Keeping a lever loaded?

[bg226]

It is my understanding that with shotguns, keeping the tube loaded could result in either spring weakening or the shells being damaged.

Are there any consequences to keeping a tubular lever action rifle loaded for extended periods? (Perhaps something in 45/70)

 

[kcmarine]

Eh... don't. Why would you need to?

 

[bg226]

Eh... don't. Why would you need to?

Because I can find cheaper paper weights.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Springs are weakened by being cycled, not by being compressed. We used to keep a loaded M94 Winchester behind the kitchen door on the ranch. Never had a problem with it.

 

[kcmarine]

Well, what do you need it for? I mean, hunting, walking around with the gun loaded in a field for several hours, that I could understand.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Well, what do you need it for? I mean, hunting, walking around with the gun loaded in a field for several hours, that I could understand.

Sometimes you need to shoot fast -- and a gun that is not loaded will not shoot. Coyotes and wild dogs chasing stock, rustlers (yes, people still steal cattle) and just suspicious things that need to be checked quickly require a loaded and ready weapon.

 

[OldWolf]

It shouldn't cause you a problem. If it worries you buy a spare spring and store it. The springs are compressed anyway even when the gun is unloaded.

 

[kcmarine]

Well... that I can understand. Definitely. It's a good idea to keep HD and CCW guns loaded. But IMO, keeping the other stuff loaded is just kinda bad juju. But that's my opinion.

 

[bg226]

Would keeping the tube loaded result in bullet setback or bad things happening to the rounds?

 

[CZguy]

Springs are weakened by being cycled, not by being compressed. We used to keep a loaded M94 Winchester behind the kitchen door on the ranch. Never had a problem with it.

This is correct. If it's a concern to you check the feeding of the firearm annually and replace the spring if needed.

Would keeping the tube loaded result in bullet setback or bad things happening to the rounds?

No

Think of it this way, police all over the country are riding around with loaded pump shotguns.

 

[ArmedBear]

Shotshells bear little resemblance to bullets in brass, though. They can certainly compress, and they do, under pressure. However, they are flat on top and bottom alike. That said, if a plastic shell doesn't compress enough to matter, a well-crimped .45-70 load won't either.

A couple things...

Lever gun magazine springs are not really stiff. If they were, you couldn't load them. So, assuming your rounds aren't sloppy handloads, they should be fine under any sort of pressure that the spring applies.

It seems like spring tension is fairly flat until you get towards maximum compression. If you want to keep the tension from maxing out, leave one round out of the mag.

Should you be attacked by a bear and miss, you'll be lucky to get two or three rounds off anyway. And if you hit the bear, you can top off the magazine.

 

[lesjones]

Everything is a tradeoff between safety and security, and everyone chooses a different set of tradeoffs.

Talking specifically about a lever action, I'd keep the chamber empty. One of the advantages of a levergun is the ability to keep the chamber empty and load it with a quick flick of the lever.

For other long guns, it depends. Take an SKS, for instance. Because of that gun's potential for a slamfire I wouldn't chamber a round in one inside the house unless boogeyman had come.

There are also lots of old bolt action milsurps I wouldn't trust. In some cases pushing the safety to the off position can cause them to fire.

An AR-15? I probably wouldn't worry about keeping one in the chamber.

Another consideration is, where is the long gun stored? Is it in a safe? I figure if I have enough time to run to the safe, unlock the safe, and shoulder the gun then I also have enough time to chamber a round.

 

[RevolvingCylinder]

Well... that I can understand. Definitely. It's a good idea to keep HD and CCW guns loaded. But IMO, keeping the other stuff loaded is just kinda bad juju. But that's my opinion.

Who said that it was "other stuff" and do people who carry openly have to keep their weapons unloaded? That's a lot of assumptions.

I'd keep the magazine full and chamber empty.

 

[ArmedBear]

As much as people seem to dislike the Marlin's hammer block safety, I like it.

With the hammer down and the safety on, it's beyond unlikely that the gun will go off, even if there's a round chambered.

You can still keep the safety off and the hammer down, old-style, when hunting on foot. But the safety provides a positive lock when you absolutely want to keep the gun from firing.

That said, I have a single-shot Ithaca shotgun, break action with a levergun-style lever to open it, and a rebounding hammer. It has no safety, and there'd be little sense in carrying it around without a round in the chamber.

So a similar action, with a hammer block safety in addition, should be good enough. That doesn't mean I'd point the gun at someone, or that I'd be comfortable if my hunting buddy swept me with his gun, but that'd be true if the chamber (supposedly) wasn't loaded, too.

All of that said, if the gun is sitting in a safe, I'd just stuff rounds in the tube and keep the chamber empty.

 

[kcmarine]

Revolving Cylinder,

Explain. Post confused Marine...

 

[JesseL]

I suspect that if the rifle were being stored loaded in a vehicle, with lots of bumping around, it could result in some bullet set back. If the rifle is just going to be propped in a closet or something I don't think you'll have any problems.

 

[retrieverman]

My Marlin 336SS is my truck/ATV gun and is never unloaded unless I am cleaning it. Prior to getting the SS, I used a 1983 model 336T and kept it loaded for months at a time, and I have never had any problem with it.