Keeping HD weapon loaded?

[ByAnyMeans]

I keep a Winchester 1300 18in loaded with seven OO buck cruiser ready.
I also keep a Glock loaded with one in the chamber.
Which I grab would depend upon the situation.

 

[jakemccoy]

Keeping your HD gun loaded is highly unsafe for an intruder.

 

[Deanimator]

I refuse to CARRY a handgun with a LOADED magazine and an empty chamber. Is loading an unloaded shotgun while fending off an attacker EASIER to do than chambering a round into an M1911?

I certainly wouldn't put myself in the position of having to load shotgun shells into my firearm ONE BY ONE while an intruder is trying to choke, beat, stab or shoot me to death.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I have a six year old daughter, so I've pondered very much the same questions. I have two loaded firearms within reach from the bed. One is a Sigma .40VE and the other a 20 gauge pump. Both are loaded but do not have one in the chamber. It's safe and it doesn't take long and I'm ready.

 

[RainDodger]

Any firearm in my safe (or cased) can be considered unloaded. Any firearm outside of the safe is considered loaded, which includes the Rem 870 by my bed. It has a loaded mag, empty chamber, slide is forward, and I've got a sock over the muzzle to keep stuff out of it.

 

[joe_security]

All good advice but i dont agree with the use of slugs. Way too much penetration, unless you are in a very rural area with no chance of hitting a neighbor. I like my 870 but you will not find slugs in it except for extreme situations, like dangerous animals such as bears.

 

[BaltimoreBoy]

Expanding on the children meme

Children are as variable as adults. Some you can trust implicitly - others not. And that's not an imputation of good versus evil either.

I never worried about my two girls - they were both extremely bidable and paid close attention to what ever they were told.

Some more free spirits may require more caution.

Taking them to the range from an early age (as I and grand pappy did) pays large dividends.

 

[wishin]

Loaded with one in the chamber, safety on. I'm one who doesn't believe that jacking a round scares an intruder. It might...but, I'm not willing to take the chance.

I'd ask you to show me how you can grab a chamber loaded shotgun standing next to the bed without it pointing at your head or body at least briefly?

RC, you could stand it on the barrel.

 

[Victor1Echo]

My buddy is afraid of shooting his roommate when he stumbles home drunk, so he keeps the first round loaded with a beanbag shot, then some kind of buckshot.

 

[Manco]

My HD handgun always has a full magazine loaded, another full magazine next to it, a round in the chamber, and is always ready to fire. All of the rounds are identical JHPs.

 

[peetee32]

My buddy is afraid of shooting his roommate when he stumbles home drunk, so he keeps the first round loaded with a beanbag shot, then some kind of buckshot.

your 'buddy' is an idiot.

killing someone accidently with beanbag shot is much better then killing someone accidently with "regular" ammo...right?

:banghead:

 

[Boba Fett]

My buddy is afraid of shooting his roommate when he stumbles home drunk, so he keeps the first round loaded with a beanbag shot, then some kind of buckshot.

1) Your "buddy" needs a new roommate.

2) Less/Non-lethal ammo can be just a deadly.

3) Other such Less/Non-lethal ammo threads on THR have generally discussed the legal problems such ammo can cause you.

4) :banghead:

 

[jakemccoy]

I'd ask you to show me how you can grab a chamber loaded shotgun standing next to the bed without it pointing at your head or body at least briefly?

Prop up the shotgun on its muzzle. I'm not really sure why most people go the other way. Is it because they don't have carpet floors?

 

[Boba Fett]

Originally Posted by rcmodel
I'd ask you to show me how you can grab a chamber loaded shotgun standing next to the bed without it pointing at your head or body at least briefly?

Prop up the shotgun on its muzzle. I'm not really sure why most people go the other way. Is it because they don't have carpet floors?

It's probably a weight and surface area thing.

The muzzle has very little surface area and the weight tends to be more toward the back making it top heavy. So by placing it muzzle down on the floor, you run a higher risk of it falling over.

 

[slabuda]

Not too useful unless it goes bang, unless its a shotgun and you swing like Hank Aaron.

Yes you can 'Try" to load it when needed and its doable probably when your awake. But if you wake with a sudden crash of a window not only will you be not fully lucid making it difficult the adrenaline will be going like mad and that makes it that much harder. I prefer to take any variable out that I can.

But then I live on my own with no children in the house. But even with kids it can be done. Keep it out of reach while you are home and locked up while you are gone to prevent the curious cat playing with the mouse.


BTW way to me unloaded means NOTHING in it. Loaded means at the VERY least a magazine full. But for me it really means on in the chamber safety on.

 

[slabuda]

The fanny packs holds extra rounds for the 870, a flashlight, my cellphone with a bluetooth earpiece (when I can't hold the phone and gun the same time)

Not a bad idea there. I wouldnt want to try and clip the pack on, but slung across the shoulder would work very fast. Just wonder how hard it would be to use the bluetooth when the adrenaline has ramped up?

One downside is will the cell phone transmit your address to the police like a house phone would? What if the device fell out and you couldnt talk then?

 

[Dokkalfar]

Well I'm not yet 21, so no FFL handgun for me. And I just haven't had a chance yet to buy a revolver from a friend, so the limits to my HD is a Mossberg 500A

I usually keep my rounds in the magazine, and have it ready to rack. I have too much experience at the range with getting my sights set an pulling the trigger, only to realize I left the safety on (Im good at setting it when I set the firearm down, but before I shoot I forget to take it off )

 

[carbuncle]

For an HD shotgun I keep the magazine loaded, chamber empty. I'm sufficiently confident in my ability to rack the slide quickly to be comfortable with this, plus (and I may be wrong on this) I believe most shotguns don't have drop safeties so I'm not thrilled with the idea of my 12 gauge firing if knocked over or bumped.

 

[MovedWest]

Seriously... pointing an unloaded gun at someone is like pointing a Q-tip at someone. If a gun is unloaded, it's a hammer or a club. If you're in a confrontation, you WILL LOSE if they call your bluff - and it will be called. If you have to fend for your life SPLIT SECONDS determine the survivor.

EVERY gun I have in my home that isn't locked up is loaded and ready to fire. My 12ga filled with 00 buck requires the safety to be flicked off and the trigger pulled, followed by the next round getting racked. If I can reach it, it goes bang when I pull the trigger. I grew up like this. I have 4 siblings that lived through it. If you have kids, raise them with this being the norm.

How much safety will cost you your life?

-MW

 

[Hunter125]

For those of you with kids, how do you keep your HD weapons? I grew up in a house with guns and my dad is 6'7" so he just kept his .357 way up on a shelf that we kids couldn't get to, but my wife grew up without guns so she is nervous about having loaded guns in the house, but I'm nervous not having them. I'd like to find something that's somewhat comfortable for my wife, but I'm not willing to compromise having guns ready to go. Seems like a trigger lock is just as cumbersome in the dark when you're groggy as what I was doing before, just keeping shell nearby, but I don't have any place really high to put a gun either. Any suggestions?

 

[Boba Fett]

My suggestion if you are in Hunter's position is a quick access safe:

I feel the same as Hunter125 that trigger locks would be slow and difficult in the middle of the night.

As for having an empty gun and keeping the shells nearby, that seems like it would be dangerous for the kiddos. And probably just as slow as trying to get a trigger lock off if not slower.


Another option is something along these lines

That is just one example, but there are several versions of such hidden storage places and you could make your own (like a picture with a hidden compartment behind it). The great thing is that so long as your kids don't see you "opening" the clock, it should stay out of reach and within easy quick access for you and your wife.

 

[foghornl]

Try this:

Have Spouse/Significant Other/room-mate go into the easiest-to-break-into room, etc, and Shout "CRASH!", then begin walking to your location.

Meanwhile, you see if you can get your weapon, locate ammo, and get it ready to go BEFORE 'intruder' walks though the doorway and says "Bang! Bang! Bang! You are TOAST!"

Only try this with dummy ammo or 'snap caps' DO NOT USE REAL LIVE AMMO FOR THIS TEST.

You probably can be ready if you try this while fully awake. But add in the factors of having to wake up, determine that there is a real threat, and the clumsiness/lower alertness of sleep.....

 

[Ala Dan]

Several of my HD weapons are loaded, and ready too rock~!

FYI: A practice I teach when introducing a newbie too firearms is this:

"All firearms are loaded, all of the time"

When handing or receving firearms, ALWAYS check the chamber(s) yourself;
for everyone's safety~!

A good rule of the thumb, NEVER too forget~!

 

[BURN]

if it is safe for you to do so...i do not know your home life...keep it loaded

 

[zombieoutfitters]

In my opinion...and probably in the minority. I always keep a gun intended for quick access, whether its by the bed or in my holster, loaded but not chambered.

It's a personal choice - and tactically has as many disadvantages as it has safety advantages. Many would say I should not carry w/o one in the pipe. And if I was going somewhere "suspect" I would charge a round.

For those times when danger creeps up unexpectedly I accept the chance I am taking and hell...I AM armed which is better than most people w/o guns could hope for.

But for your bedside...loaded, accessible...but not too close and preferably not visible. I wouldn't wanna have a sleepwalking incident or wake up to find someone standing over me with my loaded gun. But if it's accessible to you, and loaded...it will serve it's purpose for you.

Kids in the house...once they can toddle around...180 degree different opinion until they are old enough to "know better". And even then the "you never know" factor quadruples.

I have kept 3 guns with full mags for 3 years now...no mag problems. Cycle mags once in a while, but they are made for it.

Just my opinion. Good luck!