sm
member
For my needs, for my settings:
Round chambered, full mag.
I only run slugs, so all I have to do is snick-n-snock.
Round chambered, full mag.
I only run slugs, so all I have to do is snick-n-snock.
POLL: Remington 870 HD - Which 'ready' condition?
- Thread starter brentfoto
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Ala Dan
Member in memoriam
Full magazine, NO round in chamber, safety off, trigger tripped~! 
"Are you preparing for a war?"
Sorry to make it sound that way. I'm not one to have loaded guns stashed around the house but If I'm going to have them then they're going to be loaded. I keep the 870, the G26 and the AR in the safe with an electronic key pad. The G19 sits on top of the safe in a gun vault also with an electronic key pad. If I botch getting into the safe to get the shotty and it locks me out then I'm going for the G19 next. Now back to the subject. If you only have the option to load four rounds in the tube then I'd suggest you have some sort of ammo supply that can go with you either it being a sidesaddle or a dump pouch that you can throw over your shoulder full with whatever round you choose to defend you house with. Then if you have time after you rack it, top it off. And most of all, GET TRAINING! I took Louis Awerbuck's Stage-1 shotgun class with my 870 with out an extension. You are not handicapped with a standard capacity 870. I just want six round ready to go. I'm mot saying my way is the right way but that's how I have my gun set up and the reason's why it's set up that way.
Flip.
Sorry to make it sound that way. I'm not one to have loaded guns stashed around the house but If I'm going to have them then they're going to be loaded. I keep the 870, the G26 and the AR in the safe with an electronic key pad. The G19 sits on top of the safe in a gun vault also with an electronic key pad. If I botch getting into the safe to get the shotty and it locks me out then I'm going for the G19 next. Now back to the subject. If you only have the option to load four rounds in the tube then I'd suggest you have some sort of ammo supply that can go with you either it being a sidesaddle or a dump pouch that you can throw over your shoulder full with whatever round you choose to defend you house with. Then if you have time after you rack it, top it off. And most of all, GET TRAINING! I took Louis Awerbuck's Stage-1 shotgun class with my 870 with out an extension. You are not handicapped with a standard capacity 870. I just want six round ready to go. I'm mot saying my way is the right way but that's how I have my gun set up and the reason's why it's set up that way.
Flip.
The Deer Hunter
Member
I keep my 870 in my closet next to my safe. Its usually unloaded. If people in the house are going away, I get that "feeling" or something just doesn't seem right I may load the magazine and/or keep it next to my bed. I know that thieves target houses when the occupants are out of town, so in case any thieves targeting my house aren't aware that I am home I can be ready.
brentfoto
member
So far, it appears the leaders are:
1. full mag, round in chamber, safety ON; and
2. full mag, no round in chamber, safety OFF, trigger tripped.
Interesting!
This is also interesting because it appears LE, at least while in their cruisers, do neither! They apparently do #2, above, in this post, but with safety ON!
Keep the votes and comments coming!
1. full mag, round in chamber, safety ON; and
2. full mag, no round in chamber, safety OFF, trigger tripped.
Interesting!
This is also interesting because it appears LE, at least while in their cruisers, do neither! They apparently do #2, above, in this post, but with safety ON!
Keep the votes and comments coming!
The only ones I'd choose are option 3 (cruiser ready) or option 2. But I'd prefer cruiser ready. No round in the chamber means if your house catches on fire and rounds start cooking off, they just blow up in the tube. If one's chambered, you end up with a full power shot going who knows where.
brentfoto
member
sm--
Kindly vote your selection. From your post, I could not determine it because there was no comment on whether safety was ON or OFF.
Kindly vote your selection. From your post, I could not determine it because there was no comment on whether safety was ON or OFF.
brentfoto
member
RyanM-
But I thought cruiser-ready required safety ON, not OFF, with trigger tripped and no round in chamber; e.g., the 5th selection in the poll.
Perhaps it varies between agencies.
But I thought cruiser-ready required safety ON, not OFF, with trigger tripped and no round in chamber; e.g., the 5th selection in the poll.
Perhaps it varies between agencies.
brentfoto
member
Isn't it required that safety be ON for 'cruiser-ready', or does it vary between agencies, or is it standard to have safety OFF?
The Deer Hunter
Member
Is having your safety on or off really something to be arguing about? After all, you are the only real safety.
For the most part my safeties are almost always off.
For the most part my safeties are almost always off.
brentfoto
member
I'm not sure I like that 'form' of 'cruiser-ready'.
With that trigger tripped the action is not locked-it starts to slide slightly downward on its own when leaned against my wall. The safety might be a 'back-up' in the event it goes all the way down by itself and what confusion might be encountered when you need to use it. I just don't know.
It might be better to 'lock' that action (cocked hammer), no round in chamber, and have safety OFF. But then one must still remember to press the Action Bar Lock to chamber a round and then one is ready to pull the trigger. Then you must train yourself not to use the Action Bar Lock on subsequent rounds to be chambered.
With that trigger tripped the action is not locked-it starts to slide slightly downward on its own when leaned against my wall. The safety might be a 'back-up' in the event it goes all the way down by itself and what confusion might be encountered when you need to use it. I just don't know.
It might be better to 'lock' that action (cocked hammer), no round in chamber, and have safety OFF. But then one must still remember to press the Action Bar Lock to chamber a round and then one is ready to pull the trigger. Then you must train yourself not to use the Action Bar Lock on subsequent rounds to be chambered.
JNewell
Member
I voted #3 (cruiser ready) but in reality as Lee says the magazine has an extended tube and is downloaded one or two rounds so "full" depends on whether you're thinking factory OEM or as modified.
brentfoto
member
Deerhunter-
Having the safety ON or OFF is definitely an issue to be discussed IMHO. One can't ignore 'human factors'. We 'ain't' perfect...
Safeties are placed for a reason. One may be fumbling so much out of nervousness and have to transport the weapon to another positiion in a darkened room, or area, whatever, where one's finger may inadvertently get within the trigger guard...and the pull isn't much compared to most DA revolvers in my experience.
I haven't decided yet how to vote. But leaving the safety on while it's leaning against the wall may be one part of the equation, at least for me. And having a round already chambered does not appeal to me either. That would leave the final two choices-for me. That's where I'm leaning at the moment.
Having the safety ON or OFF is definitely an issue to be discussed IMHO. One can't ignore 'human factors'. We 'ain't' perfect...
Safeties are placed for a reason. One may be fumbling so much out of nervousness and have to transport the weapon to another positiion in a darkened room, or area, whatever, where one's finger may inadvertently get within the trigger guard...and the pull isn't much compared to most DA revolvers in my experience.
I haven't decided yet how to vote. But leaving the safety on while it's leaning against the wall may be one part of the equation, at least for me. And having a round already chambered does not appeal to me either. That would leave the final two choices-for me. That's where I'm leaning at the moment.
Dave McCracken
Moderator In Memoriam
Like Lee. To reiterate.....
Action's locked closed on an empty chamber, safety's on. Mag's loaded one less than full. On mine, that leaves 5 shells in there. All 00, old Estate or new Federal.
Cogniscienti can make this ready in a second or less, kids and irresponsible, untrained adults cannot make it fire easily.
Action's locked closed on an empty chamber, safety's on. Mag's loaded one less than full. On mine, that leaves 5 shells in there. All 00, old Estate or new Federal.
Cogniscienti can make this ready in a second or less, kids and irresponsible, untrained adults cannot make it fire easily.
brentfoto
member
Dave-
On mine, which is the subject of the poll, that leaves me only 3 rounds.
So you don't mind having to do three separate things in order to be ready to fire?
1. press Action Bar Lock
2. cycle forend while pressing in on Action Bar Lock
3. disengage the safety
Oh, yes, and a 'fourth'
4. Place another cartridge in the magazine (should be #1 if I understand you correctly). Or is there ANOTHER reason for mag being one shy? I don't understand for the life of me why mag should be one less than full.
On mine, which is the subject of the poll, that leaves me only 3 rounds.
So you don't mind having to do three separate things in order to be ready to fire?
1. press Action Bar Lock
2. cycle forend while pressing in on Action Bar Lock
3. disengage the safety
Oh, yes, and a 'fourth'
4. Place another cartridge in the magazine (should be #1 if I understand you correctly). Or is there ANOTHER reason for mag being one shy? I don't understand for the life of me why mag should be one less than full.
brentfoto
member
At this time, full mag, no round in chamber, safety OFF, trigger tripped, leads by a two-to-one margin over second place.
The Deer Hunter
Member
The only time I have rounds chambered are when I'm ready to fire my weapon. If I'm toting my 870 around the woods as use for bear mace, I will have a full magazine but no rounds present in the chamber. If I ever have it loaded in my closet, or next to my bed, there is no shell in the chamber.
If there is a shell in the chamber, I am either about to say pull, shoot a target or about to shoot a living creature.
If I find that I need to move my 870 (or any gun for that matter) in a way that it could possibly be set off inadvertently I will not leave the chamber full.
I fail to see a reason to have a safety besides protection for the company that made the firearm and for peace of mind. Far to many people think that if the safety is on, you can point it at anything safely. I am even uncomfortable when my buddy muzzle sweeps me with his paintball gun. He usually says "The safety is on" but that doesn't matter.
Yeah, I'm that good. Honestly, I'm not being cocky. I'm 100% confident in my gun handling.
(I don't own any handguns, by the way)
waterhouse
Member
Go to a safe place. Make sure your gun is unloaded. Make a visual and physical check of the magazine tube to make sure it is unloaded. Make a visual and physical check as you slowly close the slide, again making sure that no shell is fed into the chamber. When you are convinced that the gun is completely empty, point it in a safe direction and pull the trigger.
Now, take your gun and go sit it in a corner. Report back to this thread the moment the slide action goes all the way down due to the force of gravity, opening the action.
If I have to shoot, I rack the slide and start shooting. If I have to shoot and in the middle of racking the slide I, for some reason, no longer have to shoot, I can put the safety on easily before I go walking around. Also, my finger doesn't ever inadvertently go inside the trigger guard. I know where my trigger finger is at all times.
What I do may not be best for you. If I had learned another way other than cruiser ready, I'd probably do that. If I had kids around, I might spend the time to relearn by making sure I took the safety off. For now, my way works for me.
I have also read G. Bartley's post about the gun within the vehicle. He has way more LE experience than I do, but I do consider cruiser ready safe.
Our gun carriers locked below the forearm, and they were sturdy as hell. For an 870 to "go off" on its own in one of our carriers,
a) the carrier would have to completely fail, releasing the area below the forearm
b) the vehicle would have to hit a bump large enough to force the forearm all the way down, opening the action. On a slicked up 870 I admit this wouldn't take much.
c) the vehicle would then have to hit another bump, AND the 870 would have to be held in such a manner (stuck between the seat?) that the force imparted by the bump only affected the slide action and not the rest of the gun. Keep in mind that the only reason B was allowed to happen was that the carrier is no longer securely holding the gun. This force which was imparted only on the forearm/action bar assembly would have to be great enough to close the action.
d) One more large bump to get the firing pin sliding forward (this is why you don't load an 870 all the way up and then set the butt of the shotgun on the floor of your patrol vehicle.)
brentfoto
member
Deerhunter-
I don't see any logic in not having the magazine in the gun loaded at all times. Suggest that you do that, and have the safety ON. Or do it, and have the safety OFF with action locked or with trigger tripped.
But not having that loaded mag means you have to insert cartridges in the heat of the moment-all of them, or however many you want. It's just not efficient at all from a tactical standpoint, Deerhunter.
I don't see any logic in not having the magazine in the gun loaded at all times. Suggest that you do that, and have the safety ON. Or do it, and have the safety OFF with action locked or with trigger tripped.
But not having that loaded mag means you have to insert cartridges in the heat of the moment-all of them, or however many you want. It's just not efficient at all from a tactical standpoint, Deerhunter.
brentfoto
member
I see that 'waterhouse' is with the majority in this poll.
I can see the slide going all the way down to force of gravity or in an earthquake, and I live in Southern California. Anyway, I like the majority's opinion, somewhat, because all one has to do is 'rack' and 'rock'.
However, in the stress of the moment, and in the dark, I'm not so sure that a person would have complete control of his trigger finger and would likely have a greater opportunity to have a ND at the worst possible moment.
I can see the slide going all the way down to force of gravity or in an earthquake, and I live in Southern California. Anyway, I like the majority's opinion, somewhat, because all one has to do is 'rack' and 'rock'.
However, in the stress of the moment, and in the dark, I'm not so sure that a person would have complete control of his trigger finger and would likely have a greater opportunity to have a ND at the worst possible moment.
waterhouse
Member
It has already been mentioned, but let's say you keep your chamber empty and your magazine 1 down. If bad stuff starts happening, you grab your gun and start shooting. But let's say that the bad stuff that starts happening needs a slug (hostage situation, whatever). If you have a side saddle loaded with slugs, you can shove the slug into the mag tube, rack the slide, and make the shot. This can be done very quickly.
brentfoto
member
I see that 'waterhouse' is with the majority in this poll.
It seems tempting to be able to just 'rack' and 'roll', but I fear that in the heat of a very stressful situation, in pitch-black dark, there's a good possibility that trigger finger might end up where it shouldn't-and one could have a ND at the worst possible time.
It seems tempting to be able to just 'rack' and 'roll', but I fear that in the heat of a very stressful situation, in pitch-black dark, there's a good possibility that trigger finger might end up where it shouldn't-and one could have a ND at the worst possible time.
brentfoto
member
One round down in mag. Sorry, it's just too much to do, waterhouse. You have to 'THINK' in order to do as you so persistently advocate. And manual dexterity goes out the window.
You have to DECIDE if slug is necessary, find the darn bag, find the round, insert it into mag, cycle, then shoot. You're already dead meat.
I'm in my house and ain't gonna use no slugs, anyway, even if there should be a hostage situation. I'm not that kind of shooter, nor am I in a mall with such a situation, and I ain't no SWAT sharpshooter.
Before today, I had my shotgun as in the 6th choice in the poll.
Today, I have it as in the 5th choice in the poll (rack it, disengage safety, fire).
Tomorrow... maybe 'rack it and roll' mode...
You have to DECIDE if slug is necessary, find the darn bag, find the round, insert it into mag, cycle, then shoot. You're already dead meat.
I'm in my house and ain't gonna use no slugs, anyway, even if there should be a hostage situation. I'm not that kind of shooter, nor am I in a mall with such a situation, and I ain't no SWAT sharpshooter.
Before today, I had my shotgun as in the 6th choice in the poll.
Today, I have it as in the 5th choice in the poll (rack it, disengage safety, fire).
Tomorrow... maybe 'rack it and roll' mode...
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Given the lack of gun-handling skills required for there to be a "good" chance of the trigger finger ending up on the trigger when it shouldn't be, if that is the case for you, then there's also a "good" chance that you'll accidentally bump the safety off as well, then accidentally shoot an infant, then, when you go to actually shoot the bad guy, you'll both short-stroke the action and bump the safety back on, making shooting impossible.
Seriously, someone who has spent a few months getting familiar with basic gun safety and handling should not have a "good" chance of accidentally grabbing the trigger.
Seriously, someone who has spent a few months getting familiar with basic gun safety and handling should not have a "good" chance of accidentally grabbing the trigger.
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