Store pump shotgun cocked or not?

[jonboynumba1]

while I'm cruiser ready (exception is safety is off...I'm sure that will change when we have kids...as will where it's kept likely) is if something happens and I gotta grab it and use it fast and in the event using the slide release is a problem (I doubt it...second nature) while not something I'd do ANY other time this way...well...you could just pull the trigger and rack it before pulling the trigger again. I just don't see it as safe getting in the habbit of pulling the trigger when you aren't shooting the thing....but to each their own.

 

[machinecraig]

Bear - in response to your question. As I view it, cruiser ready lets you load and unload the shotgun without chambering a shell . I view this as advantage - I load and unload the shotgun at least a few times a year, and don't really like the idea of having a shell slamming into the chamber several times a year.

I leave it cocked (with safety on) because I don't want to pull the trigger on a gun that's not pointed at something I want to shoot. I always pay attention to what I'm doing when loading or unloading a firearm - but I want layers of safety in place. For me, for the 870, that means cruiser ready.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Empty chamber, loaded magazine (-1), and action locked/hammer cocked/safety on here.

I plead with anyone who decides to drop the hammer to first visually inspect the chamber AND THEN press-check it (feel it with a finger) to be double sure it really is empty before pulling the trigger. Make it a habit...

lpl

 

[Bear 45/70]

The "saftey on" is just another "slow you down to be ready for action" and with an empty chamber makes no sense.

 

[inSight-NEO]

Frankly, I worry less about spring wear here and focus more on the dubious [dangerous/unpredictable] nature of a live round chambered in a cocked shotgun. Now, at the risk of being a bit off topic, would I keep a pistol in this condition? Perhaps...depending of the gun. Sigs and XDs, for instance, make me feel comfortable enough to do so. But, generally speaking, the extra second or less it takes to chamber a round more than makes up for the potential hazards associated with a live round in the chamber. Now, for CC, that is a different story.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand. What I do is the following: I keep 5 rounds in the tube (even though I have a "supposed" 9 round max...in reality, its more like 8) and one dummy round (or snap cap) in the chamber. This dummy round allows me to "safely" drop the hammer and keep the pump in a "disengaged" state. From here, I simply need to actuate the fore end, thus ejecting the dummy round and putting a live round in the chamber. I find this setup much easier on the gun...and much more safe. Essentially, what I prefer is similar to the "cruiser ready" mode used by police.

In addition, I keep my safety on. Why? Well, it makes me feel better. If the sh*t hits the fan, I only need to grab the shotgun, eject the dummy round (thus, inserting a live one) and Im good to go. The safety? Well, when I practice, I only disengage the safety just prior to shooting...during the act of raising the gun to my shoulder (the Mossberg makes this an easy transition, BTW). I try to keep my practice routine [i.e., weapon state] similar to what I would use in an HD situation. For me, this helps maintain a certain consistency (which could save my life one day).

 

[shockwave]

I'm speaking as a total shotgun newbie. Don't know much about these guns and am learning all I can from you guys. But I've got to work with what I know, so here's my current setup: Five in the tube, empty chamber. Slide lock released and the slide back an inch. Safety off. No kids or anything to worry about. Gun handy and ready to bring into service. Rack the slide, ready for business.

So this is non-optimal. The idea of putting a snap-cap (I've got a couple) in the chamber with dropped hammer is compelling because I wouldn't have to worry about the slide release. Grab the gun, rack the slide, point and fire sounds good to me.

My revolvers are even more simple: grab, point and fire. My thinking is that in situations where you have lots of warning, it's more thinkable to allow for releasing safeties and whatnot, but in critical defense situations, you might only have time to get your hand on the weapon and need to fire in less than a second. No time to be fooling around with switches and safeties and releases. Racking the slide once is acceptable but I don't like having to do more than that.

 

[gunsandreligion]

while dryfiring is fine for any newer gun, you should know my bro had the fp spring on his "gun that always go's bang" (Yeah right) rust out and break. I'd recomend that you make sure theres no rust on any critical parts if thats your hd gun.

 

[jojo200517]

The "saftey on" is just another "slow you down to be ready for action" and with an empty chamber makes no sense.

And the snap cap chambered that you mentioned earlier won't slow you down?

I chamber 1 and fill up the tube and put the safety on. I can click the safety off and squeeze one off way faster than I can pump it and squeeze one off. Only one time have I short stroked a pump but if I did it again at a bad time at least it'd be after 1 had already been fired.

 

[Manco]

I'm new here but just thought I'd take this opportunity to whine a little. Here in the communist state of MA (excuse me, commonwealth of MA) I believe the law states the trigger must be locked at all times and the gun empty with all ammunition locked in a separate container. So in the event of an armed robbery I'd have to tell them to please wait while i unlock the gun, unlock the ammo case, load it, and then reengage. Thank goodness criminals in MA are understanding and give us that needed extra time.

I'm not all that familiar with Massachusetts laws regarding firearms, but I'd read them over very carefully if I were a resident of that state. First read this article:

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/03/mass_supreme_court_rules_gun_l.html

Perhaps like in California, where I reside, people are all brought up from cradle to grave being told by the very same government that makes the state laws that guns in the home must always have a trigger lock and that ammunition must be stored separately in a locked container. What they don't tell you is that the actual laws are different. In CA there is no such law--the penal code only says that if you do not take such precautions AND somebody gets a hold of your firearm and commits a crime with it, then you'd be in trouble. So it's really a suggestion regarding how to limit your liability for the actions of others, and that's it. In MA you only have to disable your firearms when you're not at home, otherwise I presume that you can legally keep it loaded and at the ready for defensive purposes. Check to make sure that's true.

 

[inSight-NEO]

I need to make something clear here. The reason I keep a "snap cap" or dummy round in the chamber is merely due to the fact that I like storing a shotgun with the hammer down and prefer having something "solid" for the hammer to hit when doing so. Sure, Im thinking that you could drop the hammer on an empty chamber and then load up the tube, but this is hard on the gun IMHO. From what I gather, shotguns do not take to dry fire the way that many pistols do. This could be myth, but I prefer to not take any unnecessary risks.

Now, for those who feel comfortable with a chambered shotgun... well, each to his/her own. I personally do not think this is all that great of an idea. Either way, thanks to practice, I can chamber a round and disengage the safety faster than you can say "oh sh*t!!". Regardless, I manipulate the safety on an "as needed" basis. Besides, in the event I cant get to the shotgun, I usually have a handgun on standby. Again...each to his/her own.

Food for thought- If you find yourself in a situation where you barely have enough time to flip the safety on a chambered weapon in order to go hot, then you are probably in very, very deep shizz; luck had better be on your side. This is why I generally do not rely on one weapon only.

 

[Shawn Dodson]

Why in battery if you are gonna leave the chamber empty.

I want the slide reliably locked so it's in the position I expect it to be. As I mentioned in my first post, gravity, vibration and handling of the shotgun can cause an unlocked action to work itself open.

Second why cocked if you are gonna leave it in battery.

Dropping the hammer unlocks the slide, leaving the action vulnerable to drifting open.

Since neither of these conditions enhances bringing the gun to a usable state and arguably the in battery slows you down at least the "in battery part."

I've conditioned myself to immediately disengage the manual safety as soon as I pick up the shotgun. When the shotgun is in my hands the safety is disengaged. When the shotgun leaves my hands I engage the safety.

Pressing the slide release and racking the slide takes, what, less than a second to accomplish. Cruiser Ready is a stowage condition that positively assures the shotgun is in a known state of battle readiness.

 

[nicksterdemus]

No kids here.

I leave the mag full, chamber loaded and safety on except that I pull the chambered load out of batery about two inches.

This enables a very short throw to battery and I naturally place my finger on the crossbolt safety as a staging area.

Anywho, it works for me...

 

[Fred Fuller]

The "saftey on" is just another "slow you down to be ready for action" and with an empty chamber makes no sense.

Perhaps so.

But I'm not sleeping in a slit trench in some jungle hellhole subject to a surprise attack by ruthless guerrilla fighters. I'm at home behind fences, locked doors, and accompanied by about 250 pounds of Fila Brasileiro (look 'em up). Not to mention my wife, who's better trained and a better shot than I am.

I think I'll have time to get a round chambered and the safety off if needed...

lpl

 

[Colton White]

Full mag, "hammer down", safety off... rack and bang seems the best for me.

and I dont even want a snap cap in the same room as my HD shotgun that is a mistake waiting to happen. Its dark, your tired, BG is coming fast, feels like a shell? load it...
your dead.

Dummy round seems kinda self explanatory to me.

 

[inSight-NEO]

and I dont even want a snap cap in the same room as my HD shotgun that is a mistake waiting to happen. Its dark, your tired, BG is coming fast, feels like a shell? load it...
your dead.

Well, that is why I make the habit of loading a cap in the tube [vs a live round] prior to making my shotgun HD ready. From here, after verifying that I do indeed have a snap cap in the chamber, I drop the hammer and leave the gun with the action unlocked. All that is needed at this point is to grab the gun, rack the pump and disengage the safety. Easy enough and all done in less than a few seconds or so. Besides, I keep at least 5 rounds in the tube at all times. If I need more than that, I am in deeper crapola than I bargained for.

Dummy round seems kinda self explanatory to me.

Not sure where you meant to go with this one.

 

[Murphys Law]

Mightee1, For storing in my safe all guns are unloaded. I always check them and then pull the trigger to release the spring tension. There is no scientific proof one way or another if its good or bad for the springs, but it makes me feel better. As to whether or not the tensioning and releasing of a spring will hurt it is moot. They are designed to be tensioned and released a great deal more by actually firing them on the range or in the field and the occasional pulling of the trigger to detension them wont hurt them. Just make sure its unloaded

 

[inSight-NEO]

Mightee1, For storing in my safe all guns are unloaded. I always check them and then pull the trigger to release the spring tension. There is no scientific proof one way or another if its good or bad for the springs, but it makes me feel better. As to whether or not the tensioning and releasing of a spring will hurt it is moot. They are designed to be tensioned and released a great deal more by actually firing them on the range or in the field and the occasional pulling of the trigger to detension them wont hurt them. Just make sure its unloaded

I would like to add that spring wear need not always be the core issue. Of course, when dealing with a weapon which may one day save you life, its better to be safe than sorry. Regardless, things such as dropping the hammer on an empty chamber (not necessarily good on a shotgun) or having a "cocked and locked" shotgun (with, of course, a live round in the chamber) are of major concern as well. Regarding the later case, from what I gather, shotguns (unlike many modern handguns) cannot necessarily be trusted to not go -BOOM- if accidentally dropped when in a "cocked and locked" state.

But, this all depends on whether or not this weapon is to be used for HD duty or not. If it is not, then I would simply recommend storing the shotgun with the tube empty and dropping the hammer on a snap cap just prior to storage. No real sense in storing the shotgun (long term anyway) with a cocked hammer, IMHO. Just make darn sure that you are loading a snap cap and not a live round!! If this weapon is to be used for HD duty, the above applies; the only difference being the storage of x amount of rounds in the tube.

 

[Murphys Law]

Well thats true. Most shotguns, (can't say all) do not have a firing pin lock. The safety only locks the trigger. A severe bump on a cocked and loaded shotgun can cause the gun to fire. Its rare, but it can happen. This is the reason for "cruiser ready" as previously described. Guns kept in cruisers with the chamber loaded and hammer cocked, have been known to occasionally go off when the car crashes. I don't think thats what Mightee1 was asking about though

 

[inSight-NEO]

I don't think thats what Mightee1 was asking about though

True. Hence my mention of unloading the tube and dropping the hammer on a snap cap just prior to long term storage.

 

[jdub3]

I keep mine cocked with one in the tube and the safety on. In the event I have to use it, I snick the safety off (less likely to give away my position than racking the slide) and am good to go. I'm using a Win 1300

 

[Shawn Dodson]

less likely to give away my position than racking the slide

Why the concern - are you planning an ambush?

 

[rcmodel]

and dropping the hammer on a snap cap just prior to long term storage.

I betcha there are 870 Remington's and old Browning A-5's setting in closets all over the U.S., that have been cocked since the day they were made 50 or 75 years ago.

I also betcha they will still feed, fire, and function freely after you chase the spiders out of the barrel.


I also betcha the fireman who runs in your house to search for you in a house fire would rather your shotgun didn't have a round in the chamber that might cook off and kill him.

rc

 

[Strahley]

Mine (870) sits fully loaded, safety on, sitting in the safe. I rotate new rounds (same brand/type) in every month or so

One kid in the house, she's had several courses (with me) on gun safety, has (safely) handled several of my guns, and I'll probably buy her her own youth .22LR bolt action if she shows enough interest after shooting her mother's .22. She knows not to handle any firearm without an adult supervising (should she find one sitting in a field or on the street or something), etc. When I'm not home every gun is locked up in the safe, or is with me (going to the range or CCW)