Storing a home defense auto loader

[tcoz]

Just out of curiosity, does anybody store their "nightstand" home defense auto loader with a full mag and the slide locked back? It seems this could be a little safer than keeping a round in the chamber and much quicker than a full mag but the slide forward since you'd only have to release the slide lock to chamber a round.

 

[Sam1911]

Well, it's one operation from being ready to fire, just like a chambered round with the safety on. Maybe I don't see the difference?

 

[tcoz]

You're probably right. My thinking is that it requires one very small extra movement to release the slide. In the heat of the moment and on being suddenly awakened in the middle of the night, a person might groggily grab the trigger while grabbing the gun. I know that when I'm suddenly awakened, I'm kinda incoherent for a few seconds. To prevent that, you could keep the slide lock release facing down so it would require a quick but conscious movement with the left thumb to release it after picking the gun up. Just a thought, I guess.

 

[tcoz]

Along those same lines, is it bad for a gun to store it with the slide locked back? I know it isn't a problem to keep magazines loaded for an extended period, but I'm not sure whether keeping the recoil spring compressed would be a problem.

 

[Sam1911]

It certainly would work. Something else to consider is that many folks use the overhand or slingshot methods to release the slide from slide-lock. If you left it with an empty chamber, there wouldn't be much more effort there, it would be harder to accidentally ready the gun -- and racking a slide is a big gross motor movement which is easier to do when groggy than finding a slide-release lever.

Just my opinion, of course.

 

[Sam1911]

Bad for the gun? No. You'll need to replace that recoil spring every 3,000-5,000 rounds anyway so even if you were putting some "wear" on it that way, the spring will need replacing soon enough regardless.

 

[MrCleanOK]

No problem storing an auto with the slide locked back. The same laws of physics that apply to mag springs apply to the action spring too. For what it's worth, I think you're over complicating this. If your gun is safe to carry with a round in the chamber, it's safe to store that way.

 

[Trent]

There is no risk of jamming when you flip a safety off or draw a firearm from a holster. There is a risk of jamming when you load the first round off of a fresh magazine. Might be slight but it's still there.

The first thing I want if I'm suddenly presented with the problem of someone trying to kill me, isn't another problem. I want a solution to the original problem.

If your "nightstand gun" doesn't have a safety that you are happy with, keep it in a holster. I do, even on the guns I own with safeties. Any condition one gun in my house that's ready for self defense is chambered and ready to fire; as soon as you pull it from the holster. The exception is a 6-shot 38 special I keep in the kitchen. It has a strong enough double action trigger pull I'm not really concerned with keeping it in a holster.

But the nightstand gun, desk gun, couch gun, and other guns (5 level house, have to keep one on each level...) .. they're ready to fire once you draw them from the holster.

 

[tcoz]

No problem storing an auto with the slide locked back. The same laws of physics that apply to mag springs apply to the action spring too. For what it's worth, I think you're over complicating this. If your gun is safe to carry with a round in the chamber, it's safe to store that way.

That may be the case but I'm always on high alert when outside of my home and carrying which wouldn't necessarily be the case if awakened during the night. I appreciate the comments though.

 

[tcoz]

There is no risk of jamming when you flip a safety off or draw a firearm from a holster. There is a risk of jamming when you load the first round off of a fresh magazine. Might be slight but it's still there.

The first thing I want if I'm suddenly presented with the problem of someone trying to kill me, isn't another problem. I want a solution to the original problem.

If your "nightstand gun" doesn't have a safety that you are happy with, keep it in a holster. I do, even on the guns I own with safeties. Any condition one gun in my house that's ready for self defense is chambered and ready to fire; as soon as you pull it from the holster. The exception is a 6-shot 38 special I keep in the kitchen. It has a strong enough double action trigger pull I'm not really concerned with keeping it in a holster.

But the nightstand gun, desk gun, couch gun, and other guns (5 level house, have to keep one on each level...) .. they're ready to fire once you draw them from the holster.

Really good point about jamming. I actually do keep my G19 holstered with a round in the chamber. I just wanted to stimulate a discussion and see what others thought of the idea.

 

[Trent]

Really good point about jamming. I actually do keep my G19 holstered with a round in the chamber. I just wanted to stimulate a discussion and see what others thought of the idea.

Personally I don't favor the idea of leaving it locked back. If the top round becomes slightly dislodged from the magazine by handling it WILL jam. (My PS90 rifle is like this; it's either unloaded, or cocked/locked/safe - the first round is very easy to dislodge slightly from the magazine and WILL jam if it's not properly in position. Putting the gun down against a wall nose-down will often dislodge this first round enough that cocking it will turn in to an immediate action failure drill, which isn't exactly fast on those rifles).

I view the holster as action 1. I can pick up the gun and leave it holstered to investigate what the dogs are barking at. Only takes a split second to drop the holster off the gun with my thumb and raise it to ready. (Note, I don't investigate what is outside, at night, that's a big tactical error; I just ensure the doors are still shut, and wait where I have a clear line of fire to the entrances)

[edited to remain on topic]

 

[CA Raider]

can't imagine any reason why you would want to keep a gun like that.
unless you happen to have the Taliban sleeping in your guest room

you would be much safer to keep the mag loaded, the chamber empty, and the slide forwards in normal position. that way if you wake up in the middle of the night, you have to reach for the gun and get it ready to fire. just like someone else here said - it's not unusual to be groggy if you are woken up suddenly. the very last thing you want to do in life is to be groggy and handling a gun that is one step away from going off. keep yourself safe ... by making sure you have to load a bullet into the chamber before you fire.

if your concern is that an intruder might burst into your room suddenly, then a better solution is to install an alarm somewhere in your house - that gives you an early warning. you would rather have that extra time to be able to react anyway, right?

CA R

 

[rcmodel]

does anybody store their "nightstand" home defense auto loader with a full mag and the slide locked back?

No!

Depending on the type of gun, it is a recipe for disaster.

What if you drop or knock the gun off the nightstand on the floor?
It will probably load itself when the slide lock jars off.

A loaded gun with the safety ON is not going to go off.

A loaded gun with the safety OFF might.

I guess on a Glock or something, it wouldn't matter.

But a 1911 for instance would be safer cocked & locked then with the slide locked back and the safety off.

rc

 

[TomJones]

I keep my XDs with one in the chamber and a full clip. As for the waking up groggy, I have two dogs to hold the intruder at bay. <deleted> The gun is just a backup solution in case he gets past the dogs.

 

[DT Guy]

Too loud, too much chance to get dirt/debris into the chamber or on the ammo. I'd even prefer to have it in condition 3, just to keep it clean.


Larry

 

[9mmepiphany]

If you aren't comfortable with a loaded chamber when woken form a sound sleep, I'd suggest there is less downside to having the slide closed, than having it locked back.

1. The balance is better when you grab it and try to get a firing grip
2. It retracting the slide and releasing it is less error prone then trying to hit the slide lock lever. I should point out that I'm a strong believer in using an overhand tug over the slide stop in general, the exception is with the H&K P7

Early in my gun toting days, I gave this night stand gun issue some thought. I settled on a fully loaded DA/SA pistol

 

[rcmodel]

And that's why I like revolvers too!!

rc

 

[Phaedrus/69]

Okay, I'll admit it; while I carry a cocked-and-locked pistol every day, I'm not comfortable keeping my nightstand gun in that state of readiness. I keep an HK USP45 Tactical by the bed with a loaded mag in the gun but no round in the chamber. I'll admit this has a couple disadvantages. First I sacrifice one round of capacity having 12 in the mag but none in the pipe. Second, there probably is some danger of grabbing the gun and thinking it's ready to go when in fact it's unloaded. Since I've done this for a long time I think I'll know to rack the slide if I need the gun, but...

Still, I don't like the idea of grabbing the gun in my sleep or in a groggy state and having it ready to go with a flip of the safety.:banghead:

 

[tcoz]

Still, I don't like the idea of grabbing the gun in my sleep or in a groggy state and having it ready to go with a flip of the safety.:banghead:

That's the point I was trying to make except that in my case as we all know, the G19 by my bedside only has the trigger drop safety so grabbing it in a state of panic during the middle of the night could be a problem and that's why I keep it in a holster. My son keeps an XD by his bedside and at least has the grip safety although I suppose that's pretty easy to accidentally depress under the same circumstances. Good discussion.

 

[BrotherFrankie]

with due respect..

racking a slide or releasing a slide is not too quiet. I want to be as stealth as possible to keep the element of surprise.

i personally keep it loaded, safety off and one in the pipe on my side of the bed. the wife has the revolver on her side..

when there are outsiders in my home or grand kids the weapons are not out like that.

be blessed folks

 

[DT Guy]

It's very sound reasoning to keep a mental barrier between the 'sleepy you' and a fully ready firearm, I will agree. I prefer fully loaded, condition 1 or equivalent pistols in a safe with a Simplex lock; wakeful me can open it in (timed) under two seconds, while sleepy me likely could not open it at all, since the mental activity (remembering numbers) is not a function of muscle memory.


Larry

 

[Mike1234567]

I live alone and am not prone to panic. I keep all mine with mags full, rounds chambered and safeties engaged.

 

[Crashbox]

At my nightstand when in semi-auto mode I usually have them (SIG's) ready with one in the pipe and slide forward. Sometimes I will set them on the nightstand inside a holster. I do the same with my revolvers when in wheelgun mode.

I rely primarily on the safety between my ears; I also live alone.

 

[Sebastian the Ibis]

Why don't you just get an extra retention holster and leave your night stand gun in that?

I keep a couple of guns around the house, in the exact state of readiness as the one on my hip. Round in the chamber. If I keep all my guns in the exact same condition I don't have to think about it, it is all muscle memory.

 

[wmtrp]

One in the chamber with safety on. Only need to take safety off and start shooting.