To load or not to load?

[RoarinRow]

Just picked up my Mossberg Persuader 500 Special Purpose shotgun today. I'm excited yet nervous about since this is my first owned shotgun or any gun for that matter.

No kids yet so I'm thinking about keeping it loaded so I can use it when needed. When we do have kids, then I'll keep it unloaded, locked, hidden, etc.

Question - what's the long term effect of the bullet chamber by keeping it loaded all the time. It holds 5 plus 1 bullet. Will the spring holding the bullet in place wear out more quickly? If so, how long? Disadvantages?

Thanks!

 

[dfariswheel]

Most people keep a home defense shotgun in what's known as "Cruiser Ready", which is how the police keep the guns in patrol cars.

This is done by making 100% SURE-CERTAIN that the gun is NOT loaded. This means you visually check both the magazine and the chamber.

Once your sure the gun is completely empty, point it in a safe direction, close the action and pull the trigger.

Then load the magazine and put the gun in a safe place.
To use the gun, all you have to do is pump the handle to chamber a round.

The magazine spring will last for many years.
The big "watch out" is for shot shell compression.
Plastic shells left under tension in the magazine tend to collapse, and get bulges in the cases.

These bulged shells can cause stoppages.
The "fix" for this is to shoot up the ammo in the gun every month or two, and if you can't shoot it, inspect it.
If you find bulged shells, remove them from the gun and reload with new shells.
Do not use the bulged shells until you can shoot them at the range.

 

[RoarinRow]

Perfect, this is exactly the help/suggestion I was looking for. Didn't know about the bulge (shell compression) and stoppage potential.

Thank you.

 

[torpid]

First off, welcome!
Secondly, good question.

I have the same exact shotgun coming my way as well. Shotguns are really fun!

And don't forget to call 'em shells, not bullets...

 

[[email protected]]

Yea, there isnt a spring holding it in the chamber, its a bolt, held by the bars of the action. a shell in the chamber will last forever, but it may be a little too ready to fire, if you bump it in your sleep or whatever it'll wake you up in a not so pleasant way. like they were saying, keep in the possition with the magazine loaded and the chamber empty then if you want to use it just pump once and unload by way of trigger. If you arent pumping it before then you might not even keep it on safety. And just for the record, please stop calling them bullets, we know what you mean but its driving me crazy. the bullet is the nosetip of a cartridge, the projectile part, in shotguns there are shells, loads, shot, slugs, sabots, and buckshot

 

[RoarinRow]

Hahaaha, thanks all. Sorry for being such a noob. Shells, got it

Since the butt of the rifle has a shell holder it should be quick and easy for me to drop a shell in there when I need it.

In a panic response if I put in a shell in a chamber before hand, I'm concerned it might pop out while I'm trying to get it ready. I guess I'm just not all the confident in holding and using it.

I'll be heading to the range this weekend. I want to be able to lock and load without hesitation. Right now I have to think my way through.