Thread: HD weapon, round chambered?

Made a new thread so as not to gunk up the shotgun thread with unrelated information.

Originally Posted by XdM

Can't go wrong with the 870 or the 590.

I'd recommend a pump over a semi though. They are more reliable and a lot of people (me included) fill the tube up and leave the chamber empty with the action closed. So if something goes bump in the night you just chamber the first round and anyone who hears it with half a brain will leave your house quicker than they arrived.

Don't use a pump to scare somebody, use a pump to shoot somebody. I'd rather have a round chambered because:
1) You get 1 extra round, shotguns don't hold a lot of ammo and that 1 extra shell might save your life
2) Less time between you picking up the gun and being able to fire. You never know when that half second might make all the difference. Read the thread here for an example of when half-seconds count: http://www.northwestfirearms.com/for...ce-county.html
3) Why give away tactical information to the intruder? If they hear the sound they now know your approximate location in the house and that you are armed. I know that in some cases it may be a good idea to try and scare the BG off first, (i.e. if you and your family are in an easily defensible location) but if you keep a round chambered you still have the option of going KACHUK if you have time and have a good reason to try the scare tactic (plus you can put the ejected shell back in the tube and still get your +1). If you don't have a round chambered you are FORCED to do this and you may not always want to (i.e. if you have to go clear your house because family members are in another part of it or something).

This thread is not about pump vs. semi. The same reasoning applies to semi-auto rifles, pistols, and shotguns (they make a nice KACHUK sound too after all). Give yourself the most options possible and set yourself up for success.

IMO yelling that you are armed and have called the police (instead of pumping a shotgun) would be a good option if you suspect someone is in your house. You need to give them every oppurtunity to leave without incident to avoid future legal trouble should you have to shoot them.

Regarding pump vs. semi, anything is better than nothing, it's all personal preference.

The only thing I will yell at an intruder in my home is, "Take that, MotherF*****," when I hear the gun go click.

Originally Posted by dalep

The only thing I will yell at an intruder in my home is, "Take that, MotherF*****," when I hear the gun go click.

Idiot.

If your gun only goes "click", you're in for a world of hurt.

Be smart, use responsible verbal commands in the hopes that someone can hear you and testify (if necessary) to what you said. Shooting people is not fun. That being said, I wouldn't yell for someone to get out of my house. They will end up on the floor, whether it's by following my orders or by disobeying them. I'm not going to let someone run out of my house to grab another armed friend or so that they can come back when I'm not home, armed with knowledge of the layout of my house and location of valuable items.

All of my defense weapons have a round chambered.
No exceptions.

To do otherwise is just silly IMHO.

does get out of my house now Ahole count?

Originally Posted by MrNiceGuy

All of my defense weapons have a round chambered.
No exceptions.

+1

Originally Posted by MrNiceGuy

All of my defense weapons have a round chambered.
No exceptions.

To do otherwise is just silly IMHO.

+1 For this. When I went through my ccw class the officer that taught it said that in the event there is an intruder you should call 911 first and then let them know you are armed. I'm not sure how I feel about this as that process could take up a lot of valuable time. I know its smart to have a plan but its hard to plan for each situation since more than likely they will be different.

Originally Posted by MrNiceGuy

All of my defense weapons have a round chambered.
No exceptions.

To do otherwise is just silly IMHO.

Agreed.

How many people here have actually had to call 911?

I've had to at least half a dozen times over the last few years (some work related, others reporting accidents and a one or two for armed attempted robbery). I am lucky if they answer before 4 or 5 rings, then you state your emergency, they then transfer you to the proper department, which takes a good 20 seconds at minimum. Then you have to re-explain the whole situation to the next person who answers. It's a good 2-3 minute process. A lot can happen in 2-3 minutes if someone is in your home. I'd rather not be on the phone until the threat is gone.

More in line with the original topic. A round is always chambered. The only thing that will scare the BG away is looking down my barrel and/or verbal warning. I am always in the mood for a good old fashion citizens arrest too.

Originally Posted by matt_w

IMO yelling that you are armed and have called the police (instead of pumping a shotgun) would be a good option if you suspect someone is in your house. You need to give them every oppurtunity to leave without incident to avoid future legal trouble should you have to shoot them.
Regarding pump vs. semi, anything is better than nothing, it's all personal preference.

The only thing I NEED to do is ensure the safety of my family. Period end of story. I'm not clearing my house but if you come upstairs where my family is then the dispatcher is going to need to dispatch the coroner. I'm not holding you at gun point for the cops. You have invaded my home and I obviously have to assume that you intend to harm myself or my family and will do everything in my power to stop that threat.

To that effect every gun in my house is loaded.

Originally Posted by Tactical SS

How many people here have actually had to call 911?

I've had to at least half a dozen times over the last few years (some work related, others reporting accidents and a one or two for armed attempted robbery). I am lucky if they answer before 4 or 5 rings, then you state your emergency, they then transfer you to the proper department, which takes a good 20 seconds at minimum. Then you have to re-explain the whole situation to the next person who answers. It's a good 2-3 minute process. A lot can happen in 2-3 minutes if someone is in your home. I'd rather not be on the phone until the threat is gone.

More in line with the original topic. A round is always chambered. The only thing that will scare the BG away is looking down my barrel and/or verbal warning. I am always in the mood for a good old fashion citizens arrest too.

Called the 911 a few years back in Beaverton for a suspected home invasion when I lived in an apartment. Response was fantastic. Told the dispatcher I was at the top of the stairs with my shotgun, they told me to hold that position. Multiple units arrived within a couple minutes, they had officers front and back, and on the side street, plus a K-9 unit.

They couldn't find an unsecured point of entry, and we didn't have a way of getting them a key (lesson #1 learned), so they told me to come downstairs, open the back door closest to the stairs, and stay out of the way. I was instructed to leave the shotgun upstairs, but if I had a holstered weapon to keep that on me (I didn't, lesson #2 learned), and just keep my hands visible when I opened the door. Officers had my description, and were informed about right when I would approach the door, so there was no drama there. Officers came in, checked every room, even the upstairs where I just was, and where my wife was hiding, just in case there actually was a bad guy up there, holding my wife.

Turns out it was something that fell out of place in the kitchen that woke us up and made us think there was an intruder. But I will say the Beaverton Police were extremely professional.

As for HD weapons: I keep my primary weapon (pistol) loaded, on my hip unless I am in bed. Secondary weapons (Shotgun and AR) locked in the safe, loaded with an empty chamber. If I have time to grab them, I have time to chamber them.

Pistol is primary due to time. I can grab and go quicker than grabbing the AR or shotgun.

Originally Posted by dalep

who's the idiot?
If there is an idiot around here, it must be you. The gun goes click after all rounds are expended.

You actually PM'ed me to tell me this instead of putting it in the thread. I stand behind my statement. I hope no one breaks into your house because his partner will shoot your *** when your firearm is empty.

I can see it either way, and I don't think it makes that big a difference.

Personally, I want to have more than a single point of failure between me and a kaboom:
Pocket carry is okay for a pistol with an external safety.
Retention holster is required for a Glock without extra safety.
Shotgun is kept with chamber empty, trigger pulled, safety off. The difference between 7 and 8 rounds is not significant.

Agreed that guns are for shooting, not for either visual or auditory displays. However I also personally know somebody who racked his gauge in his home one night and was rewarded with the sound of an intruder crashing out through the living room picture window. So the sound really can work. YMMV.

Originally Posted by SargentMac

You actually PM'ed me to tell me this instead of putting it in the thread. I stand behind my statement. I hope no one breaks into your house because his partner will shoot your *** when your firearm is empty.

You kids play nice - Don't make me pull this thread over.

My first post here, but here is my feeling on the issue:

My primary HD weapon is always loaded with a round in the chamber and within an arm's reach. In my opinion, time and sound are something that I want on my side. In a perfect world if someone were to break into my home there is time to call 911 and guide the rescuers in for the save, it may be able to happen like that if a family member in my house locks themselves in a room with a phone. If it is an option I'm hiding with them (armed). Unfortunately the layout of my house means that someone inside my house is likely between me and my kids.

If I suspect that someone that is up to no good is in my house, I would never announce anything to them as doing so gives them information about me, and why would I want to do anything that would possibly give them an advantage over me in my own home? I'm not the kind of person that would kill someone to protect my TV, but I wouldn't hesitate if it was my family's safety at risk. If I announced loudly in my house that I am armed and ready to kill, but didn't have the intruder in my sight all it does is tell them that the first person they meet is a threat. What if they come across one of my kids before I get to them? Not a situation I'm ready to risk my childrens' lives on. I have no problem killing someone in my home but I am not one to make any effort to level the playing field. I'm very familiar with the layout of my home, down to which floorboards squeak in a certain way and even how it sounds as each family member walks across them. Why would I give any advantage to someone that is unwelcome? In my opinion, if you break into someone's home, you've already made a decision to put your life on the line.

How many people on here leave the chamber empty on their CCW so they can rack the slide or pull back the hammer and scare someone? Geez.

do things in the proper order,
1 find target
2 shoot target
3 shout "Hold it right there you mother bubblegumer"
4 wait 10 minutes
5 dial 911
6 look for mop and bucket


geez I wish you guys would get it right

actually I heard somewhere empty chamber, hammer down is the training given in the Israeli military. Kinda makes sense, getting both hands on the gun immediateley, rather than trying some Wyatt Earp "from the hip" routine.

I actually did a poll among the felons in my neighborhood, #1 scary thing is a naked old white man with a .45 in one hand and a katana in the other charging at you from the shadows.

Originally Posted by Gunner3456

How many people on here leave the chamber empty on their CCW so they can rack the slide or pull back the hammer and scare someone? Geez.

I don't. What I want is two steps between me and a discharge when we're talking about the guns that are within reach of me while I'm asleep.

Everygun I have (save single action revolvers, those are loaded with 5 in the cylinder, nothing under the hammer, hammer down) are fully loaded with one in the chamber. I am not willing to take the chance of me needing that 1/2 second to chamber a round being the difference between life and death for me and my family.