Cocked or not cocked?

F

Freeloader Reloader

New member
I keep three of my four handguns in my house. My two main target guns (Ruger GP100 and 9mm Browning HiPower) are locked in a gun safe, unloaded. I do keep two loaded magazines in the soft case with the HiPower though). My EDC (Ruger LC9s) is always on my side...where it's supposed to be. When I retire for the night, I place it on top of my computer cabinet, out of reach and completely out of sight. I have no children in the house at night and there is no way that they would know it's there or be able to reach it if there were. I keep this gun in the same condition I carry it...loaded magazine, round in the chamber, thumb safety engaged. I sleep in the same room that my guns are located...and I am a light sleeper. All of this background leads up to my simple question:
Does it do any harm to a semi-auto handgun to keep it in a ready condition such as I described for an extended period of time? I'm not talking about the safety aspect, though it's always a concern, but strictly from the standpoint of potential damage or unnecessary wear on the gun itself. Sort of like the "Loaded mag or empty mag" question that always floats around.
Also, my doors are not the strongest in the land and I live in a rural area. That being said, I worry about home invasions especially when I read about them in the paper. Then add to that the terrorists that seem to be headline news more and more...and don't forget the Zombies either. Luckily, we don't have the laws that require legal citizens to have their guns locked in a separate location as the ammo. If the need ever did arise where my family was being threatened, it is ridiculous to think that you could go to the gun safe, unlock it, take out the gun and remove the lock from it, then run to another room, unlock your ammo, load your magazine and then....and only then...encounter the threat...if it is still in the vicinity.
 
I would likely do as you have, keep it 'cocked and locked'. Nighttime, being awakened to an emergency with a foggy head and reduced coordination is no time to try and remember that 'nighttime-ready' is different from 'daytime-ready' condition.
If you have no children in the room at night, then it doesn't matter if it's out of reach of children, I might put it on the nightstand if it were me.
 
For what it's worth....I have a Glock 21 that hasn't seen a day in the last 10 years where it wasn't loaded....no mag problems.

I do have some mags that have broken/weak springs, but that seems to happen on the ones that are usef. Somewhere there is a thread on magazine life, my take away from it was mags that are used wear out faster....and used meaning loaded and unloaded.
 
IMhO I think you're fine.

But why take my word for it, take your gun out every month and shoot it, see if there's a problem. What's that? You already do? Well then problem solved.

BTW I totally agree with your description of keeping ammo and guns locked up separately. To me it seems obvious it is yet another 'common sense' :rolleyes: idea for people that don't like guns to make owning a gun more difficult.
 
Aside from you really needing a bit of counselling for the paranoia, springs do not lose temper from being compressed. A mag in with no chambered round is better. Especially with a BHP(ain't no such thing as a target BHP.).
"...have no children in the house at night..." You put 'em out with the cat? snicker.
 
I've got a Hi-Power that has spent more time in Condition 1 over the past 14 years than any other state. So roughly 7-8 years in Condition 1 at a minimum. It runs just fine.
 
I was wondering the same thing. I just read an article on this subject as I was keeping my Ruger P89 slide locked in the rear position with a loaded mag in my drawer at night. A police officer wrote on a thread that the recoil spring would be fine if you regularly went to the range to "exercise it". The mag spring on the other hand is another issue, he wrote that they will "wear out" over time if fully compressed. So he said to rotate the loaded mag every week, using a marker, number you mags so you can keep track of which is next in line...
 
A gun won't shoot if it's not loaded. I went to striker fired pistols for HD because they are ready to fire and no cocking the hammer is necessary. In a HD situation there is not time to find the firearm, put in a magazine, and chamber a round.

I keep my Walther PPQs and Glocks loaded and ready to fire. The SA and DA/SA pistols stay mostly in the safe.

I practice about twice a month with carbines and pistols.
 
T. O'Heir Wrote: Aside from you really needing a bit of counselling for the paranoia, springs do not lose temper from being compressed. A mag in with no chambered round is better. Especially with a BHP(ain't no such thing as a target BHP.).
"...have no children in the house at night..." You put 'em out with the cat? snicker.
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In what way is 'a mag in with no chambered round' somehow 'better'? Don't you want a defensive arm loaded?

And as far as a 'target' BHP, yes, there is; it's called the "GP Competition"
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Larry
 
A mag in with no chambered round is better.
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Better in what way?

I'd be willing to bet that most issues with chambering a round are when you put the first round in an empty chamber. In a tense situation you can short stroke the slide, ride the slide or any number of operator errors that will jam the gun. Also, chambering a round makes that distinctive sound that could alert someone to your location and that you are armed.

I can't think of a single reason to not have a round in the chamber of a HD gun with no children around, especially with a mag already inserted. If nothing else you can top off the magazine after chambering the round to have 1 additional round available.
 
I only have 2 guns that have ammo in them, when in the house.

1) Springfield Champion. 1911, 4" barrel. 45ACP. There is no round in the chamber, but loaded magazine is in the gun.

2) Mossberg 500 pump, 12 ga. Again, no round in the chamber, but magazine is loaded.

As for any damage to the springs, I have witnessed none yet. Both guns feed reliably. And I figure I can afford to pop for $2 for a spring if need be for the shotgun. As for the Champion, I have 4 magazines.:D
 
In cleaning out my shop I found a couple of 1911 magazines that were fully loaded. I don't know when they were loaded. I know its been over 20 years because they've been here since I retired over 20 years ago. Don't know how long before that.

They are USGI issued mags from my National Guard shooting days, (I retired from the NG in 1992 so that would be a good estimate of time).

The magizines still work flawlessly. (the ammo did too). I don't know about glocks and such but steel guns, like my Colt & USGI 1911s and my Smith 52 don't care how long the hammer is cocked.

There are times I use to carry the 1911s, and they were always kept and carried locked and cocked. Didn't hurt them. They have the original springs. They still work.

I don't know where the idea came from where its better to keep the mags loaded and empty chamber being better on the mags. That doesn't make since at all.

Anyway if loaded mags and cocked hammers bother you (they don't me), get a revolver. Revolvers are at rest when they are kept ready.

Not just handguns, I found the same with my rifles. My M1A & ARs are mostly USGI, some have been loaded a long time without problems.

My hunting rifles, (bolt guns) sometimes are kept with the mag well loaded but I don't chamber a round in my hunting rifles until I'm ready to shoot. Even while actually hunting. But that is for safety reasons, not because I'm concerned about follower springs.
 
Of course, all these spring questions can be moot when a revolver is the HD handgun choice.
But to stay on course, springs that are properly made last a very long time, whether they are kept in a compressed state or cycled.
I have mags, with the original springs, that are decades old and work just fine.
Some have been loaded most of that time, without much use, and others have had thousands of rounds through them.
Probably tens of thousands.
They are the ones that have proven themselves, though, and the reason they are still here.
If you have suspicious ones, don't bother diagnosing, just replace them at the first sign of trouble and worry less.
 
I have seen many times information from professionals who know springs, that modern springs, properly made, are not damaged from how long they are properly compressed or relaxed. Damage comes from overcompressing the spring, and wear (gradual loss of spring tension) comes from the number of compression/relaxation cycles the spring goes through.

I have heard of a case where a 1911A1 was found fully loaded cocked and locked, and had been in that state since WWII. Reportedly it functioned normally.

I have personal experience with a Colt Govt model stored over 10 years chamber empty, hammer down, magazine loaded in a dresser drawer. That gun did not run right, because of the gumming up of the lubrication. I picked it up, dropped the mag (loaded), checked the chamber (empty) and when I released the slide, it moved slowly forward, and stopped with the action about half way open. Cleaned, re-lubed and reassembled, that gun runs normally.

Technically storing a gun with the action open should have no effect on the spring (again, modern gun, modern springs). I wouldn't store them that way, #1 because I live in a dusty place, and #2, even if it shouldn't matter why risk it?

Storing a gun cocked can be a bad thing with old(er) guns. In my Grandfather's day, it was considered to be one of the stupider things to do. Now, 100 years later, most folks still don't think its the best idea.
 
I have three semi-autos, a 1911, a Browning Hi-Power, and a Kahr PM45. I keep the 1911 and Browning loaded with safeties engaged. I've had the Browning since 2005, and it still works 100 percent.

I'll change recoil springs in semi-autos between 1,000 to 3,000 rounds. I'll rotate out magazines. I'll let them rest for a month after they've been fully loaded for two months. That's most likely unnecessary, but it's a habit.

Any equipment will fail at some point. It's good to have back-up stuff. I live in rural area too, and I keep a shotgun and rifle within reach. Good lights, strong doors, a couple of loyal dogs, no concealment or cover left for the trolls, perimeter alarms ... the handgun is a very small part of a security plan.
 
I make a lot of springs. Whether that makes me an "expert" is in doubt. I also have guns that have been constantly loaded for 35 years that work just fine.
I also rebuild antique switchblade knives-a lot of them. So I deal with thousands of springs yearly.
I can say this:
Springs aren't alive and they don't need exercise or rest. :rolleyes:
I have seen many 150 year old springs that work as well as the day they were
made.
Revolver springs are still under much tension when the gun is at rest.
I see VERY few springs that have lost tension. "Real" springs break, rather than get weak.
A properly made spring does not weaken from use-unless that use flexes the spring beyond it's elastic limit.
"Real" springs are made froim high carbon steel-properly heat treated. Some "high tech" manufacturers use work-hardened stainless for springs. I have little experience with these, other than to say that this material is a joke for springs.
Having worked on many, many guns over the years- I have never seen one with a "worn out" spring. Rust can ruin a spring, cycling (in the extreme) can break a spring, extreme heat (400 degrees plus) can weaken a spring, flexing past a spring's elastic limit can ruin a spring-as well as stretching a spring.
 
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I can't comment on the actual question in the OP for lack of experience and I doubt conjecture is of use but allow me to say this:

The gun you have for carry is good for exactly that: carry. It is compact and small.

Personally, in your situation, I would have the GP100 on the nightstand, loaded. It can shoot well, packs a punch and negates all the concerns in the OP. A loaded revolver has never strained any part of its construction!!
 
Aside from you really needing a bit of counselling for the paranoia
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What if you are right, the OP is paranoid ?

What if he is right, and ill intentions gain access to his home ?

I hope your were trying to be humorous in that.
 
I would not worry about the springs wearing out ...... I have 1911's that have been loaded, cocked and locked pretty much 99.9% of the time since I bought them ...... years ago. They work just fine.

As for "paranoia"? I don't see any issue with having hardware and a plan ...... though I might invest a little bit in hardening/upgrading the doors the doors if they worry you at all..... simply using longer and heavier screws to secure the door jamb, hinges and lock plates to the frame of the house is simple enough to do, costs very little and makes kicking in the door MUCH harder ....... adding a steel plate to the backside to the jamb behind the deadbolt is also pretty simple and will help even more ......
 
What if you are right, the OP is paranoid ?

What if he is right, and ill intentions gain access to his home ?

I hope your were trying to be humorous in that
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It's smart to take sensible precautions, but I don't rely on the what if school of thought. What if I get hit by an asteroid etc. All springs weaken over a period of time unless they have invented a material to make them i have not heard of. How long that would take to affect the performance of a firearm I don't know. I would think making it as difficult as possible to stop unwelcome people gaining access into your house would be a good idea, as well as thinking what to do if they are in the house.
 
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