johnsonrlp
New member
Do you leave your chamber empty so you can chachunk your home intruder a warning? Or are you locked and loaded? And why?
To chachunk, or not to chachunk
- Thread starter johnsonrlp
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Para Bellum
New member
that depends...
if you carry the gun on your body: keep the chamber loaded
if you don't and the gun is put somewhere else: keep the chamber empty. It's safer this way if somebody else gets to the gun before you do. Gives you a second more to react...
if you carry the gun on your body: keep the chamber loaded
if you don't and the gun is put somewhere else: keep the chamber empty. It's safer this way if somebody else gets to the gun before you do. Gives you a second more to react...
threefivesevenmag
New member
No chachunk.
Treat all guns as if they were loaded.
Treat all guns as if they were loaded.
Model520Fan
New member
No chachunk. I don't "Hollywood" my revolvers, anyway. Para Bellum's remark about off-body guns don't apply to me, because that is pretty much illegal in MA (and unwise, in my opinion). Furthermore, while a "chachunk" has a sort of poetic appeal as an unstated warning, it is not always the best tactic. I would rather be armed, and be able to choose whether or not to warn based on the actual circumstances.
My pistols are good to go. The shotgun sits in the corner of the bedroom and will need to be kachunked because I don't want to rely solely on the safety until the wife has been trained. It's kind of an unmistakeable sound and will hopefully get the message across. If not, the next sound they hear will presumably do it.
(Edited for clarity)
(Edited for clarity)
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Glenn E. Meyer
New member
Two schools of thought:
1. Unloaded for safety - side benefit is that you will 'scare' the cowardly intruder as all criminals are 'cowards'. Avoids shooting some innocent wandering around the house at night
2. Other side:
a. slow to get into action
b. you can mess up the racking and disable the gun for a bit
c. you announce your location.
I find it is the untrained, gun enthusiast who gushes over how the shotgun sound will scare them away. They will come to the top of the stairs and rack. I told them, that if I were in their house, that's the place they get shot.
I keep an immediate defense gun loaded. For sound effects, we have a very loud alarm that calls the cops also.
1. Unloaded for safety - side benefit is that you will 'scare' the cowardly intruder as all criminals are 'cowards'. Avoids shooting some innocent wandering around the house at night
2. Other side:
a. slow to get into action
b. you can mess up the racking and disable the gun for a bit
c. you announce your location.
I find it is the untrained, gun enthusiast who gushes over how the shotgun sound will scare them away. They will come to the top of the stairs and rack. I told them, that if I were in their house, that's the place they get shot.
I keep an immediate defense gun loaded. For sound effects, we have a very loud alarm that calls the cops also.
Wyo Cowboy
New member
This just makes me think about a "chachunk" incident which occured several years ago at a bar in Powell, Wyoming. It seems that cowboy munber 1 had a few too many brews and got into a minor scuffle with a few other cowboys. Basicly CB#1 got his rearend slightly whipped and tossed out the door. CB#1 when to his pickup, grabbed his 870 and re-entered the bar. ChaCHUNK! 
The bar went silent. CB#1 liked the response. ChaCHUNK!! CB#1 had everyones undivided attention. ChaCHUNK!!! Cowboy number 1 was thouroughily enjoying his new found respect. Unfortunatily for CB#1 he was in a bar in WYOMING! Most people there know about guns... and can count! 
CB#1 had shucked ALL of his shells on the barroom floor. 
Then they REALLY beat the dogsnot out of him. The Sheriff was called and CB#1 ended up with a vacation with all expences paid by the county.
The bar went silent. CB#1 liked the response. ChaCHUNK!! CB#1 had everyones undivided attention. ChaCHUNK!!! Cowboy number 1 was thouroughily enjoying his new found respect. Unfortunatily for CB#1 he was in a bar in WYOMING! Most people there know about guns... and can count! CB#1 had shucked ALL of his shells on the barroom floor. Then they REALLY beat the dogsnot out of him. The Sheriff was called and CB#1 ended up with a vacation with all expences paid by the county.HangFire83
New member
Nightstand gun is cocked, locked, ready to rock. The shotty under the bed will need to be racked.
axslingerW
New member
My firearms are either loaded and chambered or unloaded and locked up. If loaded they are on my person. I will not give a warning call, shout, or sound. The first (and hopefully last) sound an intruder will hear will be BANG!
Para Bellum
New member
please share your wisdom with me.
- do you sleep with a belt and a gun?
- or do you leave a chamber-loaded gun at or close to your bed but off your body?
leadcounsel
Moderator
The answer is that "it depends"
For me, my carry pistol always has a round in the chamber. I have complete control of it at all times and may require draw and shoot immediately.
My nightstand pistol always has a round in it, as does the gun in my desk drawer. It may require that I grab it and shoot it immediately.
I also feel safe that my handguns have "drop safeties" and won't discharge if they fall onto the ground whereas my rifles and shotguns offer no such safety.
My other guns in my home are either completely unloaded and locked up or need to be racked to put a bullet in the chamber, but also locked up. Here are some reasons for this.
My rifles are stored in my safe pointing UP. As I draw them from the safe, the barrel is pointing squarely at my HEAD. I'm not comfortable keeping a round in the chamber for that reason. Something may snag the trigger, safeties may fail, it might slip from my grasp and fall, etc. It's too costly of an accident waiting to happen, especially if I'm in a hurry and tug on the shotgun or AR to quickly get it from the safe. I know they aren't loaded and it takes only a moment to rack them. I won't be clearing my home anyway, so it will be a defensive barricade position, in my room with the gun trained on the door. Plenty of time to rack the round.
If you don't have a safe, another reason to not keep a loaded chamber is curious people. Another reason is maybe the gun falls over (maybe the dog knocks against it, or there's an earthquake, whatever) and the firing pin slams against the primer. BOOM. I don't believe that military style rifles and shotguns have pistol style firing pin/striker blockers. 'nuff said.
Another reason is a theory of an unlikely event. Lets suppose you don't have a safe and have an AR laying around with a loaded chamber. Could a housefire cook off the round in the chamber? Could it continue to shoot as each successive round was ejected and chambered? I have no idea. But I suppose it's possible.
I vote that the racking sound is a detriment, not a benefit. For that reason I vote not to "chachunk" but for the reasons above. Of course I'd have to for my HD shotgun, but it would be an immediate action after drawing the firearm, not a "signal" of intent like Hollywood portrays. If I'm using a shotgun, there won't be a warning.
For me, my carry pistol always has a round in the chamber. I have complete control of it at all times and may require draw and shoot immediately.
My nightstand pistol always has a round in it, as does the gun in my desk drawer. It may require that I grab it and shoot it immediately.
I also feel safe that my handguns have "drop safeties" and won't discharge if they fall onto the ground whereas my rifles and shotguns offer no such safety.
My other guns in my home are either completely unloaded and locked up or need to be racked to put a bullet in the chamber, but also locked up. Here are some reasons for this.
My rifles are stored in my safe pointing UP. As I draw them from the safe, the barrel is pointing squarely at my HEAD. I'm not comfortable keeping a round in the chamber for that reason. Something may snag the trigger, safeties may fail, it might slip from my grasp and fall, etc. It's too costly of an accident waiting to happen, especially if I'm in a hurry and tug on the shotgun or AR to quickly get it from the safe. I know they aren't loaded and it takes only a moment to rack them. I won't be clearing my home anyway, so it will be a defensive barricade position, in my room with the gun trained on the door. Plenty of time to rack the round.
If you don't have a safe, another reason to not keep a loaded chamber is curious people. Another reason is maybe the gun falls over (maybe the dog knocks against it, or there's an earthquake, whatever) and the firing pin slams against the primer. BOOM. I don't believe that military style rifles and shotguns have pistol style firing pin/striker blockers. 'nuff said.
Another reason is a theory of an unlikely event. Lets suppose you don't have a safe and have an AR laying around with a loaded chamber. Could a housefire cook off the round in the chamber? Could it continue to shoot as each successive round was ejected and chambered? I have no idea. But I suppose it's possible.
I vote that the racking sound is a detriment, not a benefit. For that reason I vote not to "chachunk" but for the reasons above. Of course I'd have to for my HD shotgun, but it would be an immediate action after drawing the firearm, not a "signal" of intent like Hollywood portrays. If I'm using a shotgun, there won't be a warning.
AmesJainchill
New member
870s don't carry three rounds?
Wyo Cowboy
New member
Just went and looked at my 870. Two in the mag tube, one in the chamber. ChaChunk, chaChunk, chaChunk... empty 870. I've seen and fired 870's which carry anything from 2 to 8 shells.
Geezz... I was just trying to tell a funny story.
Geezz... I was just trying to tell a funny story.
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The only sound the BG will hear (in this particular scenario) if he is not facing me is the safety coming off the weapon, and Verbal warning.
But if BG has what seems to be a weapon in hand, the sound will be safety coming off and bullets flying towards the BG.
Assuming of course I am 100% that this is an intruder and not my brother's sister's cousin coming to raid the refrigirator.
But if BG has what seems to be a weapon in hand, the sound will be safety coming off and bullets flying towards the BG.
Assuming of course I am 100% that this is an intruder and not my brother's sister's cousin coming to raid the refrigirator.
leadcounsel
Moderator
870s with a plug carry 3 shells. Without the plug they can carry more.
3 shells total, including 1 in the chamber
with the plug in, 2 in the mag, 1 in the chamber. I obviosly wouldn't assume someone had their plug in and bet they just rack all their rounds out.
However, if someone is stupid enough to keep racking his shotgun because he thinks it sounds cool, he deserves to have the snot beat out of him
with the plug in, 2 in the mag, 1 in the chamber. I obviosly wouldn't assume someone had their plug in and bet they just rack all their rounds out.
However, if someone is stupid enough to keep racking his shotgun because he thinks it sounds cool, he deserves to have the snot beat out of him
Glockamolie
New member
All my handguns are kept with a round in the chamber. Shotguns are kept "patrol ready", with an empty chamber, safety off, and having been dry-fired, so there's no messing with releasing the action. Just pump and go.