To chachunk, or not to chachunk
- Thread starter johnsonrlp
- Start date
Remember that 98% of defensive firearms use don't involve discharge of the firearm - so the "ca-chunk" school of thought does have at least that aspect going for it. The sound of a racking shotgun is an unmistakable, gut-level warning to the intruder that he's moments away from a great deal of pain if he continues with his actions.
But I tend to lean towards a shouted warning if I'm going to give one. Defensive firearms should be loaded, otherwise they're glorified and expensive clubs.
But I tend to lean towards a shouted warning if I'm going to give one. Defensive firearms should be loaded, otherwise they're glorified and expensive clubs.
XavierBreath
New member
I see three reasons for stowing a pump shotgun at cruiser ready.
Reason one, when carried in an automobile that may very well be involved in an accident, an empty chamber makes for a safe weapon. No amount of impact can discharge the gun.
Reason two is potentially more important. In "cruiser ready" condition, all pump shotguns work the same. One does not have to worry about where the slide release or safety is, nor whether he is holding a Remington, Mossberg, or Winchester. In all three you simply rack the slide aim and pull the trigger.
Reason three: Racking the slide is gross motor movement. Snicking off safeties and slide releases are fine motor movements. Fine motor skills tend to elude us when under severe stress. It is much better to only have the need for gross motor skills. Cruiser ready allows that.
The chachunk noise is a byproduct of other considerations.
Reason one, when carried in an automobile that may very well be involved in an accident, an empty chamber makes for a safe weapon. No amount of impact can discharge the gun.
Reason two is potentially more important. In "cruiser ready" condition, all pump shotguns work the same. One does not have to worry about where the slide release or safety is, nor whether he is holding a Remington, Mossberg, or Winchester. In all three you simply rack the slide aim and pull the trigger.
Reason three: Racking the slide is gross motor movement. Snicking off safeties and slide releases are fine motor movements. Fine motor skills tend to elude us when under severe stress. It is much better to only have the need for gross motor skills. Cruiser ready allows that.
The chachunk noise is a byproduct of other considerations.
Model520Fan
New member
Thank you, Glenn. A good friend of mine killed himself accidentally because he thought he was smarter than he was, meaning he was a good old boy with an IQ of 140 or so who had been around guns all his life and didn't know what you wrote above, or never thought it through properly.
Arizona Fusilier
New member
While I would admit the "chachunk" is probably overrated by Hollywood and the like......
I think it it is an advantageous "by product" of the cruiser-ready condition (like XavierBreath so aptly put it). I'm afraid I'm very dismissive of this whole "give away your position" angle. I don't know what y'all were taught in your CCW classes, but vocalizing to the threat while there is still time to do so was part and parcel of threat management. Obviously if he's standing over the bed your not interested in making threats or "chachunks". But if he/they are still in the other room, I think prudence, legal or otherwise, dictates the use of the "get the hell out of here" idiom.
The average punk will high-tail it. The absolutley zonked-out meth-head that is not in his right mind is going to do what he's going to do, "chachunk" or no. Regardless, the purpose of "chachunk" is not to demoralize them with the legendary, infallible, death ray effects of the shotgun. It's to convince them beyond a reasonable doubt that you are indeed armed, and not bluffing, and that is their cue to leave.
So yeah, it might be overrated, but in the main, I see no harm. I mean, if people kept it on an empty chamber for safety purposes, you wouldn't tell them not to chamber it?
Of course, if you are a member of the Super-Secret North American Action-Hero Ranger Squad, and live in palpable fear of Al-Qaeda ninjas with GPS-guided bullets that will home in on your position once you've "chachunked", then by all means, remain stealthy in your ambush position and do not vocalize or otherwise utter a peep.
You are, after all, good enough to ascertain the difference in footfall from your would-be assassins and your son/daughter coming home late.
I think it it is an advantageous "by product" of the cruiser-ready condition (like XavierBreath so aptly put it). I'm afraid I'm very dismissive of this whole "give away your position" angle. I don't know what y'all were taught in your CCW classes, but vocalizing to the threat while there is still time to do so was part and parcel of threat management. Obviously if he's standing over the bed your not interested in making threats or "chachunks". But if he/they are still in the other room, I think prudence, legal or otherwise, dictates the use of the "get the hell out of here" idiom.
The average punk will high-tail it. The absolutley zonked-out meth-head that is not in his right mind is going to do what he's going to do, "chachunk" or no. Regardless, the purpose of "chachunk" is not to demoralize them with the legendary, infallible, death ray effects of the shotgun. It's to convince them beyond a reasonable doubt that you are indeed armed, and not bluffing, and that is their cue to leave.
So yeah, it might be overrated, but in the main, I see no harm. I mean, if people kept it on an empty chamber for safety purposes, you wouldn't tell them not to chamber it?
Of course, if you are a member of the Super-Secret North American Action-Hero Ranger Squad, and live in palpable fear of Al-Qaeda ninjas with GPS-guided bullets that will home in on your position once you've "chachunked", then by all means, remain stealthy in your ambush position and do not vocalize or otherwise utter a peep.
You are, after all, good enough to ascertain the difference in footfall from your would-be assassins and your son/daughter coming home late.
Mannlicher
New member
I guess this is going to be asked over, and over, and over. The same folks post the same replies again and again. It's a personal preferance thing, and most will never change their minds, nor should they. If your choice works for you, go for it.
The one thing I will inject here though, is about 'cruiser ready'. For me, thats a great way for cops to carry their shotguns in their cars. I see no valid reasons to have your bedside weapon in that condition. Three reasons were brought up by XavierBreath, first that if involved in an accident, it would not go off is on its face, invalid in your bedroom. The second reason about all shotguns working the same, is also invalid, with the same 870 being by the bed year in and year out, and the third about motor skills is invalidated by use and training.
No, Cruiser ready is not a good idea for home use.
The one thing I will inject here though, is about 'cruiser ready'. For me, thats a great way for cops to carry their shotguns in their cars. I see no valid reasons to have your bedside weapon in that condition. Three reasons were brought up by XavierBreath, first that if involved in an accident, it would not go off is on its face, invalid in your bedroom. The second reason about all shotguns working the same, is also invalid, with the same 870 being by the bed year in and year out, and the third about motor skills is invalidated by use and training.
No, Cruiser ready is not a good idea for home use.
Glenn E. Meyer
New member
1. You perhaps will not keep the shotgun chambered for safety reasons discussed above.
2. When you pick it up because you think you might have to use it and chamber, the sound is side effect. If it has some effect - goodie.
3. You don't keep it unchambered for sound effects. Better sound effects are:
a. Big dog
b. Internal alarm siren you can trigger from your safe room
c. Verbal warning
There is nothing more in this debate than these statements.
Remember to double tap your chachunks as you don't need the ammo anyway. Chachunk as you clear each room and go around a corner too.
2. When you pick it up because you think you might have to use it and chamber, the sound is side effect. If it has some effect - goodie.
3. You don't keep it unchambered for sound effects. Better sound effects are:
a. Big dog
b. Internal alarm siren you can trigger from your safe room
c. Verbal warning
There is nothing more in this debate than these statements.
Remember to double tap your chachunks as you don't need the ammo anyway. Chachunk as you clear each room and go around a corner too.
Every thread that starts out with "here's what I do" seems to devolve into "here's what I do, and anyone who does differently is wrong." It gets really bloody tiresome after a while. I don't need anyone's permission for or agreement with my decisions, and grant you the same privilege.
EDIT: Ok, that was a little on the grumpy side. I feel better now.
EDIT: Ok, that was a little on the grumpy side. I feel better now.
Last edited:
Mannlicher
New member
dev null
now that would sure keep the threads down to about 4 responses
Now if we can just do something to limit the number of 'why use a shotgun' posts in the first place...............
now that would sure keep the threads down to about 4 responses
Now if we can just do something to limit the number of 'why use a shotgun' posts in the first place...............
Glenn E. Meyer
New member
Trying to get this to 4, Dev - so you don't have to read it anymore.
Anyway, I'm going to ask the Austin City Council to banning chachunking as I think it represents a violent act that is not appropriate in our society.
In my bill, all guns will be tested for dB in chambering a round and any that are too loud will be banned. Upsetting people by chachunking is not acceptable in our society. The 2nd Amend. makes no mention of chachunking. You bear arms but not chachunk them, IMHO.
GWB has stated that if a federal chachunk ban gets to him, he will sign it. This is taken by supporters of the RTCS (figure it out) as brillant politics as he knows that soccer moms are anti-chachunkers but the pro-Chachunkers will not let the bill get to him.
Some suggest an smart chachunker with a sound chip that produces a reverse waveform chachunker that negates the real sound might be a legal solution.
Did that get us to 4 pages yet? We can call someone a Nazi using Godwin's law and get us locked before 4 pages?
Anyway, I'm going to ask the Austin City Council to banning chachunking as I think it represents a violent act that is not appropriate in our society.
In my bill, all guns will be tested for dB in chambering a round and any that are too loud will be banned. Upsetting people by chachunking is not acceptable in our society. The 2nd Amend. makes no mention of chachunking. You bear arms but not chachunk them, IMHO.
GWB has stated that if a federal chachunk ban gets to him, he will sign it. This is taken by supporters of the RTCS (figure it out) as brillant politics as he knows that soccer moms are anti-chachunkers but the pro-Chachunkers will not let the bill get to him.
Some suggest an smart chachunker with a sound chip that produces a reverse waveform chachunker that negates the real sound might be a legal solution.
Did that get us to 4 pages yet? We can call someone a Nazi using Godwin's law and get us locked before 4 pages?
I'm not a good enough shot to arbitrarily throw away extra ammunition. So I vote against empty chambers.
If the chamber is empty, you have to cachunk, even if you're in a hurry and even if you need to keep quiet for one reason or another. If it's loaded, you can cachunk if you feel the situation calls for it, but you don't have to.
pax
If the chamber is empty, you have to cachunk, even if you're in a hurry and even if you need to keep quiet for one reason or another. If it's loaded, you can cachunk if you feel the situation calls for it, but you don't have to.
pax
Edward429451
Moderator
Since perps generally have more rights than citizens, and ca chunking could feasibly strike terror into their hearts...could we be charged with terrorism for ca chunking?
Cachunk.
Cachunk, but not for intimidation.
The shotty leans on the nightstand, tube full.
I keep the bedroom pretty private, but we still have company over and I like to be prepared but careful at the same time.
It only takes a second to shuck a shell, and I've trained with dry firing and range time to work the action very forcefully, so that short shucking is not a real big problem.
(It does seem to be easier with the Ithaca than an 870, even though the action length is not noticeably different.)
Cachunk, but not for intimidation.
The shotty leans on the nightstand, tube full.
I keep the bedroom pretty private, but we still have company over and I like to be prepared but careful at the same time.
It only takes a second to shuck a shell, and I've trained with dry firing and range time to work the action very forcefully, so that short shucking is not a real big problem.
(It does seem to be easier with the Ithaca than an 870, even though the action length is not noticeably different.)
I don't do either. My wife has three annoying little dogs. (Note. I do not have ANY dogs.) They only bark at three things. Anything, everything, and nothing. They are so annoying that no one with any sense would stick around to listen to them. (Says something about me I suppose.) At this point I would yell at the dog's to "Shut the ....... up before I shoot all three of you." This would let the BG know that (1) I'm here, (2) I'm awake, (3) there is a chance, maybe better than 50/50 that I am armed and prepared to shoot the dogs. He might get hit by accident, so it would be a good idea to get out of Dodge.
That's my plan anyway.
That's my plan anyway.
Chachunk
Whether it's the 870 or the Winchester Model 25, both 20" barrel, with 4 00 Buck in the magazine. One or the other is in my bedroom. The only time I'd pick up the shotgun is if I am awakened and I'm SURE there is someone inside the house. Otherwise, it's the loaded, chambered, off safe 1076 in my hand. Maglite in the other hand.
If I'm in another part of the house and hear something, it's whatever is close. The 1911A1 (condition 1), Python, Bulldog (by Charter, not the K9
), etc.
Whether it's the 870 or the Winchester Model 25, both 20" barrel, with 4 00 Buck in the magazine. One or the other is in my bedroom. The only time I'd pick up the shotgun is if I am awakened and I'm SURE there is someone inside the house. Otherwise, it's the loaded, chambered, off safe 1076 in my hand. Maglite in the other hand.
If I'm in another part of the house and hear something, it's whatever is close. The 1911A1 (condition 1), Python, Bulldog (by Charter, not the K9
), etc.All of my SD guns are in cond 1. We have no children or acquaintances who would be fiddling around with my guns. Rationales for no ca-chunk: loss of surprise, down one round going in, possibility of feed failure for manually cycled 1st round. I sleep with several handguns and a 5 inch spotlight, long gun for going outside if necessary. My wife would have my 6. Entry would not be difficult but it would not be quiet.