Loaded without firing?

[igotit]

If you leave your semi loaded with a round in the chamber, is there any limit or guideline regarding how long it can remain in that state and still be ready to go if/when needed? Are the springs involved typically good enough that they'll never fatigue to the point of making them ineffective? Any other considerations to be aware of?

 

[Forrest Halley]

Please provide more information. How about the model of the firearm and the orientation of storage for starters?

 

[shootist~]

Do you mean the magazine's spring? Leaving compressed long term does not weaken. I back off two rounds anyway, just for reliability.

 

[Bert the Turtle]

Barring a defective spring, you can leave it in that condition for the rest of your life, as well as your children and grandchildren’s lives and it will be good to go from a spring perspective.

If it is stored unoiled in a humid location, rust may eventually stop the firing pin from working. And if it is oiled, the oil may eventually gun up or enough dust may eventually get in there to cause the firing pin to be sluggish. Or a spider might build a nest in the barrel or something. Long story short, it will be fine.

 

[270Guy]

If you leave your semi loaded with a round in the chamber, is there any limit or guideline regarding how long it can remain in that state and still be ready to go if/when needed? Are the springs involved typically good enough that they'll never fatigue to the point of making them ineffective? Any other considerations to be aware of?

Leaving Any Firearm loaded with a round in the chamber is never a good Idea.Lot of things can go wrong.Spring fatigue is one,mishandling is the main one and that's how accidents happen.I wont do it.

 

[PARA45]

I believe it all depends on the type of firearm. On a Glock pistol, I don't believe there will ever be an issue. On a 1911 type of firearm, I believe the sear spring and main spring may eventually fail. On an AR type rifle, it could become an issue over time.

 

[Forrest Halley]

I was more looking at whether there was oil on the firing pin channel and whether it was running toward or away from the primer. That's an awful loud click or clunk.

 

[Nyati]

Never left a round in the chamber unless carrying it.

Magazines, minimum three per gun, one left unloaded, so spring rests, and rotate.

Love revolvers as this is not issue

 

[TucsonFX4]

Leaving Any Firearm loaded with a round in the chamber is never a good Idea.Lot of things can go wrong.Spring fatigue is one,mishandling is the main one and that's how accidents happen.I wont do it.

I disagree. Regarding the spring, the fatigue is caused from frequent use, not remaining in one state (whether it be compressed or extended). If the weapon is for defense (being carried daily or at home ready for defense), being unloaded isn’t practical or useful.

You are certainly right about mishandling causing major problems. The four cardinal rules of gun safety always apply everywhere, whether a gun is “loaded” or “unloaded”.

 

[Nhoro]

I disagree. Regarding the spring, the fatigue is caused from frequent use, not remaining in one state (whether it be compressed or extended). If the weapon is for defense (being carried daily or at home ready for defense), being unloaded isn’t practical or useful.

You are certainly right about mishandling causing major problems. The four cardinal rules of gun safety always apply everywhere, whether a gun is “loaded” or “unloaded”.

This is correct. Springs fail from overuse not storage in a compressed state.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

With a double that cocks when you open it one uses, or should use snap caps and fire against them so as to relieve the springs when the gun is left. Krieghoff of course you de-cock manually.

 

[Sideshow]

But if it has ejectors then you load up the ejector springs.
I talked to my gun maker about it. He did his traded with Holland & Holland so knows his stuff.
His take is forget the snap caps. As the ejectors are the weaker springs.
Im taking doubles and shotguns. http://www.bozardandco.com/home.html
If you go to the repairs and service on the above link there’s a video of him regulating a 500 double that he made.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

But if it has ejectors then you load up the ejector springs.
I talked to my gun maker about it. He did his traded with Holland & Holland so knows his stuff.
His take is forget the snap caps. As the ejectors are the weaker springs.
Im taking doubles and shotguns. http://www.bozardandco.com/home.html
If you go to the repairs and service on the above link there’s a video of him regulating a 500 double that he made.

Yes, but if the ejector spring breaks I can still tip the spent cartridge out. If the firing pin spring breaks I have nothing.

 

[Forrest Halley]

Firearms kept loaded always concerned me with the condition of the chambered round and ensuring no oil soaked the primer inerting the round. Probably the largest concern for a firearm stored muzzle downward.

 

[Sideshow]

Yes, but if the ejector spring breaks I can still tip the spent cartridge out. If the firing pin spring breaks I have nothing.

Good point.

 

[TucsonFX4]

Firearms kept loaded always concerned me with the condition of the chambered round and ensuring no oil soaked the primer inerting the round. Probably the largest concern for a firearm stored muzzle downward.

That’s a concern and potential problem I’ve not experienced nor heard of. Hundreds of thousands of law enforcement and handgun carrying folks in the US alone, and I think this issue would be widely discussed if it were a concern.

I don’t discount the possibility that it could occur and has occurred, but I would think even a halfway sensible care, cleaning, and lube of a weapon would make this a non-issue. You may have a different scenario in your mind regarding your post, so hopefully I didn’t fumble this reply

 

[Wyatt Smith]

Yes, but if the ejector spring breaks I can still tip the spent cartridge out. If the firing pin spring breaks I have nothing.

Will your ejector act as an extractor in the event of a broken spring? If not what do you mean tip it out? I see a cleaning rod coming into play.
I wouldn’t worry about how I store my springs too much, I would worry more about replacing them after the proper round count.

 

[mdsalern]

I see no problem leaving a gun loaded. I follow the NRA 3 rules of gun safety. I’m always ready to use them…

 

[Forrest Halley]

That’s a concern and potential problem I’ve not experienced nor heard of. Hundreds of thousands of law enforcement and handgun carrying folks in the US alone, and I think this issue would be widely discussed if it were a concern.

I don’t discount the possibility that it could occur and has occurred, but I would think even a halfway sensible care, cleaning, and lube of a weapon would make this a non-issue. You may have a different scenario in your mind regarding your post, so hopefully I didn’t fumble this reply

Law Enforcement tends to be quiet about their screw ups whenever they can be. There are stories of guns being frozen shut at qualification and numerous cases of AD/ND and abandoned guns.
My experience comes from a horrifying click that came when I drew my 1911 to shoot a deer once. He was even kind enough to stick around for a recock, but ran at the slide cycle after I got my other hand free. Too much oil exposure over too much time and he walked away. So I pay a lot of attention to firing pin channels and time ammunition has spent in a chamber. Probably just a worse case scenario, but I haven't experienced anything like it since.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

If you leave your semi loaded with a round in the chamber, is there any limit or guideline regarding how long it can remain in that state and still be ready to go if/when needed? Are the springs involved typically good enough that they'll never fatigue to the point of making them ineffective? Any other considerations to be aware of?

@igotit
Never a good idea to leave any weapon cooked and loaded, nasty things can and have happened doing that.
ALL springs will fatigue after a certain time Wether it be thru use or left being compressed. It depends on the spring material as to how long that would take.
I unlock all my weapons after use even my son's OU shotgun. It has a decocker in it and it recocks on assembly of the gun.
Please don't leave it cooked and loaded I wouldn't like to see you writing up an accident report.
Bob