Keeping the carry gun loaded

[Cygnus]

Newb question....So can you keep a semi-auto pistol loaded with one in the chamber for a long period of time or should you unload each night.

I.e. Keeping a semi-auto loaded with full mag +1 and carrying it daily. Will it harm anything. Logic tells me no but I was wondering if the spring or firing mechanism is under tension or anything while keeping one in the pipe?
Any difference for a strikerfired vs hammer either?

The idea is I don't want to put extra wear on by unchambering each night but I donlt want to harm anything if leaving it that way will harm it either. (Sorry been all revolvers, 10/22's, and shotguns prior to 2009)

 

[Fargo]

What wears out a spring is not being kept tensed, but rather it traveling through it motions. I keep mine loaded pretty much all the time and have never had a problem. Keep in mind that glocks/xds/m&ps remain basically at half cock at all times and nothing wears out.

If you do like to unload frequently, make sure you do not chamber the same round a bunch of times. Eventually you will likely push the bullet back into the case which can cause it to fail to feed and can cause a significant pressure spike when it is fired.

Best,

Joe

 

[mconley]

agreed

 

[wtfd661]

Don't worry about it, you can keep it loaded with no problems.

 

[Bigum1969]

Don't worry about it, you can keep it loaded with no problems.

Yup, what he said.

 

[indykid]

Think about this, you unload each night. One night you hear a crash downstairs. You verify your wife and children are not downstairs (if you have) and then you pick up your unloaded pistol, and fumble in the dark trying to find the mag, or load it, or... while there are footsteps on the stairs.

Keep it loaded. With hammer fired, if the hammer is down, there is no tension on the hammer spring. With a striker fired, most if not all do not tension the firing pin until the trigger is pulled. (note I said most)

 

[Cygnus]

Thanks guys.
So I'm good on the hammer fired gun, although I'm guitly of loading and unloading the same top two rounds about a dozen times each. AT least I rotated....
For those concerned with the home safety part, I do keep the loaded mag in the gun (don't want to wear out the mag release either).

Anyway how about a Keltect P3at?
Do those fall under "most" indykid or anyone else who knows?

 

[SC_Shooter]

Keep it loaded and ready. That's what it's for and there will be no damage to springs from doing this.

 

[indykid]

The P3AT has an internal hammer and is double action only. Since there is no external safety or decocker I am guessing that it is kept in the down position until the trigger is pulled.

 

[thomjb]

Never had an issue

 

[esrice]

Cops keep their guns loaded and carry them around for looooong periods of time. No worries.

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

Good question. What they said.
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[bigus_D]

I keep my P3AT loaded. 6+1

It won't shoot unless the hammer is pulled.

Don't STORE weapons loaded, though. For safety, your non-home defense weapons (everything that what you don't carry regularly) should be kept unloaded (in my opinion). I keep everything but my carry weapon unloaded and separate from the ammo.

 

[jason867]

I think you're underestimating the durability of most guns. These are metal parts, designed to be strong and reliable in the time of need, even through the repeated stresses of firing.

Other than possibly firing A LOT, with hot loads, I wouldn't worry about wearing out a gun, unless it was a rare valuable antique that was already worn significantly.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

As others have said. Springs etc, that are stationary for long periods of time will not wear. It's the action of cycling, or loading and unloading mags that wears parts. Just always remember it's loaded, and be safe. Also as others have stated, make sure you do not continually load the same round. It will over time push the round, into the casing and that's a bad situation.

 

[kludge]

I will only add that it must be inaccessible to unauthorized persons while you are sleeping.

 

[cce1302]

I know your question has been answered, so here's a little story (without a plot) for you.
My dad has kept his 1911 loaded, condition 3, since before Glocks existed. It's his home defense weapon (he doesn't carry it). He only shoots it every couple years and never "rests" the springs.

 

[Sthunter987]

Always keep it loaded, If not why have it, if's not ready when needed. It will not hurt anything on the gun.

 

[hotfarmboy1]

same as when I carry, cocked, locked and ready to rock!

 

[22lr]

Any kids in the house? Thats cause enough to never keep a loaded gun around, yet alone chambered.

If not, like me, id keep er loaded and ready to "rack and roll," but thats me and ive already been down that road so no need calling me out on having a paper weight on my nightstand.