Firearm storage - Cocked or Uncocked

[KySongDog]

Here is one those perplexing questions that has bothered me for most of my adult life.  Let's see what you say.........

How do you store your firearms....cocked or uncocked ??

[Silencer]

most of my guns you cant ease the hammer down so I dry fire.  I know thats not good for em either.
The ones with the hammers I do ease down. 

[slagmaker]

If it has a hammer I ease it down. Bolt actions I leave the bolt open when it is in storage.  The AR I leave cocked as I dont have snap caps for a .223. Shotguns that have no hammer, I have a snap cap for them.

[alscalls]

My bolt guns have a de-cocker.........By holding the trigger and closing the bolt it de-cocks the rifle.....However the safety will not engage again until the firearm is cocked. this troubles me, cause I could forget to re-engage the safety when loading.
My shotguns I usually just leave em cocked as well as my 22's .

[KySongDog]

By holding the trigger and closing the bolt it de-cocks the rifle

That's what I do on my bolt guns.  On the others I drop the hammer (dry fire).  I even do it on rim fires.  I know you aren't supposed to but I do it anyway.  However, lots of dry firing rim fire guns will damage them. So far I have not created a problem.

I can't bring myself to leave a gun cocked in storage. 

[Hawks Feather]

They do, or used to, make the red plastic snap caps for .22.  I have some and they are good for about 50 snaps and then the rim will crack.

Jerry

[pitw]

If'n you guy's would do a little less storage we might see a few more pic's

[alscalls]

If'n you guy's would do a little less storage we might see a few more pic's

:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:
Moss dont grow on my boots but here I am the first day of gun season going to work.........

[KySongDog]

If'n you guy's would do a little less storage we might see a few more pic's

:roflmao:  You forget we don't live in CommieCanada.    Most of us own more than just one gun so we are faced with a storage problem.   In the slave state of Canada one doesn't have to worry about storing handguns, AR's, AK's, .50 cal's, high powered air rifles, etc.

Of course, if NoBama has his way our storage problem will be solved just like Canada's.   

[slagmaker]

I only have 2 hands.. So I can only fire two firearms at a time. That means something has to stay home and theres usually more staying at home than there is comming with me.

[LORDDAL]

My guns If not employed in locked n loaded home defense mode BTW I usually do have at least 2 different ones locked n loaded ready to defend the castle at all costs are usually decocked or with actions open  but thats just me 

[5 SHOTS]

I always keep all my guns loaded cause you never know when you might need it and an empty gun is just a club. Besides nobody has to wonder if it's loaded or not.

[vvarmitr]

Leaving the action on a semi-auto open, does that take the tension off the spring? 

[KySongDog]

Leaving the action on a semi-auto open, does that take the tension off the spring? 

If the bolt is to the rear on a semi-auto, the hammer spring is under tension (cocked position) as well as the recoil spring (compressed).  I store my semi-auto's bolt closed and uncocked. 

[vvarmitr]

That's what I thought. 

[pitw]

If'n you guy's would do a little less storage we might see a few more pic's

:roflmao:  You forget we don't live in CommieCanada.    Most of us own more than just one gun so we are faced with a storage problem.   In the slave state of Canada one doesn't have to worry about storing handguns, AR's, AK's, .50 cal's, high powered air rifles, etc.

Of course, if NoBama has his way our storage problem will be solved just like Canada's.   

I hate to disagree with a distinguished gentleman such as yourself,  but having gun's numbering in triple digit's and living anywhere not just commie Canada storage poses no problem to me.  A gun is made of basic material's  such as wood, steel and plastic,  all of which deteriorate over time.  Having many gun's over 150 year's old that I know not how the previous owner's stored them it may amaze some to find out that the spring's still work.  I agree with everyone here that a hand cocked gun should be kept uncocked and any time you can release the tension on something it should benefit it's life span.  I will not dry fire any gun just to release the tension as this will do more harm than good in my humble opinion.  Gun's were not made to dry fire and anyone that think's they are just hasn't worked around the above mentioned material's.  The firing mechanism is designed to be stopped by the softer material of the primer reducing wear on the component's.  When you dry fire you remove this slowing down action and something has to give to get the striker stopped.   I could be wrong and have been before [at least according to my wife] but that's my thought's on the matter.

[Carolina Coyote]

 I dry fire All Long Guns before storage but the 44 Ruger Black Hawk is loaded and ready for action if needed. cc

[FinsnFur]

I just read a magazine article at work today about dry firing. Was it harmless or harmful.
How ironic

Anyway, the conclusion was that every gun is different

I always close my bolts with the trigger pulled. On the 9's I just store with the hammer up.

[KySongDog]

I hate to disagree with a distinguished gentleman such as yourself,  but having gun's numbering in triple digit's and living anywhere not just commie Canada storage poses no problem to me.  A gun is made of basic material's  such as wood, steel and plastic,  all of which deteriorate over time.  Having many gun's over 150 year's old that I know not how the previous owner's stored them it may amaze some to find out that the spring's still work.  I agree with everyone here that a hand cocked gun should be kept uncocked and any time you can release the tension on something it should benefit it's life span.  I will not dry fire any gun just to release the tension as this will do more harm than good in my humble opinion.  Gun's were not made to dry fire and anyone that think's they are just hasn't worked around the above mentioned material's.  The firing mechanism is designed to be stopped by the softer material of the primer reducing wear on the component's.  When you dry fire you remove this slowing down action and something has to give to get the striker stopped.   I could be wrong and have been before [at least according to my wife] but that's my thought's on the matter.

No problem, pitw.  Everybody's got an opinion.   That's why I did the poll.   Some guns can be damaged by dry firing if you do too much of it.  No doubt about it.   But not all guns.  I have a Glock that you can dry fire all day every day and it won't hurt it a bit.   Some guns you have to dry fire to be able to take them apart (like a Glock for example).   It all depends on the gun and what it is made of. 

[iahntr]

I saw where people make snap caps out of spent rounds.
Some people like to save the money, especially if they have
many different calibers, some just like to tinker. They take the spent casing,
drill out the primer, trim down an eraser off the end of a pencil so it fits snugly
and epoxy it into the primer hole.
Scott