Question for the handgun owners...

[Over_Easy]

...for an auto handgun is it bad to keep a round in the chamber and the bobed hammer in the cocked position for long periods of time - several months at a time?

With the safety on of course.

UPDATE:  Got it all figured out now.  DA mode and ready to go. It's kind of a pain the ass because you have to hold down the control lever and the slide control as it slides forward to load the round into the chamber.  Also, although it is DA the bobed hammer is only about 2/3 of the way down so it looks like it is 1/3 of the way cocked.

I guess they want to make it somewhat of a task going between SA/DA so you absolutley KNOW which mode it's in.

[Justyntym]

I don't think it would cause a problem for quite a while, if it's a quality handgun.

What specifically are we talking about?

The only gun I would store that way would be a 1911.

[Over_Easy]

(Justyntym @ Mar. 30 2007,09:55) I don't think it would cause a problem for quite a while, if it's a quality handgun.

What specifically are we talking about?

The only gun I would store that way would be a 1911.

It's an H&K .40...a quality gun for sure.  God forbid I ever need to use it, but if I do it will be because I need to use it immediately (home/self defense) and I don't want to worry about taking the time/extra step to pull the slide back and load one into the chamber in the middle of the night.

[SAMBUSA]

Keeping rounds in your clip for long periods of time is hard on it. Weakens the spring

[Justyntym]

No wont hurt it, I know HK has several variations of firing configurations...if your has the decocker and it's single action/double action...I would not store it with the hammer back.

I'd rack it, decock it, chamber in round, and your first shot would be double action.
Feel free to shoot me an e-mail or pm, used to part time at a pretty decent gun shop. Never took a single dollar out...everything went for merchindise

Is it time for Gun Porn

[Justyntym]

(Black Bird Killer @ Mar. 30 2007,10:06) Keeping rounds in your clip for long periods of time is hard on it.  Weakens the spring

Eventually...but I keep several mags and then rotate every month or so.

Springs are cheap, wishing you'd have loaded that darn gun when you needed it, is real expensive.

[Justyntym]

HK is an excellent choice btw...good stuff.

Nothing used to drive me crazy than someone comming in the shop to buy some cheap pos gun to risk their life with, as in a malfunction at a critical time.

The stories I could tell...

[Over_Easy]

(Justyntym @ Mar. 30 2007,10:09) No wont hurt it, I know HK has several variations of firing configurations...if your has the decocker and it's single action/double action...I would not store it with the hammer back.

I'd rack it, decock it, chamber in round, and your first shot would be double action.
Feel free to shoot me an e-mail or pm, used to part time at a pretty decent gun shop. Never took a single dollar out...everything went for merchindise  

Is it time for Gun Porn  

That's the thing...bringing the hammer down after putting one in the chamber is a scary process...likely to go off. It goes flush into the back of the slide so you have to let it drop on it's own for the latter half! There are no grip lines on the hammer as well. Very easy to slip out from underneath your thumb.

[SAMBUSA]

(Justyntym @ Mar. 30 2007,13:11)

(Black Bird Killer @ Mar. 30 2007,10:06) Keeping rounds in your clip for long periods of time is hard on it.  Weakens the spring

Eventually...but I keep several mags and then rotate every month or so.

Springs are cheap, wishing you'd have loaded that darn gun when you needed it, is real expensive.

True dat. I use it as an excuse to go burn off some rounds

Almost evert gun in my house is loaded at all times. I say almost because I do have some antiques and the black powder rifle of course.

[Justyntym]

The gun itself has to have a decocker, no way do you ever thumb the hammer down on a live round. If the gun is built with a decocker (lever that uncocks the hammer) you can decock all day long with no problems, however...obviously, never assume it's full proof and decock in a safe direction (but I've NEVER had a round go off using the decocker).

Do you know what model number and variant your HK is?

[Over_Easy]

(Justyntym @ Mar. 30 2007,10:48) The gun itself has to have a decocker, no way do you ever thumb the hammer down on a live round. If the gun is built with a decocker (lever that uncocks the hammer) you can decock all day long with no problems, however...obviously, never assume it's full proof and decock in a safe direction (but I've NEVER had a round go off using the decocker).

Do you know what model number and variant your HK is?

JyT, it's the H&K USP .40 Compact - hence the flush hammer. Oh, it's a Variant 1. Double action/single action with "safe" position and control lever on left side of frame.

[GJoker]

My Walther is hammerless, but I do keep one in the chamber and it's always ready to go~ The only safety on it is... keep your finger off the trigger until need be... 1st shot is double action and then all single after that~ When ingaged in single action it becomes a hair trigger though...

I wouldn't keep the hammer pulled back, myself, and it is true about the springs weakening in the clip over time~ We'll have to have a range day sometime~ There's nice little indoor range over my way on Embasy, near 19~ I really need to 'recycle' what ammo I have in my safe anyhow... it's been in there for a few years~ Haven't been to the range in way too long!

[Over_Easy]

(GJoker @ Mar. 30 2007,10:59) My Walther is hammerless, but I do keep one in the chamber and it's always ready to go~ The only safety on it is... keep your finger off the trigger until need be... 1st shot is double action and then all single after that~ When ingaged in single action it becomes a hair trigger though...  

I wouldn't keep the hammer pulled back, myself, and it is true about the springs weakening in the clip over time~ We'll have to have a range day sometime~ There's nice little indoor range over my way on Embasy, near 19~ I really need to 'recycle' what ammo I have in my safe anyhow... it's been in there for a few years~ Haven't been to the range in way too long!  

Hey Greg, is that Knight Shooting Sports you're referring to? Heard that place was super nice. Pricey but nice.
http://www.knightshooting.com/Home.html

There's a place on N. Dale Mabry that's cheap as hell (no mandatory ammo puirchase for cheaper rates) but it's like an oven in the non-AC range.

[Justyntym]

On my politically correct work computer I can not access anything firearm related (like HKs website) and I believe there are 7 different variations. Thank GOD the ORG is not filterd

You sure that Fire/Safety switch doesn't decock when you push it the other way.

Assuming it doesn't you have one of 3 decision to make that only you can make.

1) Either load it and cock it and leave the safety on. Remember in a panic situation with addrenilen pumping, you may grab the gun quickly and if the safty is off...bang.

2) Load the mag but don't cock the gun, safer...but you have to wonder if time will permit you to cock the gun and then in the dark of night, it's quite noisy.

3) Get a different gun or HK variant with a decocker.

Again do not Thumb drop on a live round, it will probably go off...



We should get a Florida get togather and shoot thing going...

[ToyKraz]

(Justyntym @ Mar. 30 2007,10:09) No wont hurt it, I know HK has several variations of firing configurations...if your has the decocker and it's single action/double action...I would not store it with the hammer back.

I'd rack it, decock it, chamber in round, and your first shot would be double action.
Feel free to shoot me an e-mail or pm, used to part time at a pretty decent gun shop. Never took a single dollar out...everything went for merchindise

Is it time for Gun Porn

Nice guns. I have a Kimber Ultra Carry II, S & W 5906.

I am considering buying a Kimber Ultra CDP II today so this thread is good timing. Anyone have an Ultra CDP II? If so, how do you like it?

[Over_Easy]

UPDATE: Got it all figured out now. It's kind of a pain the ass because you have to hold down the control lever and the slide control as it slides forward to load the round into the chamber. Also, although it is DA the bobed hammer is only about 2/3 of the way down so it looks like it is 1/3 of the way cocked.

I guess they want to make it somewhat of a task going between SA/DA so you absolutley KNOW which mode it's in.

[Over_Easy]

(ToyKraz @ Mar. 30 2007,11:25) Nice guns. I have a Kimber Ultra Carry II, S & W 5906.

I am considering buying a Kimber Ultra CDP II today so this thread is good timing.  Anyone have an Ultra CDP II? If so, how do you like it?

Looks like a sweet handgun.
http://www.kimberamerica.com/pistols/cdp/ultracdp.php

Almost got the .45, but the .40 carries 12 vs. 8 rounds and has almost the same ballistic stopping power.

[ToyKraz]

(Over_Easy @ Mar. 30 2007,11:49)

(ToyKraz @ Mar. 30 2007,11:25) Nice guns. I have a Kimber Ultra Carry II, S & W 5906.

I am considering buying a Kimber Ultra CDP II today so this thread is good timing.  Anyone have an Ultra CDP II? If so, how do you like it?

Looks like a sweet handgun.
http://www.kimberamerica.com/pistols/cdp/ultracdp.php

Almost got the .45, but the .40 carries 12 vs. 8 rounds and has almost the same ballistic stopping power.

What are you that bad of a shot?

I only need 1 or 2 to get a hit!

[GJoker]

(Over_Easy @ Mar. 30 2007,14:16)

(GJoker @ Mar. 30 2007,10:59) My Walther is hammerless, but I do keep one in the chamber and it's always ready to go~ The only safety on it is... keep your finger off the trigger until need be... 1st shot is double action and then all single after that~ When ingaged in single action it becomes a hair trigger though...  

I wouldn't keep the hammer pulled back, myself, and it is true about the springs weakening in the clip over time~ We'll have to have a range day sometime~ There's nice little indoor range over my way on Embasy, near 19~ I really need to 'recycle' what ammo I have in my safe anyhow... it's been in there for a few years~ Haven't been to the range in way too long!  

Hey Greg, is that Knight Shooting Sports you're referring to?  Heard that place was super nice.  Pricey but nice.
http://www.knightshooting.com/Home.html

There's a place on N. Dale Mabry that's cheap as hell (no mandatory ammo puirchase for cheaper rates) but it's like an oven in the non-AC range.

Damn... that is a nice place.. but no~ I was refering to one right here in the New Port Richey area~ It's only got like 6 shooting booths.. it's pretty small, but also seems pricey~ We have all the range equipment.. just have to rent the space and maybe buy a box or two of range ammo and will still pay a pretty penny~ There's another nice one over in Tampa on Dale Mabry, just past Waters~ At least I think it's still there... I used to go there years ago~
Give me call anytime you feel like doing a little target practice though~ Brenda needs to put some rounds through her snubby too~

[GJoker]

Here's a generic pic of my buddy Walther...