Carry Pistol Storage?

[Veldy]

How do most people store their carry pistol?

The reason is that I have become very comfortable carrying my 1911 cocked and locked. Clearly, I don't go shooting my self defense ammo on a daily basis, so I am wondering what most people do when they put their pistol away for the evening. I usually drop the mag rack and roll to remove the round from the chamber. I start to wonder if that is necessary and also if that, over time, might start to wear on the top round of ammunition. I have changed the top round from time to time to avoid this, but I decided it would be better to ask.

Is it OK to store you carry pistol cocked and locked [in the holster]? Again, I am talking about a 1911, so it has an internal safety (older 1911 may not), a grip safety and of course the manual safety. I put the gun in the safe each night, but it is very close by and the floor does not creak between the bed and the safe. I keep the keys on the nightstand. I have tested a few "manufactured" scenarios and I can go from lying prone to having the gun in hand in about 45 seconds. I keep a second magazine close by (not like I am likely to need it for a home invasion scenario, but you never know).

I just want to know if this is hard on the gun over time, but I suspect not (besides, I am considering buying another 1911 for backup purposes ... maybe a compact compared to my government model carry). Is dechambering the round each night considered the best idea, and if so, why? I have been doing the latter, but obviously I am considering the former. If dechambering is the recommended method of storage, then how hard is it on that top round of ammunition. FWIW, I carry Speer Gold Dot 230gr JHP. I might change this in the future, but haven't seen any real compelling reasons to do so (I have a few boxes of special self-defense on order and will try them out to see which I am most accurate with and give it a shot. If possible, I may even try to get hold of the bullets and load some of them at full power for training purposes to save a little cash (I know Speer and Federal (shortly) are selling their self defense bullets for reloaders).

I know that I made a simple question into a long, stretched out query, but I really want to know if what I am doing is the best thing to be doing (and that is storing the gun cocked and locked, in the holster and in the safe).

It is a little bit of a pain anyway, because I still take this same pistol to the range as often as once per week and shoot home loads (most lead) through it and I am forced to dechamber the self-defense ammo anyway, but at least it is much less often (I could just buy enough that I could fire one shot of the self defense ammo each time I go target shooting and see how I fare with my chosen SD ammo.

Thank you!

[cobb]

I have a secure area in my house that I store most of my firearms, the only ones not stored there are the ones that I may need now.

So what do with my daily carry is remove my holster, leaving the handgun in it and place it in a rack that is on top of my gun safe. When I leave the house, I grab the holster/pistol and slip it back on or put it in my pocket, dictated by my daily activities.

Now I do remove my carry gun from it's holster to clean & maintain it and fire it regularly to give me a warm and fuzzy, but daily it is basically stored in it's holster.

So my carry is always loaded, cocked and lock if designed to do so, round in chamber always, and a loaded magazine inserted. Is this hard on it? I guess no harder on it than when it stops a screen door, it is full of sweat, and getting banged around with normal use. Do I abuse, I think not, but it is a tool that I use and maintain, so it will wear with time, but I need to use it and that means I need to carry it.

I guess some consider driving their car everyday is also hard on it.

[bstrawse]

My approach is similar to Cobb's. Whichever 1911 I'm carrying presently rests in its holster - round chambered, hammer back, safety on.

The rest are unloaded in the safe.

I do rotate mine a bit -- I have a couple 1911s that I carry and tend to switch things around a bit.

Hope this helps -
B

[1911fan]

My carry gun goes from belt to under pillow, in the holster, and then back to belt. I do not unload it except by shooting it or on the rare occasion I feel the need to clean it between firings. say after rain or working in a nasty house. Most day to day lint and dust is just blown off with the air hose, and that happens pretty much every day, as I am a contractor and if I am in the shop or someones house, the gun gets blown clean before I leave either place.

Some will worry about little hands etc, I do not have young kids in the house, but when I did, the same held true, belt, to pillow to belt. I never had a close call, and I started this before I was married in 1986, so I have some years behind it.

[Pat Cannon]

+1 for leaving it in ready-to-fire condition.

When I carried a 1911 it went into a gun box under the bed, cocked & locked. This makes sense to me for two main reasons: 1) When you want to use it, you want the minimum steps to do so, and 2) every loading, unloading, and chamber check is an opportunity for a mistake.

Also, a minor factor: I am told that springs wear out due to being compressed & released, more than from being left compressed.

Nowadays I'm a DAO revolver guy, so I don't need think about cockedness or lockedness.

I've also dispensed with the routine use of the gun box: my carry gun stays in its holster and the holster stays on my belt and my belt stays on my pants, which lay on the floor next to my bed. If I get up, even just to take a leak, I pull my pants on. This works well for me; it's about as 'idiot-resistant' as I can make it. When I get to the stage of senility where I wander out of the house without my pants, I'll have to think of another system.

[MrVvrroomm]

so I don't need think about cockedness

Thank goodness. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but thank goodness. LOL

[Rem700]

From holster to headboard and back to the holster in the morning, Press check when holstering just to make myself feel better.
Have heard of bullet setback due to rechambering the same round over and over, I have never had said problem.
Check OAL and if the same as fresh ammo I see no reason to worry about it.

[jgalt]

I have had an issue with bullet set-back from repeated rechambering, so I would definitely recommend keeping an eye on the round(s) you frequently rechamber...

[SAM]

My nightstand ( next to the bed ) is also a pistol safe. Locked in the daytime, open at night. All my pistols are loaded and in a ready state. Does not matter which one I grab. Also have one on the side of the bed attached to the bed frame, just under the dust ruffle.

[Stradawhovious]

My primary carry is always roostered and locked, ready for any eventuality. I'm lucky in that I don't have to worry about curious little hands. Its either on my person, or in the holster bolted to my nightstand.

[R.E.T.]

Removing and rechambering a round does tend to push the bullet back into the shell. When I go to the range I just change the magazine and fire the round in the chamber. Then I put new round in the mag when I leave.

[mrokern]

My nightstand ( next to the bed ) is also a pistol safe. Locked in the daytime, open at night. All my pistols are loaded and in a ready state. Does not matter which one I grab. Also have one on the side of the bed attached to the bed frame, just under the dust ruffle.

I'm pretty close to this.

Under the dust ruffle, quick access box with 9mm (loaded / chambered), spare mag, flashlight, hearing protection.

On way to "safe" area, 12 gauge with 7 buckshot in tube, ready to rack, and 5 more various rounds on stock.

In safe area, quick access box with Glock 22 (loaded / chambered) plus 2 spare mags, flashlight, hearing protection, 911-only cell phone.

Also in safe area box is loaded .44 special wheelgun with speed loader.

Those aren't nearly all the surprises I've got for goblins, but they are the standard ones.

-Mark

[hammAR]

I have had an issue with bullet set-back from repeated rechambering, so I would definitely recommend keeping an eye on the round(s) you frequently rechamber...

...you should be burning those off - not rechambering......

...but I forget you guys use "special" stuff for your carry................

[IDPA Shooter]

How do most people store their carry pistol?

Is it OK to store you carry pistol cocked and locked [in the holster]? Again, I am talking about a 1911, so it has an internal safety (older 1911 may not), a grip safety and of course the manual safety. I put the gun in the safe each night, but it is very close by and the floor does not creak between the bed and the safe. I keep the keys on the nightstand. I have tested a few "manufactured" scenarios and I can go from lying prone to having the gun in hand in about 45 seconds. I keep a second magazine close by (not like I am likely to need it for a home invasion scenario, but you never know).


Thank you!

The keys concern me, I much prefer a Gunvault brand finger tip open safe. 5 seconds to get it open and no fumbling with keys. Also +1 on bullet push back due to repeated chambering, rotate after a few and fire them regularly.

[jgalt]

I have had an issue with bullet set-back from repeated rechambering, so I would definitely recommend keeping an eye on the round(s) you frequently rechamber...

...you should be burning those off - not rechambering......

...but I forget you guys use "special" stuff for your carry................

That was back in my younger, more foolish days (you know, last year...). I do burn them off now. Some old guy suggested I do so, and I took his advice...