It just might cause them to STARE in your direction. Then wait for the flash...

There is a USMC tech manual on the Benelli M4 (M1014) which does state that racking the action can act as a warning to would be troublemakers. I couldn't make it up if I tried.

ETA: TM10698A-10/1 Page 23

After reading that thread, all I can say is "wow".

It seems to be pretty well established that hearing someone rack a shotgun(or work the action on any other gun) can cause a bad guy to reformulate his plans. It's happened multiple times. However, expecting the noise to be enough to get you through any situation is just stupid.

I heard it in a gun store. So it must be true....................................

-JC

I will probally catch hell for this but the best quote I've heard is
'I don't use a pump to scare somebody. I use a pump to shoot somebody.'

Travis Haley

I racked my pump shotgun years ago when someone was trying to break into my backdoor of an apartment I was in at the time. They ran off but the main reason I did it was that I don't keep one in the chamber on my shotguns. However, if someone were in my house I would grab my Glock 22 as it quiet to load and I can swing it in the house a lot easier than a shotgun.
I have to agree that racking a shotgun can be a bad thing as it lets the criminal know you are armed and know they are there. I would rather surprise them and not have them ready for me.

The problem isn't that it can't work, the problem is that it's not going to work every time. You can't count on it. A solid hit from 00 buck at 10 feet on an unarmored target will work much more often, though I would still hesitate to say every time.


There are other reasons to leave your chamber empty. For one, most shotguns aren't "drop safe" so if it falls out of the corner it's leaning in while you sleep... well, it's probably a very effective alarm clock.

I have to disagree with the whole rack argument.

When I went through firearms training with the Sheriff's Office, I was very displeased with the idea of "cruiser ready", full magazine tube, bolt closed on an empty chamber, safety on.

The way my dad taught me to load a shotgun for deer hunting doubles as how to load a shotgun for home defense: slug in the chamber followed by 00 buck in the magazine, safety on. If you can good aim at the target: use the slug. If not: cycle the action, and use the buck shot.

Although "racking a round" gets attention, if I grab a shotgun in a home defense situation, I have already made the decision to stop any threat with deadly force. No warning, no shouting, BOOM, BOOM, step back while still covering threat, scan for more threats, reload... Once I feel that my life is no longer in danger, I will dial 911, and inform them of the situation.

As Travis Haley once said "The house alarm is going off, and your dog is barking at the intruder. He's already in the house, do you really think a racked shotgun is going to deter him?!" Or something along those lines. I'd prefer that the assailant not be aware of my position in a defensive role.

Since this thread keeps coming up I figured that I would just explain the why of "cruiser safe". Cruiser safe is to prevent police officers from having accidental discharges from a long gun stored in their vehicle and if every long gun is kept in the same condition it provides some consistency in training to prevent officers getting into a critical incident with an empty chamber. Racking a shotgun to scare somebody has always been and always will be BS. Officers are instructed to rack the shotgun as soon as it is deployed from the vehicle. I prefer not to store my long guns at home with rounds in the chamber for safety reasons so racking the shotgun is a nessasary step to put the gun into action. You on the other hand may have a different living situation allowing you the ability to store the gun with a round in the chamber.

I think the sound of a AR bolt slamming into the chamber is a sexier sound.

As for warning, you guys would just light up a crackhead in your house with no warning? I'd try to get them to lay on the ground and not move first, it's my house and I have every advantage, I wouldn't just blast someone I found in my living room. If they looked small enough, I might even hand the wife the gun and go beat the hell out of them. Now, if they kick in my door at 3AM and I suspect for a second that they are after something other than my TV, they are probably getting shot. Cleaning that up would suck though...

After I read this, I wanted to go slam my head in a car door repeatedly. Let me point out why this is a horrible idea.

1. Best case scenario, you kick the shit out of Mr. 120 lb. Crackhead. You break his jaw, a few ribs, smash his eye socket, knock his teeth out.

You have not only exposed yourself to what ever diseases this vermin is carrying, you have opened yourself up to legal and civil suit. You evidently were not in fear for your life, since you did have a gun and didn't use it. You merely wanted to take the law into your own hands, and teach Mr. Crackhead a lesson, while your wife held a gun on him.

2. Mr. Crackhead is armed, and shoots, stabs, slashes you.

Your wife may be armed, but now she is emotional, and you are wounded and fighting with the target she needs to shoot. Plus all of the other reasons stated in scenario 1.

3. Mr. Crackhead is not alone.

While you are dealing with Mr. Crackhead, his buddy Mr. Rockhead pops out of the shadows. He may jump in to help, or he may attack your wife. She may get a shot off, she may not. Plus all of the other reasons stated in scenario 1&2.

I could go on, but I won't.

Bottom line is you should be in the mindset to kill an intruder, because there is a lot on the line. Plan for the worst, hope for the best.