[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Racking the slide (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 9/7/2009 7:34:53 AM EDT
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I've read many times on here that when someone says that "the sound of racking the slide of a pump shotgun will scare of intruders" it shows their ignorance or stupidity. Well, who among us would stay in a place where we might not be welcomed if we heard the sound of someone racking the slide? Edit: I'm not asking if you think racking the slide would scare someone off. I'm asking if it would scare YOU off. Edit 2: I'm not asking you to put yourself in a crimials mind. Its more like "You will not date my daughter", "Bill no longer lives here", or "We don't like your kind around these parts". klick- klack. |
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Some ghouls will charge you even when you are pointing a weapon at them. You think they are going to leave because they hear you racking a shotgun? What if there is four of them and after you rack your shotgun you hear four shotguns racking in return? Making scary sounds will not intimidate everyone. |
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It depends on the motives of the intruder.
If it's just some loser breaking into your house to steal stuff, then ANY NOISE, indicating that people are home and awake, would send them running. If it's some armed psycho breaking into your house with the intent on harming you, then you racking the slide tells him/them two things: (1) your location, so they can start shooting at you, and (2) that you're maybe not really prepared for a fight to the death, because you didn't have a round in the chamber to start with. So, as a homeowner, if I KNOW that the only intruders in my house are going to be relatively harmless burglars, then racking the slide might be fine (but then, why bother with a shotgun at all - just get an airhorn). But, part of preparing for the unexpected is that you do not KNOW the intent or motives of the intruder, so I'd prefer not to make assumptions about the intruder in my house and possibly give him an advantage in harming me. |
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Why rack the slide? There should be a shell already in the chamber on a defense gun.... Serious question: Do most common pump shotguns (let's say Mossberg 500 and Remington 870) have appropriate safeties, so that keeping a round chambered is safe? Even if the gun is dropped? What about an AK? An AR? I had been leaving my AK and Mossberg with full mag, empty chamber, because I thought they were not safe to leave with loaded chamber. Handguns are all fully loaded. |
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Back when my dept still carried the S&W Model 10, officers routinely took the shotguns out on certain calls in the projects.
They stated that racking the 870 was effective in signaling an escalation of force, and routinely sent people back inside. Does that mean that one should depend on "racking" a shotgun to "scare" people away? Nope...but it does happen. |
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Why rack the slide? There should be a shell already in the chamber on a defense gun.... Because a condition 3 shotgun with the slidelock activated is MUCH safer to have where toddler aged kids are. Its either that or keep them locked up in a safe where it takes forever to gain access to. |
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Yes, I would bail and if I were a bad guy I would remember to watch the house and time schedules of the inhabitants. Since I would know that guns are definitely in the house, I would wait and return with associates and burglarize it in the future. Guns or drugs are the big-ticket sellers in the street. Defensive guns stay loaded, why frighten off an intruder that may come back later. The only advance warning I would issue would be the muzzle blast when I fired on the invader.
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I was shooting with a bunch of friends once.
My friend Evelyn was on the line banging away with an SKS. I was showing another friend how to work the action on my 870 before I tossed some clays for him. Evelyn stopped dead, turned around and said, "That's a sound I never want to hear, especially coming from behind me." Myth? Perhaps, but it's a useful one. |
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Quoted: I've read many times on here that when someone says that "the sound of racking the slide of a pump shotgun will scare of intruders" it shows their ignorance or stupidity. Well, who among us would stay in a place where we might not be welcomed if we heard the sound of someone racking the slide? Edit: I'm not asking if you think racking the slide would scare someone off. I'm asking if it would scare YOU off. Rack a shotgun on me and you're going to get dead so yeah you scared me.  |
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Why rack the slide? There should be a shell already in the chamber on a defense gun.... Because a condition 3 shotgun with the slidelock activated is MUCH safer to have where toddler aged kids are. Its either that or keep them locked up in a safe where it takes forever to gain access to. not telling anyone how to store theirs with children present, but an accident you can never take back. It happens all the time in this freakin' city!!! Safes are cheap and easily accesible if practiced.
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BTDT. 
It discloses your location and goblins now think that you're more scared of the results of the legal system than you are of them. They will rush you to take your weapon from you. See my other posts about the August 18, 1998 03:13 incident I had. I'm much wiser and prepared today. 
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Quoted: Quoted: I've read many times on here that when someone says that "the sound of racking the slide of a pump shotgun will scare of intruders" it shows their ignorance or stupidity. Well, who among us would stay in a place where we might not be welcomed if we heard the sound of someone racking the slide? Edit: I'm not asking if you think racking the slide would scare someone off. I'm asking if it would scare YOU off. Rack a shotgun on me and you're going to get dead so yeah you scared me.  BOO! |
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BTDT.
It discloses your location and goblins now think that you're more scared of the results of the legal system than you are of them. They will rush you to take your weapon from you. See my other posts about the August 18, 1998 03:13 incident I had. I'm much wiser and prepared today. Link? |
| Depends on the situation. I won't ever try to rob somebody or burglarize a home so I can't gauge what my intentions would be in that situation. If I knew I was walking into a firefight I may actually like to know what I am up against. It also shows the person behind the shotgun is looking to intimidate instead of act, which may lead me on to his/her possible hesitations should lead start flying. |
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Why rack the slide? There should be a shell already in the chamber on a defense gun.... Serious question: Do most common pump shotguns (let's say Mossberg 500 and Remington 870) have appropriate safeties, so that keeping a round chambered is safe? Even if the gun is dropped? What about an AK? An AR? I had been leaving my AK and Mossberg with full mag, empty chamber, because I thought they were not safe to leave with loaded chamber. Handguns are all fully loaded. Please familiarize yourself with your firearms before setting them aside for defensive purposes. The shotguns you listed, AK's, and AR's are all just as safe with a loaded chamber as your handguns, if not more so. I'm not sure where you got the idea that long guns are not safe with a loaded chamber, but it couldn't be further from the truth. |
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yup. eject. I'd bail quick and regroup. +1 I'd be out of there like a shot, except for one thing. I have half a brain.(arguably) Problem comes when the perp has NO brain. I'd jack one in the chamber, as the odds are pretty good he'll split, OTOH, before I DID jack one in the chamber, I'd brace myself for a fight and make damned good and well the safety is off and the shotgun is ready to go. the LAST and I do mean LAST thing I want to do is get into a fight of any sort with an intruder. The weapon is for last ditch defense. |
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Why rack the slide? There should be a shell already in the chamber on a defense gun.... Serious question: Do most common pump shotguns (let's say Mossberg 500 and Remington 870) have appropriate safeties, so that keeping a round chambered is safe? Even if the gun is dropped? What about an AK? An AR? I had been leaving my AK and Mossberg with full mag, empty chamber, because I thought they were not safe to leave with loaded chamber. Handguns are all fully loaded. Please familiarize yourself with your firearms before setting them aside for defensive purposes. The shotguns you listed, AK's, and AR's are all just as safe with a loaded chamber as your handguns, if not more so. I'm not sure where you got the idea that long guns are not safe with a loaded chamber, but it couldn't be further from the truth. Hunters safety class, years ago. I'm sure that was geared more towards sporting rifles. I've taken a carbine class, but they never mentioned it there, that was more of how to use it, not how to keep it in your house. Now I know. |
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Why rack the slide? There should be a shell already in the chamber on a defense gun.... Because a condition 3 shotgun with the slidelock activated is MUCH safer to have where toddler aged kids are. Its either that or keep them locked up in a safe where it takes forever to gain access to. not telling anyone how to store theirs with children present, but an accident you can never take back. It happens all the time in this freakin' city!!! Safes are cheap and easily accesible if practiced.Personally I just keep my safe locked and my CCW on me whenever I can. If I do put it away in the safe I just leave the door unlocked and put my keys and wallet with it so I don't forget to lock it when I leave. Since my oldest boy is getting close to 2y/o and more mischievous, I download my CCW to condition 3 whenever I don't have it on my person. I figure that is plenty good for now. At his size there is no way in hell he can charge any of my weapons, and he is immediately corrected for playing with my safe door. |
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It would certainly get my attention, yes.
This subject suffers from the same problem that the CCW vs. OC argument does in terms of making reliable predictive assumptions about it: - Every potential assailant is a unique and different human being, and it is impossible to make categorical statements about how they are going to react. |
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Ok, another serious question. Is there anything to the myth/story/info, whatever it is, that the hulls of shotgun shells collapse if left in the tube and become hard or impossible to cycle due to expansion?
ETA: As for the OP's question, It would have my undivided attention. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Why rack the slide? There should be a shell already in the chamber on a defense gun.... Serious question: Do most common pump shotguns (let's say Mossberg 500 and Remington 870) have appropriate safeties, so that keeping a round chambered is safe? Even if the gun is dropped? What about an AK? An AR? I had been leaving my AK and Mossberg with full mag, empty chamber, because I thought they were not safe to leave with loaded chamber. Handguns are all fully loaded. Please familiarize yourself with your firearms before setting them aside for defensive purposes. The shotguns you listed, AK's, and AR's are all just as safe with a loaded chamber as your handguns, if not more so. I'm not sure where you got the idea that long guns are not safe with a loaded chamber, but it couldn't be further from the truth. Hunters safety class, years ago. I'm sure that was geared more towards sporting rifles. I've taken a carbine class, but they never mentioned it there, that was more of how to use it, not how to keep it in your house. Now I know. Probably because everyone's situation is different. Kids/no kids. Responsive/responsible SO. Apartment/house. Etc, etc. Frankly the firearm is just about the last ring of a layered defense strategy. First, pick as "safe" of a place to live as possible. Have exterior lights and point them away from your house. Use a PO box, secured internet, and don't discuss your security or firearms with your neighbors or even friends. Have a dog-any dog or at least one that barks and barks loud and often. Plant plants with thorns or pointed leafs like holly's under windows. Use good locks, bolts with long throws and have up no soliciting signs (will work at least part of the time). Have a plan and make sure everyone knows their roles even if it is "no matter what you hear stay put and wait for daddy". People who own firearms rarely have to use them to defend themselves because they understand basic defensive principles. We know not to go to "that part of town" at 2am. We know not to leave our car unlocked in the driveway. We know to restrict our kids' movements and associations. We make a choice not to be a victim of any kind and make decisions that will prevent, not invite, problems. |
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Well, I wouldn't be in someone's house trying to rob them in the first place.
Then again, I would consider myself more intelligent than the average criminal. No telling what someone who has lost the common sense to stay out of someplace that might get them killed is under the influence of. Some drunk or methed up criminal cannot be relied upon to behave normally. |
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Any person in their right mind. That's where things go wrong. If you are breaking into a house, chances are pretty high that you AREN'T in your right mind. This, anyone breaking into someone's home when they are there doesn't fear them, or consider them as worth thinking about. |
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I was home alone, I live out in the country where no strangers ever come by, and I hear a knock at the back door at night. Not expecting anyone home for another day or so, I get the shotgun.
The unidentified person didn't hear me rack the slide because the dogs were going batshit crazy, but sure did see the business end of a 12ga. He then proceded to yell and scream my name. "NO HENDRICKS5150 NO!!! ITS BOOMHOWER!!!" Turns out, it was my fudd redneck friend who broke my golden rule of "call me before you come up here". No one was injured or shot at. I had the post combat jitters/shakes though from a MASSIVE adrenaline dump. 
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| I suppose the sound of a shotgun slide being racked would give someone pause if they were not expecting it. The sound alone isn't going to cause them to shit their pants, but it will trigger a fight or flight reaction. You better be prepared to follow up your "sha-clack" with a "boom". |
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Why rack the slide? There should be a shell already in the chamber on a defense gun.... Serious question: Do most common pump shotguns (let's say Mossberg 500 and Remington 870) have appropriate safeties, so that keeping a round chambered is safe? Even if the gun is dropped? What about an AK? An AR? I had been leaving my AK and Mossberg with full mag, empty chamber, because I thought they were not safe to leave with loaded chamber. Handguns are all fully loaded. Please familiarize yourself with your firearms before setting them aside for defensive purposes. The shotguns you listed, AK's, and AR's are all just as safe with a loaded chamber as your handguns, if not more so. I'm not sure where you got the idea that long guns are not safe with a loaded chamber, but it couldn't be further from the truth. Hunters safety class, years ago. I'm sure that was geared more towards sporting rifles. I've taken a carbine class, but they never mentioned it there, that was more of how to use it, not how to keep it in your house. Now I know. Sporting rifles are perfectly safe with a loaded chamber, as well. In a hunter's safety course, they tailor the class to the lowest common denominator... the type of idiot who forgets he left his rifle loaded, then starts cleaning it and shoots his TV. Any firearm kept for defensive purposes should remain loaded at all times, unless there is a specific reason for it to be unloaded such as cleaning, etc. |
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Why rack the slide? There should be a shell already in the chamber on a defense gun... This^ That's just common sense. I have a friend who was training a rookie deputy on the street a decade ago. They got a call on a bar fight. The rookie entered a bar with him and proceeded to rack the chamber as he entered to door thus dumping a round on the floor, and then proceeded to fire a round into the ceiling in order to get everyone's attention. My friend told me that the rookie was fired the next day. |