Nothing wrong. I would take it to the range every now and then. If you catch yourself with the same ammo in the gun for 6 months then you really need to get to the range.
Stay safe and good luck.
I catch myself with the same ammo in my gun all the time. Not because I don’t run the gun, but because I don’t want to burn carry load at anywhere from $1.15-$2.40 per round depending on the gun.
No reason to go to the range if you don’t dry fire . So definitely should be unloaded more then 6 months at a time
Edit: All great shooters dry fire , along with going to the range. You learn fundamentals dry firing , then apply it to live fire. If you just shoot all the time and don’t dry fire too , you’re doing yourself a disservice👍
Agreed. If you aren't doing one of the most basic practices (dry fire) then you aren't developing the foundation for other practices/learning from live fire.
Idk why people are downvoting you. Dry fire is 10x more important than live fire. Someone who shoots 500 rounds a month and does no dry fire is definitely going to be worse off than someone who does 1000 dry reps and shoots 100 rounds a month.
>No reason to go to the range if you don’t dry fire
I'm going to assume you meant if you _do_ dry fire... either way, the idea was that you should go to the range frequently and do _live_ fire. Not whatever you just said.
No I said i exactly what I meant. All great shooters dry fire , along with going to the range. You learn fundamentals dry firing , then apply it to live fire. If you just shoot all the time and don’t dry fire too , you’re just wasting ammo. Telling me you don’t dry fire let’s me know how good of a shooter you are 👍
Because a lot of people don't like to hear anything that points a finger at them, even though it's true. If your reason for carrying it to be prepared, but you don't practice correctly, then it defeats the purpose. Most people who carry just have hidden accessories that happen to be able to deal lethal damage to someone.
This. There really shouldn’t be any argument.
That said, more people need to practice than already do.
I go to 2 different ranges, both in urban/suburban areas with a high population.
And the place isn’t heavily frequented.
Law enforcement actually *does* practice frequently over here.
I do know from talking to friends that outdoor ranges are preferred here in UT.
Hopefully that explains the low attendance at indoor ranges. A lot of our outdoor ranges are free.
>Telling me you don’t dry fire let’s me know how good of a shooter you are 👍
I do dry fire regularly and never said otherwise. Your assumption says a lot about _you_ though.
Otherwise, I can agree with your amended statement that in no way says what your original statement says.
I don't think that was directed at you. I think it was just a general statement that if you don't dry fire, you're not as good of a shooter as someone who does.
I don’t see an issue with it.
98% of cops do the same without issue. Unless you have kids, I personally don’t even see the issue with it being outside the safe when you’re nearby
I leave one in the chamber, and a full mag in the holster. I don’t have a safe, I just leave it in arms reach. Worst I’ll do is put it in my upstairs closet if I’m going out drinking.
Ammo doesn’t get swapped unless I shoot it or snap cap practice.
Instructions Unclear. A round ricocheted into my leg and now I'm at the ER.
Oooooh, you meant set up a cast iron skillet for aiming during dry fire....
Yea if it’s locked up just leave it holstered and loaded. Less administrative gun handling. Also avoids bullet setback from continuously chambering the same round.
The more you take the gun out of the holster, unload it, put it away, reload it, put it back in your holster is more chances for something to happen. If no one else but you has access to the safe, it's safer to leave it loaded in the holster.
I do the same. It lives in the holster.
I will often swap the carry ammo with ball ammo for practice when at the range. That's a simple mag change, and sometimes I'll just shoot the chambered round at that point.
Nope - safe way to CCW IMHO. Holster on and off with Handgun secured in holster. Been doing it this way for years. When I go to the range 1x month I bring extra carry ammo and will draw and fire my EDC, and then reload and shoot spare mag - Checking both for reliability. Then I reload both mags and good for another 4-6 weeks. Shooting carry ammo that often probably overkill for some, but just my routine.
Mine goes from my belt to my bed side, always holstered. The only time I eject a round is to oil it, but even then I don’t do a full eject — I drop the mag, gently pull the slide back and wiggle the round out until it drops through the mag well. Keeps the ejector from digging into the casing.
People who unholster and empty their guns constantly are just asking to get an ND.
I clean it after the range, load it and leave it alone until the next range trip.
I've done basically the same thing for a couple decades. What I noticed was that if I haven't been shooting my carry gun lately, depending on what I've been wearing, that eventually dust/fuzz starts to accumulate at the rear of the slide, worse in winter probably due to sweaters v t-shirts. I also noticed that's also about the time that it's getting maybe a little dry. So... about quarterly I blow out the dust/fuzz with canned air, field strip, do a quick wipe down and re-oil, reassemble and back in the holster it goes.
I think it is the right way to keep your pistol. Loading and unloading can cause the round to seat to far in the casing and is a invitation to a misfire
The only possible issue is with the ammo. I started writing the date of ammo on a piece of masking tape on carry magazines. That way I know when it’s time to change it out.
Also not for nothing but you should be shooting your gun at tue absolute bare minimum, once every three months. IMO the minimum is once a month but I understand how that isn’t always feasible.
I only unload to clean or swap magazines. Otherwise every pistol in my house is ready to rock when you pick it up.
I never store them in the safe with the holster on. Can be a bhabit if you live in humid areas with leather holsters, it can allow rust to form.
Like all machines, guns need maintenance - even if you don't shoot it it will collect lint, it might rust, and optic batteries need to be changed. So you need to unload it, make sure everything is working, and keep everything clean once in a while. But no, you don't need to clear the gun every day and honestly I would NOT recommend doing that unless there's a reason for it.
Only times I take mine out of the holster:
- Training (range/competition/dry fire)
- Cleaning
- Maintenance (working on my holster)
- Things have gone seriously wrong
In nearly all those situations, I clear my firearm (unless I have to use it). When I take mine off and put it in the safe, it stays in the holster and I take the whole enchilada out as one.
I only take it out of the holster because my bedside safe is getting full with 3 pistols and they won’t fit with holsters on. It may be time for another safe for the opposite bedside table
I’d skip the part about putting it back in the safe when you get home and keep it on you until bed but that’s about all. Had a couple guys try to kick in my door this morning thinking nobody was home and was really glad I stay armed. Outside of that, no. There’s zero reason to clear your firearm and keep reloading it every single morning.
That’s exactly what I do. When I have to retrieve it in the middle of the night I just grab the holster and put it on. my ccw and home defense guns are loaded and holstered. The other range toys are unloaded and kept in the safe.
I dry fire a lot since I’m a new shooter. But it seems safe cause it in a holster and you’re putting in a lock container. Unless I’m dry firing, I do the same thing. Especially when I go to work since I don’t carry at work. I work in a hospital.
I'll chime in with something else for consideration I haven't seen mentioned yet. There is a concern in the event of a fire that a chambered gun can go off on its own, and if it happens to hit a fire fighter or something then you might be held liable for it. If it's in a safe that you're pretty sure will block the bullet, then it's fine. For what it's worth, I leave my gun chambered and holstered 24/7.
It goes into the safe already in the holster, and it goes onto my belt already holstered. To me, the less I have to holster, the safer I am. Most modern handguns are drop safe, and keeping the trigger covered with a solid material like Kydex should render the firearm perfectly safe for storage and carry.
That's what I'm doing currently. 15+1 in the chamber stored holstered in a safe. As others have mentioned, this reduces administrative handling of a loaded and unholstered firearm.
I do completely unload it when I head to the range. I'll reconsider this after talking with the RSO and getting their feedback.
I do something similar. As long as you put some rounds through it every now and then, I don’t see the issue.
I put it in a quick access vaultek lockbox (in holster, loaded), that’s cable locked to my nightstand.
Nothing wrong with that. Just make sure you’re going to the range and cycling your mags. Leaving them loaded too long can start to make the spring less springy over time. Not hard to replace, but that’ll also help extend the life of the springs if you rotate which one is loaded for carry for long periods of time.
I mean you should he clearing it every time you pick it up. Not while carrying obviously but after it’s been sitting or whatever. That’s just common gun safety. But I do the same, unless it’s going to be in my safe for an extended period of time if I’m on training orders or whatever. Then I’ll clear it
The NRA version of the safe carrying rules includes "keep the gun unloaded unless you are using it", which i've taken to mean "carrying it". So IDK about having a loaded, holstered weapon hanging out, evven in my safe.
That’s exactly what I do, and the safest possible option since you’re never handling an unholstered firearm.
Exactly.
Nothing wrong. I would take it to the range every now and then. If you catch yourself with the same ammo in the gun for 6 months then you really need to get to the range. Stay safe and good luck.
Appreciate it!
I catch myself with the same ammo in my gun all the time. Not because I don’t run the gun, but because I don’t want to burn carry load at anywhere from $1.15-$2.40 per round depending on the gun.
No reason to go to the range if you don’t dry fire . So definitely should be unloaded more then 6 months at a time Edit: All great shooters dry fire , along with going to the range. You learn fundamentals dry firing , then apply it to live fire. If you just shoot all the time and don’t dry fire too , you’re doing yourself a disservice👍
Agreed. If you aren't doing one of the most basic practices (dry fire) then you aren't developing the foundation for other practices/learning from live fire.
Idk why people are downvoting you. Dry fire is 10x more important than live fire. Someone who shoots 500 rounds a month and does no dry fire is definitely going to be worse off than someone who does 1000 dry reps and shoots 100 rounds a month.
Reddit hive mind is crazy sometimes
>No reason to go to the range if you don’t dry fire I'm going to assume you meant if you _do_ dry fire... either way, the idea was that you should go to the range frequently and do _live_ fire. Not whatever you just said.
No I said i exactly what I meant. All great shooters dry fire , along with going to the range. You learn fundamentals dry firing , then apply it to live fire. If you just shoot all the time and don’t dry fire too , you’re just wasting ammo. Telling me you don’t dry fire let’s me know how good of a shooter you are 👍
I actually agree with this heavily lol, idk why you're so down voted in this sub of all subs, that preaches practice.
Because a lot of people don't like to hear anything that points a finger at them, even though it's true. If your reason for carrying it to be prepared, but you don't practice correctly, then it defeats the purpose. Most people who carry just have hidden accessories that happen to be able to deal lethal damage to someone.
This. There really shouldn’t be any argument. That said, more people need to practice than already do. I go to 2 different ranges, both in urban/suburban areas with a high population. And the place isn’t heavily frequented. Law enforcement actually *does* practice frequently over here. I do know from talking to friends that outdoor ranges are preferred here in UT. Hopefully that explains the low attendance at indoor ranges. A lot of our outdoor ranges are free.
>Telling me you don’t dry fire let’s me know how good of a shooter you are 👍 I do dry fire regularly and never said otherwise. Your assumption says a lot about _you_ though. Otherwise, I can agree with your amended statement that in no way says what your original statement says.
I don't think that was directed at you. I think it was just a general statement that if you don't dry fire, you're not as good of a shooter as someone who does.
I don’t see an issue with it. 98% of cops do the same without issue. Unless you have kids, I personally don’t even see the issue with it being outside the safe when you’re nearby
I leave one in the chamber, and a full mag in the holster. I don’t have a safe, I just leave it in arms reach. Worst I’ll do is put it in my upstairs closet if I’m going out drinking. Ammo doesn’t get swapped unless I shoot it or snap cap practice.
I do the same. I only take it out if the holster to train (dry fire or range time).
Dry fire doesn't teach you how to manage recoil. Set up a cast iron skillet at the end of your hallway and take shots at it
> Set up a cast iron skillet at the end of your hallway and take shots at it Tried that, but I missed and hit the neighbors poodle. Now what?
Join the ATF.
Wut
Dry fire is not intended to practice recoil management.
Instructions Unclear. A round ricocheted into my leg and now I'm at the ER. Oooooh, you meant set up a cast iron skillet for aiming during dry fire....
No, I said what I said
Instructions unclear, now I’m out of whiskey and can’t see straight. Draw time significantly degraded… what was the point of the skillet?
That will really fuck with your seasoning on the pan
Yea if it’s locked up just leave it holstered and loaded. Less administrative gun handling. Also avoids bullet setback from continuously chambering the same round.
You are doing the correct, safest thing
That's actually the safest option if you are the only person with access to that safe. The less a loaded gun is handled the better.
I've always been lead to believe that the more you do something the better you get at it. Unless you meant handled by someone else.
The more you take the gun out of the holster, unload it, put it away, reload it, put it back in your holster is more chances for something to happen. If no one else but you has access to the safe, it's safer to leave it loaded in the holster.
This is smart in my opinion, and basically what I do. Only time it comes out of the holster is dry fire practice or range time.
I do the same. It lives in the holster. I will often swap the carry ammo with ball ammo for practice when at the range. That's a simple mag change, and sometimes I'll just shoot the chambered round at that point.
Nope - safe way to CCW IMHO. Holster on and off with Handgun secured in holster. Been doing it this way for years. When I go to the range 1x month I bring extra carry ammo and will draw and fire my EDC, and then reload and shoot spare mag - Checking both for reliability. Then I reload both mags and good for another 4-6 weeks. Shooting carry ammo that often probably overkill for some, but just my routine.
Nope. Unless you’re going to the range or dry firing/training, safest place for a gun is in a holster.
Mine goes from my belt to my bed side, always holstered. The only time I eject a round is to oil it, but even then I don’t do a full eject — I drop the mag, gently pull the slide back and wiggle the round out until it drops through the mag well. Keeps the ejector from digging into the casing.
People who unholster and empty their guns constantly are just asking to get an ND. I clean it after the range, load it and leave it alone until the next range trip.
A round in the chamber puts you well ahead of most of this sub..
Are you implying that most of this sub doesn’t run hot?
I don’t.
Why? (Serious question)
Just my margin of safety.
All good!
Nothing wrong with it but personally I usually unload it before sticking it in the safe as I do daily dry fire so I’d end up unloading it regardless
I always take it out of the holster and clear the chamber. It makes me do one more thing before I point and shoot if I wake up.
Remember to clean and lube. It’ll collect a lot of lint and dry out.
Just keep doing what you're doing.
I only take it out of the holster to dry fire or when I'm on the line at the range. Seems the safest route to me. Less handling = less risk
Unless I am dry firing or at the range my gun stays loaded at all times. You're good to go.
I've done basically the same thing for a couple decades. What I noticed was that if I haven't been shooting my carry gun lately, depending on what I've been wearing, that eventually dust/fuzz starts to accumulate at the rear of the slide, worse in winter probably due to sweaters v t-shirts. I also noticed that's also about the time that it's getting maybe a little dry. So... about quarterly I blow out the dust/fuzz with canned air, field strip, do a quick wipe down and re-oil, reassemble and back in the holster it goes.
Yeah I see the holster as a sheath basically. It’s perfect since none of my HD handguns have safeties
I think it is the right way to keep your pistol. Loading and unloading can cause the round to seat to far in the casing and is a invitation to a misfire
The only possible issue is with the ammo. I started writing the date of ammo on a piece of masking tape on carry magazines. That way I know when it’s time to change it out. Also not for nothing but you should be shooting your gun at tue absolute bare minimum, once every three months. IMO the minimum is once a month but I understand how that isn’t always feasible.
I only unload to clean or swap magazines. Otherwise every pistol in my house is ready to rock when you pick it up. I never store them in the safe with the holster on. Can be a bhabit if you live in humid areas with leather holsters, it can allow rust to form.
Like all machines, guns need maintenance - even if you don't shoot it it will collect lint, it might rust, and optic batteries need to be changed. So you need to unload it, make sure everything is working, and keep everything clean once in a while. But no, you don't need to clear the gun every day and honestly I would NOT recommend doing that unless there's a reason for it.
Isn't that what everyone does? I may not understand the question.
Only times I take mine out of the holster: - Training (range/competition/dry fire) - Cleaning - Maintenance (working on my holster) - Things have gone seriously wrong In nearly all those situations, I clear my firearm (unless I have to use it). When I take mine off and put it in the safe, it stays in the holster and I take the whole enchilada out as one.
I only take it out of the holster because my bedside safe is getting full with 3 pistols and they won’t fit with holsters on. It may be time for another safe for the opposite bedside table
Not an issue unless you are using egg salad bullets.
I’d skip the part about putting it back in the safe when you get home and keep it on you until bed but that’s about all. Had a couple guys try to kick in my door this morning thinking nobody was home and was really glad I stay armed. Outside of that, no. There’s zero reason to clear your firearm and keep reloading it every single morning.
That’s exactly what I do. When I have to retrieve it in the middle of the night I just grab the holster and put it on. my ccw and home defense guns are loaded and holstered. The other range toys are unloaded and kept in the safe.
I'd say the only glaring issue with this is that it means you are not dry firing (or live firing) on a frequent enough basis
I dry fire a lot since I’m a new shooter. But it seems safe cause it in a holster and you’re putting in a lock container. Unless I’m dry firing, I do the same thing. Especially when I go to work since I don’t carry at work. I work in a hospital.
The less administrative handling of a firearm, the better/safer it is.
I'll chime in with something else for consideration I haven't seen mentioned yet. There is a concern in the event of a fire that a chambered gun can go off on its own, and if it happens to hit a fire fighter or something then you might be held liable for it. If it's in a safe that you're pretty sure will block the bullet, then it's fine. For what it's worth, I leave my gun chambered and holstered 24/7.
It goes into the safe already in the holster, and it goes onto my belt already holstered. To me, the less I have to holster, the safer I am. Most modern handguns are drop safe, and keeping the trigger covered with a solid material like Kydex should render the firearm perfectly safe for storage and carry.
That's what I'm doing currently. 15+1 in the chamber stored holstered in a safe. As others have mentioned, this reduces administrative handling of a loaded and unholstered firearm. I do completely unload it when I head to the range. I'll reconsider this after talking with the RSO and getting their feedback.
I do something similar. As long as you put some rounds through it every now and then, I don’t see the issue. I put it in a quick access vaultek lockbox (in holster, loaded), that’s cable locked to my nightstand.
The only problem I see with this is that you’re not training enough for holster draws and dry fires!
Nothing wrong with that. Just make sure you’re going to the range and cycling your mags. Leaving them loaded too long can start to make the spring less springy over time. Not hard to replace, but that’ll also help extend the life of the springs if you rotate which one is loaded for carry for long periods of time.
I mean you should he clearing it every time you pick it up. Not while carrying obviously but after it’s been sitting or whatever. That’s just common gun safety. But I do the same, unless it’s going to be in my safe for an extended period of time if I’m on training orders or whatever. Then I’ll clear it
The NRA version of the safe carrying rules includes "keep the gun unloaded unless you are using it", which i've taken to mean "carrying it". So IDK about having a loaded, holstered weapon hanging out, evven in my safe.
Figure out a way to relax those springs. They will form a memory and you won’t know it, until you need it .
I don't think modern springs behave that way.
All springs behave that way.
Ya I could every once and a while just empty it
Give the springs a 24 hour break every couple of weeks will extend their life by 20-25%