Question for the handgun owners...

[Over_Easy]

(GJoker @ Mar. 30 2007,11:58)

(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~

The one on Dale Mabry near Waters is Shooting Sports...p.o.s. IMO, sweating bullets while shooting them is not what I have in mind but it's closest (to me - I think) and cheap - bring all your own ammo you want.

My wife needs to fire the .38 revolver I got for her (easy use - just point and shoot) but it's like pulling teeth to get her to go - she doesn't enjoy it. I have some dummy rounds I put in and make her go through the motions every once in a while.

Can you use a shotty over there? I have a 12 gauge riot shotgun they let me use at Shooting Sports. Don't know how I would carry that on the bike unless I put the pistol grip back on.

 

[Justyntym]

My favorite place to go...

hernando sportsman club

Supervised range, minimizes the idiots. $10 and you shoot all day. Check out the calander and they usually have neat stuff going on, action rifle shoot out, wwII re-enactments, and on July 4th (I know another pagan holiday, wheres the eye roll icon) they have a machine gun shoot. Maybe 100+ machine guns fire simultainiously and blow up cars and stuff.

Neat place...

 

[GJoker]

(Justyntym @ Mar. 30 2007,15:49) My favorite place to go...

hernando sportsman club

Supervised range, minimizes the idiots. $10 and you shoot all day. Check out the calander and they usually have neat stuff going on, action rifle shoot out, wwII re-enactments, and on July 4th (I know another pagan holiday, wheres the eye roll icon) they have a machine gun shoot. Maybe 100+ machine guns fire simultainiously and blow up cars and stuff.

Neat place...

I like this place~ Not only is it fairly inexpensive, but it would be a sweet ride to get there from here!

 

[dadofthree]

(Over_Easy @ Mar. 30 2007,12:39) ...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.

I own Glocks, don't know what you're talking about

 

[Super Trucker]

(Black Bird Killer @ Mar. 30 2007,13:06) Keeping rounds in your clip for long periods of time is hard on it.  Weakens the spring

This is not true, The MAGAZINE springs only weaken by use, up and down not by staying compressed. I have 2 family members that are cops, and they have 4 magazines fully loaded at all times. If it were a bad idea I doubt they would do that.

 

[heavybusa]

Great convo, thanks for the thread.

Springfield XD here.

 

[BA BUSA]

(Super Trucker @ Mar. 30 2007,14:21)

(Black Bird Killer @ Mar. 30 2007,13:06) Keeping rounds in your clip for long periods of time is hard on it.  Weakens the spring

This is not true, The MAGAZINE springs only weaken by use, up and down not by staying compressed. I have 2 family members that are cops, and they have 4 magazines fully loaded at all times. If it were a bad idea I doubt they would do that.

ANY type of spring that remains compressed over a long period of time will lose some strength...it will
still function, but it WILL weaken over time.

 

[hydrabusa]

if you only loaded up 4~5 rounds in there...it should be okay for a long time...if the clip takes 12 round.

 

[BA BUSA]

(hydrabusa @ Mar. 30 2007,23:34) if you only loaded up 4~5 rounds in there...it should be okay for a long time...if the clip takes 12 round.

I hope ya don't need 6 when it's life or death  

Magazines are not that expensive...springs even cheaper.

You can load then to capacity...just realize that the springs do wear out eventually.

 

[BusaBill]

Like Super Trucker stated...you can keep your mags loaded to capacity for years and years and years and they will still function properly. Beware of purchasing cheap aftermarket mags for carry. Test them for reliability before betting your life on them, many have feeding issues.

Also, the H&K variant one uses the safety as a decocker. Press it down until it stops and then press it a little more and it will safely decock the weapon. Obviously, be mindful of your trigger finger at all times. Keep it outside of the trigger guard unless you intend to fire, index it along the frame of the weapon. Always keep it pointed in a safe direction. Practice with the weapon unloaded until you get used to the feel and function of everything. You should be able to operate everything without ever looking down at your weapon. You can shoot me a PM if you have any questions about your gun or guns in general.

 

[JINKSTER]

(BusaBill @ Mar. 31 2007,02:48) Like Super Trucker stated...you can keep your mags loaded to capacity for years and years and years and they will still function properly.

sorry feller's but i just can't keep my mouth shut on this one cause THAT?..is absolute bullshid...as fully loaded magazines can, do and will FTF (Fail To Feed) in as little as 3-6 months time if left fully stoked with the mag spring fully compressed...how do i know this to be a fact?...simple...i competed in IPSC/USPSA tactical competitons for about 6 years...to the tune of reloading and firing 500-1,000rds per week between practice and competition...where it was considered common knowledge amidst my circle of shooting buds and competitors that proper magazine care and maintainance included upgrading to "High Silicone Wold Mag Springs" and never leaving them fully loaded/compressed for more than 3 months without pulling the mag bases off and restretching the springs to full freestate length...which is why many pro tactical shooters prefer a revolver as a "House Gun".

Why do i know this is true?..easy...i've had it happen to me before and watched it happen to many others who left mags fully loaded for several months then come out to a competition and have their semi-auto sidearm FTF due to weakened mag springs...they'd loose the stage of fire for "Malfunction" reasons and then one of us in the know would help them complete the rest of the stages of fire by simply walking them to "The Safe Table" and having them unload their mags...pull the bases off...restretch the mag springs....re-assy the mags and viola..no more FTF's and they'd get to complete the days shooting competition.

I have noticed over the years though that some certain calibre semi-auto sidearms (especially those with high-cap dbl-stack mags) are more suseptible to weakened mag spring related FTF's than others...some include....38 Super, .357Sig, .40 S&W as all three of these chamberings operate at very high chamber pressures...like 50,000psi...(in comparison .45acp operates in the 20K-25Kpsi range...1/2 the chamber pressure) but which also means the 38 Super, .357Sig and .40 S&W also enjoy an "Ultra Fast Lock-Time"...and if the mag spring is weakened much at all?...it doesn't push the following round up fast enough for the slide face to properly pick it up for a controlled feed and jam...FTF...failure to feed...and then tap,rack,bang...and ftf again...and again...and again...over weakened mag springs..BTDT...and oh....my credentials?....sure...here ya go...great years indeed.

The good news?...we all also collectively discovered that as long as you keep your high cap mags no more than 3/4's full?...you can typically go about a year between intervals of dumping the load and restretching the mag springs without experiencing any FTF's...I have a Glock19 i carry with 5 mags...(1) 15rd, (2) 17rd (15's w/ +2 bases) and (2) 19rd (17's w/ +2 bases)...I keep 12 rds in the 15rd'er...14 in the 17rd'eres..and 16 in the 19 rd'ers...they all have upgraded wold springs and i only dump and restretch'em twice a year...and no problem...but if i fully stoke a glock mag and leave it sit?...the mag spring can weaken and coff out a FTF in as little as 3 months.

that's all i know about it and L8R, Bill.

 

[extreemachine]

(JINKSTER @ Mar. 31 2007,06:48)

(BusaBill @ Mar. 31 2007,02:48) Like Super Trucker stated...you can keep your mags loaded to capacity for years and years and years and they will still function properly.

sorry feller's but i just can't keep my mouth shut on this one cause THAT?..is absolute bullshid...as fully loaded magazines can, do and will FTF (Fail To Feed) in as little as 3-6 months time if left fully stoked with the mag spring fully compressed...how do i know this to be a fact?...simple...i competed in IPSC/USPSA tactical competitons for about 6 years...to the tune of reloading and firing 500-1,000rds per week between practice and competition...where it was considered common knowledge amidst my circle of shooting buds and competitors that proper magazine care and maintainance included upgrading to "High Silicone Wold Mag Springs" and never leaving them fully loaded/compressed for more than 3 months without pulling the mag bases off and restretching the springs to full freestate length...which is why many pro tactical shooters prefer a revolver as a "House Gun".

Why do i know this is true?..easy...i've had it happen to me before and watched it happen to many others who left mags fully loaded for several months then come out to a competition and have their semi-auto sidearm FTF due to weakened mag springs...they'd loose the stage of fire for "Malfunction" reasons and then one of us in the know would help them complete the rest of the stages of fire by simply walking them to "The Safe Table" and having them unload their mags...pull the bases off...restretch the mag springs....re-assy the mags and viola..no more FTF's and they'd get to complete the days shooting competition.

I have noticed over the years though that some certain calibre semi-auto sidearms (especially those with high-cap dbl-stack mags) are more suseptible to weakened mag spring related FTF's than others...some include....38 Super, .357Sig, .40 S&W as all three of these chamberings operate at very high chamber pressures...like 50,000psi...(in comparison .45acp operates in the 20K-25Kpsi range...1/2 the chamber pressure) but which also means the 38 Super, .357Sig and .40 S&W also enjoy an "Ultra Fast Lock-Time"...and if the mag spring is weakened much at all?...it doesn't push the following round up fast enough for the slide face to properly pick it up for a controlled feed and jam...FTF...failure to feed...and then tap,rack,bang...and ftf again...and again...and again...over weakened mag springs..BTDT...and oh....my credentials?....sure...here ya go...great years indeed.

The good news?...we all also collectively discovered that as long as you keep your high cap mags no more than 3/4's full?...you can typically go about a year between intervals of dumping the load and restretching the mag springs without experiencing any FTF's...I have a Glock19 i carry with 5 mags...(1) 15rd, (2) 17rd (15's w/ +2 bases) and (2) 19rd (17's w/ +2 bases)...I keep 12 rds in the 15rd'er...14 in the 17rd'eres..and 16 in the 19 rd'ers...they all have upgraded wold springs and i only dump and restretch'em twice a year...and no problem...but if i fully stoke a glock mag and leave it sit?...the mag spring can weaken and coff out a FTF in as little as 3 months.

that's all i know about it and L8R, Bill.

+1 I agree with Jinks 100% !!!

 

[BlueHaya]

I keep my Ruger 9mm 10 in the clip and one in the slip all the time.

My old .38 keeps 5 in the clip only....keep that one in the closet in the house for easy access. I keep it only in the clip because of kids. Its on the top shelf and it takes a gorilla to pull the slide back. I like it for that reason.

 

[dadofthree]

(Super Trucker @ Mar. 30 2007,17:21)

(Black Bird Killer @ Mar. 30 2007,13:06) Keeping rounds in your clip for long periods of time is hard on it. Weakens the spring

This is not true, The MAGAZINE springs only weaken by use, up and down not by staying compressed. I have 2 family members that are cops, and they have 4 magazines fully loaded at all times. If it were a bad idea I doubt they would do that.

Not getting into an arguement here. IMHO it is true. For ten years I have carried 16 rounds in my weapon and 45 rounds on my body. In two instances over those ten years with probably well over 40 thousand rounds fired I have had two failures to chamber the last round. The armer suggested replacing the mag springs, I just pulled them and cleaned them; giving them a little stretch by hand. That's been years ago since having my last failure. I have one buddy that loads two rounds shy because of this. If I had a weapon around the house I didn't plan on using, I would unload it for storage. Unfortunately I don't have an arsenal, so I keep my shid up. Always.

 

[Super Trucker]

Just replace the mag spring once a year, for about 3 bucks and be done with it. Don't forget the recoil spring also.

 

[1911boy]

I have several handguns (60+), and have been to the Glock, Colt 1911, and Sig Sauer pistolsmith classes. All three classes recommended unloading all your mags once a month, leave them unloaded for an hour, and reload---you are ready to go. Common sense will tell you that springs will eventually need to be replaced, but this will lengthen their life. i shoot about 20-25,000 rounds a year, and replace my springs about every 2 years...

On a side note, I purchased an ammo can full of military issued 1911 mags. all were fully loaded (7 rounds) and 20+/- years old, and all functioned perfectly.

 

[dadofthree]

(Super Trucker @ Mar. 31 2007,14:01) Just replace the mag spring once a year, for about 3 bucks and be done with it. Don't forget the recoil spring also.

Like I said, I've got a Glock

Appreciate it man

 

[BA BUSA]

(dadofthree @ Mar. 31 2007,13:21)

(Super Trucker @ Mar. 31 2007,14:01) Just replace the mag spring once a year, for about 3 bucks and be done with it. Don't forget the recoil spring also.

Like I said, I've got a Glock  

Appreciate it man  

He stepped in something...and now we get the backstroke

 

[JINKSTER]

(1911boy @ Mar. 31 2007,09:56) I have several handguns (60+), and have been to the Glock, Colt 1911, and Sig Sauer pistolsmith classes.  All three classes recommended unloading all your mags once a month, leave them unloaded for an hour, and reload---you are ready to go.  Common sense will tell you that springs will eventually need to be replaced, but this will lengthen their life.  i shoot about 20-25,000 rounds a year, and replace my springs about every 2 years...

On a side note, I purchased an ammo can full of military issued 1911 mags.  all were fully loaded (7 rounds) and 20+/- years old, and all functioned perfectly.

There's two acceptions that come into play here of why your fully loaded 7rd .45acp military mags all functioned perfectly....

1. They're only 7rds...the springs in those mags were by design (no doubt for purposes of lonng term dependability) never fully compressed as they are in the modern semi-auto of today...where they jam every last possible round count into the newer high cap double stacked mags...and no doubt this was done for Marketing/Sales/Competition Reasons...and as i recall?...the followers on the old single stack G.I. 7rd'ers had elongated ears on the bottoms of the followers so that the followers would "Bottom Out" on the mag base long before the mag spring ever even came close to a "Near Fully Compressed" condition.

and?....

2. .45acp operates at an extremely low chamber pressure as compared to some of todays more modern chamberings...most of which operate at 2-3 times the .45acp's chamber pressure...hence?...comparitively?...the .45 has a very slow lock time as compared to the newer chamberings...which means the mag spring has far more time to push the next round up and into place than does a .38 Super or .357Sig or .40 S&W.

Modern single stack .45 mags now carry 8rds.

edit: There's also a possible thrid acception...i believe many of the old GI 7rd .45 mags utilized "an accordian type spring steel spring" rather than the round wound coiul springs of todays mags.
L8R, Bill.

 

[BA BUSA]

(JINKSTER @ Mar. 31 2007,13:30)

(1911boy @ Mar. 31 2007,09:56) I have several handguns (60+), and have been to the Glock, Colt 1911, and Sig Sauer pistolsmith classes.  All three classes recommended unloading all your mags once a month, leave them unloaded for an hour, and reload---you are ready to go.  Common sense will tell you that springs will eventually need to be replaced, but this will lengthen their life.  i shoot about 20-25,000 rounds a year, and replace my springs about every 2 years...

On a side note, I purchased an ammo can full of military issued 1911 mags.  all were fully loaded (7 rounds) and 20+/- years old, and all functioned perfectly.

There's two exceptions that come into play here of why your fully loaded 7rd .45acp military mags all functioned perfectly....

1. They're only 7rds...the springs in those mags were by design (no doubt for purposes of long term dependability) never fully compressed as they are in the modern semi-auto of today...where they jam every last possible round count into the newer high cap double stacked mags...and no doubt this was done for Marketing/Sales/Competition Reasons...and as i recall?...the followers on the old single stack G.I. 7rd'ers had elongated ears on the bottoms of the followers so that the followers would "Bottom Out" on the mag base long before the mag spring ever even came close to a "Near Fully Compressed" condition.

and?....

2. .45acp operates at an extremely low chamber pressure as compared to some of today's more modern chamberings...most of which operate at 2-3 times the .45acp's chamber pressure...hence?...comparatively?...the .45 has a very slow lock time as compared to the newer chamberings...which means the mag spring has far more time to push the next round up and into place than does a .38 Super or .357Sig or .40 S&W.

Modern single stack .45 mags now carry 8rds.

edit: There's also a possible third exception...i believe many of the old GI 7rd .45 mags utilized "an accordion type spring steel spring" rather than the round wound coil springs of today's mags.
L8R, Bill.

Reason # 4. Military Ball ammo...feeds easier