Do you keep a loaded mag in your Gun?


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I recently got a P220 from my grandfather, who always kept a full mag in the gun, but nothing in the barrel(as a self defense gun). I grew up thinking this is perfectly acceptable, and when i got home tonight, my roommate wanted to see the gun. He was shocked when he realized the mag was full(basically said i was dumb for doing that). That got me thinking, did old pop teach me wrong? I don't see it as dangerous, as there is no way for that gun to go off until i cock it. Anyways, i await your opinions.

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I think you definitely made a mistake by handing him a gun with a loaded magazine in it without telling him. I would have dropped the mag, cleared the weapon, and then checked it both physically and visually.

Although, depending on your living situation, your career, your proximity to violent people, etc... as to whether or not I would keep it with a mag in it. I am a 20+ year law enforcement officer and because of two children in the house, I DO NOT, keep a weapon or a round anywhere near one another, or even with the kids knowledge, in the house. If I was a single man, without a girlfriend, wife or kids??? I would probably have a handgun with a magazine in it concealed somewhere in my home.

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I think you definitely made a mistake by handing him a gun with a loaded magazine in it without telling him. I would have dropped the mag, cleared the weapon, and then checked it both physically and visually.

Although, depending on your living situation, your career, your proximity to violent people, etc... as to whether or not I would keep it with a mag in it. I am a 20+ year law enforcement officer and because of two children in the house, I DO NOT, keep a weapon or a round anywhere near one another, or even with the kids knowledge, in the house. If I was a single man, without a girlfriend, wife or kids??? I would probably have a handgun with a magazine in it concealed somewhere in my home.

I agree with the above stated.....very good points.

I am single and have no kids and I live alone. All my guns are kept in a gun safe. None have any shells in the chamber and none have any in the magazine (and they never will). With that stated: I do have full magazines next to the guns in the LOCKED SAFE.

As stated: act like every gun is loaded (even when the chamber is open).

Good luck to all

the dog

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I carry my 220 SOA in condition 3. Loaded mag,loaded chamber, cocked and safety on. Like Swamphunter said. Always clear the weapon before giving it to anyone and never take it out of the holster in public to show it off. I carry ammo with nickel cases in it so the chamber isn't damaged by the brass.

Mark

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Whenever I have shown any guns in my home to anyone whether they be rifles pistols or shotguns, unless they are brand new never fired in a manufacturers box, which I do have a few put up nib, I always check that they are clear before handing them to whoever is looking, just feels like a safe practice. Likewise whenever I have had anyone hand me a gun I check it unless they cleared it in front of me. Gotta agree 100 percent here with Ken on checking the weapon is cleared, even if you know it is empty it is still a good idea. Also agree on treating every firearm as if it is loaded. Too many accidents happen with "empty" firearms.

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Yes my sig is load and ready to fire at all times.....IF bad guy comes at me or my family I am not going to take the time to rack the slide then start shooting. This however is the only gun loaded at all times. Every other gun I own in locked in my safe unloaded and ammo is in a separate location.

ANY TIME you ever hand a gun to another person or have one handed to you, you should double and triple check it is unloaded for your safety and others.

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I keep two loaded handguns with rounds in the chamber ready to fire in my room...a .40 on my side and a 9mm on my wifes. If someone breaks on their not going to be nice and stand there while I look for my magazine and chamber a round.

We keep ours ready at our house too. Our kids have been instructed well and often not to touch any gun unless we hand it to them. As for handing a loaded gun to someone, that's a no no around me. Even on the range, when handing a gun off to someone we pull the mag and rack the slide. Even our single shots we hand over with the action open.

How many "empty" guns kill people a year? Don't know, but I don't want to be one of them.

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I think you definitely made a mistake by handing him a gun with a loaded magazine in it without telling him. I would have dropped the mag, cleared the weapon, and then checked it both physically and visually.

Although, depending on your living situation, your career, your proximity to violent people, etc... as to whether or not I would keep it with a mag in it. I am a 20+ year law enforcement officer and because of two children in the house, I DO NOT, keep a weapon or a round anywhere near one another, or even with the kids knowledge, in the house. If I was a single man, without a girlfriend, wife or kids??? I would probably have a handgun with a magazine in it concealed somewhere in my home.

I think Swamp got it 100% right. I agree completely with everything he says.

:gun2:

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kids and guns...

We keep ours ready at our house too. Our kids have been instructed well and often not to touch any gun unless we hand it to them. As for handing a loaded gun to someone, that's a no no around me. Even on the range, when handing a gun off to someone we pull the mag and rack the slide. Even our single shots we hand over with the action open.

How many "empty" guns kill people a year? Don't know, but I don't want to be one of them.

every gun in my house is ready to be chambered unless i am working on it...my kids are instructed to keep theirs unloaded at all time..i keep the ammo locked in the powder room.

my kids all know what guns do... they hunt, they kill, they harvest. when they were small... lessons with water melons and pumpkins were taught with various calibers

recently i over heard a conversation between my daughter and one of her friends... when her friend asked if she could HOLD my daughters rifle .....

my daughter replied... nope not with out dad... and the friend got pushy... and again my daughter replied...

only if you want my dad to break your fingers.... mine too..

the friends said... my folks will SUE your dad if he did that....

my daughter said... WE will STILL have broken fingers... go ask my dad, and he will call your dad to ask if he can teach you.....

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ok so rule one when passing a gun to or from someone is to unload it and make sure it is unloaded. If you did that your fine, if you handed it to him with a loaded mag then you made what could of turned into a serious mistake.

The keeping of a gun for self defense is not stupid, I have a weapon in my home loaded for defense.

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Lots of great responses. I keep my magazine loaded at all times with the chamber empty. When children were young the guns were all locked away, but as they grow older I feel it is of UTMOST importance to get them familiar with guns and gun safety. Now they're ten and I haven't had my guns locked up in over 2 years. They know full and well not to touch my guns, or any other gun at anyone's house they are visiting. I see more stories of kids that have guns in the house all their lives under lock and key and then one day daddy forgets and leaves one on the counter and curiosity takes over with tragic results, or even worse when you hear of these cases where the kids bring a loaded weapon to school for "show and tell".

I'll take my chances with teaching kids gun safety over gun locks any day of the week.

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Got to also admit that I do keep my ruger with a loaded mag in reach from the bed, clip loose in the gun in my holster with the clip ready to bump in and rack the slide. Have a second full clip for the ruger right there in the safe right next to the bed. Would be useless if someone breaks in, anyone comes in the house without our knowledge it is safe to assume they are not here to drop off presents. If an intruder came in and I had to fumble around to find a mag in the safe and then load it from ammo also locked away it would be pointless to have them for self defense. Also have a full 20 rd clip in my AR, that clip is also not engaged, that is locked in the cabinet ready to go with a quick bump to engage the clip and draw back the charging handle, we do see yotes out the back window here from time to time and I have shot a few out the sliding glass door. Have missed opportunities on a few for having to get and load a clip, call it lessons learned.

We do have 3 daughters 14, 8, and 4. Our kids have grown up around guns and hunting and are/have been taught what they do and they know to respect them. They never have friends in the house without one of us also in the house.

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About 2 weeks ago I was at a local fleamarket and just walked past a booth where this guy was trying to sell a couple of guns. I slowed downed to look and my loving wife told me to come on. Any ways we just got to the next row when we hear a gunshot! The idiot had a loaded pistol and a teenager picked it up and pulled the trigger! Lucky the round went through the roof.

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