Bedside semi-autos.. condition 1 ?

[Barms 98]

all you revolver guys can skip the "that's why i have a revolver bedside..."

 

For those that have a semi-auto at bedside.. (pistol that is, not your wife..ha hah)

 

What condition do you keep it? I would highly doubt zero. Condition one seems logical but, but cocked for a very long time does it put pressure on the spring? (yes i know all about spring science, i've read all the magazine/spring debates on this forum, i just don't know if the hammer spring falls into the same category, are there other tensions in the trigger?)

 

I don't really understand the difference between keeping Cond two or Cond 3. In both cases if you are SA only (I have a 1911) you need to pull the slide back to fire. So it doesnt matter if there's one in the chamber or not, no? I still consider myself new to guns but i think i'd get less failures in Cond 3 because i'm pulling a new round up when i yank back the slide, i'm not dealing with an "unused" round already in the chamber "in the way". I dunno.. i'm on the fence about it..

 

i'm guessing if the US Military told its troops to carry condition 1 (i've done my 1911 homework) , that's safe/adequate for bedside, but the point is i'm sure at the end of the day when they put their gun away they de-cocked it. A bedside gun could stay cocked for weeks/months continuously.?

 

Advice please..

[mcbethr 42]

Guns are always loaded, right?

 

I think a lot of this depends on how comfortable you are with having a round in the chamber.

 

Yo me, you either have all of your guns with a round in the chamber or none of them with a round in the chamber. The fact is that when it is 3AM and you are scared out of your mind, you aren't going to remember. Guns are dangerous. I don't like it when people talk about making a gun more or less dangerous. Its still a gun, and the most dangerous one is the one you thought was unloaded.

 

I'm not too worried about spring tension or failures. The 1911 has been around for over 100 years. Its a solid design. John Browning was a genius.

 

I haven't fired my 1911 in about 3 months and it has been sitting in my safe cocked and locked. I hope to fire it this weekend. So yes, I think it could stay cocked for years and have no problems or I personally wouldn't do it.

[Duppie 73]

Guns are always loaded, right?

 

I think a lot of this depends on how comfortable you are with having a round in the chamber.

 

Yo me, you either have all of your guns with a round in the chamber or none of them with a round in the chamber. The fact is that when it is 3AM and you are scared out of your mind, you aren't going to remember. Guns are dangerous. I don't like it when people talk about making a gun more or less dangerous. Its still a gun, and the most dangerous one is the one you thought was unloaded.

 

I'm not too worried about spring tension or failures. The 1911 has been around for over 100 years. Its a solid design. John Browning was a genius.

 

I haven't fired my 1911 in about 3 months and it has been sitting in my safe cocked and locked. I hope to fire it this weekend. So yes, I think it could stay cocked for years and have no problems or I personally wouldn't do it.

Like you I consider all guns to be loaded and ready to fire,and while being one of the "revolver bedside" people the OP refers to, my 3 other guns also remain cocked and locked or else why have them?. I bought my first gun for HD and did not even consider owning several others or participating in gun sports so now they are all for HD.

[JayWilling 33]

We keep ours without a round in the pipe. It's a long story, but for 90% of situations we could get up and rack it, the only problem being if someone is on you before you are aware that they are there, and then you're pretty much screwed anyway. We have our bedside gun mixed...some revolvers, some semis.

[bulpup 98]

In my old apartment with my old bed frame I had a gunsafe that I could open quickly. The glock inside was condition one.

 

I don't have that furniture anymore. Without a safe or a drawer that is for the pistol only I feel more comfortable with the mag in but an empty barrel.

 

 

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[Old School 611]

In my old apartment with my old bed frame I had a gunsafe that I could open quickly. The glock inside was condition one.

 

I don't have that furniture anymore. Without a safe or a drawer that is for the pistol only I feel more comfortable with the mag in but an empty barrel.

 

 

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See that's kind of cheating, like I do... A GLOCK can really never be condition one. #1 It's never fully cocked until the end of the trigger pul and #2 no external safety.

 

I've been very intimate with JMB designs and carried both 1911's(less so) and BHP's (more so). Condition one is the way to go.

 

Stricker fired pistol like GLOCK and others are a different animal.

[robot_hell 72]

If my 1911 has nightstand duty, it's in condition 1, always always.

[Krdshrk 3,878]

My Px4 is loaded with one in the chamber, safety on, hammer is down. Nano has a mag in but is not chambered.

[67gtonut 847]

M&P in lock box in nightstand

Mag inserted but no round in chamber

 

 

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[Smokin .50 1,907]

I'll be the Odd Man Out here, but I keep a .45 Officers Model in Condition #2. Being a wheelgunner from way-back, I'm used to cocking the hammer and can do it almost asleep without fumbling. Racking the slide in Condition #2 drops a round out of the gun and gives your position away to an attacker that's already close enough to hear old slabsides go into battery, so it's Condition #2 and NO safety on for me! If I'm not awake enough to pull the hammer back I'm not awake enough to defend my family.

 

It's a personal decision, but since my gun doesn't have an ambi thumb safety, it's "good to go" as soon as that hammer is cocked! Your mileage may vary....

[Jersey Joe 4]

Dave...don't lie to us! You keep a BP revolver fully charged WITH the Cap on the nipple :-) We call that condition 1860 I think.

 

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[GRIZ 3,369]

My attitude is you should keep a bedside gun in the same condition you would if you were carrying it. If you wake up to a noise in the night you need to make it as easy as possible to get yourself ready. Train like you fight, fight like you train. I also keep the gun in a holster within reach of the bed (I have no small child issues). SA auto would be cocked and locked (springs are springs no taking set issues), DA autos hammer down with safety on, Glocks chambered, revolvers loaded.

[Smokin .50 1,907]

Dave...don't lie to us! You keep a BP revolver fully charged WITH the Cap on the nipple :-) We call that condition 1860 I think.

 

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And that there is a Good One Joe! If I need to I could, and then the hammer would be in-between nipples, set on a "notch or pin" so I'd have all six to raise hell with, lol! "Condition 1860", I'm gonna steal that one, lol!

[RedBowTies88 41]

I keep my DA/SA pistol loaded with a full mag, one in the chamber, hammer down and saftey off. Thats my "Oh crap I gotta move gun" Like if i was woken up to the sound of my bedroom door being pounded on or someone screaming i grap that and its instantly ready.

 

My saiga sits with a full mag and an empty chamber with the saftey on. Thats my "i think some crap is going down" gun. Like if i hear strange noises or something going on outside or downstairs I grab it.

 

My Win1200 Stays with a full tube (slugs) with an empty chamber and the saftey on. Thats for the GF (or whoever else is there) to use to hold up in the bedroom with.

[TheLugNutZ 21]

M&P .40 condition 0 (no safety)

 

When carrying I carry a CM9 currently carry in condition 3. Not 100% comfortable carrying with one in the chamber and no safety. If i pick up a shield w/ an external safety, i would carry in condition 2.

[Jon 264]

The only semi-auto handguns I use for self defense are da/sa or dao, and all have a round in the chamber, hammer down, and safety off. Guns don't work unless they're loaded.

[JackDaWack 2,895]

m9a1 -Chamber empty, loaded with the hammer cocked saftey off. Makes it easier to rack the slide, and i don't feel comfortable with a round in the chamber or leaving the saftey on. If i don't have time to rack the slide i'm screwed eitherway, you would have to kick down 2 heavy doors to get to me and i'm a light sleeper.

[mipafox 438]

Same condition you would keep it holstered. Chamber loaded, cocked, if it has a safety, safety ON. And, still in a holster of some kind unless in a drawer. Preferably the holster is attached to something to assist draw. Otherwise, the holster has zero retention and zero friction on draw.

[Ray Ray 3,566]

Shotgun, empty chamber, on safe, tube full.

[RecessedFilter 222]

I don't worry about condition 1 or condition 10, my guns are loaded with a round in the chamber and ready to go whenever I need them.

[vjf915 456]

1911, full mag, empty chamber.

[Barms 98]

ALL GREAT GREAT FEEDBACK !!!

 

MCBETH: "John Browning was genius..." i love that.. you may have me convinced..

 

SMOKIN 50: That is sort of how i felt about it... (well not the part about giving my position away.. i'm in bed! lol..)

 

GRIZ: I don't "carry" my gun.. only rangetime for this newbie.. so the only process i know is load magazine-rack the slide-fire.. in less than one second. (i said that not to make a point of the time.. but when i'm at the range its just instinct now..)

 

REDBOWTIES: sometimes i wish i had a DA just for the nighstand situation..

 

And guys.. frankly, i can't remember the last time i used the safety.. ummm.. its like NEVER. My only time with guns is the range (bullet hole and RTSP).. and call me an idiot, but when does the safety ever get used at the range? I load my magazine, i fire them all.. then repeat.. I will self-deprecate myself and admit i'm a newb and i'm the classic desk-job guy who loves to shoot at the range.. I think i should practice some sort of drills that involve me using the safety more..

 

So in summary, since my life has only been load mag, rack, then fire... that's why i've been condition 3. But you guys have given me great info i might have to practice a different drill..

 

Such great feedback i am now going to become a paid subscriber..

[tblant 6]

Not very good with the condition lingo. full mag in front of handgun safe with glock right behind it. Last August our alarm went off 3:15am (has never gone off before for over 4 years) i had the gun loaded (racked) in the dark, intentionally, using flashlight in under 10 seconds (wake up, get out of bed, walk 4 feet to safe....it was really a hop and skip that night), and inserting the mag and racking it took one second.

i started keeping it this way because we have a cleaning lady (only once a month) and my wife locks up her jewelry and is very afraid of guns. its a compromise that works for US.

 

so, can someone tell me what condition number it is if fully loaded and ready to shoot (i have a Glock so no hammer), thx

[mipafox 438]

Just don't answer the gun if somebody calls at 0300.

[heaterbob 53]

d/a revolver loaded, hammer down on empty cylinder

[hd2000fxdl 422]

G19 15+1

 

 

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[Old Glock guy 1,127]

Shotgun, empty chamber, on safe, tube full.

 

This

G19 15+1

 

 

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And this

[Jersey Joe 4]

I have young kids so the only thing I keep loaded out of the safe is a Louisville Slugger.

 

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[david8613 69]

i really dont understand this? back in the day before autos, everyone had fully loaded revolvers, no safety, no nothing. so why wouldnt you have your auto in the same condition? you never heard of someone carrying an unloaded revolver with speedloaders ready to load if something goes down... one in the chamber always no matter what...

[mipafox 438]

i really dont understand this? back in the day before autos, everyone had fully loaded revolvers, no safety, no nothing. so why wouldnt you have your auto in the same condition? you never heard of someone carrying an unloaded revolver with speedloaders ready to load if something goes down... one in the chamber always no matter what...

 

It sounds like you are talking about two different things - loaded firearms and safeties.

 

In my opinion, a defensive weapon should be stored in the condition it is carried. Revolvers don't have safeties because they are carried hammer down and won't go off if dropped. 1911s have safeties because they need hammer cocked to be ready to fire and the safety provides more safety functions than simply preventing the trigger from being pressed. Glocks etc require no external safety because they will not fire if dropped but they must be in a holster because pressing the trigger makes them fire. All of them should be in holsters for that matter.

 

Like I said, keep them in the same condition as you would when carrying. If you are going to need it, assume you are going to need it immediately.