I am wondering about storing my home defense carbine with the bolt locked back so that I could slip in the magazine and hit the bolt catch and be good to go without having to touch the charging handle. Would this have any adverse effects on the spring?
I wouldn’t store my HD carbine that way, if anything, just load a mag in your carbine with an empty chamber.
I agree…When you practice…should include charging your weapon…It will become second nature to you and wont even notice your doing it.
Alright, it only occurred to me last night so I am not attached to the idea, but what makes it a bad idea?
Agree. Store with mag securely seated on a closed bolt.
zk
Assuming you take the weapon out to inspect, practice, and clean, you shouldn’t have a problem with the spring’s condition. However,
THIS THREAD, among others
has some pointers as to why storing a “moment’s notice” gun with the bolt to the rear is problematic.
Here are a couple thoughts. Storing the gun with the bolt open invites random items to enter the inner workings of your AR, depending on where its stored. While the system is robust enough, shit happens, and I don’t want it to happen to my HD AR.
If you store the magazine separately (fine for long term storage), then you have to fish around for 2 items, when seconds may count. If you store it on the gun, but not in it (ie, redimag), then you’re really not saving time, since you’d have to mechanically release the mag, insert it, and work the CH.
Bolt to the rear, mag inserted is problematic, for obvious reasons.
If you search the forums, you’ll see that lots of us prefer either:
- Mag inserted, bolt forward, empty chamber, safety engaged, or
- Mag inserted, bolt forward, empty chamber, hammer down.
These two methods keep the weapon and the ammo source close at hand, protect the inner workings of the carbine from household dust and debris, and ready to deploy quickly. Depending on where you store the carbine, depending on your home life, its also relatively safe.
I wouldn’t store it with the bolt locked back for a couple reasons.
- Shit can find its way into the receiver/chamber
- I’ve noticed that a jaring motion (and not much of one) can cause the bolt to close.
I store mine bolt closed on an empty chamber, hammer down (so safety is on “fire”) and mag inserted.
This keeps is simple. Charge weapon, destory shit. It doesn’t take but about .2 seconds longer to run the charging handle anyway.
Double BINGO!
All that makes sense. Thanks for the info.
Have to go along with Mr. Goodtimes, bolt closed, weapon decocked, and magazine inserted. I know some people say to store it bolt closed, on safe, and magazine inserted but I figure if your going to need to use it you can quickly rack the charging handle. If you don’t need to use it just yet, just put it on safe.
The main thing though is to practice at the range, loading it the way that you store it.
Same way mine sits
This has been discussed many times.