Safety Concern: Avoiding Bullet Set-Back

[Kb! Bob]

I have two little kids, the oldest is 2.5, so here is my safety set-up. I have a single-pistol safe with key lock (only key on my ring) on the top shelf in my closet for my "nightstand" gun. When I go to bed I put key in lock for quicker access and remove when I wake up. Not the ideal set-up I know, but its what I'm comfortable with. On the floor of the same closet is a larger safe with a lot of my wifes jewelery, legal papers, etc, and its where I deposit my carry gun when I go to bed, however it is a digital opener. I was taking a leak in the morning the other day when I heard the buttons being pushed. My son was playing with it, pushing the buttons because they make noise. After telling him that it is NOT ok for him to do, I got to thinking. It would be next to impossible for him to hit the code (5 digits) by accident, but it scared the shit out of me. Now I think I want to take out my chambered round when gun isnt on me. Now, I have heard that constantly re-chambering leads to setback and possible issues. Can't I just lock back the slide, put round into chamber,drop slide on it, and insert mag?? If not, why not? Its a Glock 30 by the way. Thanks for the input!

[tdyoung58]

I have two little kids, the oldest is 2.5, so here is my safety set-up. I have a single-pistol safe with key lock (only key on my ring) on the top shelf in my closet for my "nightstand" gun. When I go to bed I put key in lock for quicker access and remove when I wake up. Not the ideal set-up I know, but its what I'm comfortable with. On the floor of the same closet is a larger safe with a lot of my wifes jewelery, legal papers, etc, and its where I deposit my carry gun when I go to bed, however it is a digital opener. I was taking a leak in the morning the other day when I heard the buttons being pushed. My son was playing with it, pushing the buttons because they make noise. After telling him that it is NOT ok for him to do, I got to thinking. It would be next to impossible for him to hit the code (5 digits) by accident, but it scared the shit out of me. Now I think I want to take out my chambered round when gun isnt on me. Now, I have heard that constantly re-chambering leads to setback and possible issues. Can't I just lock back the slide, put round into chamber,drop slide on it, and insert mag?? If not, why not? Its a Glock 30 by the way. Thanks for the input!

It can lead to not always does. I'd measure a OEM round for length, probably a couple and average it out and go from there. Me, I don't worry to much about it and just visually inspect the bullet after cleaning.

Not sure if I hold to the theory or not actually, I think for one to get shoved back far enough to cause some serious crap you'd be able to see it pretty clearly

I kept mine in a single gun lock box smilar to what you describe and wore the key around my neck as I slept or was in the bathroom

[West Chester]

Try not to keep loading and unloading the same round. If you load and unload it for a couple days rotate it out for another round. After your go through the whole box, bring them to the range, practice then start with a new a fresh box.

[Steve_NEPhila]

I have to say it because it is obvious: Carry a revolver!

[marinville]

...I have heard that constantly re-chambering leads to setback and possible issues. Can't I just lock back the slide, put round into chamber,drop slide on it, and insert mag?? If not, why not? Its a Glock 30 by the way. Thanks for the input!

I believe the concern is that dropping the slide on a manually chambered round causes stress on the extractor by forcing it to jump over the rim of the already chambered case.

My question, however, would be: Why is it not recommended to ride the slide forward gently to chamber a round? The only concern I can see with this is the slide not going fully into battery, and I would imagine that an attentive operator would be able to visually and physically assess and eliminate this concern, with little effort.

[Kb! Bob]

I have to say it because it is obvious: Carry a revolver!

Steve, I am working on that as we speak!!

I believe the concern is that dropping the slide on a manually chambered round causes stress on the extractor by forcing it to jump over the rim of the already chambered case.

My question, however, would be: Why is it not recommended to ride the slide forward gently to chamber a round? The only concern I can see with this is the slide not going fully into battery, and I would imagine that an attentive operator would be able to visually and physically assess and eliminate this concern, with little effort.

Intereting. That was indeed the krux of my question, why not just insert the round by hand. I see what your saying though, as normally the extractor would sort of "slide" onto the rim, versus slamming over it.

[CHEMICAL]

I have had a few hollow points get set back so far from constant ejecting/reloading that it has in deed caused issues with my pistol, it did not fail to feed mind you, but I could tell that it was being chambered a lot rougher due to the bullet being seated farther into the casing as if in the near future it would indeed cause a failure to feed. needless to say, I am saving those 1 or 2 rounds for the first shots at my next range trip and currently carrying fresh ammo in my pistol.

[Flash]

Steve, I am working on that as we speak!!




Intereting. That was indeed the krux of my question, why not just insert the round by hand. I see what your saying though, as normally the extractor would sort of "slide" onto the rim, versus slamming over it.

What that is all about is this:

In autos like the 1911, where the extractor has to flex when snapping over the rim of a cartridge in the chamber (J.M.Browning designed it for the cartridge rim to slide up under the extractor as the cart. rises from the magazine) it can, and sometimes does, break the extractor. These extractors are made from tempered steel, and can become chipped or broken.

However, this practice can be different in pistols like the Browning HighPower. The extractor is hinged, with a spring under the back end, so it CAN easily snap over the rim. It doesn't flex, it hinges. On these kinds of pistols, it is less likely to damage the extractor - note, I did not say impossible, only "less likely". So if you simply MUST do it this way, make sure your pistol has the hinged extractor.

Also, dropping the slide on an already-chambered round has a remote possibility of a floating or stuck firing pin actually firing the chambered round. (chambering from the magazine may slightly lessen this risk). Think here of a sub-gun firing from an open bolt.

Riding the slide forward absorbs some of the energy, and may not fully chamber the round out of the magazine. Pistol out of battery issues follow, either by not firing when needed (click), or firing while not in battery (KaBOOM).

If bullet setback is an issue for you, rotate the cartridges, and fire them in practice when you think they have suffered enough to no longer be trustworthy.

Flash

[RoyJackson]

I never leave a round chambered (in a semi-auto) in the house. I've measured a round the has been chambered multiple times (using an unchambered round or two for comparison). So far, no issues with set back. The guns are a Glock 19 and Ruger LCP.
After a number of rechamberings (kind of random) I fire that round out back.
BTW, kb! Bob, I suggest you remove the magazine as well as the chambered round when you stash your G30.

[Kb! Bob]

What that is all about is this:

In autos like the 1911, where the extractor has to flex when snapping over the rim of a cartridge in the chamber (J.M.Browning designed it for the cartridge rim to slide up under the extractor as the cart. rises from the magazine) it can, and sometimes does, break the extractor. These extractors are made from tempered steel, and can become chipped or broken.

However, this practice can be different in pistols like the Browning HighPower. The extractor is hinged, with a spring under the back end, so it CAN easily snap over the rim. It doesn't flex, it hinges. On these kinds of pistols, it is less likely to damage the extractor - note, I did not say impossible, only "less likely". So if you simply MUST do it this way, make sure your pistol has the hinged extractor.

Also, dropping the slide on an already-chambered round has a remote possibility of a floating or stuck firing pin actually firing the chambered round. (chambering from the magazine may slightly lessen this risk). Think here of a sub-gun firing from an open bolt.

Riding the slide forward absorbs some of the energy, and may not fully chamber the round out of the magazine. Pistol out of battery issues follow, either by not firing when needed (click), or firing while not in battery (KaBOOM).

If bullet setback is an issue for you, rotate the cartridges, and fire them in practice when you think they have suffered enough to no longer be trustworthy.

Flash

Thanks for the info, it makes MUCH ore sense now!

I never leave a round chambered (in a semi-auto) in the house. I've measured a round the has been chambered multiple times (using an unchambered round or two for comparison). So far, no issues with set back. The guns are a Glock 19 and Ruger LCP.
After a number of rechamberings (kind of random) I fire that round out back.
BTW, kb! Bob, I suggest you remove the magazine as well as the chambered round when you stash your G30.

Thats good to know, thanks. I will make sure to remove the mag as well. Like I said before, it not the ideal set-up for defense I know, but it will have to do until the little ones are old enough to educate them properly!