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Posted: 8/1/2011 5:48:51 PM EDT
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Hello. I know this is a simple question but I am new to these rifles
When you store the rifle, is it preffered to keep the bolt cocked back and spring compressed with the chamber open? Or should you keep the bolt in the forward position spring relaxed. I assume it does not matter but was wondering if the spring would wear out if kept compressed |
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I agree with the above posting about hammer down, bolt forward.
Before going in to OIF 1 I got some augmentees who'd gotten their weapons from the pre-positioned stocks arriving in Kuwait. They were packed in Level A packaging and one of them had been stored cocked and on safe. When we took these lads to the range to zero their weapons this particular rifle barely dented the primer due to the hammer spring being so weak. There was a distinct lack of bang in the whole shooting experience. It's an extreme example, but a lesson to be learned. |
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Quoted:
I agree with the above posting about hammer down, bolt forward. Before going in to OIF 1 I got some augmentees who'd gotten their weapons from the pre-positioned stocks arriving in Kuwait. They were packed in Level A packaging and one of them had been stored cocked and on safe. When we took these lads to the range to zero their weapons this particular rifle barely dented the primer due to the hammer spring being so weak. There was a distinct lack of bang in the whole shooting experience. It's an extreme example, but a lesson to be learned. rifle would have to have been stored that way for a VERY long time to weaken the spring. it depends which gun. the ones in my safe ar hammer down dust cover closed. the one in my closet is chamber loaded hammer back safety on. OP, if you have to keep the gun locked up (children) please dont stop locking your gun up because you think you need to store the rifle with the chamber closed because of what people on this site tell you. locking the ammo up is NOT good enough. i assure you your rifle is not going to fall apart because you store it with the chamber open. since you cant close the dust cover, it wouldnt be a horrible idea to peek down the chamber before you fire the gun just to make sure something hasnt fallen or nested in there. |
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A note on springs (including magazine springs): storing compressed springs causes no greater wear than storing them relaxed. What causes springs to weaken is repeated compression/relaxation cycles.
All that said, in majority of circumstances, the above storage advice is GTG. I do not store weapons intended for personal defense in an empty chamber configuration, but people should consider minors and potential access to loaded firearms |
| As others have said, bolt closed, hammer down. This is the only way an AR is truly safe as well. The easiest way to check if an AR is safe is by moving the selector lever. If the selector is in fire position and doesn't move, then the hamer is forward. If the selector is on safe, the hammer is back and there is a likelihood that there is one in the chamber. Of couse all guns should be treated as if they are loaded, and the chamber should be inspected to make sure a weapon is safe, but upon initial inspection, the status of the gun can be determined quickly by just looking at the selector. |
| When I left the infantry and cross leveled to a reserve transportation company the dipshit armorer insisted on having them cocked and on safe. Not a problem if it were active duty because they would be issued out on a regular basis. But in the reserves they get issued out twice a year. End result weak hammer springs and barely a dent in the primers. I tried to tell em how to store them but I think he saw me as a dumb ass grunt. But alas the M-16 is our teddy bear and even tho were neantderthals we always took care of our weapons. Just my two cents |
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As others have said, bolt closed, hammer down. This is the only way an AR is truly safe as well. The easiest way to check if an AR is safe is by moving the selector lever. If the selector is in fire position and doesn't move, then the hamer is forward. If the selector is on safe, the hammer is back and there is a likelihood that there is one in the chamber. Of couse all guns should be treated as if they are loaded, and the chamber should be inspected to make sure a weapon is safe, but upon initial inspection, the status of the gun can be determined quickly by just looking at the selector. I have been saying this for years when people bitch about not being able to move the selector to safe when the hammer is down, I like this feature myself. My rifles have a full mag with the hammer down on an empty chamber, so if I need it I just pull the CH and go 
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A note on springs (including magazine springs): storing compressed springs causes no greater wear than storing them relaxed. What causes springs to weaken is repeated compression/relaxation cycles. +1 I love the stories of springs wearing out over time from being compressed. They are bullshit. |
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Quoted:
As others have said, bolt closed, hammer down. This is the only way an AR is truly safe as well. The easiest way to check if an AR is safe is by moving the selector lever. If the selector is in fire position and doesn't move, then the hamer is forward. If the selector is on safe, the hammer is back and there is a likelihood that there is one in the chamber. Of couse all guns should be treated as if they are loaded, and the chamber should be inspected to make sure a weapon is safe, but upon initial inspection, the status of the gun can be determined quickly by just looking at the selector. I have been saying this for years when people bitch about not being able to move the selector to safe when the hammer is down, I like this feature myself. My rifles have a full mag with the hammer down on an empty chamber, so if I need it I just pull the CH and go
This is the way I roll. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
As others have said, bolt closed, hammer down. This is the only way an AR is truly safe as well. The easiest way to check if an AR is safe is by moving the selector lever. If the selector is in fire position and doesn't move, then the hamer is forward. If the selector is on safe, the hammer is back and there is a likelihood that there is one in the chamber. Of couse all guns should be treated as if they are loaded, and the chamber should be inspected to make sure a weapon is safe, but upon initial inspection, the status of the gun can be determined quickly by just looking at the selector. I have been saying this for years when people bitch about not being able to move the selector to safe when the hammer is down, I like this feature myself. My rifles have a full mag with the hammer down on an empty chamber, so if I need it I just pull the CH and go
I agree with both of these posts. My HD rifle is stored the same way as the second quote. |
| I've had mine stored with a loaded mag in it and the hammer cocked with the safety on for many years. I shoot it regularly and I've never had to replace any springs etc. To be honest I doubt it will ever make a difference whether you keep the hammer cocked or not. |
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For those who have kids how do you keep your hd AR stored? I store the AR unloaded (chamber closed, hammer down, etc.) with a magazine accessible nearby but high up (not easily found by a child). When I am in close proximity to the rifle, I sometimes put a mag in. However, when I'm not close by, I take the mag out and put it away again. Everyone in the house (children included) know that the rifle is not a toy and do not even so far as touch it without my supervision. Even if a small child were to find it, he would see that there are rounds in the mag; he would have to seat the fully loaded mag on a closed bolt (requiring strength and deliberation) and then rack the charging handle (requiring strength and deliberation). I feel that storing a firearm in this way will negate any and all accidental discharges from occurring. So far, it's worked very well for me. Oh, I probably should also mention this one more thing, since this is a defensive rifle after all. I can make the rifle ready by inserting the mag and chambering a round in about 3 seconds. That extra 3 seconds that it would take vs. just flipping off a safety is worth the peace of mind of knowing there are many "layers" of protection in terms of things needed to be deliberately done to make the gun dangerous in any meaningful way. |
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As of now the rifle is stored in a closet with a full pmag and hammer down. Ready to pull the ch and
Go. No kids in the house and no one coming over that would have access to my room. the wife knows there is a full mag ready to go and all she would have to do is pull the ch. Btw I live a good distance from other houses with 18 acres of land. |
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When I store my ars I pull the bolt back make sure the chamber is empy and dry fire it put them in the safe muzzle down. I have an 11 year old boy in the house so my hd guns stay in the safe next to my bed until bed time then my edc glock goes in the night stand until morning my hd ar and shotgun both have loaded mags but stay in the safe
I have a small safe so any thing that doesn't fit like the 50cal or my dads old 22s I remove the bolts and put them in the safe If I didn't have the kid both ars and shotgun would be fully loaded with rounds in the chamber through out the house |
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