Loading firearms question

[9mmepiphany]

OneSevenDeuce
Would it help to give more detail on why it may damage the extractor over time?
I know why,but it couldn't hurt to spell it out for the rest.

1. the 1911 was designed to feed the top round from the magazine as the slide moved forward while returning into battery.
2. as the top round is released by the mag lips, the rim of the cartridge slides up under the extractor.
3. the round is then controlled as it feeds into the chamber.
4. when you drop a round into the chamber, you are forcing the extractor to bend outward, to snap over the rim, beyond it's designed tolerance
5. this weakens the extractor

[Boltz]

9mmepiphany, thanks for the explanation. That makes clear sense now.

[Cyc Wid It]

I rotate my rounds for my HD pistol. I was getting bullet set back when re-chambering HD rounds after returning from the range. It only took a few trips for it to happen.

[plan-b]

Quality of ammo plays into it too. Properly loaded, it should take dozens or even hundreds of chamberings before the bullet starts to creep back. On some guns, you can load a round directly by hand but it depends on the design of the extractor... and it has to be external. I let the slide down easy until the claw of the extractor rests on the rim of the case. Then push on the back end of the extractor (think of it like a teeter-totter) until the slide snaps into battery. Works great on my HKs, Walthers, Berettas and M&Ps. Can't do it on a Glock or SIG though.

[Ron-Solo]

How come you can't chamber the round by hand?

Some guns can be damaged loading this way.

[Grayblue]

For how long?

Few times won't matter, but it's not a good practice to chamber the same 1~2 rounds for months or years on a daily basis.

Some might go years without problem, but it's not worth the risk.

For one reason or another, I'd be rotating rounds for chambering, then shoot the whole magazine off in practice run in about every 6 months or so.

[plan-b]

then shoot the whole magazine off in practice run in about every 6 months or so.

Best way to not worry about it right here. Blast it and replace it every now and then. It helps verify the function of your carry load in your gun and helps you remember what it feels like shooting it. Sure, it can get pricey if you're carrying HST or Ranger but if this is your job, you're trusting your life to it.

[HighLander51]

Best way is to leave the gun loaded. If that is prohibited somehow, then use a calipers to measure overall length on the round and see how long before it begins to move back. A setback of even .010" can cause problems.

[jumpthestack]

The best answer I think is to just leave the round in the chamber all the time. Or if you feel that's unsafe, leave it out of the chamber all the time. Going back and forth is making things less safe because you're handling the loaded gun for no real reason.

[OneSevenDeuce]

Going back and forth is making things less safe because you're handling the loaded gun for no real reason.

Handling a loaded gun is not unsafe. Only the person handling it is potentially unsafe. You have to take responsibility for gun safety and not just say "I will handle my gun as little as possible because eventually it is going to go off."

[Old4eyes]

Here's another idea. Take the round you have to extract and put it aside. Pop in a fresh round on the top of the magazine from the box of ammo. At the end of the 3 months you'll have 48 rounds or so that have been cycled in once. Take those to the range and fire them off to prove to yourself that the ammo and gun are still happy with each other. Use the magazine(s) you usually have in the gun or spared on the belt to make sure they are part reliability equation. Self defense ammo is in the range of a buck per round so burning off $50 every three months is cheap quality assurance.

[Rugerdaddy]

So if I shouldn't drop the single round in the camber by hand when I'm +1, how do you load that round? Load the first from a mag, then drop the mag, replace the round, and reinsert the mag? Or, load a single round in another mag and chamber the round from that? Or,....?

[9mmepiphany]

So if I shouldn't drop the single round in the camber by hand when I'm +1, how do you load that round? Load the first from a mag, then drop the mag, replace the round, and reinsert the mag? Or, load a single round in another mag and chamber the round from that? Or,....?

either way works

for carry: I insert a loaded mag, rack the slide, remove the mag, top it off and load it back in the gun before holstering.

for training/classes/competition: I take a mag that I'm not carrying in my pouches, insert, rack slide, remove mag and insert a full mag...the first mag goes into a pocket to remove it from the mag change rotation

[CaliforniaSelfDefense]

Thanks for all the replies. The reason I don't keep it loaded is because my employer requires you to put a cover shirt over your uniform when not on duty and therefore turns into "carrying concealed" if I leave the gun in its holster on my way home. I have to unload my gun and put it in the trunk in order to follow what the law states in transporting.

[Old4eyes]

Thanks for all the replies. The reason I don't keep it loaded is because my employer requires you to put a cover shirt over your uniform when not on duty and therefore turns into "carrying concealed" if I leave the gun in its holster on my way home. I have to unload my gun and put it in the trunk in order to follow what the law states in transporting.

Ah, your request now makes sense. Possibly point out to your employer the problem that setback can create due to their policy. Not that they will change the policy but perhaps they can refund you (I assume you are paying for the ammo) for putting aside the cartridges that have been chambered. It's worth a shot, so to speak. If you still have to unload the weapon at the end of a work day, I would suggest that you don't allow the ammo to hit the ground or a hard surface. Possibly position the gun with the ejection port down and rack the slide over a padded chair as an example.