Racking a Shotgun as a deterrent..

[MobCounty]

Racking a Shotgun as a deterrent?

More than once I have heard that racking a shotgun will dissuade an intruder. After thinking about it, I think I must be one of the few that have questions. Let me explain. Frankly, if you pull out your weapon, you should have long since made the decision, that you are capable of, and committed to firing on an intruder. Not that you must fire, but that you understand the law, and you have totally committed to the fact you will protect yourself your family and your property with deadly force under a situation that requires it. After you have informed yourself of the threat, and made your decisions, there should be no need to spend time racking the gun as a warning. Shouldn't you be on target, ready to fire instead, while delivering verbal warnings and instructions?

[Shampoo]

I was camping at the Mission Bay boat races a couple years ago and this guy racked his shotgun several times to try and scare off some late night partiers. I was like "dude, you just racked all the shells out of your gun," duhh. Anyway it had no effect real on the crowd, only made them a little angrier. Plus if they really got serious and rushed the guy he'd have been SOL - or really SOA: sh*t out of ammo. He was a nice guy though, just not that smart. My vote is don't rack it at all. If you'r gonna use a shotgun make it nice and quiet up until the big bang. Keep suprise on your side as long as possible. Who knows, that thug you scare away may live to hurt somebody else one day. May as well wait quietly until it's all legal-like.

[MobCounty]

I was camping at the Mission Bay boat races a couple years ago and this guy racked his shotgun several times to try and scare off some late night partiers. I was like "dude, you just racked all the shells out of your gun," duhh. Anyway it had no effect real on the crowd, only made them a little angrier. Plus if they really got serious and rushed the guy he'd have been SOL - or really SOA: sh*t out of ammo. He was a nice guy though, just not that smart. My vote is don't rack it at all. If you'r gonna use a shotgun make it nice and quiet up until the big bang. Keep suprise on your side as long as possible. Who knows, that thug you scare away may live to hurt somebody else one day. May as well wait quietly until it's all legal-like.

Wow, it seems extremely dangerous to brandish/rack in that situation. Basically, you would give cause for someone to fire on you... "We were having a couple beers, and this a-hole pointed a gun at me, everyone heard him load it with ammo.. I had to shoot to protect myself"..

[slowfire]

I think racking the shot gun is a good idea. If the intruder knows and recognizes what made the sound, then you have given them the opportunity to leave before the situation is allowed to reach the point of "No Return" and you have just saved yourself a lot of time and trouble.
On the otherside, like the party-goers example above, if they don't recognize the sound, then you have just warned them that someone is home and most likely your location. Lets face it, if they can hear it then they are awfully close.
If we are talking "deterent", we are taking about trying to defuse the situation before we have to physically participate. Laying in wait to use the shot gun may be misconstruded.

[ohsmily]

It is a really annoying cliche used by many gun owners (noobs and experienced people alike) that "racking the shotgun" is a sure-fire way to send intruders running for the hills with their tails between their legs. Yeah, so will yelling, "I HAVE A GUN, I AM CALLING THE POLICE, LEAVE NOW." Either way you let the intruder know that someone is home and that you know he is there. So, either make the decision to stay quiet and conceal your position, OR, let the person know someone is home and armed. I would prefer the latter because most intrusions are intended as burglaries, not robberies. If the intruder knows someone is home and paying attention, chances are they will leave. If they don't leave after you make your presence known, then the sound of "racking a shotgun" doesn't do you any good...make sure it is LOADED and ready to fire.

Personally, I keep a loaded/chambered pistol with a light on it in a concealed drawer next to my bed. I also have a shotgun in another part of the house that is concealed and not chambered. So, if I were to bring that weapon to bear, I would cycle the slide to chamber it.

[StukaJr]

"Pull it, then use" it mentality...

If someone is in your home - do appreciate the gravity of the situation you are in and act accordingly... If a pump action shotgun is your home defense tool - then raking it once to drive home the shotshell is enough of a sound target as is... The further actions you take are your own, however, about anything else is better than standing in the middle of your room in your skivvies and working the action... Are you disarming your weapon by dropping the shells or working the empty shotgun, aka "already disarmed"? Both are signs of surrender to me...

Arm yourself, retreat into the safe position (with family/friends behind you) and phone the Police - by now you are making enough noise to trigger fight or flight in the invaders... Don't cut your chances for survival by making extra noise, moves etc. If you choose to sweep your house looking for threats - make sure you are up to snuff in training - anything from authoritative voice so you don't sound like a prepubescent teen when you open your mouth.

As for comments about threatening people coming onto your property/annoying you on your boat/being overly loud by raking the shotgun... Get ready to get in front of a judge for stupid sh1t like that!

[Cardinal Sin]

When/if I grab the shotgun it is racked immediately and made ready for target recognition, acquisition and if need be engagement. Racking the shotgun only lets the threat know the general direction you are in and that you may have a round chambered. That can be a bad thing. If I am going for the shotgun then that probably means one of my handguns is out of ammo or I am not near one of my handguns.

Racking the slide to scare someone is dumb because that person may perceive a threat and engage you . . . bad ju-ju. Leave the gun alone until it is "showtime".

[1911su16b870]

As told to me by my (non-CA) State Trooper Uncle: Pulling over a guy for erratic driving. After a long while driving behind the guy, the guy finally pulls over and rapidly gets out of the car and starts approaching the patrol car. My uncle points the 870 in on the guy and yells "STOP, PUT YOUR HANDS UP", the guy keeps coming, at which point he racks the 870 once, and that sound made the guy stop and put his hands up. Turns out the guy was DUI.

[maxicon]

Well, heck, why not just get a recording of a shotgun racking and tie it in to door and window switches? As soon as a BG comes in, they'll take off running...

That and a barking dog recording (maybe overlay a bit of police radio), and you've got it covered. Who needs those dangerous guns around?

[Baron]

I guarantee that if someone is in my house and I grab my Shotgun. I won't be racking the slide to scare them.

I believe that if someone is brave enough to break into my home late at night... Then they are brave enough to eat some Buckshot... After I tell them to leave of course

[Wyatt]

I don't like to keep the gun chambered, so as soon as I got to it I'd be racking one in, then taking a defensive stance.
God forbid it should ever happen.

[N6ATF]

Well, heck, why not just get a recording of a shotgun racking and tie it in to door and window switches? As soon as a BG comes in, they'll take off running...

That and a barking dog recording (maybe overlay a bit of police radio), and you've got it covered. Who needs those dangerous guns around?

Oh my...

BRILLIANT!

[1911su16b870]

I don't like to keep the gun chambered, so as soon as I got to it I'd be racking one in, then taking a defensive stance.
God forbid it should ever happen.

+1 on Cruiser Ready

[cseabass]

the idea of wracking the pump to scare somone off is horse pucky.

[Mute]

I have my shotgun at cruiser ready, so it's getting racked as soon as I pick it up (with the assumption that I may need to use it). If it acts as a deterrent, fine, but my purpose for racking is to get my shotgun ready for use. Period. After that, if I have to shoot you, the only thing - maybe the last thing - you're likely to hear will be my shotgun going off.