Dumb shotgun questions

[Jimmybacon43]

So I got my first 12 GA, a Maverick 88 and I have a couple of basic questions about the gun.

1st thing is, is it safe to keep it loaded with a round in the chamber? I keep it cruiser ready with safety off right now just because I'm not sure, I'd like to keep it topped off with the safety on. I think I heard one person say that shotguns can fire if dropped and that's why I'm keeping it cruiser ready.

Another thing, my particular gun shoots high. Like, way high. I hold it correctly and look down the receiver, I'm not angling the gun up. It's like the bead is just too high on the gun. At close range (10 yards) I'll put the bead on the targets center of mass and it will hit neck/upper chest. Anything I can do about this? I've shot other shotguns before, and this hasn't ever been a problem. I know it's this particular gun, not just the way I shoot shotguns in general.

thanks!

[Brandon04GT]

I don't believe neither my 590A1 or 870 has firing pin safeties, so in theory I guess it could fire if it was dropped hard muzzle first. The chances of that happening though is the same as it happening to a series 70 style 1911 and tons of people carry them loaded.

[003]

I have never heard the term “cruiser ready”. Is that something new like “shotty”?

What is cruiser ready?

Sounds like you are talking about Van Nuys Blvd near the Bob's Big Boy on a Saturday night in the 1950/60's.

We didn't carry shotguns cruising back then.

[Jimmybacon43]

I thought cruiser ready referred to the way cops keep their shotguns inside their police "cruisers" As in loaded magazine tube, empty chamber. I was under the impression that they kept an empty chamber because of safety reasons.

[bigbearbear]

The term "Cruiser Ready" refers to the method of carrying shotguns in Police Cruisers, hence the term "Cruiser Ready". Because shotguns are not drop safe (meaning, there's a chance of a round being fired if the shotgun is dropped or if the police cruiser is in an accident), the way police carry their shotguns in their cruisers is that on a shotgun with empty magazine, they'll rack the slide and press the trigger. After this, they'll proceed to load the magazine.

This way, the shotgun is ready to be racked, but there's no round in the chamber. This is also why when police officers exit their police cruiser with their shotgun, they'll rack it. Criminals learn early on to dread the sound of the shotgun racking, it is the sound of their criminal career, and possibly their life, coming to an end pretty quickly.

When you're sighting down the barrel, are you seeing the surface of the barrel or just the bead? I'm suspecting you're seeing a fair bit of barrel for the shotgun to shoot so high.

To avoid shooting high, your sight picture should look like like:

[wweigle]

Personally, I keep the shotgun I have in my home for self defense as you put it in "cruiser ready" condition. Magazine full, chamber empty. I don't think that it takes more than part of a second to load the chamber with a pump gun. That is one of the greatest advantages the pump shotgun has over most other shotgun designs. Most shotguns do not have a firing pin block or firing pin safety, so theoretically if the gun were dropped it could possibly discharge. I carry a loaded shotgun all of the time hunting and have never had one discharge without my releasing the safety and pressing the trigger intentionally. Generally, I prefer to store my guns with empty chambers when I am not in control of the gun. My CCW gun is a 1911 carried cocked and locked, but it has a lot more safety features that make it safe to carry and store it that way.

[003]

Interesting - - While I now know what "crusier ready" means. I have never heard the term "crusier" used to describe a Police car here in Southern California, is that an East Coast expression, or hollywood writer made up? I have heard the terms; unit - - marked unit - - radio car - - black and white -- patrol car - - skunk colored car, but never "crusier".

I do know that for a bit over 32 years whenever I worked patrol, my shotgun had a full magazine, safety off and the trigger pulled, so that all I had to do was cycle the action to load a round into the chamber. I assume most Police Officer's do the same.


Now as to the primary question by the OP, yes I would recommend you keep your shotgun with the chamber empty, magazine full, safety off with the action ready to cycle.

[steel30]

Haven't heard "cruiser" for a while but it is a term for a police car. I would say cruiser ready would be fine, leaving the chamber empty and ready to RACK!

[GW]

Cruiser ready is good. That shotgun stored with a loaded chamber is an accident waiting to happen.
A kid, a friend or a fall will make it go off when you least want it to.
Play it safe.

[Jimmybacon43]

Cruiser ready is good. That shotgun stored with a loaded chamber is an accident waiting to happen.
A kid, a friend or a fall will make it go off when you least want it to.
Play it safe.

That's my thinking as well, I have a Maverick with a short mag tube, so it's 5 round capacity only. It's tempting to keep a 6th round in the chamber but not really worth it. Plus racking the shotgun is probably easier than working the safety button when under stress.

[teg33]

Interesting - - While I now know what "crusier ready" means. I have never heard the term "crusier" used to describe a Police car here in Southern California, is that an East Coast expression, or hollywood writer made up? I have heard the terms; unit - - marked unit - - radio car - - black and white -- patrol car - - skunk colored car, but never "crusier".

I do know that for a bit over 32 years whenever I worked patrol, my shotgun had a full magazine, safety off and the trigger pulled, so that all I had to do was cycle the action to load a round into the chamber. I assume most Police Officer's do the same.


Now as to the primary question by the OP, yes I would recommend you keep your shotgun with the chamber empty, magazine full, safety off with the action ready to cycle.

I live in LA, heard "cruiser" a lot when someone refer to police car

[Thefeeder]

That's my thinking as well, I have a Maverick with a short mag tube, so it's 5 round capacity only. It's tempting to keep a 6th round in the chamber but not really worth it. Plus racking the shotgun is probably easier than working the safety button when under stress.

Safety first

http://training.nra.org/nra-gun-safety-rules.aspx

[Jimmybacon43]

Safety first

http://training.nra.org/nra-gun-safety-rules.aspx

I was always taught to keep the gun loaded, safety off, finger on the trigger, and pointed at a puppy. Just in case.

[NapalmCheese]

Another thing, my particular gun shoots high. Like, way high. I hold it correctly and look down the receiver, I'm not angling the gun up. It's like the bead is just too high on the gun.

It's possible that your gun just prints high, but it's more possible that it doesn't fit you. The comb is too high or you need more drop in the stock or you aren't mounting it properly.

[ChuckDizzle]

I know the Maverick 88 is close in design to the 500, but I'm not sure if it applies.

The 500 was drop tested at a height of 4 feet per military specification and did not fire. In most modern shotguns there is no way for the force of gravity to overcome the firing pin spring to the point of setting off the primer. A shotgun is inherently limited in ammo capacity and thus should be used with the greatest possible amount of ammo.

So the question is, are you storing it at a height greater than 4 ft?