Racking a pump action shotgun: Deterrent or Provoker?

[dpop24]

In a sleep induced haze in a high stress defensive situation, I feel that I will be more inclined to remember to complete a gross motor skill like racking the slide than a fine motor skill like actuating the safety. Add in the fact that your muscle memory is recognizing that you have a long gun in your hands. Will you be thinking "is this my 870 or my Mossy?" Safeties are in different places.

I'll take racking over fumbling for that safety.

[purer00r]

How about getting one of those window or door sensor that makes a racking sound when someone approaches. I seen them sold that make barking noise.

How about these .....http://www.homedepot.com/p/Doberman-...0137/203105248 most of the comments are leaning towards letting the intruder know your there and about to be shot, via 12g or similar. Some say stay loaded, me too! This simple 4 pack gives the home residents a warning that THEY MIGHT BE........you fill in the blank. As a victim of a home invasion, I say stay ready your family is worth more than the scum bag breaking in your house!

[mr2ndamendment]

This is one of those topics that will never be solved and will always come back, never to die.

With that said I think in the majority of cases, the racking of a shotgun or other obvious sound of a weapon getting made ready will be a deterrent. Most criminals coming in your home are already nervous and on-edge, and the second they hear or see the home owner pull out a gun, they usually run off, even if they have a gun of their own. Most sane criminals would rather abort mission than fight it out in someone's home when the home owner has a gun.

With that said I think there are still a number of times in which the racking sound would either do nothing or make things worse. Some criminals wouldn't care about it -some are on drugs or are insane to begin with and they have no fear of fighting anybody, gun or no gun. For these types of people it may make things worse because now you've just given away your location/position so you'd create a situation in which they know where you are but you don't know where they are.

At the end of the day, I keep a pistol and shotgun ready for HD. I keep a round in the chamber in the handgun but I do not keep a shell in the chamber with the shotgun, so it would have to be readied if needed. My mindset is, "if it's on, it's on" and so be it. I think in the grand scheme of things, during a home invasion, the last thing I should be worried about is racking a shotgun -I've probably got other things that matter much more.

[meno377]

In a sleep induced haze in a high stress defensive situation, I feel that I will be more inclined to remember to complete a gross motor skill like racking the slide than a fine motor skill like actuating the safety. Add in the fact that your muscle memory is recognizing that you have a long gun in your hands. Will you be thinking "is this my 870 or my Mossy?" Safeties are in different places.

I'll take racking over fumbling for that safety.

If you train to disengage the safety, that will circumvent all other obstacles. The only thing to focus on is training while being stressed. It's hard to do this obviously as I can't figure out a way to fake a stressful situation. But everyone deals with that. To add: Wouldn't you train with only one platform in your bedroom or home? Yes I have more than one shotgun, but as far as Home Defense is concerned, I will train with one platform so I don't have any confusion on which safety to disengage.

[thorium]

I leave my pump shotgun in a shotlock wall mount safe, it mounts and keeps the gun unusable by sticking into the ejection port, so by nature it can't be chambered.

So I leave the safety off. But as soon as that thing comes out of the shotlock it's getting racked, whether the bogey man can hear it or not.

[Springfield45]

The racking sound of a shotgun is the same message as a rattlesnake's rattle. It means "Go away or I will Hurt you". If a BG still comes on after he heard it he is either Stupid, on Drugs or Desperate.

This has nothing to do with giving away your position. Or the argument of not being ready when for the unexpected. If you have a shotgun for self defense and it is not chambered you will need to rack it. That should happen as soon as you believe there is a threat and you pick up the gun. If BG hears it, fine. If he doesn't that is fine to. Rattlesnakes don't all ways give warning either.

[meno377]

The racking sound of a shotgun is the same message as a rattlesnake's rattle. It means "Go away or I will Hurt you". If a BG still comes on after he heard it he is either Stupid, on Drugs or Desperate.

This has nothing to do with giving away your position. Or the argument of not being ready when for the unexpected. If you have a shotgun for self defense and it is not chambered you will need to rack it. That should happen as soon as you believe there is a threat and you pick up the gun. If BG hears it, fine. If he doesn't that is fine to. Rattlesnakes don't all ways give warning either.

Just a personal opinion, but I just don't understand why everyone wouldn't train to disengage the safety quietly and wait for the BG to open the bedroom door. I'm speaking for the state of CALI because if you go about and hunt the BG down, it's murder unless they are coming at you at the moment. Would anyone willfully go seek out the BG? Not me unless my kids, wife or other loved ones were somewhere else that the BG could reach. I realize that there are so many variables when it comes to the type of home, apartment etc, but I would think everyone here has a plan for this type of situation. Again just my opinion.

[purer00r]

One thing I was thinking, by racking your throwing the ball in their court. Either they tuck tail and run, or worst...come right on in guns blazing. Another point not sure if mentioned, but what if there multiple intruders? Your now one round down....chambered, loaded to the max and ghost load an extra round.

[ElDub1950]

If you pick up your shotgun, rack in a round, the BGs hear it and run away, that's wonderful.

If you pick up your shotgun, leave it unchambered, and head toward the door/window where you heard something that alerted you, with the intention of getting close enough so that you are pretty sure the BGs will hear you racking your gun, that's just dumb.

[Mayor McRifle]

If you pick up your shotgun, rack in a round, the BGs hear it and run away, that's wonderful.

If you pick up your shotgun, leave it unchambered, and head toward the door/window where you heard something that alerted you, with the intention of getting close enough so that you are pretty sure the BGs will hear you racking your gun, that's just dumb.

Agreed. But I didn't think anyone was recommending that. I was under the assumption that we were talking about racking the shotgun as you're lifting it up, disengaging the safety, and being prepared to fire (all within a second or less). And I thought the OP was just asking whether the sound of that action would have any sort of a deterrent effect on a burglar/intruder who might have heard it, or if it was more likely to provoke a deadly attack from a burglar/intruder who might have heard it.

[calibased]

Racking a pump action shotgun: Deterrent or Provoker?

"I never want the person to know I'm armed until I'm ready to engage. This gives me potential for tactical advantage" Are you going to hide in the dark and shoot a intruder who ignores warning?

Yes. My house is a very scary place for people who want to hurt me or my family

[Mitch]

Yes. My house is a very scary place for people who want to hurt me or my family

Or drunks, or confused foreigners or pranking teens.

[ruchik]

The bottom line is, don't rely on the sound of a pump being racked as a deterrent. Whether someone runs away or charges when they hear that sound is out of your control, it's useless to speculate. Your ONLY intent when racking a pump should be you making ready to fire if need be.

[calibased]

Or drunks, or confused foreigners or pranking teens.

Hah what are you trying to say?

[stix213]

If you pick up your shotgun, rack in a round, the BGs hear it and run away, that's wonderful.

If you pick up your shotgun, leave it unchambered, and head toward the door/window where you heard something that alerted you, with the intention of getting close enough so that you are pretty sure the BGs will hear you racking your gun, that's just dumb.

This ^^^

If you're so concerned for your safety that you're running for your gun, you should be chambering a shell immediately if not already ready to go.