With all the danger out there do you guys keep anything to protect yourselves?

I too always carry loaded. Since I carry a revolver, I have a live round "under the hammer."

My HD shotgun is also loaded at all times, but I do not keep a shell in the chamber. My reasoning for this is that my shotty is an older Mossberg that does have a slight possibility of Negligent discharge if dropped at precisely the wrong angle. I don't consider it an issue, since my revolver is never out of reach.

My shotgun is my go to for home defense in a situation where someone were to break into my home at night when the household is asleep. I've got a tac light mounted on the mag tube, and its a somewhat shorter barrel at 26", which for my home layout is a good length. That, in addition to the 00buck/slug mix I run, makes the shotgun an excellent weapon for low light situations.

I don't like having to chamber a round prior to use due to the noise factor, but I have been training a "slow slide" on the pump to at least attempt to keep the volume down. I can chamber a round in my bedroom quietly enough that a bad guy in the lower level of the house will not typically hear it. This gives me an element of "Surprise" in this situation that one does not achieve by using the "hollywood" method of using the Click-Clack of your shotgun to intimidate the bad guy into fleeing the premises.

 

Not allowed to carry at my job, but I work local and I live in a very good part of the world so I don't feel the need to carry anyway. I do have my CPL and my Glock 29 for when I need to carry while going to Seattle or Tacoma.

 

Don't practice too hard to chamber in a round in that old Mossburg quietly. If a burglar does break in, and hears that famous slide sound...lol,,,let's just say he will know two things; 1)someone is awake and 2)they have a SHOTGUN! Oh sheet! Out they go..lol I have a newer shotgun with a pistol grip and 18" barrel... can hide under jacket, if I was that type of person but, I am not.. just home defense is all it is for.

 

Yeah, and if they are likewise armed they also know exactly where I am at. I'll go with surprise in that situation.

The only gun-related sound I want an armed intruder in my home to hear is the discharge of 00buck heading for their chest, or the follow up slug headed to their head.

 

I hear you and understand where you are coming from. With my shotgun in my hands, I am not worried he will know where I am. He is in MY house, MY A.O. He already knew someone was in the house, now he knows I am awake. He may come looking for me when I chamber that round but, that would be his mistake. If he is smart, he will just leave the area, quickly.. I may be looking for him! I know, I sound like a bad man huh? Well, I am trained in Close Quarter Combat scenario's and have trained as well. Offense is always the best defense! HOOAH!

 

Not to start a keyboard war here but this statement always gets me. Since the time you may get a reason to need it maybe to late. Which is why I always say better to have and not need than need and not have.

 

I agree. I always keep a fire extinguisher in my vehicle. Haven't needed one, but I guarantee that the day I do need it I'll be very, very grateful I have it!

My gun is every bit as important as any other tool I carry every day either on my person or in my vehicle. It's not there because I think I may need it, it's there just in case I do. I don't expect my vehicle to break down every time I leave the driveway, but I take my tools with me where ever I go. I don't expect my battery to quit working, but look at that....I've got jumper cables in my vehicle just in case. I don't believe I'll blow a tire...but there's a spare.

Same reasoning behind my carrying a gun.

 

in boy scouts , they always said " be prepared" i am, i ammm......

 

Very well stated!

 

I've been spending a lot of time debating with anti-gun advocates and politicians these past few months. Gotta work to protect those protected freedoms, ya know!