[elkhart]

I have a home defense shotgun, 12ga pump. I keep it in the closet with 5 rounds of 00 in a buttstock shell holder, none in the gun itself. The shotgun is in the corner of the closet.

There's got to be a better way to store it in a more ready and accessible mode. I have a 3 year old, so that must be a consideration. I also have a loaded revolver in a drawer safe, which is now my go to weapon. I'd like to make my shotgun my primary weapon if i can figure out a better way to store it at the ready.

Thanks for your suggestions.

[MrMurphy]

Mossberg makes a clamp-style lockup that'll put it in a closet, loaded and ready but the action is locked shut.

Not as quick as in a corner, not as slow as in a safe.

Also the lifejacket style locks, do the same without the hard mount.

If it's permanently loaded, download 1-2 rounds from full capacity (3 in the tube instead of 5 for example) unless you're running an upgraded Wolff magazine tube spring, and leave the chamber empty.

Not for any of that scare-the dude-away stuff, which is BS, but because the gun isn't drop safe. A safety on a shotgun only stops the trigger from moving.

[Triple7]

In the carry case next to my bed. Ammo on the stock.

[collim1]

Chamber empty, tube full, and safety off. No kids to worry about, but I keep it locked up in the safe until bedtime. I get it out at bed time and put my CCW up. I keep it propped up against the wall by the bed while I sleep. When I get up in the morning I put the shotgun up and get my CCW out.

Even with kids I think this would work.

[wlst101]

Originally Posted by MrMurphy

Mossberg makes a clamp-style lockup that'll put it in a closet, loaded and ready but the action is locked shut.

Not as quick as in a corner, not as slow as in a safe.

Also the lifejacket style locks, do the same without the hard mount.

If it's permanently loaded, download 1-2 rounds from full capacity (3 in the tube instead of 5 for example) unless you're running an upgraded Wolff magazine tube spring, and leave the chamber empty.

Not for any of that scare-the dude-away stuff, which is BS, but because the gun isn't drop safe. A safety on a shotgun only stops the trigger from moving.

Please explain why the "down loading" and the upgrading of the magazine spring, are any shotguns drop safe and what causes them to fire when dropped? Thanks.

[cyphertext]

Chamber empty, tube full, hammer down on empty chamber with slide unlocked, safety off.

Have multiple brands and keep them all this way, as my wife and son have been taught to pick it up and rack a round into the chamber. No need to worry about the different locations of the safety or slide release this way.

[MrMurphy]

Shotgun magazine springs can obviously be loaded to full capacity and left that way, but unlike rifle or pistol detachable mags, tend to 'set' more than most. Plastic shotgun shells can, with a full tube under constant pressure, also slightly deform.

With a factory spring, downloading by one or two generally helps. Wolff Gunsprings make 'extra power' springs intended to be left compressed fully loaded and not do so. Springs are cheap, your life is not, so i'd recommend if you leave it fully loaded, swapping out the rounds or at least checking them every four to six months, and swapping the spring once a year or so.

I've seen a Mossberg 500 no longer reliably feed the last 2 rounds in the tube after one year sitting fully loaded (factory spring) and it's not the first.

Shotguns don't necessarily fire when dropped, but the safety on most shotguns (not being a gunsmith) generally stops trigger movement, not the firing pin from moving (like most modern pistols, which have multiple safeties internally) since almost all shotguns started out as sporting designs and it's not a requirement for them.

I know of more than one instance where shotguns got dropped and the gun fired, and another where a cop in a high speed chase accidentally turned his patrol car into a convertible when the shotgun in a vertical rack fired after he went over a railroad crossing and dropped hard (several foot drop on the other side). He had previously chambered a round during a standoff, and locked it into the rack loaded on safe when the pursuit started.

Might be a one in five hundred (or more) chance, but something to be aware of. I've never had it happen to me personally as I don't go around dropping shotguns, and spend more time with a rifle in hand than a pump 12 ga, but it's one more reason cops store their shotguns "cruiser ready", full tube, empty chamber, and typically safety off, while in a cruiser.

[Hummerbike]

No kids here. Fully loaded with chambered round, safety on, muzzle down in bedroom corner. OO buck.
Don't want to take a chance on short stroking and jamming it when I need it the most. By keeping the chamber loaded I'm guaranteed at least one shot. Also, its quieter that way.

[wlst101]

MrMurphy, thank you for the explanation.

[whitebread]

Fully loaded, round chambered, safety on, and sitting in a gun safe in the bedroom closet. If I didn't have young children it wouldn't be in the safe.

[knotquiteawake]

I have a young child and here is what I do:
Its in a softcase under the bed. With a breech lock in place, tube full, and the key to the breech lock is in the handgun safe next to the bed.
Basically if I have no time when something goes bump in the night I'm grabbing the Glock from the safe and engaging the threat. If I know the threat has not made entry then I'll get they key unlock the shotgun and be ready to go.
When the child gets bigger I may switch to just a locked hardcase under the bed.

[jakebrake]

loaded mag, action closed, chamber empty, safety on, keyed safe.

[G23c]

I have young kids in the house, although they are very good about not going where they arent allowed. Mine is in a closet next to the BR, in a scabbard, tube full chamber empty.

[Orive 8]

Chamber empty, tube full, and safety off. No kids to worry about, but I keep it locked up in the safe until bedtime. I get it out at bed time and put my CCW up. I keep it propped up against the wall by the bed while I sleep. When I get up in the morning I put the shotgun up and get my CCW out.

You know, I think this is the ideal way. However, it is also the reason why I don't have a long arm for a defensive weapon. I am not willing to take out/put away the long arm on a 2x/day basis.

For me and my wife, our EDC gun is also our home defense gun. On from sunrise to sunset, then on the dressers next to us.

But again, I do think that the above way listed is the way to go. Just my opinion of course.

[Vigilant]

I'm about to add a second safe in my bedroom for a shotgun and a carbine. They will stay loaded and secured. I sleep with my CCW gun out of plain sight on a night stand. If things get really bad, I can activate a keypad pretty quickly.

[SouthpawG26]

Originally Posted by collim1

Chamber empty, tube full, and safety off.

+1.
No unlocked forend/lowered hammer (870). Too many possibilities for jams, partial feeds and pinches of skin and clothing on a quick emergency pickup.

I rotate mag springs every year.

[hoghunter82]

Any of you have the Shot Lock (I think that's what it's called). It looks like it can be mounted on the wall.


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[dave67]

Loaded mag and chamber empty next to bed. Locked up when I go to work. I have young kids that are just learning to shoot.

[tnstaafl]

Mossberg Maverick 88 (12 guage) with an 18 1\2 inch barrel - I swapped out the stock it came with for a pistol grip - the chamber is empty, and the tube is full of 00 buckshot. I have a platform bed (no box spring) - I have a large diameter PVC pipe attached to the underside of the platform with zipties - the PVC is positioned perpendicular to how I sleep, just about under my hips - the end of the PVC pipe is about 10 - 12 inches in from the side of the bed - all but the pistol grip is inside the PVC - it's not visible unless you bend over and look for it, but easy to grab in the middle of the night and the PVC facilitates it sliding out easily and quietly.

No kids in my house.

[xmanhockey7]

Quick and easy to retrieve a gun from especially at night. Can keep a long gun and pistol loaded in it if you want.
http://www.sentrysafe.com/HDC/Home_Defense_Center

[I'M Glockamolie]

My neighbor and I made one of these, which you mount in the wall:

[cliffsta]

Leaned in the corner next to my bed, full tube and a shell in the chamber. Safety ON. Earmuffs hanging on the light. I live alone and RARELY have guests. When I do have company or go out of town I'll reload it with an empty chamber. It is also pointing away from my neighbors, skyward.

The AR is in the opposite corner behind a closet door with a full mag and empty chamber. Glock stays in the holster on my end table when I'm home and up, in the nightstand when I'm asleep / away. Full mag +1.

It all depends on your living situation. I live alone, and don't often have company, therefore I'm playing defense from the bedroom if anybody comes in my front door / window. Defense wins championships.

[JackMac]

one next to my bed, one in the corner of my living room/den, one in the kitchen next to the fridge, one in an upstairs closet and one in a recreation room upstairs on a wall mounted gun rack. Can't be too careful you know

[JackMac]

A friend who knows about these shotguns asked me what I was afraid of and I replied not a darn thing.

[owl6roll]

5 in the tube, muzzle down, in the corner, behind the bedroom door.