# is it bad for a handgun to leave a round in the chamber?



## F1ELD (Nov 2, 2008)

i heard somewhere that its bad for the spring or something to leave a round in the chamber and the gun loaded. is this true? or no?

in the case of a semi-auto pistol that is not a revolver?


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## mike#9 (Jul 14, 2008)

Any handgun is worthless without a round in the chamber. I am assuming you mean, while carrying and fulfilling the home defense role. While storing a weapon.....one that you would not rely on if SHTF....then I would say leave it unloaded if you like............but for a weapon that would be used otherwise, have it loaded!!!


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

I can't think of a spring that would be affected by a chambered round. Anyway springs lose life more from being decompressed and re compressed rather than leaving them under tension anyway. :smt1099


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## bruce333 (Sep 1, 2006)

DevilsJohnson said:


> I can't think of a spring that would be affected by a chambered round. Anyway springs lose life more from being decompressed and re compressed rather than leaving them under tension anyway. :smt1099


+1

If leaving a spring compressed made it weaker, all guns would have worn out springs rather quickly as every spring is compressed to some degree in an assembled gun (some considerably more than others). If you have ever broken a gun down and had a spring fly across the room, you know what I'm talking about.


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## BT2Flip (Jan 1, 2009)

you also are not going to put a round in the chamber and leave "that same round " there for a LONG period of time... you do 
Practice (fire the gun) on occasion
and clean the gun on occasion

Im sure if you found a gun ...say grandpa put away LOADED back in 1945
with a round in the chamber..."YOU COULD HAVE A PROBLEM"

Just my lil bit o wisdom

KEEP IT CLEAN and "Fire At Will"


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## F1ELD (Nov 2, 2008)

ok so theres nothing wrong with leaving a round chambered really unless you leave it like that for months and months... basically


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## knoxrocks222 (May 1, 2008)

unloaded handgun will get u killed


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## usmamg (Oct 6, 2008)

Why would you leave it unloaded? It would not hurt the spring.


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## bruce333 (Sep 1, 2006)

I think some of you don't understand the question.



F1ELD said:


> I heard somewhere that its *bad for the spring* or something to leave a round in the chamber


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## TOF (Sep 7, 2006)

F1ELD said:


> ok so theres nothing wrong with leaving a round chambered really unless you leave it like that for months and months... basically


The only thing wrong with leaving it chambered for months and months is you would not have practised with it for months and months.


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## JeffWard (Aug 24, 2007)

The springs in my carry gun get a work out every other week.

My competition gun gets about 200 rounds of live-fire, and 500+ rounds of dry fire per week...

Direct answer to your question? NO. A loaded gun will not hurt the spring.

Practical answer? Go shoot that sucker once a MONTH at an absolute minimum...

Jeff


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## BT2Flip (Jan 1, 2009)

JeffWard said:


> The springs in my carry gun get a work out every other week.
> 
> My competition gun gets about 200 rounds of live-fire, and 500+ rounds of dry fire per week...
> 
> ...


WHAT JEFF SAID... WORK THAT BABY...
and unless you leave a round in the chamber "Untouched " for YEARS there is NO problem !
Springs are MADE TO HOLD A LOAD 
they are better off compressed


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