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I haven't seen much talk about storage SOP. Here's what I do that I've figured out on my own, so feel free to poke holes in my plan.

1) My carry pistol remains loaded and in the holster and the whole package goes directly from my belt into the safe. I don't unload it nightly to avoid bullet setback and to minimize handling, loading and unloading. I believe a loaded gun belongs in a holster or in your hand being shot.

If I'm wanting to shoot the .40 at the range, the carry pistol and the matching 9mm get swapped, the .40 gets unloaded and the 9mm gets loaded and holstered. It stays that way until I'm back home and switching back around again.

2) Everything else going in or out of the safe is cleared both going in and out. All are stored with mags removed.

3) Mags loaded with SD ammo are also stored in the safe for easy access, but not inserted.

4) Guns never go from dry firing to loaded. They always go through a clear, into the safe, loaded and holstered. This is to avoid the dry fire, forget I loaded it, shoot the TV ND that I've read about.

Please share and discuss your procedures.

I keep the daily carry in the safe loaded and chambered. If you need it in the middle of the night it's bad enough you have to take it out of the safe, I don't want to waist any more time loading/cambering a bullet.
I have a Springfield XDM so I have an indication for a chambered bullet and an indication for a cocked trigger (both indicator are visible and physical) so no risk for forgetting if it's loaded or not.

Where is a good place for an easy reach safe

TheReverend wrote:I keep the daily carry in the safe loaded and chambered. If you need it in the middle of the night it's bad enough you have to take it out of the safe, I don't want to waist any more time loading/cambering a bullet.
I have a Springfield XDM so I have an indication for a chambered bullet and an indication for a cocked trigger (both indicator are visible and physical) so no risk for forgetting if it's loaded or not.

If you always keep the handguns in your safe loaded you will never make that mistake. I felt the same way early on but eased into the idea.

Some tips I received until I got used to the idea of a loaded gun in my safe: Every time you pull it out of the safe check the chamber. Don't be satisfied with a little hole in the ejection port, I like to see the round in there, all it takes is pulling the slide back half an inch. That way you're always reminded your gun is hot.

Treat every gun all the time like they are loaded!

CompVest wrote:

Treat every gun all the time like they are loaded!

Ab-So-Lutely! I keep my guns loaded and chambered. Whenever I take out a gun to inspect it, look at it, admire it, or play with it, it's ALWAYS(100% of the time) mag ejected, slide racked(gun pointed straight up, btw) and a visual inspection of the chamber and ejection port to assure myself it's not loaded.

I have a trust issue when it comes to guns. Relying on memory if a gun is loaded or not can be fatal to one's health.

I HAVE to satisfy myself that the gun is indeed empty before I start toying with it. I've had some guns over the years that had a firing pin indicator but I never trusted those things, when it came to handling a gun.

joe817 wrote:

CompVest wrote:

Treat every gun all the time like they are loaded!

Ab-So-Lutely! I keep my guns loaded and chambered. Whenever I take out a gun to inspect it, look at it, admire it, or play with it, it's ALWAYS(100% of the time) mag ejected, slide racked(gun pointed straight up, btw) and a visual inspection of the chamber and ejection port to assure myself it's not loaded.

I have a trust issue when it comes to guns. Relying on memory if a gun is loaded or not can be fatal to one's health.

I HAVE to satisfy myself that the gun is indeed empty before I start toying with it. I've had some guns over the years that had a firing pin indicator but I never trusted those things, when it came to handling a gun.

110%

And a visual and tactile inspection of the open chamber EVERY TIME cannot be over-emphasized. If you just rely on racking the slide to clear the weapon, then what happens if your extractor breaks and leaves a round in the tube?

Elmer Keith once wrote words to the effect that all his guns were always loaded - people are never accidentally shot with loaded guns, only unloaded guns.

Old Elmer and I wouldn't see eye-to-eye on a number of things if he were still around, but this is one point where we'd be in agreement; as far as I'm concerned, I behave as if every gun I have is always loaded.

austinrealtor wrote:

joe817 wrote:

CompVest wrote:

Treat every gun all the time like they are loaded!

Ab-So-Lutely! I keep my guns loaded and chambered. Whenever I take out a gun to inspect it, look at it, admire it, or play with it, it's ALWAYS(100% of the time) mag ejected, slide racked(gun pointed straight up, btw) and a visual inspection of the chamber and ejection port to assure myself it's not loaded.

I have a trust issue when it comes to guns. Relying on memory if a gun is loaded or not can be fatal to one's health.

I HAVE to satisfy myself that the gun is indeed empty before I start toying with it. I've had some guns over the years that had a firing pin indicator but I never trusted those things, when it came to handling a gun.

110%

And a visual and tactile inspection of the open chamber EVERY TIME cannot be over-emphasized. If you just rely on racking the slide to clear the weapon, then what happens if your extractor breaks and leaves a round in the tube?

+2 All my guns are "loaded" whether they are or not.

I figure I'm not the only one here that goes to a gun shop or just out with buddies that watch the other guy drop the mag and eject a round, check the chamber then hand the gun to me so I can cycle the slide and visually inspect the chamber/mag well (or cylinder). Even if I watched over the guys shoulder I still check it myself. Overkill? Maybe but better than "a kill". It doesn't hurt to be safe.

Ditto "always loaded" and all that good stuff. In fact, any gun that isn't in my safe IS loaded. That said, those guns which I store in my safe are actually unloaded, even though I don't treat them that way. I still assume they are loaded.

Having unintentionally negligently discharged a .44 magnum right next to my own left ear once, I have been paranoid about checking the loaded condition of any pistol I pick up ever since. My ears have been ringing ever since that day.

The Annoyed Man wrote:Having unintentionally negligently discharged a .44 magnum right next to my own left ear once, I have been paranoid about checking the loaded condition of any pistol I pick up ever since. My ears have been ringing ever since that day.

What?

I guess my SOP is the most simple of all. No kids around, no safe. If stolen, tell State Farm and police. Except when cleaning or showing to someone, revolvers are fully loaded and semi is always loaded and chambered. Always dangerous to handle; no wondering if or whether.

TX CHL 1997
CO CHP 2001