Pump Shotgun Myth

[@davidtimmermann7226]

If they hear me rack my shotgun, that means I missed the first shot.

[@nightcrawler6141]

They wouldn't hear you the second time either if you fired that thing inside the house.

[@joser2011a]

😂

[@oneshotrand2176]

@@nightcrawler6141 Laughed my ass off at your comment you are 100% correct.

[@Sandii_x]

Wrong, not the case if you store your shotgun cruiser ready!

[@alicornpaladin9115]

Bro, YOU won't hear yourself racking your shotgun after that first shot.

[@jorgiotheswift]

For me, drop safety is the decider for me to keep the chamber empty. Every day of the year I’m not in a gunfight with home intruders, which is my entire life to date, I don’t want my guns to be a hazard if they fall or are tipped over with a chance they discharge.

[@DoctorQuackenbush]

Riddle me this: If racking the slide "gives away your position", why do many "experts" suggest that the defender take a position of cover, call 911, then alert the attacker that you are armed and have called the police? Doesn't _that_ give away your position? Any scenario that doesn't end in someone being shot is a winner for me.

[@Hickok45Talks]

Come on now; you're using common sense. Don't confuse the "experts"! :-)

[@jefferyboring4410]

You’re assuming everyone lives with those types of state laws. Where I’m at TN we have castle doctrine. You’re not expected to do that crap and that’s certainly not an expert that would tell u that. If they break in on u your expected to fire on them. Who says you’d have to time to do all those processes

[@darryl0720]

No one knows how these scenarios will play out. Sometimes it will scare off the bad guy, sometimes it won’t. Hard to predict human behavior.

[@mt8149]

True, but at least you still have another move you can make if the sound of chambering a round doesn't work.

[@NenskiTrill]

If it won’t scare them off let the coroner come get them. 🙏🏿

[@troyspain7073]

My shotgun is kept like my 1911 in condition 1 else it isn't ready when I need it most!😮

[@vitalityfox]

Don’t rely on psychology.

[@demetriuscooksey7147]

You have a very nuanced, common sense way of thinking. I have 3 kids still in the home. They have been very well trained, but like you, I will always choose to "error on the side of safety." I have nephews and nieces, my kids have friends over quite often, and I can't assume those kids have been as well taught as my kids have. At the end of the day, it comes down to a simple cost-benefit analysis: How often does my house get broke in? So far, zero. How often do my kids or some other people's kids get into something they should not get into? All the time! Pistol in a lockbox, shotgun in the closet has an empty chamber. It will cost me a couple of seconds in the off chance I need it. The cost of poor gun safety or, "MY kids know DAMN-WELL better than to touch MY guns without permission," mindset? Well... that's a cost I don't even want to think about.

[@Woodsmanbr549]

Living in an Atlanta suburb, with my wife and 4 kids in the house, I kept 3 firearms handy. I ALSO taught my kids firearm safety. Never touch, never show to friends. Time at the range so they could see what a firearm could do. Water gallons, melons etc....

[@Hickok45Talks]

Yep, and with that sort of smart approach and training, almost any firearms safety issues are addressed. Everybody should be so conscientious. I feel like I was the same with John, as I've talked about a few times. Of course, other humans are not 100% predictable. Most parents also try their best to teach their kids not to drink alcohol as youngsters, not to use drugs, not to drive fast, etc. We can never be 100% certain about the behavior of other humans. I was enough of a rascally teenager that I don't trust anything 100% :-)

[@CHAOSTACTICAL]

I have the same approach I think it's essential to teach children firearm safety also taking them to the range helps take the curiosity away

[@HunterPhenomMakoy]

On levels of security and noise, back in the 80s my grandmother had travertine floors and leaned a box full of marbles against each entry door. Besides an alarm system there was no way anyone was going to sleep through the marbles hitting the floor! Plus the the intruders had to get through a room in the dark with marbles all over the floor. 😂

[@STANDupPhilosopher73]

I keep my shotgun "cruiser ready" because 870s are not drop safe, in fact when I worked federal security 30 years ago our captain had one go off in his office because he propped it against his desk and it slid and fell onto concrete, so I am going to be racking in a load regardless, the problem instructors have is people "depending" on that sound to scare the problem away, they want you to be prepared for what happens if it does not work, I compare it to a barking dog, will it scare off some bad guys? "maybe" but the fact is if they are stupid, desperate, high, whatever and either doesn't respond to the sound or simply don't care... then you have to be ready for what happens when the bluff is called.

[@mikhailkalashnikov4599]

Agreed. It's also an extra step that a curious toddler won't be able to complete on their own. I think "cruiser ready" makes a lot of sense for most people.

[@denniswilson9317]

This was a .....damn.....good ....video. Kudos to Hickok. He should do more videos like this stressing safety and responsibility. He ended with "think it through and do the smart think". You are certainly not going to get better advice for young people than that. If you are worried about intruders (some people are plum paranoid about them) and you can afford it get a burglar alarm (mine automatically dials the sheriff), cameras, deadbolts (don't forget the windows), a dog, and a 12 gauge. The previous owner told me my home was broken into 5 times when he had it. I have lived here 30 years with zero intrusions. With some forethought you can do plenty to protect yourself. Hickok mentioned lockboxes. I remember an awesome video he did on lockboxes some years ago. They are fairly inexpensive so there is never an excuse for having an unlocked loaded gun in your home........ever. I can access my handgun and flashlight in a flash in my lockbox. Since it's in a locked box I can keep a round chambered and safety off so even my wife can shoot it if necessary. I would never ever consider that without a lockbox. My shotgun is unloaded and the ammo is separate but my wife knows to load it while I grab a handgun. Like Hickok I have targets in my backyard. I never thought about until I had a friend comment that those could be considered a deterrent. On the flip side they might make the cops consider you trigger happy. I know an intruder is possible but not probable. I also know my gun is twenty times more likely to kill a good guy than a bad guy. I know this but I am never going to be totally defenseless. It's a balancing act. Thanks Hickok. Love it.

[@2cents389]

First, Mr. Hickok45 and I think a lot alike. So, we agree on many things, including what he opines in this video. Nevertheless, I would like to add a dimension to the discussion. As a combat veteran from 1968-1969 Vietnam, I learned that there are two realities. One, what we think we will do in a given situation. And two, what we actually do in that situation. The moment of truth is an indifferent, unavoidable, and unforgiving event, that demands immediate action. At that moment your thinking accelerates to lightspeed and a decision comes like a lightning bolt to do either A or B or even C. Therefore, I suggest that we just believe what we will, prepare how we choose, and hang loose. How everything turns out will be up for grabs, whether we are already locked and loaded, or we rack a round. 🙂

[@Peter-oh3hc]

“Think it through” is the perfect phrase. What is the right thing is up to the individual. Great presentation. Thx

[@michaelsly267]

I love that you're not married to your ideas. Nearly everything comes down to context. I've always loved your videos

[@ElPolloDelMar1]

I listened to an older badass Navy Seal describe his 'action plan' if he was confronted by some miscreant out in the street. He said, 'I am going to try and run as fast as I can.'

[@Paladin1873]

When I was a teenager in the early 1970s, our old machinist, who always kept a Winchester Model 12 under his bed, told me he once heard someone entering his house late one night. He pulled out the shotgun and racked the slide. This was followed immediately by the sound rapidly retreating feet and a crash outside. The next morning he found his front gate on the ground, torn from its hinges by the panicked intruder.

[@homeofinventions]

Sure he did.

[@4362mont]

Well-thought-out advice. Thank you.

[@sorrowcat2724]

You uploaded this at the perfect time. I just bought my first pump-action the other day. Thanks for this!! I love your advice!

[@DonTruman]

Great talk. That's been my opinion as well: make the firearm difficult enough to get to and get into the ready position, that it's essentially a test on your fitness to use it on another person. And develop your home such that it takes the average intruder a substantial amount of time, noise, and effort to get in. And make your firearm secure enough that an unqualified person can't get to it, nor can a burglar (when you're not there) find it and/or get it. That's a lot to accomplish, but the price of failure is too high, so it's worth the effort.

[@DreErdna]

Can u elaborate on the first point

[@DonTruman]

@@DreErdna Sure, but it's the same as Hickock said: if I'm woken up from deep sleep, I could be mighty foggy and fuzzy in the brain. That's not a good time to be firing a deadly weapon at someone. You want to be sharp enough to properly assess the situation. So, by adding a few 'tests' of your cognitive abilities prior to pulling the trigger, you greatly lessen the chance of making a horrific mistake. What might some "tests" be?: Locate the weapon on the other side of the room, so you have to get up, and walk there. That takes a little bit of brain power and wakes you up a bit. Don't leave a round in the chamber. Racking the slide takes some thought and physical strength. Maybe have it in a safe with quick release code. Remembering the code and entering it requires thought. Etc.

[@DreErdna]

@@DonTrumanThanks, TronDuman!

[@greyjay9202]

The sound of a round being racked into the chamber would have to give anyone pause. Being hit at close quarters by a shotgun round of the right sort, is usually not a survivable event. You may have walked into someone's house, but you will be carried out to the coroner's van in a bag.

[@DreErdna]

If the person is a lunatic or on heavy drugs they won’t care

[@m.f.m.67]

This! Anyone who hears this in the dark is going to freeze, if only for a second or two. Unless they are deaf or totally insane.

[@jefferyboring4410]

I’d say Maby today we have so pretty wild drugs and I would expect a burgler a home intruder to have sense or any clarity of mind.

[@masterkamen371]

It's crazy to expect someone who breaks into your home to think clearly. Just go outside and observe how damn near suicidal people are everywhere, especially in traffic. Now add psychoactive substances into the mix (and most burglars get to that point because of them) and you get someone who would not know if it was raining in a monsoon, let alone hear and think through a shotgun being loaded.

[@BLACKWOLF-1911]

I live alone in a one bedroom apartment. It's exactly 13 steps from the back door to my bedroom door. I'm not sure how many seconds it would take from the time I hear glass breaking before they're at my bedroom door. 7, 8 seconds, maybe 10. From a sound sleep to having gun on hand, I'm already behind.

[@thirteen8582]

I live one. I keep my shotgun next to my bed. No shell on the chamber no safety. I also keep my revolver loaded in my nightstand at arms reach.

[@HunterPhenomMakoy]

“It shows you weren’t ready” 😂 ok, and it also shows you’re ready NOW. 😂 And my house is too small to “give away my location”. The bedrooms are all together in an obvious place and it’s obvious that’s where I’d be.

[@thomasarmstrong9327]

A friend happened on the idea of having the *sound* of a shotgun being racked come from a speaker well away from his defensive position (more on the defensive position in a moment). This would potentially do a couple of things: a) It may, indeed, scare away an unarmed intruder, de-escalating the situation and potentially resolving things entirely; b) if the intruder is armed, and it ''gives away a position," the intruder is somewhat likely to focus on that direction, giving me more time to get in my defensive position. *It's good to have defensive position(s) planned ahead. Have protection staged appropriately (in locked boxes if there are people in the home who should not have unfettered access) for a couple scenarios (intruder through door A, go to spot B, through door C, go to spot D, etc.). Your situation and mine are different, so your plan will be different than mine.

[@JeffyLube]

I live in a one bedroom apartment. Intruders got a 10 foot grace zone from the front door to the living room and theres nowhere to go inbetween. Any intruder has that 10 foot to rethink their decision and retreat without fear of harm. Once an intruder gets passed that, 00 starts flying.

[@daddybiggs9343]

I think having a dog is a nice layer of security. They don’t need to be aggressive. But in my experience they start barking when something is around. One heck of an alarm.

[@n5yiz]

I carried an 870 for 20 years. I can assure you the racking of the slide commands authority.

[@grassblade63]

I had an experience with the "rack the slide" myth. A few decades ago, the large plant where I worked had a couple of us keep a rifle or shotgun with us in our company trucks for large packs of feral dogs and coyotes that were scaring employees. Well, one day, I got a call on the radio about an incident at the front guard shack. I went up there to find a very large and muscled up and drugged up crazy man who and beat one of the female rent-a-cops almost to death. I thought she was dead, as she was motionless, in a big pool of blood on the road. He was bouncing around and wanting to fight. I called on the radio for help, and got out of the truck. I was scared, honestly, and pulled my Mossberg 500 out and told the guy to get down on the pavement. He didn't, and I "racked the slide" and he goes, "What are you gonna do, shoot me?" Right then, some of my coworkers came racing up and we grabbed the guy and finally tackled him down and tied him up with zip ties and kept him for the police. Turns out, he was already wanted for another murder. Would I have shot him? Probably, but who knows. The cops said I should have. That doesn't matter, but what does matter is that he was out of his mind and the sound of that Mossberg had ZERO effect on him. So, I'm going to call that myth BUSTED.

[@DreErdna]

I agree. Works for sane people… Most criminals aren’t

[@DreErdna]

When was this & was it rural or urban

[@Grasshopper0122]

Myth ? No. It works. Sometimes. How do I know ? I’ve been there. The racking of a shotgun has caused more than one scrot to give up…..and other times, no effect. Soooo….don’t rely on it. Be prepared to follow-up.

[@YellowjacketGTO]

Drugged people do loony shit. A normal dude acts far diff.

[@Averagegunenthusiast]

I always believed it but trained to fire as quick as possible. I knew there was a chance it wouldn’t work. Some people breaking in your house may not be in the right state of mind and that won’t scare them off. As for keeping one in the chamber because shotguns aren’t drop safe and the fact that it is stored in my safe with the muzzle up I don’t want to drop it and take my head off. I train to rack quickly and fire. I grab it rack it and move to where I need to be.

[@homeofinventions]

Racking the slide tells the bad guy exactly where you are.

[@BrooklynNick718]

😂😂😂

[@maplemaple1439]

So what? You're trying to get people out of your house, not take out a sentry post. More likely than not they want to get out ASAP if they realize someone is aware of them. Lights should be on too. For the small percentage that wants to press onwards, CQB never favors the attacker.

[@TheGrizz1717]

I'm not racking the slide in hopes it scares someone off (but if it does, that's better than having to face a life or death confrontation), I'm racking the slide because "cruiser ready" is the safest condition to have a pump shotgun stored in and still be instantly ready. It takes no more time to rack the slide than it does to take the safety off, plus it takes way less fine motor skills to rack the slide in a stressful situation.

[@Wild_Bill57]

I live alone, never have children in the house and know that shotgun safeties are unreliable. My shotgun is loaded no ammo chambered, leaning against the wall held by a shotgun wall clip. Wracking the slide is the safest move and I really don’t care if it scares a home invader off or not. (If it does, that’s great.)

[@tanker5207]

Great video. One thing you didn't mention: If you have a Mossberg or similar shotgun, that has a tang mounted safety, and you have a pistol grip type stock on it, you can't really use the safety very well. Racking the slide doesn't take any longer than fumbling with that type of safety and it might cause the bad guy to flee, and if not...bang comes next.

[@arch3088]

Racking the slide shows that now you are ready.

[@davidgardner863]

If you’re a homeowner the best thing to do is have a motion activated flood light outside the house and an alarm system if a door or window is opened. I have both.

[@Nacron1]

Nice, and what about the shotgun?

[@davidgardner863]

@, Your shotgun or the intruder’s shotgun?

[@disturbedmaynard3873]

My first home defense shotgun purchase involved a crotchety old fart working behind the gun counter, and the racking the slide myth is what he told me was all that needed to be done. This was after he asked me what do I need this kind of shotgun for. If I have a shotgun next to the bed, and an intruder comes in, the round will be in the chamber, not in the tube, before that intruder enters. Kind of like having that revolver next to the bed. You aren't going to be dropping rounds into the cylinder after you hear the intruder.

[@TonyYork-KB9RAO]

If you add any step to your use of a defensive weapon, you increase the the chances of deadly errors.

[@Belacose-HOGG]

Every so often I sleepwalk a bit, so no ready-to-fire firearms at my bedside.

[@rslover65]

Oh me too. A loaded firearm next to me sleeping is a really bad idea.

[@brianw8963]

I totally agree with your thoughts on this subject. Unless I see a weapon pointed at me or someone else, I would never want to go down that road without at least giving the perpetrator a chance to reconsider their actions.👍👍🇺🇸

[@HarupertBeagleton-dz5gw]

It's situational. Can't just apply one rule across the board.

[@chris2217]

Yeah every situation has to be assessed differently

[@paulo-gouveia]

Preach Hickok45, preach! Great talk and thought process.

[@tcup3946]

If a shotgun racks , what comes next is obviously an Onslaught. Even if they thought you weren't ready. They KNOW you're ready now

[@ProudFudd]

I know a guy who did this, but he actually "racked" it by closing, it was a double barrel cut to 18 inches with the mini stock and he was behind a door late at night. It was my Scoutmaster, he is long dead and he was super old in 1995. Funniest part is, some years later another buddy mentioned he knew the guy who got it racked on him, he was high school kid who was being chased by some guys, not a robber.

[@stevenbowen2061]

Certainly a lot to think about. I hadn't thought about some of this. Thanks for sharing.

[@jameshicks4944]

My thoughts on having firearms in your home,note,iam a Father, Grandfather and Great Grandfather,if an individual is going to have firearms in their home,then everyone in that family needs firearms training, the common sense does and don't, you train your kids how to be a plumber, because dad is, how to be a carpenter,exct, have extensive firearm training, and no, don't have a round in the chamber of a firearm that you are not fixing to use right then, and yes,i have been in a war,on the field of battle,way different,we are talking about your house, a giant interesting playground for the grandkids and their friends, bottom line concerning firearms, Training, Safety precautions, Common Sense, and thankyou sir for addressing this topic,i wish you a good day.

[@Dan.50]

One issue is that smaller people like my wife wouldn't be able to rack one much less stay standing if it went off. The old .38 in the nightstand is still king of home defense.

[@sisleymichael]

I like cruiser ready. The firing pin spring can fatigue over time, similar to magazine springs can.

[@CHAOSTACTICAL]

Sometimes someone hearing the action of a firearm could escalate the situation I've encountered that before.

[@MyDarkSide62]

Well said. To look at different sides on this and see the merits is wise. Thank you It dawned on me that letting loose with a 12 gauge in just about ANY enclosed space in a typical house will likely blow out your eardrums permanently. If forced I'd rather use a handgun in that scenario. Outside? Different story but still.....

[@Averagegunenthusiast]

I would like to also say if someone does break into your house you will be wide awake almost instantly. I am the type that takes time to wake up however I have been over seas and heard the air raid siren and it woke me up and everyone else up instantly, we were all wide awake with adrenaline pumping. Just my personal experience to the being half asleep myth when someone breaks in at night.

[@angermgt1]

for me. I keep one in the chamber of handguns, but shotgun is unchambered for drop safety reasons. and to be consistent the same with all long guns so I know I need to chamber a round.

[@paulscanter5562]

Some people think a guy breaking into your house is going to be a a former Navy SEAL or Green Beret, or something like that.

[@DavidLLambertmobile]

These are the same nimrods who think as soon as they open carry a Glock 19 or J frame revolver, a squad of ninjas 🥷🏻 will pop up. Unless you are doing cart wheels or run up to everyone in public, 99.98% of people will ignore you, see you then move on.

[@djvo9271]

I’m with the side that if my only step of defense is getting my gun out to defend my home. Then it’s too late to defend. To truly defend yourself, your family and property you need multiple lines of security to provide you with the best defense possible when you need it.

[@deangibbons9351]

Wise counsel sir

[@LTVoyager]

I agree that almost everything in life is situation dependent. Having kids in the house makes a huge difference. Now that I don’t have kids in the house and have older hands, I don’t want to be doing an action while under extreme stress that requires any significant manual dexterity. It is all too easy to short stroke a pump shotgun or even a pistol when under extreme stress and particularly when just rudely awakened. I prefer to keep one firearm ready to go at night. Also, you give up one round of ammo when you chamber a round. This can make a difference in a home invasion. However, it is all about risk mitigation and you have to weigh the risk of a chambered firearm vs. having an issue trying to chamber a round.

[@joker747A]

I do pose this: Will the suspect even hear the sound of the rack? Seriously, think about any big time adrenaline dump you have ever had…. your normal level of hearing is usually absent. Not to mention if the suspect is whacked out on any recreational pharmaceutical(s) adding to the dampening of senses. Be prepared to use the weapon if needed and not just scare the suspect away with rack noise

[@jdwhite4864]

Everyone's situations are different. I have no underage children in my home so I have my carry pistol on the nightstand and a Mossberg leaning in the corner of my bedroom. The tube is stoked and the action is open. This forces me to rack the round into the chamber. This is not for the sound, just as a fail safe to ensure that it IS loaded. If you think it's loaded and it's not, that is not the time to figure it out.

[@callawayken650]

Funny, there are so many movies where the people in so many situations "rack" a gun before they proceed into action when the gun should have already had a round loaded in the chamber.

[@DoctorQuackenbush]

Real life is rarely a movie.

[@Eddievoneddie13]

@@DoctorQuackenbush That's his point...

[@ResurrectedOak]

The thing about me racking mine is that I'm not bluffing.

[@Saintlawrence100]

Yikes: Age old argument…but I don’t keep a loaded gun in the house…I do have loaded magazines and gun in separate locations out of reach from visitors…I suppose I could fall victim to an intruder but in my situation and lifestyle an accident with a firearm iwould be more likely than a break-in….safety first, safety always, brothers and sisters.

[@badcompany3057]

I don't use a pump shotgun for home defense. I just don't shoot one often enough and if ever there was a time I'd short shuck the thing it would be the middle of the night. Now the 1301 is a different matter entirely. Given the abundance of concealment vs the lack of cover in most homes, I believe I'd want the opportunity to get off the first volley if warranted, so I don't think I'd be keen on racking a pump gun. Good vid.

[@Hickok45Talks]

Same idea, though, in terms of the staged condition. Semi or pump, you still have to rack in a round at some point, and the sound is not all that different.

[@furtrapper11]

Not every home invader will know the sound of a pump shotgun

[@warrenwatkins9650]

A dog is a good first line of defense and early warning, giving yourself time to get alert and retrieve your weapon.

[@delbertlee2394]

Sounds like wisdom to live by

[@CyborgZeta]

Paul Harrell also covered this pretty well in his Top 5 Home Defense video too. I prefer to leave my shotgun at "cruiser ready".

[@walterw4783]

Too soon bro..

[@jakejakerson7965]

What is cruiser ready

[@markanderson9061]

@@jakejakerson7965 It's a term that law enforcement uses to describe the "ready" condition of the shotgun in the patrol car "cruiser".

[@DasGoodSoup]

@@markanderson9061.... youre not helpful 😂😂😂

[@DoctorQuackenbush]

@@DasGoodSoup magazine full, chamber empty, safety off.

[@toddmuller5992]

Agree 100%. Actually firing your weapon should be considered the most extreme scenario. I would rather risk an attack than accidentally killing or injuring a loved one. For the reasons you mention I dont keep my revolver loaded.. which gives me time to wake up and assess the situation.

[@raymondward1009]

My double short barrel Coach-gun always has a slug and a round of 00 buck in the tubes! It also has one of those elastic bands with 3 more of each on the stock. It lives under my bed ATM, I have more arms that are in safe's that stay locked unless I'm at home. When I leave the house for work I lock the safe's up. I don't carry but I keep a pistol and ammo in my vehicle, most of the time it's locked in the small safe that is always in the back seat on the foor-board. When there's some sort of emergency like when the hurricane came thru my county a few weeks ago and there was widespread looting going on just a few miles from my house I kept that pistol in reach in plain-sight when I was driving. If I carried I'd likely keep one chambered with the safety on but I don't so I only chamber a round when I'm getting ready to shoot!

[@glenhar1225]

Right on target. ....think it through.

[@concerned1313]

I keep a lock box for a handgun that takes 2 seconds. A certain radio show, auction house, and gun store here on Southern California professes the racking of the shotgun as the deterrent. I don't agree. My two shotguns are locked up and unloaded.

[@HunterPhenomMakoy]

Obviously you can’t EXPECT racking the slide to automatically make them leave but it’s still certainly might and it’s a damn good thing to do to at least get that chance of avoiding the altercation all together. Even if I was preparing to go out with a handgun I’d still be racking a shotgun first

[@RalphLawrence-iq9nw]

Concern about racking the shotgun showing you're not ready. It's a home invasion. Of course, you're not ready.

[@patcline6972]

That was a really informative video

[@HeartsOfDarkness]

“Cruiser ready.”

[@davidgardner863]

I know two people whose guns were used by a teen to commit suicide. One a neighbor, another a relative. Is the fear of an intruder greater than your gun being used for this? My guns are always kept in a safe.

[@lets-allplay]

I am going to have to agree with everything you shared. Thanks for the Hickok45 (ted) Talk !

[@matthewtemkin4726]

I once chased away a bad guy who was trying to force open my apartment door by racking the slide.

[@gutsbiker]

It works in the movies.

[@denveradams4909]

Any comment I might make on this issue, has probably already been made. But, here's my two cents. Mental and emotional preparation is just as important as the firearm itself. One needs to ask themselves this question: Are you prepared to kill someone? Do you have the mental and emotional discipline to operate and aim that firearm in a stressful situation? Proper training comes to mind. One of the standard rules of firearm safety, is not pulling out any firearm until and unless you intend to use it. As for me, my 6 years in the Marine Corps and time spent in practice and reaction scenarios, has prepared me; somewhat. I also served for 23 years as a 9-1-1 Dispatcher. That experience taught me how to control my emotions to better focus on the task at hand. But, what of those who just purchase a firearm, load it and think that is all there is to it? Just a split second of hesitation and lack of clarity can get you killed, either by the perp's gun, or your own, if the perp gets it away from you.

[@Sandii_x]

Imagine having to take off a lock from your gun after being jolted awake after hearing a window break or a floorboard creak when you know no one else is supposed to be in the house? I’d read in some cases proving you had a secured firearm goes out the window the moment you had to prove you fought for your life! Cruiser ready for the win

[@308dad8]

Hickok the thing is while you don’t trust your kids and therefore want 3 or more steps between you and surviving not everybody’s situation is the same where they have a house in the center of 195 acre square lot with security gates that trigger alarms and more gates that trigger more alarms, and on and on and for some of us keeping that shotgun ready makes the most sense. It’s easy to train kids not to play with guns. You know that from experience having come from before kids were shielded from knowing they existed. So train your kids to stay away from the guns and ask if they want to go shoot. But some people do not feel safe having a loaded firearm and they should not have a loaded firearm. I grew up with a loaded shotgun and rifle behind my parents bedroom door and never any misadventure. Teach them or if you must put it up out of reach.

[@BilgePump]

I’m guessing I’m in the majority here, all my guns are empty and de-cocked except for a few strategically placed. they need to be cocked however the safety is off.

[@appleiphone69]

Many people have shot Jr. sneaking back into the house in the early morning.

[@RatedM123]

I keep my CCW by my bed racked then I would use that to get to my shotgun and body armor

[@dandyjones1185]

This reminds me of the Paul Harrell video ‘How to spot a fake expert’

[@ballistic_mod]

A true self defender would not want to kill anyone. I certainly don't & don't want to have to deal what what comes after when sitting in jail for defending my own home because these days no matter what you're probably going down to the police station regardless after a self defense situation.

[@DO_THE_WORK-k3d]

I AGREE with you. And the only thing worse than having to use lethal force against a home invader, is to injure someone I love by accident or negligence. I will defend my home and family, but I know the ability to do that requires more than how I stage my home defense weapon. It depends more on my mental discipline, and common sense that is an oxymoron because there is nothing 'common' about that. You have to think about it and work at it. Hickok45 has sparked in us a reminder to do just that... think on it.

[@gbutch21]

Well said, also the mental anguish attached to having to take someone’s life no matter how evil they are.

[@ballistic_mod]

@@gbutch21 Exactly, that would make me feel bad if I had to do that for the rest of my life. Can't imagine what police and military go through.

[@mistergrendel32]

Whenever I watch these videos I expect to see Big Foot appear in the background to listen in.

[@jpjp3873]

Is it you A J?

[@BabaBlueJay]

I do not keep a shell chambered as most shotguns are not drop safe.

[@cheezyridr]

there's no slide on my a5, so i guess i'll have to rely on one of my pistols

[@DO_THE_WORK-k3d]

Hickof45, your most important observation in this video (as you say ... in my opinion) was, "... what level of SAFETY is necessary?". If you don't know much about firearms, or are limited to your options/training, or you are a highly skilled shootist... the #1 LESSON is always SAFETY. If you have a so-called instructor who does not start with SAFETY and regularly returns to SAFETY reminders - it's time to find a new instructor.

[@proudtitanicdenier4300]

My saiga 12 makes a pretty distinctive noise when i rack it too

[@kennywise237]

Only means to send the 2nd round down range

[@jerryhelm5118]

Before we get involved in this discussion I just want everyone to know that it actually works

[@timg7627]

….and also it doesnt.

[@DreErdna]

Worked

[@jerryhelm5118]

@@DreErdna hey I just want to be clear I don't need you as my daddy or my mommy so shut the fuk up

[@123gmor]

Racking the shotgun gives away your element of surprise, alerts the intruder to your location and leaves you short one round (in a shotgun that has limited capacity to begin with). Also, a loaded shotgun in the home without a round in the chamber IS NOT child safe! In my opinion an AR15 if a far better home defense long gun for many reasons including suitability for smaller family members, capacity and low recoil. Just my thoughts.

[@gerryroush8391]

You can always top off a shotgun or lever action rifle, no need to wait till it is empty

[@Jackknife1951]

What if we have a double barrel coach gun? We're retired senior citizens and have simple break open shotguns with our personal revivers.

[@maynardwatkins4929]

when i was in the coastguard you had to fill out the same paperwork as firing s round.

[@龙源探索]

The last thing I would ever want to do is to let someone know what I am, regardless. The stupidity of racking your shotgun to scare someone off is beyond foolish.

[@GlennKeith]

Would you move forward 🤔

[@龙源探索]

@@GlennKeith Absolutely, when you start using some common sense. 🤗

[@DO_THE_WORK-k3d]

Common sense is an oxymoron because there is nothing 'common' about that. You have to think about it and work at it. Hickok45, thank you for again reminding us to do just that... just think on it. Stay safe

[@wasntmeXYZ]

IF…. I need to bring firearms to bear in a defense scenario then the assailant has ignored all of the prior warning signs presented to them and have now entered into the engagement phase of the event. I keep it cruiser ready. A locked door is all the warning that I need to give a person.

[@choppsticc]

Speaking of sleepwalking. I’m Not prone to sleepwalking I’ve only done it a couple times in my life. But earlier this year, or maybe it was the end of last year actually, I fired a handgun into my bedroom wall 5 times while sleepwalking. Insane. Someone woke me up I was like woah what. At that point I guess I put it down and got back in bed. I was like gunshots? Huh what gunshots? They didn’t wake me up idk. They thought it was from like right outside. Never to this day told em what happened 😂😂😂

[@DreErdna]

Holyshet 😂😂😂

[@easyprepping]

I do not store any firearm with a rnd in the chamber. I also do not have any younguns in the home. Ever. So firearms are close at hand.

[@norencenelson8111]

Police academies teach recruits that it is a mistake to believe that if you're armed and a criminal is armed you are on level ground. The reason you're not is logical because every thing you do is a reaction to something the criminal has already done. Unless you're psychic you are at a disadvantage. Dirty Harry sold a lot of model 29, 44 magnums when he hissed, "I know what you're thinking punk." Always remember that the good guy in movies wins because he has plenty of blanks and a dramatic screenplay. A friend of mine told me that after every "Dirty Harry" movie he could have sold a truck load of 44 magnums.

[@Hickok45Talks]

If someone breaks in on me in my own house, they have already made the first move. I can only assume they mean me immediate harm.

[@norencenelson8111]

@@Hickok45Talks Correct. He's indicated his intentions. You still don't have the upper hand. You're in better position than and unarmed homeowner.

[@OU812NVME]

The only advice I give to anybody with a shotgun that's inside of a house make sure the end of the barrel is through another room and you're on the other side of another room if you have that luxury of being in the doorway it's still going to be loud but not as loud as if you're in the same room believe me

[@alvinselvidge5310]

I love It? I started Out on One! As a Kid! I still have a few! I don't have it Now? Somebody! Broke in Our House one Time? Got It. Model 12! 410! I keep One Close! One ! All the Time! Love it! Thanks!!!!

[@showtime2629]

I guess the honest answer would be yes, both are true. But is it enough difference to make a difference?

[@Criterion-pf6zi]

I wonder how many times USCCA has asked Hickok45 to advertise in his videos