Home clearing-loaded AR or not?

[rjacobs]

I have tried to read through some of the home defense threads and do some searches(damn search is still broke) and couldnt really find an answer or consensus. If there is a thread on this, then point me there and this one can be closed up.

I keep an AR next to my bed in "cruiser ready"(hammer back, bolt forward, chamber empty, safety on, mag inserted). I usually have my M&P9 on my other side, but it was in my safe in my truck.

I got woken up last night at 230 in the morning by my room mates GF(room mate is out of town) thinking somebody was trying to break into the house. Grabbed the AR and proceeded to carefully clear the house. I did not go outside since I think thats foolish, but I did not see any evidence of anybody trying to break in and I turned on most lights outside the house and didnt see anybody so I didnt call the cops to have them come clear the outside (thinking back I should have but I didnt have the non-emergency number and didnt feel a 911 call was appropriate. I looked up the non-emergency number this morning and posted it in a few places around the house and saved it on my cell phone).

After I went back to bed I was thinking. I was clearing my house with a firearm, that while it had a full mag of 5.56 TAP in it, I did not ever chamber a round. I am not sure on the consensus of this in the scenario that I was in.

My thinking was that I could charge it in about a half second if I had to and be ready to go. I know in the AR you are not supposed to load and unload a round multiple times(at least a defense round) due to the floating firing pin causing potential issues with the primers.

Anybody have other thoughts? comments? Calling me an idiot(which i may be)? I am open to everything.

[Jay Cunningham]

You are going to get a million Monday Morning Quarterbacks chime in on this one.

So instead of giving you the same lecture that you are going to get from the next million QB's, I'm just going to say that you should have charged your carbine before you proceeded.

[davidz71]

Yep, I'd hate to meet my opponent in a hallway and not have my weapon ready to fire. I'm sure they would have a round in the chamber if they had a weapon.

[rjacobs]

You are going to get a million Monday Morning Quarterbacks chime in on this one.

So instead of giving you the same lecture that you are going to get from the next million QB's, I'm just going to say that you should have charged your carbine before you proceeded.

Thanks, that is exactly what I was thinking, but I was thinking it after the fact, which was to late(or potentially to late).

This was just something, that while I had thought about clearing my house, I had not thought about until it actually happened. I keep my pistol loaded and round chambered all the time, but just dont store the AR that way.

[Artos]

you should have charged your carbine before you proceeded.

I cannot imagine anyone challenging this regadless of the semi-auto weapon used. There needs to be a round in the chamber if you have a threat.

[Irish]

My thinking was that I could charge it in about a half second if I had to and be ready to go.

My intention isn't to beat a dead horse and would echo the above statements based on what you've told us. I would recommend taking a cleared & unloaded weapon, check three times, or a replica/airsoft and practice a similar scenario with a friend.

Have them stand at one end of the largest room in your house and see who wins the race of you charging your weapon and bringing it to bear or if they're on top of you in that same amount of time. Not busting your balls or anything like that but read up on the 21 ft. rule, Google: Tueller Drill.

[rjacobs]

Well I probably deserve a little(or a lot of) ball busting. I am not a know it all, I am sure I am one of the guys who's "doesnt know what I dont know" bucket is quite large.

I know that this is one of those things that I shouldn't have to ask, but it just kinda struck me last night after I got back into bed and I was like WTF I just cleared a house with no round in the chamber. 230 in the morning was not the time to be contemplating "do I load a round or not" it should have been automatic and from now on it will be.

[Jay Cunningham]

Well I probably deserve a little(or a lot of) ball busting. I am not a know it all, I am sure I am one of the guys who's "doesnt know what I dont know" bucket is quite large.

I know that this is one of those things that I shouldn't have to ask, but it just kinda struck me last night after I got back into bed and I was like WTF I just cleared a house with no round in the chamber. 230 in the morning was not the time to be contemplating "do I load a round or not" it should have been automatic and from now on it will be.

Hey man, it's a good question to ask.

[Looey]

Rifle should have been Loaded and on safe from the Beginning, just like you just learned you will not think about loading the gun when you have to respond in a hurry.

[Irish]

Well I probably deserve a little(or a lot of) ball busting. I am not a know it all, I am sure I am one of the guys who's "doesnt know what I dont know" bucket is quite large.

Me too. Most of us are here to learn and you can't do that without asking questions and participating. Stay safe.