proper use of a gun lock - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Digilogic · 12-04-2006, 10:57 PM

I have asked this before elsewhere and gotten various responses. So now I wanna see what you guys think. How do you use a standard pistol cable lock? What I am referring to specifically is whether or not you release the slide slowly on the cable or leave it locked open. Does it harm your recoil spring at all either way?

The_Dunedan · 12-05-2006, 12:28 AM

Well, the "proper" use for a gun-lock is either for securing a bike, or as "childproofing" of your kitchen cabinets. While the cable locks are better than the trigger-gaurd sort, they still slow down your response time if you ever need your gun in a hurry. The trigger-gaurd locks can even cause a gun to fire!

However, in regards to your question, I'm unaware of a problem with the springs. If your lock has the stee cable exposed, as some still do, you will want to drop the slide slowly in order to avoid potentially "peening" something out of spec on the steel cable. If the cable is covered/insulated, I don't -think- you'll have a problem dropping the slide normally.

zed wolf · 12-05-2006, 04:46 AM

I would release the slide onto the cable. Leaving it locked open would be ok too, I don't think there would be any noticeable damage to your springs.releasing the slide however will prevent any accidental release that could potentially cause damage.

longbough · 12-05-2006, 06:42 AM

I release the slide onto the cable.
In any case you're not likely to harm the weapon ... after all, it IS a gun designed to withstand small chemical explosions.

Topper · 12-05-2006, 10:39 AM

the spring won't care

Fire · 12-05-2006, 08:57 PM

I have to come down on the side of using it to secure anything but a gun- I grew up with a gun in every room, including the bathroom and neither my brother or i ever got hurt, as we were taught the propper respect- as to visitors to the house, they werent allowed inside till we were teens unless an adult was present- everything I have read says that the lock wont hurt the gun, but it will possibly get me killed if i have to take the time to remove it.......

Acetylene · 12-06-2006, 06:10 PM

The springs are not affected by having the slide locked back, cycling wears out springs. A cable lock is a fine deterrent for a gun that you do not intend to use. There is no point in lowering the slide, as long as the cable is coated it won't hurt the slide.

Slims · 12-08-2006, 03:33 PM

Leaving the slide locked back *shouldn't* harm the pistol. However, letting the slide forward will definately not harm it. Recoil springs wear out, and even though I know that cycling them is supposed to be the main contributing factor to wear I would still not prefer to store my pistol with the slide locked to the rear. If it was a good way to store a firearm the owners manual would probably say so.

12-04-2006, 10:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
Digilogic Crazy Location: Raleigh, NC	proper use of a gun lock I have asked this before elsewhere and gotten various responses. So now I wanna see what you guys think. How do you use a standard pistol cable lock? What I am referring to specifically is whether or not you release the slide slowly on the cable or leave it locked open. Does it harm your recoil spring at all either way? __________________ "Good artists copy, great artists steal." - Pablo Picasso

12-05-2006, 04:46 AM	#3 (permalink)
zed wolf Crazy Location: The Darkest Parts Of Places Unknown	I would release the slide onto the cable. Leaving it locked open would be ok too, I don't think there would be any noticeable damage to your springs.releasing the slide however will prevent any accidental release that could potentially cause damage. __________________ *____________________________________________________* Wait a minute...you google searched uncircumsized wang? And we're the best that you could find?~~~~~~~~~ Bill O'Rights *____________________________________________________*

12-05-2006, 06:42 AM	#4 (permalink)
longbough Soylent Green is people. Location: Northern California	I release the slide onto the cable. In any case you're not likely to harm the weapon ... after all, it IS a gun designed to withstand small chemical explosions. __________________ "I do believe that, where there is only a choice between cowardice and violence, I would advise violence. Thus when my eldest son asked me what he should have done, had he been present when I was almost fatally assaulted in 1908, whether he should have run away and seen me killed or whether he should have used his physical force which he could and wanted to use, and defended me, I told him that it was his duty to defend me even by using violence." - Mahatma Ghandi

12-05-2006, 08:57 PM	#6 (permalink)
Fire Warrior Smith Location: missouri	I have to come down on the side of using it to secure anything but a gun- I grew up with a gun in every room, including the bathroom and neither my brother or i ever got hurt, as we were taught the propper respect- as to visitors to the house, they werent allowed inside till we were teens unless an adult was present- everything I have read says that the lock wont hurt the gun, but it will possibly get me killed if i have to take the time to remove it....... __________________ Thought the harder, Heart the bolder, Mood the more as our might lessens

12-06-2006, 06:10 PM	#7 (permalink)
Acetylene Addict Location: under a rock	The springs are not affected by having the slide locked back, cycling wears out springs. A cable lock is a fine deterrent for a gun that you do not intend to use. There is no point in lowering the slide, as long as the cable is coated it won't hurt the slide. __________________ There's no justice. There's just us.

12-05-2006, 12:28 AM	#2 (permalink)
The_Dunedan Junkie	Well, the "proper" use for a gun-lock is either for securing a bike, or as "childproofing" of your kitchen cabinets. While the cable locks are better than the trigger-gaurd sort, they still slow down your response time if you ever need your gun in a hurry. The trigger-gaurd locks can even cause a gun to fire! However, in regards to your question, I'm unaware of a problem with the springs. If your lock has the stee cable exposed, as some still do, you will want to drop the slide slowly in order to avoid potentially "peening" something out of spec on the steel cable. If the cable is covered/insulated, I don't -think- you'll have a problem dropping the slide normally.

12-05-2006, 10:39 AM	#5 (permalink)
Topper Tilted Location: Seattle	the spring won't care

12-08-2006, 03:33 PM	#8 (permalink)
Slims Eccentric insomniac Location: North Carolina	Leaving the slide locked back shouldn't harm the pistol. However, letting the slide forward will definately not harm it. Recoil springs wear out, and even though I know that cycling them is supposed to be the main contributing factor to wear I would still not prefer to store my pistol with the slide locked to the rear. If it was a good way to store a firearm the owners manual would probably say so. __________________ "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." - Winston Churchill "All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act out their dream with open eyes, to make it possible." Seven Pillars of Wisdom, T.E. Lawrence