Question Striker fired polymer handguns… Who pulls the trigger (on an empty chamber) before putting it in the safe?

[Scubabugdiver]

Is it best to store a Glock or any other striker fired handgun with the firing pin and sear engaged, under spring tension, no mag, or is it best to make sure the weapon is empty, safe, then pull the trigger, like your about to disassemble it, to disengage the firing pin? That way all springs are relaxed before it’s stored in a safe? Or who just take the mag out, rack the slide to make sure it’s empty, and then toss it in the safe?

 

[Skilly]

at least from the mag point of view its not the relaxed or compressed state that causes the spring to fail its the frequency that it is required to move from rest to compressed.

 

[rodralig]

Is it best to store a Glock or any other striker fired handgun with the firing pin and sear engaged, under spring tension, no mag, or is it best to make sure the weapon is empty, safe, then pull the trigger, like your about to disassemble it, to disengage the firing pin? That way all springs are relaxed before it’s stored in a safe? Or who just take the mag out, rack the slide to make sure it’s empty, and then toss it in the safe?

Modern springs usually wear out more from being compressed and released over and over, not from just staying under tension. So storing a Glock or other striker-fired pistol with the striker cocked generally is not a meaningful issue by itself.

What matters more is safe handling and having a consistent routine:

• Remove the magazine.
• Rack the slide and visually/physically confirm it is empty.
• Store it in whatever condition makes sense for your storage plan and safety habits.

Don’t overthink it. What matters most is following the Four Safety Rules, or the Three if you’re going by NRA, etc.

 

[Scubabugdiver]

However, new or replacement springs are not kept under tension. They’re stored in a nice small plastic bag before it’s shipped to your door. Just seems real easy to point the weapon in a safe direction, again like you’re about to disassemble it, pull the trigger and then put it in the safe, not under spring tension. Now, if it’s something you keep on your bedside for protection, that’s a whole different story. You’re going to have the magazine inserted, and hopefully one in the chamber. But now, we may be encroaching on the Sig p320 territory.

 

[Skilly]

However, new or replacement springs are not kept under tension. They’re stored in a nice small plastic bag before it’s shipped to your door.

since it doesnt affect them either way, that would be the cheapest and most logical way to ship them. Not really sure what you are trying to say here?

 

[Z Arms LLC]

I leave all of my guns trigger pulled when I put them away, hammer or striker

 

[Scubabugdiver]

Not too sure the jury is out on a spring relaxed vs compressed extended longevity. Happy to look at any studies provided. Keep in mind, before firing that weapon, you still have to insert a magazine, and rack the slide, thus re-engaging the firing pin and sear all over again. So it’s not like you’re saving any steps.

 

[Negol]

I leave em mag loaded, none in the chamber and trigger pulled while in the safe. The shotty next to the bed stays loaded one in the chamber.

 

[Skilly]

Not too sure the jury is out on a spring relaxed vs compressed extended longevity. Happy to look at any studies provided.

the jury isn't out. This is pretty well understood. No mystery.

A spring compressed and left alone degrades FAR differently through set/relaxation. That is a slow, non-fracturing process. A spring repeatedly moving between states of compression/relaxation accumulates fatigue damage that ends in fracture. These two versions are fundamentally different wear mechanisms, and the evidence is unambiguous that movement is the harmful one.

There are several physical examples of this - the Paris Law, Goodman diagrams, the practice of Shot Peening (to repair springs) and even engine value spring failure.

 

[Scubabugdiver]

Fully respect your opinion however, I can’t help but refer to the good people in the precision rifle shooter and builders community. They all recommend pulling the trigger on a bolt-action rifle before storage (decocking). This is a common practice to relieve spring tension. The best method is to hold the trigger back while closing the bolt to prevent wear on firing pin springs. I follow this religiously with my precision rifles. Can’t help but think this would apply to a striker fired handgun as well. This methodology is no mystery and well understood the precision rifle community.

 

[Skilly]

Fully respect your opinion however, I can’t help but refer to the good people in the precision rifle shooter and builders community. They all recommend pulling the trigger on a bolt-action rifle before storage (decocking). This is a common practice to relieve spring tension. The best method is to hold the trigger back while closing the bolt to prevent wear on firing pin springs. I follow this religiously with my precision rifles. Can’t help but think this would apply to a striker fired handgun as well. This methodology is no mystery and well understood the precision rifle community.

right. Im not disagreeing its there (heard it too), its just that it isn't backed by the physics propeller heads.