Okay to leave slide locked back for storage?

[petersonb]

I recently got a SIG P229, and it is my first semiauto handgun. It comes with one of those locks that goes through the grip when the slide is locked back. I leave it at home in a gun safe when I go to college, and I also put the lock through it. The only issue I have is that I am uncomfortable leaving tension on the spring for long periods of time. Does anyone know firsthand that this will cause issues with the spring? I dont want to weaken the spring and then have issues with my new gun. I was thinking maybe I will just remove the slide and put the lock through the frame and store it in pieces...

Thanks for the help!

 

[Traxxis]

If you're storing it in a safe, I wouldn't worry about using the lock.

 

[petersonb]

If you're storing it in a safe, I wouldn't worry about using the lock.

Well, it's more of a cabinet than a safe. The lock isn't very sturdy and I don't want to risk something happening.

 

[grwd]

dont keep it locked back, just ease the slide fwd, letting the lock cable keep it just out of battery.

 

[Martialartsblackbelt]

dont keep it locked back, just ease the slide fwd, letting the lock cable keep it just out of battery.

thank you i wanted to know as well

 

[criticalbass]

Three things kill springs. Stretching beyond design limits and compressing beyond design limits are quick killers. Normal wear from flexing within limits is a much slower killer.

So, leaving a slide locked open, though it goes against what seems logical, won't hurt a spring. It took a metalurgist to convince me of this, and lots of people don't (and won't) believe it because it doesn't seem reasonable to them. Those short magazine followers that allow one or more extra rounds in a mag will shorten mag spring life because they allow the spring to be compressed beyond limits.

A very common spring killer is stretching the mag spring on pump or auto loading shotguns. CB

 

[TJay74]

I dont leave any of my semi auto hand guns with the slide locked in the back position. While what posted about the spring tensions seems logical, I would rather not test it out.

If you are just trying to keep the weapon secure then I would slide the cable lock down the barrel and through the mag well. This will allow the slide to be as far forward (battery) position as possible and the weapon not able to be loaded.

 

[petersonb]

If you are just trying to keep the weapon secure then I would slide the cable lock down the barrel and through the mag well. This will allow the slide to be as far forward (battery) position as possible and the weapon not able to be loaded.

That's a great idea! I never thought about that -- I was kind of hesitant to put anything down the barrel, but I guess since the lock has its rubber coating it would be fine. Doing that would allow the slide to go almost all the way forward.

Thanks for all of the advice guys, it has helped me and hopefully others too.

 

[TJay74]

Well if it bothers you to put it down the barrel then you can go up through the mag well and out the ejection port and go that route and still accomplish the same result.

The slide will go almost all the way forward and most of the tension will be off of the spring.