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Like it or not, most Americans have been conditioned through the media to regard a noise being made by a firearm as a threatening sound, and the "lion's roar" of those sounds is the racking a shotgun. Racking the slide on a handgun is high on that list of scary gun sounds, and if you are at contact distance, cocking the hammer back on a revolver will make honorable mention. That's because most people in America count the vast majority of their firearms experience from television and movies, where sounds are used for dramatic effect in order to enhance the suspension of disbelief necessary for entertainment.

Even if you were to select a sample from those with experience with real guns, I still think we all know that after you rack the slide on a 1911 or rack a shotgun the chances of it being loaded and ready to fire are no lower than they were before such action, so there is a reason to expect the weapon to be more "ready" after it has made this scary sound.

Now I think the BG who breaks into your house is not likely to be scared off by any noise, because they probably are high on drugs or totally accustomed to having guns pointed at them all the time. So I think relying on the deterrent effect of this noise is foolish. You had be ready to follow the click-clack with a big BANG if necessary.

mr.72 wrote:
You had be ready to follow the click-clack with a big BANG if necessary.

Indeed. If you're going to pull it, you better be ready to use it.

If a burglar were to break into my home, and happen to hear me rack my shotgun, he would also hear the sound of a shotgun shell hitting the floor. I'd definitely be at a tactical disadvantage, as I'd have one less round in the magazine tube. The same applies to my semi-auto pistols.

That being said, I do not have small children living in my home, so I am able to live comfortably with my guns loaded with rounds in the chamber.

For a burglar or home invader(as far as I'm concerned), the use of deadly force used against me or my loved one's is imminent and I will be prepared for that eventuality.

So no, I would not try to scare the BG away by racking the slide on either my shotgun or pistol.

One more for all guns with 'one in the pipe' (including the shotty) and ready to roll.....but we also have no children in the home. We are both CHL holder and (more importantly)regulars at the range so we are both pretty comfortable around guns.

If we had children in the home it would probably be a different scenario entirely, but we have the luxury of just having the two [abbreviated profanity deleted] us at home. YMMV but this works for us.

The problem here is that we are trying inject logic into an already illogical situation. Someone has chosen to invade another's home and steal something or hurt them. This already defies all sound logic. Pumping a shotgun may or may not work. If it cannot go bang afterwards or one is unwilling to make it go bang then it is foolish and extremely risky to rely on the sound as a deterent. As I was reading about the guy that kept pumping the .22 I thought the same thing. He didn't want to really hurt anyone, but took a huge risk that one of his victims wouldn't have figured this out and come after him.

I don't have a shotgun (Christmas is coming ) but if I did, it would already be loaded, cocked and locked so no pump would be needed (just like the .45 next to my bed). The only warning sound would be the safety clicking off and a very large BANG

Dudley wrote:A recording of a shotgun is very cheap. Or get the iphones app.

P.s. add remote play...with a verbal warning.....video record...and auto call 911...auto message???

I wouldn't bet by life on the deterrent effect of sound effects.

Preface that I am in the same point in that my go to is not a shotgun.


I can see both sides and circumstances are a big factor.
*children/no children
*others in the house?
*whats the plan-are you investigating or holding up?
*if holding up are you shouting out or quiet.
*defensible position to beign with or mid wakeup as it were and you're not sure where BG(s) are especially in relation to people needing protection.

So on and so on.

Stop or I'll shoot again works best.

maybe it's just me, but I look at "pumping the shotgun" as saying "Hey Mr. Bad Guy, I am over here!". In my mind, the robber will hear nothing but the deafening sound of a shotgun blast if they decide to invade my home. Then it's his move...

"I'd like to think the last thing that went through his mind, other than that bullet, was" what was that sound?

The quoted might not exactly word for word, but should be pretty close. Anybody recognize it?

wheelgun1958 wrote:Stop or I'll shoot again works best.

Sorta like "STOP <BOOM>...I HAVE A GUN <BOOM>... GET OUT OT I'LL SHOOT<BOOM>..."

"I'd like to think the last thing that went through his mind, other than that bullet, was" what was that sound?

That sounds like something the actor Walt Kowalski would say in one of his earlier movies.

casingpoint wrote: That sounds like something the actor Walt Kowalski would say in one of his earlier movies.

Nope.