Is leaving shotgun loaded ok?

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sdsconcrete

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My brother was a cop for alittle while and he said the shells would swell over time if kept loaded.Is there any truth to this?I want to throw the BS flag but want to make sure first.
 

Perplexed

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The only comments I've heard regarding this issue were with a Saiga-12 shotgun, where keeping the box magazine loaded and in the gun with the bolt closed could cause the top round to become oval in cross-section (from being squashed against the underside of the bolt.) I would think the spring in a tube magazine would not have enough stored energy to cause a shell to deform lengthwise (i.e., swell), but that's just my opinion.
 

ChaseOK

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I can understand that the spring pressure holding the shells stacked on one another in a tube could potentially swell the plastic case a little over a long period of time but it would take quite a strong spring. In the past I have had a shotgun loaded over two years and when I did fire them, they acted just like ever new one I have ever shot. No issue noted.
 

KurtM

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Yes they can, yes they do. Now keep in mind that is the crimped end that "swells" and not the whole shell. The ends start looking like mushroom and can and will effect feeding. I have only seen this in vertical mounted shotguns stored in a vehicle a la/ L.E. crusiers that are subjected to hot and cold and vibration, and left loaded for extended time periods...just like that S.G. in a crusier.I had one department show up for a shotgun class and a good half had swelled ammo, when asked how long they had been loaded they had no idea as they really didn't have a shotgun qual program.

I have never seen this in a shotgun stored in the home loaded, although I sure could see them distorting IF the mag spring was real stout.
 

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