In my last video, I presented my reasoning for why it is essential that firearm owners
be able to lock up or disable their guns, then demonstrated and discussed several different
locking devices for the Remington 870 shotgun. I want to follow that up now with a video
on disabling a firearm without a separate locking device (or an integrated one). This
involves removing some critical component or set of components, without which the gun
cannot function. I’ll get into this method’s advantages,
disadvantages, and applicability in a bit; but I want to first demonstrate two ways to
accomplish this with an 870. The easiest way to do this with most 870s
is to remove the trigger plate assembly. The 870’s trigger plate assembly is a single,
contained unit that does not require precision fitting during installation, so it can be
removed and reinstalled quickly and easily without affecting its function.
Make sure the gun is completely unloaded and the safety is engaged, then simply pop out
the pins and remove the assembly. While the assembly is out of the gun, it’s
a good idea to stick the pins back in so they can be kept together and not lost.
If your build has an accessory such as a sidesaddle or optic mount that replaces the trigger plate
pins, or furniture that holds the trigger plate in place, removing the breech bolt & slide
assemblies may be less of a hassle. Again, ensure that the gun is unloaded and
on safe before doing anything. Remove the barrel, and slide the fore-end
assembly out enough to remove the breech bolt & slide assemblies.
Set those aside, and reassemble the rest of the gun.
While these steps are specific to the 870, the concept itself is not limited to this
gun, or to shotguns in general. Many different types of long guns have similarly vital, yet
relatively easy-to-remove components or assemblies. The bolt assemblies on bolt-action rifles,
for example, are often designed to be quick and simple to remove and reinstall.
So, how does this method compare to gun locks or locking containers? Well, in addition to
not requiring a separate device, it’s extremely effective. Locking devices and locking storage
alike will yield an operational firearm if defeated; but a gun disabled in this subtractive
manner is just a paperweight until the missing components are properly reinstalled.
Folks who are unfamiliar with firearms - a common attribute among those who have no business
screwing with them - will likely not be able to do this easily, if at all; and many small
children won’t even have the requisite manual ability.
But before reassembly can even be attempted, the missing elements must first be located
and retrieved. Unlike the bulky long gun in its entirety,
these small parts can be effectively secured in a wide variety of locking containers that
are less expensive, easier to accommodate, and more common than full gun safes. If even
these are unavailable, there are still a plethora of ways to secure or conceal them.
Of course, the extra time and effort required to reassemble the gun also applies to the
owner. Compared to just removing a lock or opening a safe, reassembling the gun will
almost always be slower and more involved. Very accessory-heavy, range-toy builds can
be particularly involved to take down enough to access the gun’s critical action parts.
Extra tools, time, and effort will likely be required; optics and sights may need to
be re-zeroed; and frequent disassembly and reassembly can cause accelerated wear, especially
to lower-quality aftermarket parts. So, disassembly may not be ideal for firearms
that you need to access quickly or disable frequently, but it can be quite effective
for dedicated hunting or recreational guns that spend a lot of time in storage.
Also, some areas have laws requiring that privately-owned firearms be stored in a partially-disassembled
state. If nothing else, this is simply a good back-up
method to know. For example, suppose you’re on a hunting trip, and you and your gun are
staying at the home of an old college roommate who’s fallen from the noble bachelor ranks
and now has a whole passel of - let’s be polite and say rambunctious - critters underfoot.
The responsible thing to do, obviously, is disable your gun, but you forgot to pack your
gun lock, and your friend, who isn’t a gun owner, doesn’t have a full-sized gun safe
in the house. With the method I’ve shown here, you’ll still be able to do the right
thing and ensure that your firearm is not a danger to your hosts.
As always, I hope you found this video helpful in some way. For a more in-depth discussion
of when and why firearm owners should lock up or disable their firearms, I’ll again
refer you to my previous video on gun locks; and feel free to check out the other videos
in this series if you haven’t yet. If you have questions or thoughts on what
I’ve covered here, please don’t be shy about asking in the comments below. I’m
also always open to input on how I can improve these videos, and ideas for future topics.
Until next time, enjoy the shooting sports safely and responsibly, and please remember
to support our community by being a positive representation of it.