I disagree. I scalp. I've been trading for over a decade. I scale in and out depending on the situation. To suggest a 100s or 200s position is wildly overextended is ridiculous. An anchor trade of 100s is minimal (pm me if you don't know what that is) and even that can be parred down to 50s. Sometimes I take it all off at once, sometimes I scale out. I let the order flow and my trading system tell me if I should be scaling in or out - just like the big boys do. I close shop (flat) profitable about every day. As I see it trade/money management is THE key to trading and scaling out allows the trader to lighten up when needed. That could be if a trade is going against you but has not violated hard exit rules. It could be if trade has suddenly put trader in profit exceeding expectations and taking some off protects profit while letting house money take remaining risk. Entries are easy, it is what you do with it that counts.
"Scaling out" is inferior behavior
- Thread starter Buy1Sell2
- Start date
I disagree. I scalp. I've been trading for over a decade. I scale in and out depending on the situation. To suggest a 100s or 200s position is wildly overextended is ridiculous. An anchor trade of 100s is minimal (pm me if you don't know what that is) and even that can be parred down to 50s. Sometimes I take it all off at once, sometimes I scale out. I let the order flow and my trading system tell me if I should be scaling in or out - just like the big boys do. I close shop (flat) profitable about every day. As I see it trade/money management is THE key to trading and scaling out allows the trader to lighten up when needed. That could be if a trade is going against you but has not violated hard exit rules. It could be if trade has suddenly put trader in profit exceeding expectations and taking some off protects profit while letting house money take remaining risk. Entries are easy, it is what you do with it that counts.
Losing is inferior to both All out & Scale out 
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Scaling out is inferior behavior. When we have a winner, it makes more sense to let it ride. Will that cause us to give back profits sometimes? Yes. However, it will keep you in the really big winners and more than offsets the savings by scaling out.
--The reason folks scale out is many times due to the fact that they took a larger position than they were comfortable with initially. In effect, they were wildly overextended. The scale out feature simply gets them back to where the total position is now of a more correct size for their account size and comfort level. In summary, they were scared when the original position was on and now have been lucky enough to get some profits and feel they can let the rest run. What happens though when the initial trade goes against? --Sometimes they let the whole trade run as losses mount. -No, it's better to size correctly and let it run to where you can exit at a time of your own choosing (borrowed line from George Bush). No sense being a weak hand.
--The individuals employing the scale out option are not inferior, but their behavior is and will not make as much with a winning system and will lose more with a losing system.
--The reason folks scale out is many times due to the fact that they took a larger position than they were comfortable with initially. In effect, they were wildly overextended. The scale out feature simply gets them back to where the total position is now of a more correct size for their account size and comfort level. In summary, they were scared when the original position was on and now have been lucky enough to get some profits and feel they can let the rest run. What happens though when the initial trade goes against? --Sometimes they let the whole trade run as losses mount. -No, it's better to size correctly and let it run to where you can exit at a time of your own choosing (borrowed line from George Bush). No sense being a weak hand.
--The individuals employing the scale out option are not inferior, but their behavior is and will not make as much with a winning system and will lose more with a losing system.
....essentially you copy-pasted here your first post dated 5 yrs ago in order to keep this thread active? 
================Quote from Buy1Sell2:
Scaling out is inferior behavior. When we have a winner, it makes more sense to let it ride. Will that cause us to give back profits sometimes? Yes. However, it will keep you in the really big winners and more than offsets the savings by scaling out.
--The reason folks scale out is many times due to the fact that they took a larger position than they were comfortable with initially. In effect, they were wildly overextended. The scale out feature simply gets them back to where the total position is now of a more correct size for their account size and comfort level. In summary, they were scared when the original position was on and now have been lucky enough to get some profits and feel they can let the rest run. What happens though when the initial trade goes against? --Sometimes they let the whole trade run as losses mount. -No, it's better to size correctly and let it run to where you can exit at a time of your own choosing (borrowed line from George Bush). No sense being a weak hand.
--The individuals employing the scale out option are not inferior, but their behavior is and will not make as much with a winning system and will lose more with a losing system.
Buy 1 /selldouble, its murray TT.
Saw a trader scale [mostly]out of silver @$44 area;
he got in years earlier @$19.99 area, Numbers are approx, not exact. He does NOT want to sell all his silver, so why should he have ????????????????????????????????????
Another reason to scale out;
higher % profit,[ not necessarly highest], & simply higher equity trend......................................................
Another reason to scale in/scale out ;
scale out, equity trend is friend also. And many institutions have to scale in scale out-price would move too much other wise.
Murray tt.
PS
Saw another trader simply sell,out multi year [profittrade of URE $60 area ];
not scale out, so i see your point
I don't typically scale out because I want to make a decision: be in this trade or not. However, scaling in/out probably works for those who trade larger size.
I will sometimes trade in/out around a position for reasons stated above. Let's say I'm looking for a 5 or 10 point winner and strong momentum. Sometimes I add to my trade 1 or 2 contracts then take them off as soon as they hit a target. Sometimes it works but when it doesn't then it erase profits fast. Better to probably buy OTM cheap positions then adding to winners for day trading..
One way to view scaling out is you have a buy/sell range then a single price. if you have a lot of contracts then it makes sense to start selling into the sell range. .
I find this notion helpful when entering/exiting trades. I picked it up from barros.
I tend to prefer limits when exit and market when enter. But, I'm starting to use more limit when entering too -- it depends on the market
I will sometimes trade in/out around a position for reasons stated above. Let's say I'm looking for a 5 or 10 point winner and strong momentum. Sometimes I add to my trade 1 or 2 contracts then take them off as soon as they hit a target. Sometimes it works but when it doesn't then it erase profits fast. Better to probably buy OTM cheap positions then adding to winners for day trading..
One way to view scaling out is you have a buy/sell range then a single price. if you have a lot of contracts then it makes sense to start selling into the sell range. .
I find this notion helpful when entering/exiting trades. I picked it up from barros.
I tend to prefer limits when exit and market when enter. But, I'm starting to use more limit when entering too -- it depends on the market
Quote from murray t turtle:
================
He does NOT want to sell all his silver, so why should he have ????????????????????????????????????
equity trend is friend also.
To first point---that's not trading, that's investing.
To second point---that basically makes my argument about scaling out causing a trader an emotional comfort. --Result still better over the long haul by not scaling out.
Wow, this thread's still here? The admonition not to scale out sounds like those who say your entry price should not affect your decision on when to exit - you should only exit when you think the price has topped. They make fine koans, but are unrealistic in a world where risk management is important.