torontogunguy
New member
Measure the pull on a G30 that's had a few hundred rounds through it and let me know what you find. Curious. Maybe what I got were modified? They go bang at 3.5Lb.
How Long Before You CC With a Bullet In the Chamber?
- Thread starter H3lpADing08MyBaby
- Start date
Measure the pull on a G30 that's had a few hundred rounds through it and let me know what you find. Curious. Maybe what I got were modified? They go bang at 3.5Lb.
torontogunguy
New member
Conditions Of Carry | Guns Magazine | Find Articles at BNET
An excellent article by Clint Smith; worthy of a 100 percent read by all concealed carriers.
An excellent article by Clint Smith; worthy of a 100 percent read by all concealed carriers.
I carried my Glock for a month without any ammo at all in the chamber or clip because it was new to me and I initally felt "wrong" doing it. Then I loaded it completely, including 1 in the chamber. I have been doing it ever since. My NRA instructor and his partner, a LEO, told us at the CCW classes that you should always carry a full clip and the gun should be chambered. Their point was that if you ever need to draw it is ready to fire. Statistically (they rattled off some stats that I now don't recall) there is no time to think about chambering a round in a deadly situation and you put your life in danger. Remember the bad guy has his gun chambered already and pointed at you!
Scarecrow
New member
I've kept one in the pipe ever since I got my permit. what if you only have one hand free? makes it a lot harder to chamber a round. all of my pistols have either a frame mounted safety or a slide mounted safety and when I carry they are off. the trigger pull on a DA/SA pistol is heavy enough on that first round to not have to worry about an AD.
torontogunguy
New member
Wow. This is getting far too bizarre for me. I just want to reiterate that some guns are 'safer' than others. To carry with the safety 'off' simply says to me that there is a major lack of training and practice there. I carry and use 1911 Para P1640's for IPSC and they have a safety. Cocked and locked is how I carry them, with one in the tube. But it's an outside the waist holster and it's a limited set of circumstances... nontheless, the loss of time on the drawstroke is exactly zero due to the thumb safety and they have the added bonus of having a grip safety. I would not think about not carrying with the safety on since there is no loss of time if you have trained.
There are so many different guns, situations, methods of carry and so on it is a book on its own. Carry however you are comfy? Bad idea. Carry however your training has dictated to you that you are safe, fast and accurate.
For me, like I have said, I am comfy with concealed carrying my Glocks as long as they have heavier trigger pulls, I am comfy carrying my Sigs because they DO have heavier trigger pulls out of the box (on the models I carry) and I am ecstatic carrying the HK P7M8's cause they are squeeze cockers and all I need to do is squeeze the grip during the drawstroke and I'm in business.
Carry with one in the chamber? Every piece of literature and study and article that I have read by anyone that knows anything seems to indicate that a round in the chamber is a must but so is training and gun selection and trigger status (shave a couple of pounds off some triggers and you can have your gun go full auto on you unexprectedly - another consideration).
Not only do you want to survive a lethal force encounter fellows; you also want to survive the aftermath and you want your family to do likewise. Fire a manstopper shot with that first round, have the BG turn to run and pop another round or two into his back as a result of loss of control of your digits or as a result of your gun going auto because you played with the trigger and you are going to be in a world of hurt.
Revolvers, I repeat again, are great carry pieces as that cylinder has to turn in order for the next round to fire, giving you an indication that it is coming and also (unless you have played with it or are using a target pistol instead of a carry gun) a heavier trigger pull naturally.
Decide on what you are going to be doing with that gun of yours and how you are going to be carrying it and THEN decide in advance that you are serious about carrying and willing to invest in the training and practice and then, and only then, holster up.
Carrying with or without one in the chamber is not your only decision but it is an important one and one that Ayoob has much to say about and I refer you to him and his blogs and articles to get educated as what you are getting on here, including MY tirade, is simply conjecture. Get your info from a pro; someone considered an expert in the field and an expert witness in any court in the land.
You will discover that there is a lot more to carrying than just deciding to carry with or without one in the tube but that carrying one in the tube is a big decision on its own. Did you realize that carrying one in the tube, should you have a lethal force encounter, is going to treble your pain? You will be portrayed as a ruthless gunman just out looking for a victim. Triple your legal bills if it goes to court and it likely will. AND you had better read up on what you should have in that chamber as well. According to most pro's it had better not be a homeload.
Anyway, my point is that you need to make this decision for yourself understanding that you are going to be in reactionary mode and that you are going to be in "fight or flight" mode as well with the associated loss of hearing, tunnel vision, loss of physical control of your digits and perhaps even your sphincter muscle and so on.
I have decided that for ME I was prepared to take the training and take on the practice necessary to carry with one in the tube as it is important. You need to think about doing the same and carrying a gun that is both safe and comfortable for you.
A light trigger pull, a home load, a poor holster.... you are an accident waiting to happen despite all of the words to the contrary my friend.
The bottom line as we always say is "be safe out there" and that includes AFTER the incident and it includes not shooting yourself in the thigh or foot. And for crying out loud stay away from those shoulder hoslters that point your muzzle at whatever is behind you. They are called 'the jackass rig" for a reason.
So much to learn - and time to train. A serious decision to be followed by a serious commitment.
BTW, we have had two home invasions (one with entry made) here and have had a gun put in our face in the home of Mickey in Orlando. I can assure you that there are few asides from LEO's out there that have taken this decision to own lethal force and to use lethal force when necessary more so than I.
Be safe. And never mind this business of keeping your finger off the trigger will keep you safe or that your brain is the best safety. Sure they are great ideas but in real life it simply does not work that way unfortunately, regardless of what ANYONE might tell you.
There are so many different guns, situations, methods of carry and so on it is a book on its own. Carry however you are comfy? Bad idea. Carry however your training has dictated to you that you are safe, fast and accurate.
For me, like I have said, I am comfy with concealed carrying my Glocks as long as they have heavier trigger pulls, I am comfy carrying my Sigs because they DO have heavier trigger pulls out of the box (on the models I carry) and I am ecstatic carrying the HK P7M8's cause they are squeeze cockers and all I need to do is squeeze the grip during the drawstroke and I'm in business.
Carry with one in the chamber? Every piece of literature and study and article that I have read by anyone that knows anything seems to indicate that a round in the chamber is a must but so is training and gun selection and trigger status (shave a couple of pounds off some triggers and you can have your gun go full auto on you unexprectedly - another consideration).
Not only do you want to survive a lethal force encounter fellows; you also want to survive the aftermath and you want your family to do likewise. Fire a manstopper shot with that first round, have the BG turn to run and pop another round or two into his back as a result of loss of control of your digits or as a result of your gun going auto because you played with the trigger and you are going to be in a world of hurt.
Revolvers, I repeat again, are great carry pieces as that cylinder has to turn in order for the next round to fire, giving you an indication that it is coming and also (unless you have played with it or are using a target pistol instead of a carry gun) a heavier trigger pull naturally.
Decide on what you are going to be doing with that gun of yours and how you are going to be carrying it and THEN decide in advance that you are serious about carrying and willing to invest in the training and practice and then, and only then, holster up.
Carrying with or without one in the chamber is not your only decision but it is an important one and one that Ayoob has much to say about and I refer you to him and his blogs and articles to get educated as what you are getting on here, including MY tirade, is simply conjecture. Get your info from a pro; someone considered an expert in the field and an expert witness in any court in the land.
You will discover that there is a lot more to carrying than just deciding to carry with or without one in the tube but that carrying one in the tube is a big decision on its own. Did you realize that carrying one in the tube, should you have a lethal force encounter, is going to treble your pain? You will be portrayed as a ruthless gunman just out looking for a victim. Triple your legal bills if it goes to court and it likely will. AND you had better read up on what you should have in that chamber as well. According to most pro's it had better not be a homeload.
Anyway, my point is that you need to make this decision for yourself understanding that you are going to be in reactionary mode and that you are going to be in "fight or flight" mode as well with the associated loss of hearing, tunnel vision, loss of physical control of your digits and perhaps even your sphincter muscle and so on.
I have decided that for ME I was prepared to take the training and take on the practice necessary to carry with one in the tube as it is important. You need to think about doing the same and carrying a gun that is both safe and comfortable for you.
A light trigger pull, a home load, a poor holster.... you are an accident waiting to happen despite all of the words to the contrary my friend.
The bottom line as we always say is "be safe out there" and that includes AFTER the incident and it includes not shooting yourself in the thigh or foot. And for crying out loud stay away from those shoulder hoslters that point your muzzle at whatever is behind you. They are called 'the jackass rig" for a reason.
So much to learn - and time to train. A serious decision to be followed by a serious commitment.
BTW, we have had two home invasions (one with entry made) here and have had a gun put in our face in the home of Mickey in Orlando. I can assure you that there are few asides from LEO's out there that have taken this decision to own lethal force and to use lethal force when necessary more so than I.
Be safe. And never mind this business of keeping your finger off the trigger will keep you safe or that your brain is the best safety. Sure they are great ideas but in real life it simply does not work that way unfortunately, regardless of what ANYONE might tell you.
torontogunguy
New member
Not only that, he may have already taken the decision to leave not witnesses; his gun in cocked and unlocked; he doesn't care much about anything except doing you in. And you are in REACTIONARY mode at this point. You can, depending on circumstances, take the decision to try and put the BAD GUY in reactionary mode by making a rapid move, especially to cover, etc. but if you are not prepared to take a rapid shot out of your holster you are in deep trouble. I have read all the statistics and it is true that you do NOT have the time to chamber a round and keep ahead of the curve here.
In fact, you don't even have to be at gunpoint in order to be behind the curve. Anyone out there take lethal force training and get disarmed from 20 feet by a 'pro'? Well, I have. And I was told that I was going to be disarmed in advance. By the time I drew and did all the business to get off that shot I was without gun and had a broken finger dangling by the skin. Remember that with a revolver all the bad guy has to do is grab the cylinder to take the gun out of battery. Cylinder doesn't turn, gun doesn't fire. Unless you are single action and cocked. Bad idea. And with an semi auto do you know how far the slide needs to be moved backwards in order to disable the gun? It's a fraction of an inch. And no bang. Lethal force on force encounters are not simply a matter of having a gun with one in the chamber - far from it. Not only do we need to gear up but we need to smarten up as well and that means training and practice.
Ever had a gun pointed at your nose? I promise you that even getting your stuff together to attempt a drawstroke is going to seem impossible. I know it was for me. I was just lucky the guy was high as a kite and I was in my car with the gearshift in GO.
torontogunguy
New member
My response may have been incorrect here. I just noticed, "safety off" on a DA/SA handgun. If the pull is heavy enough for safety in DA mode I would have no trouble carrying safety off; but having said that, I cannot see any time lost on the drawstroke while flipping off the safety and you do have one more line of prevention against an AD/ND.
I am vehemently against light 'target pistol' trigger pulls - the mess they can cause in the aftermath of a lethal force encounter can be disasterous. Combine this with another common error, like carrying a homeload or taking a second or third shot while the bad guy is turning to escape and you are in a world of trouble.
I stand corrected.
I am vehemently against light 'target pistol' trigger pulls - the mess they can cause in the aftermath of a lethal force encounter can be disasterous. Combine this with another common error, like carrying a homeload or taking a second or third shot while the bad guy is turning to escape and you are in a world of trouble.
I stand corrected.
Beretta8045
New member
In a self-defense type situation, you don't want to rely on fine motor skills because those are the first to go!
Your finger should be the only safety you need, however, just remember that if you ever need to defend yourself, you'll fall back to your training. So if you don't feel comfortable with your safety off, you need to practice turning it off in your training.
Do some pushups until exhaustion, and then train, because that's how you'll probably feel in a real world situation (or so I've been told anyway!)
Piece Corps
New member
With your XD-40 (or any XD), you are always in 'safety' mode until you slip your finger onto the trigger. No problem with safely carrying with one in the pipe.
And anyone who is using a holster where the trigger is exposed when fully seated is asking for trouble in the first place. Any holster should completely cover the trigger and trigger guard. And with a good holster, sitting down is NOT going to make the gun go off, because there in no way the trigger can be accessed.
And as the others have said, in a compromised situation, you will not have time to rack a round. The situation will most likely be close quarters, and the BG is going to have a loaded gun. If you have to cock your XD, you will: probably fumble in the anxiety of the situation, and even if you are quick, the BG already has the advantage.
Simply, get used to carrying with one in the chamber. You have a good gun in the XD. It isn't going to go off accidentally.
And anyone who is using a holster where the trigger is exposed when fully seated is asking for trouble in the first place. Any holster should completely cover the trigger and trigger guard. And with a good holster, sitting down is NOT going to make the gun go off, because there in no way the trigger can be accessed.
And as the others have said, in a compromised situation, you will not have time to rack a round. The situation will most likely be close quarters, and the BG is going to have a loaded gun. If you have to cock your XD, you will: probably fumble in the anxiety of the situation, and even if you are quick, the BG already has the advantage.
Simply, get used to carrying with one in the chamber. You have a good gun in the XD. It isn't going to go off accidentally.
gestu1
New member
I too was nervous about one in the pipe but now i would'nt carry it any other way. I took the advice from the folks on this site and got more training and a good understanding of how the weapon's safety system works. I carry a Smith M&P 45 in a Galco combat master holster. I almost forgot, practice practice practice.
Long Live The Fighters!
Long Live The Fighters!
torontogunguy
New member
The bottom line is be safe, not casually, but in a learned manner. Carrying with one in the chamber, after plenty of research on my part, is a must... an absolute must. You simply don't have time to rack a round nor the motor skills to do same in a tense situation and what we want to do is reduce the mechanical actions needed to get that first shot away accurately and rapidly, followed by as many shots as it takes to neutralize the threat. Some will be happy simply keeping their finger off the trigger and unfortunately I am not one of them unless that trigger happens to be a little heavier (at least on the first shot) than a target trigger. I have no trouble carrying my Sigs or Glocks or my HK P7M8/P7PSP's concealed as I am comfortable that they are all about as safe as they need to be. In fact, I will even carry them in my pocket in a suitable pocket holster (in fact, I love pocket carry as I can put my hand on the gun without anyone knowing).
I think what you are seeing here is a suggestion that training and practice are a big key in carrying, whether or not you have one in the chamber. I have been disarmed from 20 feet, with one presumed to be in the chamber, from a holster, after BEING TOLD that I am going to be disarmed! Incredible? But true. It was my first force on force class and it was truly an eye opener. I essentially wound up with my gun in the attackers hands and with a trigger finger hanging by the skin. And what difference does it make if you have one in the chamber or not if you have no clue as to what to do when someone 'gets the drop' on you? YOU are at gunpoint. What do YOU need to do assuming that the assailant doesn't know you are carrying? Well, I can tell you that drawing your gun is NOT the first thing you want to do - that will get you and likely those with you DEAD real fast. My point? Train to survive. Train to avoid gunfights. And practice continuously. As I have said before, the decision to carry is a big one - it is not simply a decision to pay up and strap on a gun. It comes with BIG power and with big power comes big responsibility. Do it right.
Oh. And one in the chamber is the right thing to do IMHO. Just be comfortably safe about it, or wait until after you have kids to appendix carry that .45, huh?
I think what you are seeing here is a suggestion that training and practice are a big key in carrying, whether or not you have one in the chamber. I have been disarmed from 20 feet, with one presumed to be in the chamber, from a holster, after BEING TOLD that I am going to be disarmed! Incredible? But true. It was my first force on force class and it was truly an eye opener. I essentially wound up with my gun in the attackers hands and with a trigger finger hanging by the skin. And what difference does it make if you have one in the chamber or not if you have no clue as to what to do when someone 'gets the drop' on you? YOU are at gunpoint. What do YOU need to do assuming that the assailant doesn't know you are carrying? Well, I can tell you that drawing your gun is NOT the first thing you want to do - that will get you and likely those with you DEAD real fast. My point? Train to survive. Train to avoid gunfights. And practice continuously. As I have said before, the decision to carry is a big one - it is not simply a decision to pay up and strap on a gun. It comes with BIG power and with big power comes big responsibility. Do it right.
Oh. And one in the chamber is the right thing to do IMHO. Just be comfortably safe about it, or wait until after you have kids to appendix carry that .45, huh?
I'm definitely a big fan of keeping a round in the chamber. I also prefer guns without any manual safety and are DAO (that's why I love Glock). This way all I have to do is pull the handgun from its holster, aim and shoot. No safety to fumble with or racking the slide ... seconds count.
Hey y'all: Keeping a cartridge in the chamber can also be a function of your trigger pull. I have a kel tec P3AT with a very long trigger pull that would take an almost inconceivable effort to fire other than by using my trigger finger--with the gun in its holster, it is an almost a certainty that the only firing will be by me and not any other external effort. Nothing is certain in this world so I do not say 100% but if I feel the need to carry I am going to have a cartridge in the chamber and not waste the second or two for racking.
Hopefully you only carried it unloaded around the house. In MA, if you carry concealed, your weapon must be loaded.
tea51
New member
I have 3 handguns that I normally use for CC. My Springfield 1911 A-1 .45 auto, Ruger LCP .380 auto or Ruger SP 101 in .357 mag. When I carry concealed I always carry one in the chamber regardless of which handgun I use. It doesn't matter so much with my Ruger SP 101 since it's a revolver. My 1911 is always in condition 1, round in the chamber and safety on. The LCP has no safety per say except for it's loooong trigger pull but I still have one in the pipe. With the time it takes to react to a potential shooting situation seconds count and racking the slide on my 1911 or LCP are seconds that could be used to get my shot off first. I have been carrying a firearm most of my adult life, military and civilian, so I am comfortable carrying with a round in the chamber. If one feels the least bit uncomfortable carrying concealed with a round in the chamber then that's the way he or she should carry until they are comfortable with their handgun.
hopnpop
sheepdog
Several good points here, dipping into different aspects of carry: chambered? DAO? Safety machanisms? Experience? All these aspects play their part.
I agree that you shouldn't carry chambered until you feel you're ready. On the other hand, in the event that you need to USE your gun, these chances of having time to chamber a round are minimal to none. You need to get yourself to where you're comfortable carrying chambered, ASAP!!
Then there are the other things to consider. Someone mentioned that they don't like manual safeties and rely on the DAO trigger, in that case, a Glock. Glocks only have a 5.5-pound trigger pull and I personally like more safety than that. I like that my XD at least has a grip safety. It's also got the USA trigger "safety" but I don't consider those to be an actual "safety" since you still put your finger on it, pull it, and it goes ((bang)).
As far as no manual safety, I have a Kel-Tec P11 than has no manual safety. That gun has a very long DAO trigger pull at about 8 pounds. Same with my Taurus 851 CIA, DOA set at about 8 pounds. THOSE I feel confortable with, without a manual safety. But not something with a short, soft, 5.5 pound pull as the only "safety" feature.
Then there's also my Taurus PT140 Pro, which has a thumb safety. It's very easy with practice to train your thumb to flip the safety off either during your draw or at the end of the draw, without slowing down your draw at all.
Hopefully this will at least provide some food for thought. What works best for the next Joe may not work well for you at all. Guns and the carriage of are very personal and individual, you need to find your own way. But lastly, yes, you need to do what you need to do to be comfortable carrying chambered. Just hoping that you'll have time to chamber a round is as effective as hoping for rain.
I agree that you shouldn't carry chambered until you feel you're ready. On the other hand, in the event that you need to USE your gun, these chances of having time to chamber a round are minimal to none. You need to get yourself to where you're comfortable carrying chambered, ASAP!!
Then there are the other things to consider. Someone mentioned that they don't like manual safeties and rely on the DAO trigger, in that case, a Glock. Glocks only have a 5.5-pound trigger pull and I personally like more safety than that. I like that my XD at least has a grip safety. It's also got the USA trigger "safety" but I don't consider those to be an actual "safety" since you still put your finger on it, pull it, and it goes ((bang)).
As far as no manual safety, I have a Kel-Tec P11 than has no manual safety. That gun has a very long DAO trigger pull at about 8 pounds. Same with my Taurus 851 CIA, DOA set at about 8 pounds. THOSE I feel confortable with, without a manual safety. But not something with a short, soft, 5.5 pound pull as the only "safety" feature.
Then there's also my Taurus PT140 Pro, which has a thumb safety. It's very easy with practice to train your thumb to flip the safety off either during your draw or at the end of the draw, without slowing down your draw at all.
Hopefully this will at least provide some food for thought. What works best for the next Joe may not work well for you at all. Guns and the carriage of are very personal and individual, you need to find your own way. But lastly, yes, you need to do what you need to do to be comfortable carrying chambered. Just hoping that you'll have time to chamber a round is as effective as hoping for rain.
torontogunguy
New member
We are starting to go around in circles. To reiterate, if you are carrying a concealed pistol it absolutely should have a round in the chamber. Glocks are not truly double action only regardless of what anyone says; once you have put a round in the chamber by racking the slide you are carrying a cocked and loaded weapon as far as I am concerned with a 4.5-5.5 trigger pull at best, which may be great for many folks but it is just a week bit light for my liking for concealed carry... for duty carry in an OWB holster aimed at the ground, no problem. IWB concealed aimed at the family jewels, I would go with the NY1 trigger with a slighter heavier pull. 1911's that have not been 'sanded' to reduce trigger pull weight? NO problem! Cocked and locked, especially with that wonderful thumb safety and grip safety which absolutely, positively do not reduce speed to first accurate shot (a thousand IPSC competitors will attest to that including myself). And the revolvers? NO problem. That cylinder has got to turn, line up and lock into place before you get the bang. Pretty tought to do in a snug holster concealed. The guns that I have a problem with are those with trigger pulls under, say, 7 or 8 pounds and short.
Glocks are truly reliable and you can bet your life on them. I own several and carry at least two whenever legal to do so. I love them and my G30 is a tackdriver. I also have the HK P7M8 which is a tackdriver but heavier to carry; a squeeze cocker with a fixed barrel. Love it. And I own two Sigs; a P229 and P239. The P239 is going and I am going to get a P239 in .357 sig to match my P239 in 9mm. for carry. Rather than confuse myself, the P7M8's are going as are some of the others I have been playing with. And when you play IPSC/IDPA/PPC - play with what you are carrying and play from a holster whenever you can.
I could go on and on but it would simply be reiterating. I do not carry my 1911's although I like them. They are simply too bulky, heavy, etc. And although I have lots of other pistols that would fit the concealed carry bill just fine, one needs to take a stand with one or at most two favourites that operate in a similar manner. And Glock and Sig both get my vote. Aim and pull trigger.
Keep safe out there.
Glocks are truly reliable and you can bet your life on them. I own several and carry at least two whenever legal to do so. I love them and my G30 is a tackdriver. I also have the HK P7M8 which is a tackdriver but heavier to carry; a squeeze cocker with a fixed barrel. Love it. And I own two Sigs; a P229 and P239. The P239 is going and I am going to get a P239 in .357 sig to match my P239 in 9mm. for carry. Rather than confuse myself, the P7M8's are going as are some of the others I have been playing with. And when you play IPSC/IDPA/PPC - play with what you are carrying and play from a holster whenever you can.
I could go on and on but it would simply be reiterating. I do not carry my 1911's although I like them. They are simply too bulky, heavy, etc. And although I have lots of other pistols that would fit the concealed carry bill just fine, one needs to take a stand with one or at most two favourites that operate in a similar manner. And Glock and Sig both get my vote. Aim and pull trigger.
Keep safe out there.
BearTaylor
New member
I know where you are coming from. I was uncomfortable carrying with a loaded chamber at first but everything I heard and read convinced me it was the right thing to do. I'd rather not deal with too many complications should I need to use a handgun in a hurry. You'll soon learn to accept the loaded chamber too.
Daugherty16
New member
Chambered and Safed
Sorry about this long post!
My favorite carry is a Beretta cougar in 9mm, essentially a slightly smaller Model 92. Chambered and safed. The thumb safety pops off easily as the gun comes up, leaving a long heavy double action trigger pull to fire the first round. i carry it this way for several reasons. I can't be as expressive as some of the prior posts, and i'm not as well trained or knowledgeable about such things, but let me try to explain my thinking.
First, the chambered round. I hope i never need to draw on a human being. Ever. But if i do, the gun needs to be ready. Racking the slide takes too much time, too much movement, and makes too much noise. With a steep ramp and a short 9mm round, if you try to baby the slide (as in, let me very quietly chamber a round so the BG won't hear it), the round can easily jam halfway out of the mag. Not happening.
Second, the safety. On the Beretta, the safety rotates the firing pin (or striker, whatever it's called) 90 degrees and de-cocks the hammer. The gun is out of battery. ADs are essentially impossible unless the safety comes off or malfunctions. Yet it takes only a little effort and no extra time to flip it off with my thumb as the gun comes up and away from my body. Also, if the gun is ever taken away from me - as Toronto explains, yes it can happen - the extra split second the BG needs to figure out the safety is a margin i want. Also also, if the BG tries to rack the slide at that point, likelyhood of a jam is increased as it has to first eject a live round. If he closes the slide by hand (like you see on TV all the time) rather than lets the return spring do it, likelihood of a jam is increased yet again. Another potential margin for me.
Third, the holster. I carry IWB. Until i pickup a micro pistol like the LCP, pocket or ankle carry is out. I have an Uncle Mikes IWB, reversible for either side carry. The trigger housing is completely covered. The butt stays right on my belt - never prints but is very accessible. I'm left handed, so i carry at 8:30 or 9:00.
Fourth - i practice the draw/flip safety off move regularly. I completely unload the gun. I insert an empty magazine, and one snap cap in the chamber. I check it again. Then in the privacy of my office or my garage, pointed in a safe direction, i'll practice the draw. Slowly. Why slowly? because when you need to be fast, first you have to be smooth. Once you're smooth, you can go faster. One other move i practice - I turn some to my left, reaching for my wallet (like i'm complying with a mugger) but instead making the draw. Most times i don't pull the trigger, just draw, unsafe and present. I do not want to ingrain that in my memory so that i end up shooting instinctively when i might not have to. Other times i do. It depends on the scenario i am drilling myself for. But considering that handguns are used to stop crimes millions of times every year without a shot being fired, i practice that way most of the time and trust myself to know when the situation calls for immediate fire.
Personally, i carried unchambered for a couple of months. Then i got better informed, more comfortable with my carry gun, and after a lot of practice, decided that the chamber needed to be occupied. If nothing else, it adds to the magazine capacity. You never know if that one extra round might determine whether you or someone you care about lives or dies. Isn't that why we carry?
Sorry about this long post!
My favorite carry is a Beretta cougar in 9mm, essentially a slightly smaller Model 92. Chambered and safed. The thumb safety pops off easily as the gun comes up, leaving a long heavy double action trigger pull to fire the first round. i carry it this way for several reasons. I can't be as expressive as some of the prior posts, and i'm not as well trained or knowledgeable about such things, but let me try to explain my thinking.
First, the chambered round. I hope i never need to draw on a human being. Ever. But if i do, the gun needs to be ready. Racking the slide takes too much time, too much movement, and makes too much noise. With a steep ramp and a short 9mm round, if you try to baby the slide (as in, let me very quietly chamber a round so the BG won't hear it), the round can easily jam halfway out of the mag. Not happening.
Second, the safety. On the Beretta, the safety rotates the firing pin (or striker, whatever it's called) 90 degrees and de-cocks the hammer. The gun is out of battery. ADs are essentially impossible unless the safety comes off or malfunctions. Yet it takes only a little effort and no extra time to flip it off with my thumb as the gun comes up and away from my body. Also, if the gun is ever taken away from me - as Toronto explains, yes it can happen - the extra split second the BG needs to figure out the safety is a margin i want. Also also, if the BG tries to rack the slide at that point, likelyhood of a jam is increased as it has to first eject a live round. If he closes the slide by hand (like you see on TV all the time) rather than lets the return spring do it, likelihood of a jam is increased yet again. Another potential margin for me.
Third, the holster. I carry IWB. Until i pickup a micro pistol like the LCP, pocket or ankle carry is out. I have an Uncle Mikes IWB, reversible for either side carry. The trigger housing is completely covered. The butt stays right on my belt - never prints but is very accessible. I'm left handed, so i carry at 8:30 or 9:00.
Fourth - i practice the draw/flip safety off move regularly. I completely unload the gun. I insert an empty magazine, and one snap cap in the chamber. I check it again. Then in the privacy of my office or my garage, pointed in a safe direction, i'll practice the draw. Slowly. Why slowly? because when you need to be fast, first you have to be smooth. Once you're smooth, you can go faster. One other move i practice - I turn some to my left, reaching for my wallet (like i'm complying with a mugger) but instead making the draw. Most times i don't pull the trigger, just draw, unsafe and present. I do not want to ingrain that in my memory so that i end up shooting instinctively when i might not have to. Other times i do. It depends on the scenario i am drilling myself for. But considering that handguns are used to stop crimes millions of times every year without a shot being fired, i practice that way most of the time and trust myself to know when the situation calls for immediate fire.
Personally, i carried unchambered for a couple of months. Then i got better informed, more comfortable with my carry gun, and after a lot of practice, decided that the chamber needed to be occupied. If nothing else, it adds to the magazine capacity. You never know if that one extra round might determine whether you or someone you care about lives or dies. Isn't that why we carry?
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