One in the chamber? Or not!!

[Brainchild]

I typically carry with one in the chamber.I feel like if I need it,i want it to be ready.But,as has been stated,it is a personal choice.Do what's best for you.Mainly I just wanted to have the 100th post on this thread.

 

[Mortpes]

A review of incidents over the last few years indicate very little warning was given to the victim. Therefore, I carry hot.

 

[toreskha]

I picked up a P-3AT last month, and it doesn't have a safety - of any kind. The trigger is just a bit heavy for such a small gun (8 lbs) and that's it. I still carry hot, and I really like the idea that I can pretty much just draw and fire immediately without having to worry about what button or switch to push.

 

[CLAYBROOK]

Maybe we should start a thread on knives with rubber blades. That way no one would get hurt accidentally.

 

[p8re8]

i carry a compact 1911 cocked and locked and a small .380 double action with a round in the pipe. quality guns are precision machines. they have long trigger pulls, double action, or multiple safeties, single action. go to the range and practice until you are comfortable with your gun. guns don't just "go off". once you are comfortable with the operation of it, you will be comfortable carrying knowing it only does what you want it to.

 

[Canis-Lupus]

My CC weapon of choice is a Springfield [SA] XD-9 x 19. A sturdy no frills $450 made in USA model. That could be good, domestic parts are normally easier to replace than foreign if trade embargo is going down, or no so good as other nations make some fine similar style pistols or better quality but what if I needed a Korean Daewoo replacement slide stop pin fast? I use 9mm Luger 115gr FMJ for range-fire, more expensive then re-loads or cheap ball but they more accurately emulate the CORBON rounds and what or how I fire on a range IMHO is what I should feel like with more lethal & expensive stopping-power ammo, then switch to 'CC-ready' 9mm JHP's, COR®BON, 115gr, 1,350fps (ammo of choice) 10 in the clip and 1-chambered, perfect for me. This true sub-compact is light, non-bulky: 6" length, 5" tall and 1" wide it is very easy to keep out of sight. Packing an M1911 in summer with jeans + a T-shirt is an art I have yet to master, even stuck in a BDU cargo leg pouch it STILL looks like a BF gun! In a CQC situation if IMHO you don't have a bead on what is threatening your life U may as well just close the distance, take your chances that the perp is expecting U too flee not rush 'em and grab a sharp knife about evens the odds of a misfire or an armed citizen's shooter brain-fark. My self-imposed maxim or litmus-test is: one/one-thousand, move to a squat-legs spread profile & draw from a 'normal looking' front wrap around velcro release CC fanny pack w/ 3 clips in reserve. Two/one-thousand, (aim) & three one-thousand (fire), if 1 & 2 ain't convinced 'em I am not now ready to. A fit perp can close on U/me from 20 meters in a 4 second rush. Add more time to cock an empty chamber 1-2/secs B 4 I get back to the aim part, perp has now moved 10 meters closer to me, so it makes sense I keep status-quo, 1 chambered & ready to shoot 24/7. One 9mm center of mass hit should do the (minimal force) trick (slow not kill), 2 = sloppy shooting (maybe kill, wound again or oops, miss) and 3 rounds with no effect IMHO = I am shooting the place up, panicking and probably will get me a place in the local newspaper Sunday obituaries. So practice makes perverts, or something like that. Owners of the XD-series know it has no external/side safety release lever(s) or even button(s). That is why I chose it, 1 less step to take to get to the 'shoot' part. It does have a web (between thumb & trigger-finger) pressure bar that must be fully flush with grip to disengage the firing pin, the rear safety is # 1, so I must have sufficient pressure there or pulling triggers (all 3 of them!) simultaneously does not work, and vise-versa, good pressure but if I slip pulling all 3 triggers @ once (not that hard to do in a crisis) it will lock the gun if all I manage to pull are 2 out of 3, so both the (3) triggers and the rear/pressure safety bar must work together or they lock-up, add one final indicator which is one hard to see in the dark white (glows in dark) round 2mm dot/nipple at the rear of the upper housing assembly of the pistol tells me 1 round is cocked & ready to fire, no-dot nipple means none in the chamber. My biggest concern is in the heat of a CQC situation I have to ensure I handle the weapon perfectly or it locks-up, as it is supposed to, any one picking an XD-9 up if I drop it may not even figure out the safeties B 4 I am 2 blocks away & still running for my back-up. So depending on the gun, the shooter's familiarity with it (a must for Springfield's vs. say a Glock), the situation and the perp make it either a very fast draw/point/shoot weapon in practiced hands or a 'Hold up a second B 4 U knife me while I figure this bastard out!" SNAFU.
With use I like the small size, the weight, the balance, almost no recoil, no drift off 1st round placement, the accuracy and the fits into my palm feel like an extension of my hand that any good pistol must have or it just ain't your type of gun mind-set. But drop a loaded XD-9 (or any SA pistol) & 50/50 that it will discharge and then I'm screwed. Wouldn't swap it for any other small CC weapon but absolute familiarity with it is a must or like all Springfield's the dual atypical safety set-up make it as hard to use as an M9 with sand in the spout if I haven't got it out, pointed and discharged in 3 seconds. A cocky senior 'Nam era MP NCO once told me that "Just the sound of a pistol (M1911) getting 'ka-chink' loaded loud sound was often all it took to freeze a perp into a stunned halt." He lost that premise when he pulled, yelled halt, cocked his weapon and went to fire, lost 3 seconds doing the show 'n tell bit, my 911 crew picked him up at a domestic in Pearl City, HI (rough hood unless you are a local brah!) where a drunk perp/Vet was clinically deaf from too many way loud noises throughout his tenure in service and was on top of the MP fast; stuck him with a kitchen knife right thru the heart and he bled out en-route to Tripler AMC, code-3 all the way in, exsanguinated. So pros & cons of 1 up the spout, depends on so many variables that I just leave mine ready white dot showing me in 3 seconds I can squeeze off @ least 1 round, but only if I'm holding the grip a tad tighter than I like for a good aim. But (making enemies) I would rather have any caliber of Springfield than a similar CC pistol with an external safety to think about flipping up/down to 'fire' or same with one that has speck of sand/rust in it's safety that slows the magic click sound indicating it is now ready to fire any day. I do consider it probably one of the most unsafe pistol period to have around kids of ANY age from 2 to 82 as with no external safety needed it sure is a fast SOB in the right hands, and disaster in the wrong. "Hey this thing ain't even loaded, where's the safety?" and starts pulling triggers to find out if it is! End self-eval SITREP on my CC weapon of choice. Have I posted my 'Achilles-Heel'? Well only the targets tell and in 3 seconds from a position of attention I can normally drop 6" to a crouch, pull aim & nail within a center bulls-eye round target @ 20 meters with 7 of 11 rounds inside the center ring + maybe 3-4 in the red. I get long winded (NS!) but 1 in the spout is 3 seconds closer to using your weapon, taken out and entire weapon cleaned/oiled & function-checked at least every 3 months (more often if used on a regular range basis) is IMHO gun-smart.
Regards,

Canis-Lupus

 

[festus]

Israeli draw

With me, it depends on the gun. While I was active duty I carried the M-9 with one in the chamber set to fire per the AFI. But when I tried to use a Hi-Point .45, I did not trust the gun and opted instead for Israeli draw. With the USP .45 it was right back to one in the tube set to fire. I think most SA/DA should be carried set to fire with one in the tube. 1911's were designed to be carried cocked and locked. Hi-Point .45s were designed to be tied to a length of 550cord and used as a boat anchor.

 

[Cooter]

I carry a Glock 36 without one in the chamber. But after reading most of this thread, I think I'll start keeping one in.

 

[oidsailor]

I carry a 1911 and carry it the way it was desinged 1 in the chamber cocked and locked. But I am very familar with this firearm.

 

[gvaldeg1]

One in the chamber? You bet I do. My main carry is a Kel-Tec p-3AT. They are DOA, no safety, fairly heavy and long trigger pull. My safety is between my ears.

One of my guns is a Kel-Tec P3AT. When you chamber a round in a P3AT, the hammer is left in a partially cocked (half-cocked) position. The trigger pull is considered double action but, they have no second strike capability. The trigger pull is fairly long (0.4 to 0.5 inch) but I sure don't consider it "fairly heavy" as you say. It's only 5 to 6 pounds which is in the range of a lot of single action automatic pistol trigger pulls. I have a Taurus 605 SH2 Titanium 5-shot revolver that has a double action pull around 12 pounds. I consider that "fairly heavy". Anyway, regardless, I consider the Kel-Tec with its long double action pull safe with one in the chamber.

 

[TexasGun]

Yes Yes Yes

If you have to pull your gun single handed or weak handed, cocking a weapon against your belt or shoe is possable(also a good idea to practice, just in case) but is time consuming and dangorous. so It's a good idea to me just to keep it chambered. There again it's all pesonal preferance and this is only an opinion. ,Mike

 

[TexasGun]

:huh: Sorry forgot the spell check not my strong point.

 

[IAMBATMAN]

One in the chamber

Good morning guys.
I am new on this site. I have been a ccw for a couple of years and I carry a Glock 27. I carry one in the chamber and as every glock owner know there is no safety. If god forbid I ever have to pull my weapon I do not want to be trying to rack one while I am being aproched by a bad guy swining a knife. I perfer to be ready to fire at a moments notice.

 

[operator]

Good morning guys.
I am new on this site. I have been a ccw for a couple of years and I carry a Glock 27. I carry one in the chamber and as every glock owner know there is no safety. If god forbid I ever have to pull my weapon I do not want to be trying to rack one while I am being aproched by a bad guy swining a knife. I perfer to be ready to fire at a moments notice.

I tried explaing this to a buddy of mine that carry an XD .45ACP, he seems to think thak it only takes a second to rack the slide.

I told him but you have to unholseter, then get to the point where you can rack one in, all this why a BG is trying to get to you, this is why a carry, with one in the tube and saftey on.

 

[daddyo]

I carry a Ruger P89, one in the chamber, hammer down, safety off. If I had a half-cock weapon such as a Glock or M&P, I might be a little more hesitant but I'm sure those weapons have been tested every way from Sunday to see if they can be made to go off from half-cock. A 1911 I would have no problem carrying cocked and locked for sure.

 

[IAMBATMAN]

Chambered

If some you approching weelding a knife it takes 7 sec and 10 ft for you to get hit by the knife. If you are going to draw and pull the triger its going to be from the hip and you will not have time to rack one. I have studied martial atrs for a long time and I have done alot of trainning in take aways and let me tell if it is not chambered or fast enough to react your going to get hit.

I took a long time before i got comfortable carrying one in the chamber. Now its know big deal you just got to keep telling yourself the gun is always loaded!

 

[Glock Fan]

Good morning guys.
I am new on this site. I have been a ccw for a couple of years and I carry a Glock 27. I carry one in the chamber and as every glock owner know there is no safety. If god forbid I ever have to pull my weapon I do not want to be trying to rack one while I am being aproched by a bad guy swining a knife. I perfer to be ready to fire at a moments notice.

Apparently you haven't done the first thing that you should do before using any new firearm. READ THE BOOK! If you read the book that came with your Glock (if you purchased a pre-owned firearm, I STRONGLY suggest that you contact Glock to get an instruction manual), you would know that Glock pistols have not one, not two, but THREE safety features. Just because you can't see them, doesn't mean that they're not there. :icon_wink: Don't know what I'm talking about? Check out the Glock website: Link Removed

The Glock pistol is very safe, and as with any handgun carried for personal protection, you should have a round chambered.


gf

 

[IAMBATMAN]

Chambered

Sorry guys. Sorry Glock fan I ment to say thumb seftey. I did buy the glock brand new and I forgot to mention the the safe fire actions on the Glock.

 

[calccw03]

A wise man once told me that a gun without a round in the chamber is merely an ammo storage device.

 

[JBB]

"If some you approching weelding a knife it takes 7 sec and 10 ft for you to get hit by the knife."

I just read the article yesterday and can't recall the source, but it has been demonstrated that a healthy human adversary can cover a 21 foot distance in 1.5 seconds. You need to be able to draw, aim, and fire in 1.5 seconds or less. Not much time to fool around chambering a round.