To Chamber or Not to Chamber?
- Thread starter Socket
- Start date
Springer M-14
New member
I would carry your pistol with a round chambered, and revolvers should be fully loaded also. But you should carry based on your comfort level. If you are not comfortable carrying with a loaded chamber, then don't.
When we are put into a life threatening situations, we need to get our gun on target fast. You will be giving your threat several seconds while you try and chamber a round, all while under the fight or flight response. The first shot that is fired from your threats gun could hit you in the shoulder or arm. Now you're going to have to chamber a round and fight with a wounded shoulder or arm that may or may not be of any use to you.
Carrying without a round chambered also deprives themselves of that precious round. Not having it may come back to bite you later on. I think that if a person is confident in carrying in condition one then they need to do so. Get yourself a nice holster that covers the trigger, and practice good trigger finger discipline and the chances of an ND are very small.
When we are put into a life threatening situations, we need to get our gun on target fast. You will be giving your threat several seconds while you try and chamber a round, all while under the fight or flight response. The first shot that is fired from your threats gun could hit you in the shoulder or arm. Now you're going to have to chamber a round and fight with a wounded shoulder or arm that may or may not be of any use to you.
Carrying without a round chambered also deprives themselves of that precious round. Not having it may come back to bite you later on. I think that if a person is confident in carrying in condition one then they need to do so. Get yourself a nice holster that covers the trigger, and practice good trigger finger discipline and the chances of an ND are very small.
Retired Grunt
New member
+1 my colt is condition one
WiFiNetGuy
New member
I know that's true. But I still carry my XD40SC with an empty chamber. With no outside safety I'm still a little leery of the ND. Even though I KNOW not to put the "booger picker on the bang button" as RevJimII colorfully pointed out. I'm hopeful to get over that and carry it condition 1.
Just got a 9 for Christmas. I have been carrying a snub nosed for the last year and a half. First time out, racked one in the chamber and off I went. I agree it should be based on your comfort level, but if I need it, I want it ready to go.
The main thing is--carry it if you got it!
The main thing is--carry it if you got it!
Tucker's Mom
New member
I'm still on training wheels, but I have one chambered in -- especially when my husband is not home.
Hey Y'all: Everyone talks about comfort level and that is a consideration. Really should come down to trigger pull and/or safety lock. I carry a kel tec P3AT in my pocket fully loaded. It has no safety but the trigger pull is substantial and even though someone can always argue a "what if", I find it 100% impossible for me to somehow have that trigger do its thing all by its lonesome so I guess that gets me back to "comfort level" in all the other replies.
PS: Hey Tucke's Mom: If I ever run into you, remind me to refer to you as maam and be a cordial and respectful old southern genteman. You sure sound like you belong in this forum with mostly us guys. Interestingly, the best shooting I ever saw at a range was a mom and daughter duo who pulled out the darn biggest revolvers and at a significant distance did a job on the head and the heart mass of the paper target. You gals are something to fear and know how to take care of yourselves.Say hello to Tucker.
PS: Hey Tucke's Mom: If I ever run into you, remind me to refer to you as maam and be a cordial and respectful old southern genteman. You sure sound like you belong in this forum with mostly us guys. Interestingly, the best shooting I ever saw at a range was a mom and daughter duo who pulled out the darn biggest revolvers and at a significant distance did a job on the head and the heart mass of the paper target. You gals are something to fear and know how to take care of yourselves.Say hello to Tucker.
2beararms
New member
Always one in the chamber because I already have a hammer and don't need another one.
As to no safety, all of my holsters cover the trigger so nothing can ("should be able to") get caught on it and with my revolver the trigger is exposed but the holster stops the cylinder from turning which stops the mechanism from cycling (I do not carry hammer back). I trust these more than I trust a safety which I have to remember.
As to no safety, all of my holsters cover the trigger so nothing can ("should be able to") get caught on it and with my revolver the trigger is exposed but the holster stops the cylinder from turning which stops the mechanism from cycling (I do not carry hammer back). I trust these more than I trust a safety which I have to remember.
HK4U
New member
No real disadvantage with one chambered if you know and practice the four rules of gun safety and are familiar with your firearm. A big disadvantage in not having one in the chamber though. If confronted with a deadly encounter you are already way behind the curve. The extra time it takes to rack the slide may be the difference between you going home to your family or your family having to pay for a funeral. Also practice racking the slide with one hand tied behind you. Then tell me how easy it will be in a stress situation if you have an injured hand. Also all my automatics except one have no external safety. Don't need em don't want em.
Red Hat
New member
This subject has been beat to death on this site and others. If you are not comfortable carrying one in the chamber just make sure you practice, practice and practice drawing and chambering a round. Remember that with an idrealin rush you may not get one chambered the first time. What worries me about carrying with the chamber empty is everyone has had the problem of the first round not chambering correctly when loading a pistol. I know that this has happened to everyone that fires a lot. All you need is that to happen when it's a life or death situation! The ideal way to carry is one in the chamber...no ifs, ands, or buts!
ClearSightTactical
New member
To Chamber or Not to Chamber...
First and foremost- It is going to come down to your preference. All the forum debate will likely not influence you in one way or another. You've likely already made up your mind.
That being said, you should know the pros/cons of both prior to carrying in any way:
If you have the willpower and motivation to train in the Isralei method more power to you. When deployed successfully it is very fast and accurate. Like this guy:
YouTube- Israeli Instinctive Shooting 1
If you don't train train train you get this:
First and foremost- It is going to come down to your preference. All the forum debate will likely not influence you in one way or another. You've likely already made up your mind.
That being said, you should know the pros/cons of both prior to carrying in any way:
If you have the willpower and motivation to train in the Isralei method more power to you. When deployed successfully it is very fast and accurate. Like this guy:
YouTube- Israeli Instinctive Shooting 1
If you don't train train train you get this:
Tucker's Mom
New member
I like a bit of bantering here and there so you really do not have to careful of me. I can hold my own...
leasantry:My guys were the ones who tripped me into guns so I am more comfortable with them than women. Thanks for the compliments. Just like you men, if you do not practice often then knowledge get a little bit behind. I shoot and read everyday...Tucker said "Woof!!" so I guess that may mean "Hello!" :biggrin:marionandjohn
New member
I was the same way unsure of how to carry. However my first carry gun was a XD40. I was not comfortable at first with on in the chamber so is what I did to convice myself was cock but not chamber it. When I got home at night and took it off I saw it was still cocked err go no trigger pull. I then bought a SW99 and utilize the decocker on it and I now only carry chambered no matter what gun or how I am carring its hot and ready to go if I need it. As for trying to rack one with only one arm I have practiced it and the way I let the rear sights grab my belt edge (dont work on those fancy looking ramp type sights) you will find if there is a will there is a way but practice practice practice (how you carry) training is always key.
HK4U
New member
I agree that a the slide can be racked without the use of the other hand and practice doing so is a good idea because you never know what will happen. Still I would rather not have to resort to doing it if I can avoid it.
Thanks to everybody that replied...here is my thought process...I can carry my gun unloaded everyday and with practice, un-holster, put one in the chamber on the way to ready, all in one quick motion. But there is a chance of error it will not chamber. The other option is always have one chambered, which obviously makes it hot 100% of the time. So going from 0% chance of accidental discharge to .0001% - 100%, is the ultimate issue. I would assume that there are far more injuries or deaths due to "hot" guns accidentally discharging then using them in a justified situation.
ClearSightTactical
New member
Sounds like the official mantra of the Brady campaign
leasantry:Having the gun fully loaded (one in chamber) vs. half loaded (mag in/none in chamber) does not make the weapon any more dangerous or any safer.
"Safety is something that happens between your ears" not in your hands." - Jeff Cooper
Many of us here have carried fully loaded weapons for years without incident. You need to pay attention to what you're doing, and give the weapon the respect it deserves. Follow all of the safety rules. Do that and you'll have no problems.
HK4U
New member
Sounds like the official mantra of the Brady campaign
Having the gun fully loaded (one in chamber) vs. half loaded (mag in/none in chamber) does not make the weapon any more dangerous or any safer.
"Safety is something that happens between your ears" not in your hands." - Jeff Cooper
Many of us here have carried fully loaded weapons for years without incident. You need to pay attention to what you're doing, and give the weapon the respect it deserves. Follow all of the safety rules. Do that and you'll have no problems.
+1. I agree.
One in the chamber:
Pros:
You will survive a real-life emergency event.
You might save another life.
Cons
only if you are a careless idiot)You might accidentally discharge your weapon when you do not want to.
Chamber clear:
Pros:
You will get you watch the scenery while you are attacked.
Cons:
Proper end up dead or end up the victim of another crime.
I caught a fellow LEO that refused to chamber a round when on-duty and it took me shaming him, in public, before he would change his ways. It was an extreme danger and one that might have ended up costing him his life. It is beyond dumb to not chamber a round whether at home or out in the public.
You should always treat a weapon as if it has a round chambered. If you do this, then you should never run into accidental discharges. You always keep a firearm pointed away from people(except when you are defending against attacks from said person), you never place your finger in the trigger guard...well, you just need to look up and study firearm safety, if you do not already know this stuff.
Whether a person chambers a round or not is their choice, but I suggest that those who choose not to chamber a round not carry a firearm. In the end, it will end up being your firearm that is taken from you and either used against you and/or used against another person.
EDIT
Just to add:
I carry a Glock 23 with three 13 round magazines and one in the chamber. I have carried this Glock for 6+ years without any accidential discharges. I have carried a firearm since I was 19(when I entered into law enforcement) and I have always chambered a round without accidental discharges or other unintended incidents.
New Threads
-
-
-
-
-
Welcome to the CCX2 Podcast Forum: A Place to Discuss Show Topics and Connect with Fellow Listeners
- Started by lukem
- Replies: 0
