Author Topic: One is the chamber or not ???  (Read 8250 times)

Wire Paladin

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One is the chamber or not ???
« on: May 08, 2017, 08:53:04 PM »
There are many videos on youtube concerning whether or not to keep a round in the chamber while carrying a semi-auto.. The simple answer... carry a revolver... but since semi-autos became so popular virtually making revolver carry obsolete the trend makes for a tough decision as to which type to carry and in what state of readiness to keep it in. Granted, 2 hands are needed to chamber a round with a semi-auto whereas such is likely to be not possible in a crisis situation. Year's and forever can go by without being in a crisis... I admit I'm " on edge " with one in the pipe all the time with my semi-auto but not so with my revolver.

With the firing pin under spring pressure and one in the chamber it's like walking on eggshells... I have better thing's to think about than drawing and accidently firing all the while with my auto on my person... I kind of compare this method to be equivalent to carrying my revolver cocked... which I would never do !

Okay, do you think permit holder's are carrying a full or near full magazine with 2 loaded extra mag's for safety or for ego... expecting to encounter a Zombie Apocalypse
along the way ?  Or does carrying with one in the pipe and 43 rounds give a sense of security ? Or could this be a Hollywood movie induced idea that a round always in the chamber and many spare bullets mean surviving an hour long ( exaggerated ) shout out ? Tough call for me... how about you ?



SturmRugerSR9

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Re: One is the chamber or not ???
« Reply #1 on: May 08, 2017, 10:41:02 PM »
Carrying any gun with a exposed hammer can be asking for a round through your leg or foot.
I do not have an exposed hammer on my pistol and carry a round in the chamber all the time. It also has a piece that pops up to remind you there is a chambered round. I carry a Ruger SR9, of course.
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AudiQ

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Re: One is the chamber or not ???
« Reply #2 on: May 08, 2017, 11:01:05 PM »
+1 in the chamber for me with or without a manual safety. And always in a quality holster that covers the trigger and can't deform to catch the trigger by accident. Most of my holsters are model specific.
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Lumspond

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Re: One is the chamber or not ???
« Reply #3 on: May 08, 2017, 11:32:17 PM »
I always carry with one in the chamber, and the hammer down. With the advent of the hammer block safety, I'm more concerned about a quality holster that keeps the trigger covered. I like pistols with no external safety, and prefer decocking levers. Why I love the P226.
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oldgraygeek

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Re: One is the chamber or not ???
« Reply #4 on: May 09, 2017, 12:28:16 AM »
I carry a Glock with one in the chamber.
There is always the possibility that you will only have one hand available to work your firearm: you might need the other hand to hold off an attacker or hold a door closed while you draw, you might be driving at high speed trying to evade the dangerous situation, or you might be injured. You can't count on having both hands to work with.
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Cbmarine

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Re: One is the chamber or not ???
« Reply #5 on: May 09, 2017, 01:51:08 AM »
...
With the firing pin under spring pressure and one in the chamber it's like walking on eggshells...
Suggest that you review the safeties built into your semi-auto.  Glock has three including the firing pin safety that requires the trigger to be pressed. A good way to get comfortable with Condition 1 (chamber loaded with safety engaged) is to carry cocked but with chamber empty for several days. If at the end of each day, the weapon is still cocked, you should feel safe.

Quote
I have better thing's to think about than drawing and accidently firing all the while with my auto on my person...
Spend time practicing your drawstroke. Pay attention to when your finger first touches the trigger.

Quote
Okay, do you think permit holder's are carrying a full or near full magazine with 2 loaded extra mag's for safety or for ego...
Hopefully no one on this forum carries to bolster their ego. Each of us should carry for the reasons eloquently expressed in Lt Col David Grossman's On Sheep, Wolves and Sheepdogs

 Regarding spare ammo, I'd rather shlepp a few extra ounces to avoid running short. It's a balance between probability and negative impact.
« Last Edit: May 09, 2017, 01:58:04 AM by Cbmarine »
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topper

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Re: One is the chamber or not ???
« Reply #6 on: May 09, 2017, 11:50:21 AM »
I carry a Glock with one in the chamber.
There is always the possibility that you will only have one hand available to work your firearm: you might need the other hand to hold off an attacker or hold a door closed while you draw, you might be driving at high speed trying to evade the dangerous situation, or you might be injured. You can't count on having both hands to work with.

I also carry a Glock with one in the chamber for similar reasons as oldgraygeek.
When I started carrying, my wife nervously asked if I had one in the chamber. I said yes. She asked if that wasn't dangerous. So I told her to hold a hand out like it was a gun. Then I held up my other hand like I was attacking her with a knife, and I told her to grab my attacking hand. I then asked her with one hand holding the attacker's knife hand, and the gun in her other hand, how would she chamber a round to shoot. She agreed with me and never asked again.

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Radnor

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Re: One is the chamber or not ???
« Reply #7 on: May 09, 2017, 12:22:02 PM »
I have better thing's to think about than drawing and accidently firing all the while with my auto on my person...
Spend time practicing your drawstroke. Pay attention to when your finger first touches the trigger.
When your gun is ON TARGET!  Your ammo comes packaged with an attorney attached to every bullet.

Regarding spare ammo, I'd rather shlepp a few extra ounces to avoid running short. It's a balance between probability and negative impact.

Don't think anyone will complain they had too much ammo in a fire fight!  
https://www.policeone.com/police-heroes/articles/6199620-Why-one-cop-carries-145-rounds-of-ammo-on-the-job/



I suggest EVERYONE here practice occasionally with their carry ammo.  Yes, it's expensive but, I'd like to KNOW my gun will function just fine with it.
There was a guy at action pistol last night using old hydrashoks.  Worked fine out of one mag, jammed every time in his spare mag he carried.
Yes, it is expensive but alot cheaper than medical or funeral costs....  .02
« Last Edit: May 09, 2017, 01:07:06 PM by Radnor »
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topper

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Re: One is the chamber or not ???
« Reply #8 on: May 09, 2017, 12:23:18 PM »
Here are a compilation of videos of some examples.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVPiic-ELoM
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PPScarry

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Re: One is the chamber or not ???
« Reply #9 on: May 09, 2017, 01:34:46 PM »
Great point Radnor. I practiced with my carry ammo with success (PPS). The Glock 42 is ammo specific like a few other pistols and can be picky especially concerning hollow points. It would be a fatal mistake not to practice with your carry ammo.

I always carry with one in the chamber whether it's my Walther PPS or my Glock 43.
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MarkB

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Re: One is the chamber or not ???
« Reply #10 on: May 09, 2017, 02:12:58 PM »
I carry a Springfield XD-S in 9mm and .45 Auto.  The pistol has both a trigger safety and a grip safety that have to be pressed in for the pistol to fire.  I carry with a round in the chamber for all of the above reasons.
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MarcWinkman

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Re: One is the chamber or not ???
« Reply #11 on: May 09, 2017, 03:32:55 PM »
I carry a Sig P229 with a round chambered and a full magazine (total of 16 rounds).  I also carry two spare 15 magazines on my reaction side.  The spare magazines are more for the off chance that the gun has a malfunction of some sort requiring a new source of ammunition than my thinking that I'll need all 46 rounds.  This pistol is carried with the hammer down and I have no concerns with the gun going off without the trigger being purposefully pulled.  To alleviate any concern of the trigger being pressed while the gun is carried, a good holster that fully covers the trigger guard is the solution. 

Radnor

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Re: One is the chamber or not ???
« Reply #12 on: May 09, 2017, 04:06:09 PM »
I carry a Sig P229 with a round chambered and a full magazine (total of 16 rounds).  I also carry two spare 15 magazines on my reaction side.  The spare magazines are more for the off chance that the gun has a malfunction of some sort requiring a new source of ammunition than my thinking that I'll need all 46 rounds.  This pistol is carried with the hammer down and I have no concerns with the gun going off without the trigger being purposefully pulled.  To alleviate any concern of the trigger being pressed while the gun is carried, a good holster that fully covers the trigger guard is the solution. 

And... There IS the answer!

Remember tap THEN rack!  You will not believe how many reverse the order when we practice malfunction drills at action pistol.
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MarcWinkman

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Re: One is the chamber or not ???
« Reply #13 on: May 10, 2017, 12:13:21 AM »
I carry a Sig P229 with a round chambered and a full magazine (total of 16 rounds).  I also carry two spare 15 magazines on my reaction side.  The spare magazines are more for the off chance that the gun has a malfunction of some sort requiring a new source of ammunition than my thinking that I'll need all 46 rounds.  This pistol is carried with the hammer down and I have no concerns with the gun going off without the trigger being purposefully pulled.  To alleviate any concern of the trigger being pressed while the gun is carried, a good holster that fully covers the trigger guard is the solution. 

And... There IS the answer!

Remember tap THEN rack!  You will not believe how many reverse the order when we practice malfunction drills at action pistol.

This is one of those wonderful things that you can utilize your dry practice for.  I do this a few minutes every couple of days. 

greymas

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Re: One is the chamber or not ???
« Reply #14 on: May 10, 2017, 02:41:02 AM »
I always have a round in chamber. I switched to an appendix carry holster with a P229 DA/SA. The DA on the first round gives me piece of mind with the loaded gun pointing at the vitals. My mags for the P229 holds 15, but due to tight spring I've found that 15+1 often causes a failure to cycle fully so I carry 14 in the mag 1 in the chamber.

 I like my G19 but choose to carry IWB at about 3 o'clock position when I carry it. Like others have mentioned an extra mag is for malfunction. I haven't found a mag holder that I feel conceals a double stack mag good enough yet, but still looking.