Would you carry concealed, but not chambered???

[71Commander]

If I don't have one up the pipe then that means I just cleaned it and have not loaded it yet. I don't want to go to jail for something stoopid. If I thought that it was unsafe to carry C&L, and an AD would shoot some MMM'er at a donut stand, sending me to jail, then I would only carry a wheel gun. My SA is C&L and my DA is hammer down, 1 in the tube.

Just wondering. To all who think it's dangerious to carry C&L, do you have an empty chamber under the hammer on a wheel gun ? Making a 5 shot S&W a 4 shot.

 

[cratz2]

I think the mention of racking the slide being agressive has been slightly taken out of context in which it was meant... The idea being that a shooter with a loaded (in the chamber) gun can potentially draw his gun in a stealthy manner to be extremely prepared while a person that does not carry with a round in the chamber needs to draw and then rack the slide in order to be extremely prepared.

Don't know about you but in a relatively quiet parking lot or store, if someone is within 20 feet of me and racks the slide on a pistol, I can hear it and I might be put on the defense because of it.

Or put another way... to all of those of you that do carry, would you be more put on the defensive with someone holding one hand not visible to you or with someone drawing a 1911 and racking the slide then holding that hand in a manner not visible to you?

Yes, drawing a weapon is an agressive movement. And racking a slide (or cocking a hammer or pumping a shotgun) is an agressive movement. If there is a round in the chamber, there is slightly more versatility to the use or readiness of that gun than if a round is not chambered while concealed.

 

[shooter1]

One in the chamber? Wouldn't leave home without it!!
Will

 

[freewheeling]

Carry condition & culture.

I'm about to take the step of concealed carry myself, and have noticed that in the US about 99% of people (actually 90% on this thread) will advise carrying in condition 1 or 2 (C&L or hammer down with one in the chamber). I read a thread recently, however (and can't recall where it was, but might have been on Usenet), where an Israeli made the point that virtually all Isrealis carry in condition 3 (no round in the pipe, but with a loaded magazine) because that's what they learned in the service. There was a rational reason for carrying this way in the service, but for the life of me I can't recall what it was. Someone more familiar with Israel could probably supply the rationale.

Come to think of it, I believe it was in a thread on the CZ forum. I'll see if I can find it.

 

[McNutt]

In my opinion if you aren't comfortable enough with your gun to carry it loaded then you shouldn't carry that gun. Some people might be a little nervous with a cocked and locked 1911. Those people should find another gun to carry. I don't agree with the attitude that you should carry it however you feel comfortable carrying it. Guns are not to be carried just to give somebody some confidence. They are there to save your life and should be carried in a manner that makes saving your life the easiest - loaded.

 

[dave3006]

I think many people overestimate their ability to draw their gun if they are under a fist, knife, or gun attack. For example, if someone is stabbing you when you realize you are under attack, your attempt to draw will only get you more stabbed. Same for a gun, more shot.

 

[LoneWulf]

If you are not comfortable with a loaded gun, then you probably shouldn't be carrying one.

 

[dave3006]

I am not comfortable with a Glock in condition 1 in a Smartcarry holster. Your comment is ridiculous. I have been shooting all my life. During my CCW class, my groups size and times were better than everyone else in the entire class. I would even have been confident to match my skills versus every one of the instructors. Loaded guns near my privates in a deep concealment rig is not smart.

 

[Cosmoline]

With DA/SA autos, yes. With SA no because I dislike safeties and do not ues them unless clearing a jam ejecting a live round.

 

[LoneWulf]

Post removed. Comments were uncalled for.

 

[Luis Leon]

unchambered = unloaded = unready

I personally wouldn't carry my gun without a round in the chamber. I can't imagine myself saying... wait a minute Mr. Badguy while I rack my slide and fumble a bit. While I don't expect to have to use my gun in a SD situation, I want to be as ready as possible.

If you are carrying concealed and TSHTF you better be able to bring your weapon into instant play, without worrying about loading a round, undoing a safety, etc.

Regards,

Luis Leon

 

[rbernie]

Weapons on my person are carried with a round in the chamber. Weapons about my person (e.g. briefcase, desk, glovebox) are carried with a full mag but no round chambered.

 

[PawDaddy]

I always carry with a round chambered or a full cylinder depending on whether I' carrying a revolver or pistol. All of the pistols that I have ever owned for concealed carry have been double action. These were/are carried with round chambered, hammer down, safety off. when applicable.

I mostly carry a .38 now so it is not really an issue. But, I am looking for a small auto for summer carry or when clothes dictate what I can carry. It will be a double action or DAO auto. And it will be carried with a round in the chamber. I do not knock anyone for carrying any way they feel comfortable with, but for me, I want all the edge that I can get in case I am ever in a situation where I have to draw and fire my gun.

 

[tc300mag1]

Round Chambered no tiem to try to chamber it when SHTF in a mugging or carjacking etc etc

 

[Jay Kominek]

I'll admit to carrying my XD-9 without one in the chamber, and further admit that I should have one in the chamber, and that there is very little reason for me not to have one in the chamber. But I'm still trying to get used to carrying a concealed handgun, and having one in the chamber makes me that much more nervous. I fully intend to work myself up to it, after I take one more training class (end of the month). (I admit, there isn't a whole lot of rationality behind that, either. Oh well.)

If I had night sights on my SIG, I'd be comfortable carrying one in the chamber, but decocked, right now.

 

[Carbonator]

Too many variables to make an accurate assessment.

Seriously, both methods have advantages and disadvantages, and neither is right for everyone. Carry which ever way makes you feel safer. Isn't that the whole point of carrying?

 

[M2 Carbine]

Kimber, C&L

Kel Tec 3AT, loaded chamber

 

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

I keep one in the chamber, but my daily carry is a Sig. I'm warming back up to the idea of getting a 1911 once again for occasional carry and I'm becoming more confident about carrying it cocked and locked when I obtain one. My BHP...well, I just really don't trust it in condition 1....but that's my shortcoming.

Regards,
Rabbit.

 

[Marshall]

It's not like a DA revolver, where you can just pull the trigger once and chamber a round. I would say, one in the pipe is a must.

With the gun unloaded, cock it and put it on saftey. Try to get it fire every way you can without taking it off safety. I bet you will feel safer about having one in the chamber afterwards.

 

[WonderNine]

I carry unchambered alot of times. I don't think it's any worse than the guys who carry chambered all the time and then manage to get themselves caught in "condition white".

 

[klover]

I have a sw 459. Would the seniors suggest cocked and locked with one in the chamber, or simply hammer down with safety off with one in the chamber? Could a sharp blow to the hammer in the hammer down mode cause a discharge? I know there's a recall on this gun for 1/2 cocked being unsafe. They said send it in for free or just don't 1/2 cock the thing.

 

[ny32182]

The following is all personal preference of course:

I don't feel comfortable carrying a gun on my person without a round in the chamber. I wouldn't feel comfortable carrying a Glock or 1911 with a round in the chamber. So, I wouldn't personally carry either of those at all.

The reasons are as follows: Just about any self defense situation I can dream up is at contact distance. In that case, I'm going to want one arm free to defend/otherwise hold the attacker at arms length while I draw with the other. At no point do I envision having the time or physical space to be racking a round into the chamber or fumbling with safeties. This is, of course, the worst case senario... but I also see it as the most likely to occur, and I certainly want to feel as ready as possible for it.

Give me a Sig P series, chambered and decocked, any day of the week. Top quality gun, no safeties, and the first pull is adequately long and hard enough so that I can hardly imagine a situation in which an AD could occur. I'd feel perfectly comfortable carrying a 226 chambered/decocked in any fashion. IWB, shoulder, smartcarry... just about anything.

 

[WonderNine]

As ttbadboy said, and I agree, I believe it's a comfort issue more than anything. I'm more comfortable not having a round in the chamber alot of times while he's more comfortable with one in there. Of course to me it also depends on the gun, but mostly just my mood. I've been carrying my .32ACP pocket gun chambered for the past month or so. I wish I had two full sized carry guns, I'd take one for the times I feel like carrying unchambered (most of the time) and the other for times when I want to go cocked and locked. <---- Yes I realize I'm a nutball

I think if I have less than a second to respond then I'm probably pretty close and would want to get physical anyways rather than try to pull a C&L gun while the other guy drop kicks you in the nuts or stabs you in the chest.

But then the multiple attacker issue comes up. Oh well, I'll just do my best Bruce Lee moves.

 

[Alan Fud]

Depends on the gun. If it has a manual safety such as a S&W, Beretta, 1911, etc.; or something with a heavy trigger pull like a DA revolver, then I have no problem carrying one in the pipe. If it's something with a light trigger pull, then I would feel uncomfortable carrying it with a round in the chamber.

However, as has already been pointed out, it is unwise to carry a gun without a round chambered. Suppose you are jumped and can not get both hands free to rack the slide?

It is for that reason that I sold my MK9 and no longer own guns which I feel uncomfortable about carrying with one in the pipe in.

 

[glocksman]

I wouldn't carry my disposable (a free new Bryco .380) gun with a round chambered on a bet.
I leave it in the center console of my car, with 5 rounds in the magazine and an empty chamber, along with the spare magazine.

It's my car pistol. If it gets stolen, I'm not out any money.


I carry my Glock with a round chambered, but only in a proper holster.
I don't carry my 4506, but I would have no problems carrying it chambered as well.