One in the Chamber??

[Guest LieutenantDan67]

My wife and I keep our handguns chambered. We have taught our boys (14 and 15) gun safety and they have fired our pistols at the range with us so they understand how they work.

I keep my shotgun unchambered but loaded. My handgun is on my nightstand in it's holster at bedtime. I'll always grab that first if the door is being kicked in.

[Guest GLOCKGUY]

You have to have a reasonable belief that the animal was creating an imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury. A neighbor's dog running onto your property just doesn't get you where you need to be to gun down somebody's pet.

Just saying that you were in fear of your safety won't work in most cases unless there is something more to the story.

Theirs a BIG dog running around our neighborhood that belongs to a family 4 house down from me. I've talked to them until I've turned blue in the face and they still say they don't have to chain up their dog out in the county. This dog runs around trying to fight every dog it comes close to. I was told by the Cops that if this dog comes in my yard while my dog is out on its chain and trys to hurt my dog, I have every right to put him down. He said there is a leash law in TN. He also said if my kids are out in the yard and I feel like this dog is going to try to hurt them I can put him down. Oh ya and I always have a round chambered...

[Guest SUNTZU]

I would try to arrange a sitdown and negotiate with the dog so that the grievances of both sides could be aired and all cards would be on the table. This would promote a spirit of peace and willingness to instill real change in inter-species associations throughout the global community. In this willingness of each side to lay down their respective arms...true change can be effected as ALL members of this global community come together in peace and continue down the path towards prosperity.

[Guest jackdm3]

YouTube - Peace Out

[Guest Ggun]

Seems like you had a pretty big misinterpretation of the dog's body language. It would have been sad if you had killed it.

That said, if you honestly thought it was going for you or one of your kids, you were right in pulling the trigger. I have a friend that was bitten on the hand by a cat, not a 75lb dog, and she had to have surgery and has nerve damage in that hand. If you think I'm going to let an animal attack me or anyone I love, you're wrong. Animals are dangerous. Dog bites, especially, never turn out anything less than serious.

Edit:

Always keep a round in the chamber. You never know when your offhand is going to be injured or you are just going to be too slow to react. Had that dog got your offhand and bitten the hell out of it, do you think you would have had the presence of mind to execute a one-handed chambering technique while a dog was attacking you? The same thing goes for getting shot in the arm/hand, or if a BG gets up close and personal, could you quickly and safely draw, chamber, and fire?

LOL:D It'd be hard sell to allege that you shot a cat because you were afeared for your life...

[fastbs]

I'm not gonna get into the animal behavior dispute. I'm an American Pit Bull nut and can go on and on.

If you don't have one in the chamber it can either be used as a hammer or you can throw it at the attacker. With out one in the chamber you might as well not have the mag in it either so if you don't throw it hard enough the attacker your hammer can't be used against you like a gun either.

Edited December 16, 2009 by fastbs

[Guest grimel]

Chambered (in a holster that will keep the trigger from being inadvertently activated).

That said, don't think you should be so quick to reach for your pistol next time a Lab is charging, might want to start with a kick or two first or else I'm pretty sure that'll be the last time you get to legally carry a gun, if not worse... Don't think you'll find many judges who'll consider a charging dog risk of imminent mortal danger or death and excuse you discharging a firearm, well, maybe if it's a pit-bull...

30 people a year die from dog attacks. THOUSANDS more are maimed.

[Guest Centennial]

A handgun carried for serious social purposes should be carried with a round in the chamber. Any handgun that cannot be carried in this condition should not be considered suitable for this task. All firearms safety rules still apply.

[Guest Bretticus]

I used to do one not chambered, thought like you did, but when trouble occurs, you simply do not have the advantage with having to load one into the chamber. I like semiautomatics, but there is a tradeoff. You really have to put one in the chamber for it to be effective. I have a Glock 23, a stellar gun, but unfortunately, there is no hammer and therefore no way to de-cock the weapon. I am using a Comp-Tac Minotaur holster, which is pretty good at guarding the trigger. It is a personal decision.

If it is too agonizing, perhaps a revolver would best suit you, because it is a non-issue at that point. That's my 2 cents.

[StPatrick]

I would try to arrange a sitdown and negotiate with the dog so that the grievances of both sides could be aired and all cards would be on the table. This would promote a spirit of peace and willingness to instill real change in inter-species associations throughout the global community. In this willingness of each side to lay down their respective arms...true change can be effected as ALL members of this global community come together in peace and continue down the path towards prosperity.

Sounds like somebody's been hitting their hopium stash...

[Guest SUNTZU]

Sounds like somebody's been hitting their hopium stash...

Change is gonna come...

[jughead]

anyone here ever tried to turn an angry cat loose. this old man has twice. never again. one isnt going to get near me in anger i will shoot it without a second thought.

[Guest Muttling]

LOL:D It'd be hard sell to allege that you shot a cat because you were afeared for your life...

It looked rabid to me.

[Guest wdb45]

I'm voting with the majority of CCW holders. Always carry & ALWAYS with one in the chamber.

[Guest Ae-35]

If you don't have one in the chamber, it's not loaded. A mag. is just an ammo box !!!

[Guest grimel]

I'm voting with the majority of CCW holders. Always carry & ALWAYS with one in the chamber.

I doubt the majority of HCP holders always carry.

[Guest jackdm3]

I doubt the majority of HCP holders always carry.

Never understood that. Just like my grandmother's husband, who is NOT my grandfather, that trained recruits in WWII, who saw me carrying one day and said, "You looking for trouble?" with disgust. You would think that a serious conservative Republican with a history hating and despising pretty much everyone, would believe in carrying.

[Guest jeliggett]

I'm voting with the majority of CCW holders. Always carry & ALWAYS with one in the chamber.

Please it a HCP not a CCW. Yes you can carry concealed but it is not required by law. HCP

[LngRngShtr]

Never understood that. Just like my grandmother's husband, who is NOT my grandfather, that trained recruits in WWII, who saw me carrying one day and said, "You looking for trouble?" with disgust. You would think that a serious conservative Republican with a history hating and despising pretty much everyone, would believe in carrying.

I would have lost "valuable style points" with the answer attributed to a Texas Ranger when asked that question...

His Reply: " If I was expecting trouble.....I would have brought my rifle..."

John

My Carry Guns :

Always carried, always chambered, never fired (except in practice/matches) since 1988 I am hoping for an 90 year streak on this

[Guest Bretticus]

Back to the original issue... The caveat here is if you have a semiauto with no form of safety mechanism (I can think of a gun like the Kahr PM9, for instance), if there is any reasonable chance of an accidental discharge pulling out the weapon, etc., I would say "no". I guess it all depends on your weapon, experience, and circumstances.

[Guest grimel]

Back to the original issue... The caveat here is if you have a semiauto with no form of safety mechanism (I can think of a gun like the Kahr PM9, for instance), if there is any reasonable chance of an accidental discharge pulling out the weapon, etc., I would say "no". I guess it all depends on your weapon, experience, and circumstances.

Yeah, that PM/CW9/40 is really likely to AD, just like a snub revolver or Glock.

[greenego]

I carried an SP101 revolver before a Kahr PM9. Neither have a safety. I was taught the best safety is to KEEP YOU FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER! I can still hear the instructor yelling this.