Chamber empty or one in?

[Guest carbonarcher]

Looking for advice here,

How do you all carry your pistol?

Do you carry with one in the chamber, or full mag. and empty chamber?

Thanks

[JC57]

Full mag, one in the chamber. For revolvers, six in the chambers.

[bubbadavis]

I always carry with one in the chamber.

[Guest CJK]

Round in the chamber, cocked and locked. (EDC is a 4" 1911)

[Curiousgb]

Cocked and Locked.

[aquaman67]

One in the pipe, always.

If you have a smart phone, surefire has a shot timer app.

Time yourself drawing, pulling back the slide, aiming, then firing.

Now time yourself drawing, aiming and firing.

That extra time could be valuable.

[Kelemvor]

I carry CZ75BD at half-cock with a round in the chamber. Best way to carry if you ask me.

One in the pipe, always.

If you have a smart phone, surefire has a shot timer app.

Time yourself drawing, pulling back the slide, aiming, then firing.

Now time yourself drawing, aiming and firing.

That extra time could be valuable.

Man, I just looked for this app and I couldn't find it. I wanna try this crap.

[peejman]

Cocked and locked, is there any other way?

If you don't have a round in the chamber, you may as well carry a stick.

[DavidD]

Unless you are a movie/tv actor, one in the chamber is the only way to go IMHO.

Man, I just looked for this app and I couldn't find it. I wanna try this crap.

Try searching for Surefire

[JayC]

1 round in the chamber, and a full magazine... If you need to use it, chances are you'll wish you had a round in the chamber already.

[bockey]

Cocked and locked, is there any other way?

If you don't have a round in the chamber, you may as well carry a stick.

[dats82]

One in the chamber and ready to go. I talked with a guy recently about this, and he does not carry with one in the chamber. I asked what would happen if somehow he only had one hand to work the weapon. He was carrying a sig and told me that he got attacked by a dog one day and had to rack it with his mouth. I am not sure this is entirely possible, but if it were, you would think that would have taught him something. Apparently it didn't, because he still carries with an empty chamber. I have always heard smart people learn from their mistakes, but a real smart person learns from others mistakes. Which group would you like to be in?

[Defender]

One in the chamber and ready to go. I talked with a guy recently about this, and he does not carry with one in the chamber. I asked what would happen if somehow he only had one hand to work the weapon. He was carrying a sig and told me that he got attacked by a dog one day and had to rack it with his mouth. I am not sure this is entirely possible, but if it were, you would think that would have taught him something. Apparently it didn't, because he still carries with an empty chamber. I have always heard smart people learn from their mistakes, but a real smart person learns from others mistakes. Which group would you like to be in?

Somewhere I saw a video recently of a guy racking the slide while using only one hand. Can't remember the type of gun or how he did it. Me? I put the mag in, chamber a round, take the mag out and add another round to it then reinsert it in the gun. I usually then carry my FNP-45 decocked and on safe, and fire the first round double action with subsequent ones single action. I can, howevver, also carry it cocked & locked, and on safe.

I like handgun safeties. I have read many times where a BG managed to get an officers gun away in a struggle, then tried to shoot the officer with it and when it wouldnt fire, wasted a few precious seconds trying to figure it out which gave the officer time to recover and use a backup or otherwise disarm the perp.

[Punisher84]

Cocked, locked, and ready to rock. Take your lessons from the people who fight, train, and carry a weapon every day. Ask any police officer if they carry with an empty chamber.

[hipower]

1 round in the chamber, and a full magazine... If you need to use it, chances are you'll wish you had a round in the chamber already.

The only way to travel.

[DWARREN123]

I nowadays carry either a Glock 22 or 20SF. I always have one in the chamber and a good holster that covers the trigger.

[M1_Garand]

Full mag, one in the chamber. I briefly carried with the chamber empty when I first started, but as I gained confidence in my equipment, I started carrying chambered. That extra time might just make the difference if something happens.

[Kelemvor]

Unless you are a movie/tv actor, one in the chamber is the only way to go IMHO.

Try searching for Surefire

Awww, it's only for iPhone....

[memphismason]

Full Mag and one in the chamber, on a Glock model 30, .45acp, tucked in a custom made IWB holster.

An unloaded gun is not my idea of being protected.

[mdmoseley]

You know what a gun without a round in the chamber is??

A paper weight.

[macville]

Unless you are a movie/tv actor, one in the chamber is the only way to go IMHO.

Man, you are so right. I can't stand how every show HAS to show racking the slide to show "we mean business" I especially hate it when they show LEO's doing it.

Personally, I believe that chambered is the only way to carry. It already takes a second to get your firearm out to start with, why waste another second chambering a round (if it doesn't jam while trying to chamber.) If you are worried about carrying a gun with no safety (glock, XD, etc.) then buy something like an M&P with a decocker and safety. That is extremely safe because like the glock, they have drop safeties, plus they aren't cocked so there is no way for them to go off even if that does fail.

Another solution would be having the chambered round be a blank. If you ever fire it accidentally, there is little chance of hurting yourself or someone else, and it will cycle the slide to load a live round. Plus, it would be much faster than racking the slide.

But just know that modern firearms do not go off by themselves. Because of drop safeties, then physically can not go off without pulling the trigger.

Matthew

[Punisher84]

Man, you are so right. I can't stand how every show HAS to show racking the slide to show "we mean business" I especially hate it when they show LEO's doing it.

Personally, I believe that chambered is the only way to carry. It already takes a second to get your firearm out to start with, why waste another second chambering a round (if it doesn't jam while trying to chamber.) If you are worried about carrying a gun with no safety (glock, XD, etc.) then buy something like an M&P with a decocker and safety. That is extremely safe because like the glock, they have drop safeties, plus they aren't cocked so there is no way for them to go off even if that does fail.

Another solution would be having the chambered round be a blank. If you ever fire it accidentally, there is little chance of hurting yourself or someone else, and it will cycle the slide to load a live round. Plus, it would be much faster than racking the slide.

But just know that modern firearms do not go off by themselves. Because of drop safeties, then physically can not go off without pulling the trigger.

Matthew

I'm not a 100% on this, but I don't believe a blank will cycle a real weapon. It has to be modified. At any rate that's just a really bad idea.

[Glock30]

Full 10 round magazine plus one in the tube in a G30. If you are unwilling to carry a chambered weapon, leave it at home.

The time it takes to chamber your weapon causes you to lose the element of surprise, valuable time, and quite possibly the first shot.

[Guest Jamie]

Y'all know the difference between a stick, a paperweight, and a gun with no round in the chamber?

The stick and the paperweight are still useful.

[Guest CJK]

The stick and the paperweight are still useful.