Do you carry your firearm with one in the chamber?

[Guest KCampbell]

If one's not chambered the gun's not loaded IMO. I don't train like the Israelis so it's not natural to me to rack the slide in a panic situation. If my pistol is unloaded [empty chamber] it's not in my holster 'cause I ain't carrying it. If a person is so paranoid OR [more to the point] so unsure of his/her ability to maintain control over the weapon then perhaps that person needs to reevaluate their decision to carry in the first place.

I couldnt agree more,If your competent then your confident.Not having a round in chamber is a self imposed deficit imo.

[East_TN_Patriot]

Any law enforcement officers or lawyers wanna answer this one?

As a former LEO, an officer can run serial numbers on anything as long as they are legally able to access the serial number. If you provide the firearm to the officer, it's perfectly legal for them to run it. It's much like running license plates on vehicles in traffic, or VIN numbers on cars in parking lots. I always did it, but on thinking back, I don't really know why I would run the gun serial number over any other piece of property. It's that magical power of the gun that automatically ties it to criminal behavior in our popular culture I suppose, and I have always been a pro-gun guy, even in the days when most cops were not.

[East_TN_Patriot]

Disarming the citizen who is carrying legally is nothing more than a show of power. Has nothing to do with safety of the officer.

To you or me, yes, but to most officers, they do view it as an officer safety issue. The police are trained to treat every person they encounter as a potential hostile threat. Academic researchers have coined this the "symbolic assailant". The officer comes to see anyone as a threat. Right or wrong, that's the perception within law enforcement.

[cgun86]

[quote name='Hoky_Tonk69' timestamp='1347987152' post='816570']
Whilst travelling to Springfield TN, I had an interesting talk with a county LEO. He politely asked me "Do you have a round chambered?" I said "yes sir, I do. And also have my carry permit." Then the LEO told me something a little disturbing... Now, whether he was BSing me, I've no clue.... He told me that he could arrest me for having one in the chamber and asked me to return to my vehicle and unload my firearm... Yeah, I did as he asked since he was so nice about it but felt a little angry at this. I did not want to cause a scene, nor did I want confrontation privately between the officer and myself.
[/quote]

Haha, you should have just replied, "Yeah, don't you?!?"

[xRUSTYx]

LCP/LCR/Boberg -- Always ready to go

[Guest 6.8 AR]

To you or me, yes, but to most officers, they do view it as an officer safety issue. The police are trained to treat every person they encounter as a potential hostile threat. Academic researchers have coined this the "symbolic assailant". The officer comes to see anyone as a threat. Right or wrong, that's the perception within law enforcement.

I can't say that I blame them, either. It has to be the most tense part of their job, one where the wrong person being stopped could end his day

prematurely. There are several thing people being stopped can do to make their stop painless. Most of it is common sense. Giving the cop no

reason to turn Dirty Harry is the first one, being polite is a good follow up. The few times I have been pulled over, usually being something like

brake lights or similar, I just coast to a stop, in plain sight, put my arms somewhere that he can see no threat, and always say something like

"what did I do" politely, of course. Never had a bad conversation with any cop. Never been disarmed, and the last three stops, didn't get a ticket.

No point in a conflict. If he or she does something that's just plain wrong in my eyes, I plan on living to tell his super about it, but I doubt it will

happen.

 

But I certainly understand their angst, considering the overwhelming number of stupid people in society just waiting to get their ass kicked by a

cop having a bad day, already.