Carry with a chambered round???

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syxrpLbaEuY

 

If you want to play 'what if' with the 1st scenario above. Statistically she would be a body and the police would have a live bg to track down. There's a beut of an artery that's highly protected, except through the armpit. Unless she was stabbed in the middle of the ER and they were ready for surgery, she's in shock in 15s, and doa after 60. She's too small to hold enough blood to last much longer. But figure best case scenario, 2 minutes. Being shot in the thigh and belly, possibly disabling, probably not fatal unless he goes long term with no treatment. Odds are he's moving slower than normal, but still leaving the area.

The pelvis though, that's a great target for sd no matter the situation.

 

former law enforcement, always one in the chamber. If you are uncomfortable carrying like this should leave the gun at home.

 

Always carry with one, you'll forget to rack it most likely.

 

I'm currently in the process of getting my CCW (luckily I live in one of only two Southern Kalifornia counties that allow CCW without ridiculous hoops to jump through). When I do get it I will have one in the chamber; I have one in the chamber as it sits in my nightstand. A lot of things happen very quickly in a deadly force situation; needing to remember to rack the slide shouldn't be one. My home defense/future CCW is a XD 9, so it does have both a trigger and grip safety so that, coupled with a reliable holster, keeps my mind at ease.

 

I have to go with situational.
But I'm not LEO and I avoid dodgy areas and sketchy situations as much as possible.
For example, I don't walk into convenience stores, burger joints, etc without looking first. Avoid closing times...

Sometimes the tactical environment dictates having one in the pipe.
Sometimes not.
More than a few folks have snagged triggers busting brush, hopping walls and fences, etc.

Quite frankly, if I see a bad guy/situation, I'd prefer to shoot him in the back from a covered position rather than High Noon style...
Maybe not 'fair', but I didn't ask for a gunfight while grocery shopping.
Perp might not be alone and another cop or firearms owner might be in the crowd.

I'm long haired and freaky looking.
They might think I'm the bad 'un.

Been at least a few off-duty LEO's caught up in robberies, taking proper action, only to be then shot by responding officers.

 

No, not now, because I have kids.
Yes, later if one of you knuckleheads have your gun accidentally fire a round that hits my kids.

 

YMMV

 

The kids should be educated about it if they're capable of observing the rules and you shouldn't allow them access to it if they're not. Not being chambered doesn't make it safe.

Shooting someone over an accident is criminal. I know it was mostly a joke, but too many people think it's ok to do.

 

yep. no other way to fly.

 

Why would anyone carry a paperweight around with them? Always have a round chambered.

 

I've had my CCW since 1987 (one of the first 500 in FL after the "shall issue" law passed); I've been an NRA certified instructor (Pistol, Rifle, Home Firearm Safety) for as long, and more recently, I got my RSO (Range Safety Officer) certification. Those are my bona fides; take 'em for what they're worth.

I've carried 1911 style pistols, revolvers, "traditional" DA Autos (first shot DA/subsequent SA), and currently carry a DAO. In every one, I've had one in the chamber; in the 1911's they were sometimes condition 1 (cocked & locked), sometimes in condition 2 (hammer down; one in the chamber). I've NEVER carried with an empty chamber... it's just one more step I might forget in the extreme stress of a gun confrontation...and if one hand has been injured, it's an additional complication I don't want.

Having said that; you need to be ABSOLUTELY perfect and consistent in your manual of arms with ANY condition 1 pistol. If carrying in condition 2, you either need to have a series 80 style action (firing pin block) or a stronger firing pin spring if not.

So the answer is, carry one in the chamber, but know your shit up, down, sideways and inside out.

And I'd also advise choosing one way and sticking with it consistently - a gunfight is no time to be trying to remember if there's one in the chamber or not... I've seen people cycle the slide and have a live round pop out the ejection port. No real harm other than wasted time and one less round you have available.

My $.02

 

Consistency is key, my HD handgun always has a round in the chamber.

 

My go-to hand guns are two hammer fired Berettas and a S&W .38 as third. All are carried hot with the hammer down. In this condition they are drop safe as well as being fumble deterrent, but no racking involved. I feel better with the double action first round for us since we're not trained or very well experienced. All three are double action first round so the only inconsistency between them is the second round on the revolver. My GF and I have no formal training, just shooting time, and I feel this is a good way to have them. We shoot well with her 1911 but it throws a curveball into the mix being our only SA so I've decided that it's not one of the primary access guns. If one of you trained guys thinks I'm going wrong I'm all ears, but with what I have it seems like a good way to go.

 

No, it sounds like you're being realistic in recognizing possible problems, and acting accordingly. As exceptional as the design is, the 1911 has considerable potential to be mis-handled, since it was meant to be carried "cocked & locked", and many people (myself included) don't carry it that way. For one thing, if the safety is forgotten or accidentally "turned off" (a bad holster design will do this frighteningly often), you're about 4 lbs from disaster...And if you have an empty chamber and aren't able to cycle the slide, your weapon is only good for bludgeoning.

 

to me it depends largely on what you are carrying, if it is a newer revolver that has the hammer bar that is only released when the trigger is pulled, or a modern gun that is again designed not to fire unless the trigger is pulled, then yes, round chambered, and gun stays in the holster at all times, even when i take it off at night my bedside safe is large enough to fit the holster and gun in it, and they go in and come out as one. Safer and prevents wear on the finish.

Now if it was a older gun, like a old revolver, or a 1911 of 69 or older, then, no, wont put a round in front of that hammer or firing pin. For instance my cowboy action pistols are old colts, and if you tap the back of the hammer hard enough and have a round in front of it, with the hammer down, it will fire. That is why the single action shooters society has the 5 rounds loaded rule, you never walk around with the hammer on a live round.

 

Ruger relvolver with transfer bar here, fully stoked.

 

M&P40 in a safari land level 3 holster, chambered round and 15 in the magazine, plus at least 2 spare mags at hand.

 

I carry all of my pistols with a round in the chamber, and keep my nut scratchers off of the bang switch until ready to fire.........

 

My carry weapon is a S&W Bodyguard 380 and it has a nice thumb safety that I have practiced time and again that I can release the safety as I'm drawing up to aim. I feel much more comfortable having this safety when carrying with a chambered round.
The thumb safety was one of the reasons I bought this for my carry pistol.