round in the chamber

[john_55]

I recently got my permit for concealed carry and am a bit nervous to carry. I am familiar with my weapon and have about 500 rounds through it (taurus pt 111). I am planning on using it for pocket carry and have a good holster to cover the trigger guard. I know you should carry with one in the chamber, and even though the taurus has a safety, I just dont think I can do it yet. Did anyone else start out by carrying without one in the chamber?

[NOok]

What area are you traveling or hanging out in where less than 1 second to chamber a round is going to mean life or death?

[CajunBass]

Go ahead and carry it that way if you're comfortable. In a few days you'll come to realize that it hasn't "gone off" all by itself. Since it didn't go without a round in the chamber, it won't when one is there either.

(No, I didn't, but a lot of people have.)

[kristop64089]

My brother carries his p-11 and sigma that way. It works for him.

I'd recommend practicing, drawing and charging at the same time.

[Magyar]

Go ahead and carry it that way if you're comfortable

+1

[Lou22]

I've been pocket carrying for the past 2+ years, and I always carry one in the chamber. But I only carry DAO autos, or revolvers with the hammer down. With any modern design that should be 100% safe. I believe your Taurus is of that design (I sometimes pocket carry my PT145 in the summer when I have on the shorts with the big pockets).

I believe that an attack will occur very quickly, and you won't have time to rack one in the chamber - I want to be able to point and pull the trigger. I don't even use a safety if it's on the gun. The long trigger pull is plenty safety in itself. I always use a pocket holster and don't carry anything else in that pocket that might catch on the trigger, like keys.

Lou

[curmudgeon1]

Yes, I started out carrying my Colt Commander with a round chambered and the safety on. If the safety on your Taurus can be easily reached with your thumb while using a shooting grip, then I would say carry it chambered WITH THE SAFETY ON.
If you practice (WITH THE GUN EMPTY) drawing and flipping the safety off when the gun clears the holster, you will become comfortable with "condition 1" carry.

[jabotinsky]

I carry, transport and store weapons without a round in the chamber, "Israeli" style.

I was just talking to a former IDF member about it tonight around the fire. She said also if you showed poor muzzle control etiquette at anytime command could press charges. I like that.

I leave the chamber empty because I have diff guns w/ diff safety mechanism, but w/ empty chamber policy, less chance of AD waking up in the night, less prob if worst-case one of my under-5 kids get ahold of it, less handling risk...I practice a quick draw and rack. If I'm going someplace where I gotta draw in under a second, then I shouldn't be going there, but that's just me.

[Sturmgewehre]

I would carry it how ever you feel comfortable. Once you learn the weapon (500 rounds isn't enough) you'll find the method of carry that best suits you.

I carry a 1911 cocked and locked and I also carry Glocks with rounds chambered. I've been shooting (and instructing) for many-many years. I'm more scared of an unloaded firearm than I am a loaded one.

[JohnKSa]

To be fair, the slower response time is only one of the negative aspects of chamber-empty carry.

There is also the issue that it takes two hands or a fumble-prone alternative technique to get a chamber-empty gun into action. Unfortunately a second hand is not always readily available, it may be injured, it may be holding something else such as a flashlight, phone or even a small child (in the case of an attack on the home) or it may be needed to fend off a physical attack.

Another thing to consider is that chambering a round is a less positive/more complex action than drawing or even drawing and disengaging a manual safety. It offers much more possibility for inducing a malfunction or "fumble" of some sort especially given the level of stress experienced in the typical self-defense scenario.

I don't have a problem with people making the decision to carry with an empty chamber, but I think that they should understand all the ramifications of doing so before they make the decision.

[FirstFreedom]

What area are you traveling or hanging out in where less than 1 second to chamber a round is going to mean life or death?

That could be any square foot on the face of the earth. If a BG with a deadly weapon confronts you, he is going to try to get the drop on you. The one with the "drop" wins. Every micro second could be the difference between negating that drop or not, let alone a period of time many thousands of times the length of a microsecond - the time it takes to chamber a round.

Having said that - as mentioned, carry without one in the chamber until you feel comfortable with one in, then switch. A modern firearm can NOT go off until you pull the trigger, and if you're always competent/safe with your gun handling, that is not going to happen.

[MPanova]

Carry for a week with the chamber empty and the safety off and do as much physical activity as you can and you will see the trigger never gets pulled. If you still feel un-easy carry it for a week with the chamber empty and the safety on and you will see the safety should never get swipped off and the trigger pulled. This should make you feel better about carrying with one in the chamber and the safty on.

[DWARREN123]

I use IWB holsters. I carry with one in the chamber and hammer down (Condition II). This is comfortable for me. You have to do what you feel comfortable with.
My main carry firearm is a CZ 75 Compact in 9mm.

[PackingA40]

I purchased my first 1911 a few years ago, I know own a new G23. I am taking my CCW class in January and I plan on carrying my weapon during evening hours, sometimes when I'm dressed casual, other times with a suit or jacket. Below is my holster I just purchased in black.



I chose black because it blends with my usual dark clothing. The barrel is covered/concealed to prevent scratching and visibility by others. If the bottom of the holster is exposed for a second or two, it will appear to be a cell phone case, Blackberry case etc. I also like the quick finger release as well as the fact the it snap locks the trigger.

I have taken 3 weeks to get to know my new weapon, I have read the manual, researched, and talked with everyone about carry and conceal. Not having a safety on my G23 makes me even more careful and assured in the event I have to use it. I said all of that to say this and this is my belief only. Life and death can depend on 1 second. This is why I practice, practice, practice pulling back my jacket, engaging the release, slightly bent at the knees and drawing my weapon in one fluid motion. I no longer have to even remind myself to engage the release now, it's second nature. Not knowing the situation I might be in, climate, low light, assessing the situation and number of potential attackers, I want my weapon to be ready when it's drawn. I say keep it hot, if you're not comfortable, then you may not want to do so. I would just keep in mind that if you are out with your family and some knucklehead knocks your child to the grown, grabs your lovely wife and precious seconds are vital, not having one chambered might mean the difference between a good or a bad outcome.

I was also told that one should drive without the gun being chambered and only engaging a round when you exit the car or feel you are in an enviroment that is uncomfortable to you. Then again, no one really knows when an attack may occur so this could be a set back as well. I guess it's personal preference.

Sorry for the long rant.

PA40

[john_55]

i carried w/o one in the chamber yesterday. not too bad. i think it will take a while to get used to. I am going to start to carry around the house as well. once i get used to it, i may go for one in the chamber.

[HighValleyRanch]

I was also told that one should drive without the gun being chambered and only engaging a round when you exit the car or feel you are in an enviroment that is uncomfortable to you. Then again, no one really knows when an attack may occur so this could be a set back as well. I guess it's personal preference.

Every time that you handle your weapon is a dangerous situation.
So a chambered gun IN THE HOLSTER is safer than loading and unloading your weapon every time you get in and out of the car!

[SW40F]

Originally Posted by john_55

...once i get used to it, i may go for one in the chamber.

There you go!

Keep a cool head, and practice with what makes you feel comfortable.

[PackingA40]

I don't think the guy who told me that meant to chamber and unchamber the gun every time I enter and exit my car. He meant, if I was going somewhere and coming back home. Not riding all day in my car, that would be a bit hecktick I think.

[M1911]

I was also told that one should drive without the gun being chambered and only engaging a round when you exit the car or feel you are in an enviroment that is uncomfortable to you.

I've heard and read some unusual things when it comes to guns, but this is one of the most unusual. I strongly urge you to 1) get some credible training and 2) think more carefully about what people tell you. Whoever told you this gave you some terrible advice.

1) Sometimes carrying your gun chamber-empty and sometimes carrying it chamber-loaded is a recipe for disaster. Decide how you are going to carry (chamber-loaded or chamber-empty), then always practice that way and carry that way.

In the event that you need your gun to defend yourself, you will need it REAL BAD and need it RIGHT NOW. You will be under tremendous stress. If you sometimes carry chamber-loaded and sometimes chamber-empty, then you likely will not be able to remember whether it is loaded or not. You will react as you have trained, and if you have not trained chamber-empty, then you will draw the gun, pull the trigger and it will go "click" instead of "bang." Bad juju.

Remember the saying "Train the way you fight; fight the way you train."

2) A holstered gun is a safe gun. It won't go off in the holster. You are far more likely to have an ND if you are getting out of your car and chambering a round than if you just left your gun in your holster. Furthermore, at your home, you have plenty of time to determine a safe direction and focus on your task without any distractions.

In a parking lot, you should be paying attention to your surroundings, not trying to figure out a safe direction to charge your chamber. A lot of people are mugged in parking lots. Chamber your gun at home, not in a parking lot.

Load your gun at home, put it in your holster, and leave it there.

3) Drawing your gun in a parking lot to chamber a round raises the very large possibility that someone is going to see you and call the police.

Carry how you want to carry, whether that is chamber-loaded or chamber-empty. But make sure you train that way. If you are carrying chamber empty, then at the range you had better be training to draw your gun, chamber a round, and then fire. Otherwise, in extremis you will draw your gun, pull the trigger, and it will go "click."

In making your decision about how to carry, heed JohnKSa's advice about chamber-empty carry. Drawing, chambering a round, and then firing is always slower than drawing and firing. It can be done quickly (with a great deal of practice) if you have two hands free. But as John pointed out, your support hand may be busing fending off the perp, holding onto your phone while talking to the police dispatcher, holding a flashlight, pushing your spouse to safety, holding a child, etc. Drawing and chambering a round with one hand is much more difficult to do quickly and safely, particularly if you are wrestling with a perp at the time.

Carrying with the chamber loaded can be done safely. If you are concerned that you can't safely carry chamber loaded, then I strongly suspect that you are in need of quality training. There are excellent training schools throughout the US, including LFI, Sigarms Academy, Blackwater, Gunsite, Thunder Ranch, etc. In addition, there are nationally recognized trainers who travel the country giving classes (e.g., Randy Cain, John Farnam, etc.).

And btw, there isn't a single one of those schools that advocates sometimes carrying chamber-loaded and sometimes carrying chamber-empty.

[PackingA40]

I said I heard it, note that I said I was going to carry my weapon hot.

"I want my weapon to be ready when it's drawn. I say keep it hot,"


I have very credible information to extract from. You gotta read before you reply my friend.


PA40

[Tanzer]

There is also the issue that it takes two hands or a fumble-prone alternative technique to get a chamber-empty gun into action. Unfortunately a second hand is not always readily available

+1

Since it didn't go without a round in the chamber, it won't when one is there either.

+1 again.
Just make sure that when need to "make safe", you remember that one in the chamber. You can't just drop the mag. You should open the chamber anyhow, but be mindful of that barrel direction (as you should in any event). That means practicing doing so without "lasering".

[john_55]

another thought/question about this. What if you were carrying in a briefcase/backpack?

[Tanzer]

another thought/question about this. What if you were carrying in a briefcase/backpack?

No biggie, keep it holstered (might want a strap for knock-arounds), and get a holster that clips securely onto something stable inside. I keep mine on my hip. The two things I'm most likeky to bump into a doorway, furniture etc are; 1) My sidearm. 2) My watch that I finally decided to spring a lot of money for. Neither are worse for wear, but the armoire (spelling?) has a few nicks in it.
I think a safely holstered firearm is just that, safe. The biggest concern I would have is safely removing it.

[M1911]

What if you were carrying in a briefcase/backpack?

How long would it take you to draw the gun from a briefcase or backpack? I'd guess at least 15 seconds. Do you think you would always have that much warning in a crisis? You should be able to draw and fire from a hip holster in less than 3 seconds.

[obxned]

How do you plan to chamber that first round if you do not have both hands free???