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Old June 5, 2012, 08:10 AM   #26
Spats McGee
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Always. There are just too many ways that things can go south in the time it takes to chamber a round to do otherwise.
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Old June 5, 2012, 08:27 AM   #27
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Not +1, but 1 in the chamber

I don't carry '+1' but I always carry with 1 in the chamber. Load a magazine, insert into gun, rack the slide. So there is one in the chamber but the capacity is not +1, just what the magazine carries (15 rds).
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Old June 5, 2012, 08:46 AM   #28
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One in the chamber and full magazine ALWAYS! and a extra magazine.
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Old June 5, 2012, 09:00 AM   #29
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Quote:
Question for everyone who carries. Also for LEO.

You obviously carry with your clip full, but do you carry with one in the chamber?

And if you are a in law enforcement, security ect. Do you carry with one in the chamber while on duty?

I do not carry with one in the chamber and probably never will. But I could see the benefits of it if I were a on duty police officer.
Isn't that about the same logic as having a pocket knife handle in one pocket and the blade in your billfold?

Or maybe your tomahawk head on a string around your neck and the handle in your back pocket?

Nahhhhh, . . . 1911, . . . 8+1, . . . cocked and locked, . . .

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Old June 5, 2012, 09:04 AM   #30
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I don't carry topped-off magazines- the magazines on the guns I carry are too hard to seat if I fully load.

I always carry loaded, though. My carry guns aren't heavy enough to be effective clubs.
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Old June 5, 2012, 09:29 AM   #31
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Quote:
Isn't that about the same logic as having a pocket knife handle in one pocket and the blade in your billfold?
More like carrying a knife that locks closed - which I actually do. The inconvenience of it taking a few seconds more to get my knife open - for me - is outweighed by the risk of having my knife open in mu pocket and cut me. I think that's basically the argument that people who don't like one in the pipe use.

For me it depends on the gun. With single actions (before I sold them off) I preferred to not rely so much on mechanical safety and therefore never felt comfortable "cocked and locked" so nothing in the pipe. Since switching to double actions I have kept one in the pipe, but no +1. In 99% of self defense situations it probably won't make any difference, but then again, if I wasn't a person who cared about marginal risk I probably wouldn't bother to carry a gun at all.

On an interesting side note, there was a thread a few weeks back about a cop's "+1" not going off due the the fact that the powder had been knocked out of the primer over the course of several months of unloading/loading his duty gun. So, I guess if you're going to carry one in the pipe make sure you replace your ammo on a regular basis - or just leave it loaded.

Either way, you're certainly going to be better armed than if you don't have a gun, and to be honest, I care not one iota what decision anyone else decides is best for them.
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Old June 5, 2012, 09:31 AM   #32
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When I carry a bottom feeder, which is rarely, it is always in Condition One.
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Old June 5, 2012, 09:42 AM   #33
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Skadoosh
When I carry a bottom feeder, which is rarely, it is always in Condition One.
Stay thirsty, my friend.
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Old June 5, 2012, 09:53 AM   #34
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Full magazine*** yes, and always plus one. Why? Cause if you can why wouldn't you? Unless you carry Israeli.
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Old June 5, 2012, 11:52 AM   #35
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I think the question was do you "top off", not do you carry charged/cocked/condition one.

This thread may be too far gone. May be time to make a new one with a clearer subject.

As for myself, I dont +1 my HD pistol. (Illinois...) I would with different circumstances, but I have to unload it too often, to me its just not worth it.

Maybe the day will come when I shoot at the boogey man 14 times and then I need one more and wish I had it, but I like to think that the difference between 14 and 14+1 is negligible. Besides Ive got 14 more ready to go.
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Old June 5, 2012, 12:46 PM   #36
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Too many disadvantages to not carry with a round chambered, if you don't feel safe carrying a firearm with the round chambered, get more firearms training. The point i'm trying to make is, it is perfectly safe to carry a handgun with a round chambered, especially with the presence of an external safety. If you don't feel safe doing so you may not be ready to carry a firearm.

Quote:
More like carrying a knife that locks closed - which I actually do. The inconvenience of it taking a few seconds more to get my knife open - for me - is outweighed by the risk of having my knife open in mu pocket and cut me.
That's why I carry a fixed blade.
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Old June 5, 2012, 01:13 PM   #37
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One in the pipe, mag topped off. Always.
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Old June 5, 2012, 01:18 PM   #38
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Quote:
And if you are a in law enforcement, security ect. Do you carry with one in the chamber while on duty?
:headbang:



Why would a cop NOT carry in the chamber? have you ever watched a shooting video?

Anyways, yes always in the chamber and never 15+1 in my Glock. I THINK it damages the spring/frame.

I put a full magazine(no round in the chamber) to test if it fit flush in my sig p238, it did but caused a scar on the top round. I think the frames of guns presses up a little with all that pressure on it because no where else to compress.



Quote:
My carry guns aren't heavy enough to be effective clubs.
Thats the problem with my plastic guns. Thought I wouldn't want to be that close.

Last edited by 9mm; June 5, 2012 at 01:24 PM.
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Old June 5, 2012, 01:51 PM   #39
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All the time - cocked and locked.

Why would I bother to carry if I were only going to carry unloaded?
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Old June 5, 2012, 04:51 PM   #40
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Why would I bother to carry a unloaded sidearm???

I always carry hot. Cocked and locked all the time.
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Old June 5, 2012, 09:44 PM   #41
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I would never carry a gun with out one in the tube as soon as I pull that out I am now viewed as a target with a lethal weapon when in reality all I have is a very expensive paperweight. On the range that's fine if you chose to carry that way. In a situation where you may have to deploy it its potentially suicidal.

I like handguns and I'm almost never without one but in all honesty a handgun is a very ineffective weapon even in the most capable hands you should not further hamstring yourself in any way shape or form.
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Old June 5, 2012, 10:20 PM   #42
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If, God forbid, you really need that gun, you are going to need it RIGHT NOW.

Why in the name of all that's holy would a sane person make a thought out decision to carry a life or death rescue tool in a non functional state.
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Old June 5, 2012, 10:24 PM   #43
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1 in the chamber pretty much always. The only time I don't is when it is straight pocket carry or carrying using the built-in clip without a holster.
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Old June 5, 2012, 11:06 PM   #44
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Always Carry One In The Chamber

Since my life depends on it, I carry full capacity and want to be ready.

Things can happen fast and there are no do overs. Why would you not carry one in the chamber?
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Old June 5, 2012, 11:16 PM   #45
Nnobby45
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Quote:
I don't carry '+1' but I always carry with 1 in the chamber. Load a magazine, insert into gun, rack the slide. So there is one in the chamber but the capacity is not +1, just what the magazine carries (15 rds).
You carry 14 rds. + 1. The + refers to the round in the chamber and isn't negated by downloading your 15 rd. mag. by one.

The M1 Rifle uses "clips" to hold the ammo togther so it can be inserted into the magazine of the rifle. Our semi-autos don't take clips. They take detachable magazines.

In Israel, they carry their guns unloaded. Here, we don't.

Someone once pointed out that a terrorist attack happening around you doesn't require, perhaps, as much quick access to a gun as a criminal attack we're more likley to experience here in the US. Personally, I think the Israelis recognize the need to be armed (on the one hand), but they're a paranoid (on the other). Even their secret service equivilent carrys chamber unloaded, but they're very well trained to draw, rack and shoot.

For you and me, the unloaded (chamber empty) gun puts us in more danger. It means we may not be able to deploy it, or that we'll be fumbling around trying to get it loaded. A while back, I saw a video of a man getting killed when he attempted to draw his gun and rack the slide. He didn't make it. He was executed at close range by the 3 thugs who came in suddenly. There WAS time to draw and shoot. But not to draw and fumble and then have to do it again. His draw wasn't very smooth, either.

As he drew his weapon, the bad guys didn't pee their pants and head back out the door. They closed quickly and shot him as he AGAIN tried to rack the slide. Video might have been on this site, but I'm not sure. If you want to carry your gun unloaded, good luck.

OK, I'm in a finniky mood today. Had a root canal and the pain meds seem to have put me in an instructional frame of mind with respect to technicalities.

Last edited by Nnobby45; June 5, 2012 at 11:51 PM.
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Old June 5, 2012, 11:48 PM   #46
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I carry a 1911 with one in the chamber, a full magazine, cocked and locked; for over 30 years.

I see defensive pistol use as "catch up".
The threat begins the action, I have to respond.
I'm out of time.
I need to move and/or shoot - right now.
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Old June 6, 2012, 08:52 AM   #47
skoro
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Do you carry +1?

Yes. And I have all the chambers loaded when I carry my revolver, too.

Be prepared.

That's what a CHL is for. An empty chamber would likely be more than an inconvenience in the unlikely event you ever had to draw your weapon.
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Old June 6, 2012, 09:46 AM   #48
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I've been in on this question a few times before and have weighed in with some enthusiasm. Instead of replicating that, let me simply pose a question.

If you were asked to make a choice; which knife would you choose to keep in your pocket for self defense?

This...


Or This...?


Well... that's simple as Heck, Right? Obviously the one you can operate with one hand quickly. I don't want to worry about grabbing it with my right hand, using my left thumbnail to dig out the blade, and change my grip before I'm ready to use it, ESPECIALLY if I'm being attacked in the meantime.

Think about it.

~LT

PS- G19 (17+1) ALWAYS, or M&P9 (17+1) ALWAYS.
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Old June 6, 2012, 09:57 AM   #49
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If you can't manage with a chamber empty carry, maybe you need more training. Anyway, one of my guns makes a pretty good club and it even takes a bayonet, though I don't have one.
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Old June 6, 2012, 10:24 AM   #50
Nathan
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Just had this convo at work. Out of five of us, I was the only one with one in the pipe. Also, I was the only one who carried 40 or bigger.

They had all been trained to not do either by their CCW instructor. So, yes, ignorance can be taught. JMNSHO
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