Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Do you carry with a round in the chamber?

I live by this... if you want to carry without a round in the chamber that is fine. No one should tell you different. That being said, i used to be this way. I carry in condition 1 now with my shield because it has a safety (i do prefer a gun with a safety for re-holstering). I also carry a kahr without a safety in cond 0 basically. The reason for this is, violence or an attack can happen quickly and i started to become aware of that thru situational training. Criminals prey on those who are obvious targets or obviously unprepared. Criminals are already prepared, you are not once you become their target. So what i am saying is, if you are standing there pointing a gun at them fully aware you are about to be attacked they probably won't attack you and move on. This never happens in the real world. They always pick out the oblivious. I once heard it put this way... if you knew you were going to get in a car accident wouldn't you just swerve out of the way? Well yah, but thats not how it happens. It happens too fast. Violence can happen just like a car accident and most times it does.

Criminals use "shock and awe" and attack quickly to overpower a victim. The catch by surprise as its their huge advantage. I decided i don't want to be surprised and have to rack my slide. I also don't want to draw attention if i am hiding behind cover and racking my slide (it may be audible). I want to be just as "surprising" to them as they were to me. Now the playing field is more even.

The point here is do what you want, but just know it may be that you are unprepared if ever attacked. Try racking the slide on a Kahr with one hand. That will show you that you need two hands pretty quickly and if one arm is disabled in an attack you may be screwed. I just make a effort to look directly at my holster if i am reholstering after shooting on a range or whatever. I don't go by feel. I use my eyes to make sure nothing is in the way of the trigger. Its what i did to convince myself that its okay to carry chambered many years ago.

Unfortunately, there exist pistols that ain't too safe to carry chambered.

Unfortunately there exists people that ain't too safe to carry chambered.

As I was once told by a wise old man, a handgun that is intended for self defense should have one in the chamber!
If it doesn’t, it’s an expensive hammer.

Given the choice of access to a Condition Three handgun (empty chamber, full mag, hammer down) or a hammer, which would that "wise man" choose?

Carrying an unloaded weapon is retarded.

Yoteman: The obvious point is that in a time restrained situation, there is no difference.

Carry as you see fit.

Obviously, wise councel is wasted on some.

He’d pick up the handgun, chamber a round and go about his business.

George

if the fellow needed it 'yesterday', he would use the hammer and pray. Gun gamers that practice all day long might go for getting the inoperative handgun into play, but for most, I think bashing 'em with the hammer would be quicker.

I am firmly and devotedly in the Condition One camp………having said that, I readily admit that on those increasingly frequent occasions when I'm pocket-carrying (a G-43 or Shield in a Sticky holster in my strong-side front pocket), producing the gun is a slow enough process compared to holster-carry, that the additional time required to rack the slide would be irrelevant time wise. I practice concealed holster-carry drawing, but have been negligent in practicing pocket-carry drawing. I need to work on that.

If one believes that a pocket-carry gun is generally a back-up, and best designed for close encounter, bad-breath-contact-distance encounters, then the chances of the support hand being engaged deflecting blows, fighting off the adversary, makes the opportunity to rack the slide impossible. Yet another reason for Condition One carry (or carrying a J-frame).

If I proposed that at some point in the next week, month, or even year, I would find and approach you with a SIM gun.....And if I get the drop on you I get everything you have. Your home, money, family, all of it.

How you you carry for that next week, month or year?

Depends...

Its not a wepon at that point.

Pull that unloaded weapon ( you say is not a weapon at that point) and level it at a Trooper or any other LEO or CHL holder an see what happens, in the twinkle of an eye.

For the carrier, it isnt.
Wasn't that the question?

Semantics aside, having an unloaded gun in a defensive situation is like carrying a toothbrush for defense against everything but cavities.

Carry with one in the chamber

I do.

"Wise councel [sic]"? You take a lot on yourself in attempting to define what is best for everyone.

Unlike Big Brother, I've never been allowed to carry at work. Nor do I like leaving a weapon in the car, so for years I didn't carry even though I had my license to do so. At those times all I had was a folding knife that could be opened one handed. The one time I've needed my carry gun I had over 10 minutes while the situation developed - more than enough time to chamber a round. But I was on my way to work and the gun was at home. Fortunately the knife was enough, and there was plenty of time to bring it to "Condiition Zero" (in hand and opened), which I did. And, fortunately, the knife was enough.

The point is that many situations are slow developing. I would contend that most are, if one pays attention to their surroundings and acts accordingly.

When my gun in left in the car (at work), I leave it in Condition Three. If I transitioned from Three to One or back every time I entered or left the car, there would be tens of thousands of opportunities for an AD/ND. By leaving my gun in Condition Three those opportunities have been and will continue to be avoided.

The facts are that most people are at far greater risk of dying of cancer, heart attack, stroke or other health issues arising from poor health habits than by gunshot. Same is true for most people regardless of their health habits, for that matter.

Although some deny it, foolishly claiming no place is safer than others, life-style decisions have a huge impact on your vulnerability. Avoid bars, crowds, high crime areas and other questionable environs and stay alert and your chances of needing a CCW approach zero. Your chances of needing your CCW in Condition One drop even further.

But many situations are fast developing. Your free to ignore that fact.