Take a chill, Bro! Ain't no big deal. I remember my first post, which was a question about the reliability of the IL...it went badly. Lots of members ripped me on using the Search function, etc. No worries...we all have a learning curve, and you haven't made any errors or committed unpardonable sins. You're fine.

Regarding the searching of the forums...

I did do a search before I posted and the results turned up nothing about my question - Obviously the terms I used didn't return the desired results as Smokes did - thx for the links

IMO many times terms used to describe an issue on forums do not always return the desired outcome.

As far as the poll - I saw another poster who had trouble/difficulty posting a poll so I thought this topic would be a good one to test out the feature and see if there were issues creating polls.

As far as the topic - I've been carrying without my semi loaded and thanks to the responses I've got it chambered now and ready.

My revolver now no longer has an empty chamber

For me the outcome helped and much appreciated for the responses

All options on the poll total 152.29%. How does that work?

I carry for self-defense.

If my firearm's not ready to be used IMMEDIATELY for self-defense, I might as well carry a hammer.

Wow! You carry your revolvers Cocked & Locked? You're a wild man!

So, I am guessing you are knowledgeable on EVERYTHING?

the final autority

Attached Images

c-l.jpg (17.9 KB, 82 views)

Any pistol I've carried that's da or striker has been full mag plus one in the chamber, if it has a safety I usually flip it off.

__________________
Life's a grave,dig it!

Easy. New core curriculum math

Lad

S&W used to make a DAO with a a grip safety nicknamed the "Lemonsqueezer"

__________________
Just the opinion of a kid

GLOCK 32 ready to go
S&W M&P .40 ready to go

Neither of my carry weapons have a safety switch/lever. My safety is my brain and my finger. With that said, if I were to carry a 1911 the safety would be on.

__________________
M&P 357sig,G31 357sig,M&P 9

And a very popular revolver it was (is).

__________________
Halfway and one more step

The one between your ears

As a teacher/instructor for many years I know the only dumb questions
are the ones you don't ask. If you ask, you risk getting dumb
answers or insults from those who think they know it all, but usually
don't. I have left other forums because of the macho know it all
attitudes. You might find 1% of that on this forum, but generally most
are understanding and helpful. Keep asking. Ignore the 1%

and IIRC....you could pin the safety!

That's correct!!!

__________________
Stay protected my friends.

I'll just leave this here

__________________
Retired Career Security Guard

Shield 9, one in the chamber and safety on. I've also practiced sweeping the safety down with my thumb as I draw so much that now, I do it without even thinking about it.

Because the poll is set to allow 2 responses - 1 for semi's and one for revolvers.



Shows you're paying attention though

Wondering if a lock strap over a revolver trigger could/can/would be considered a sort of safety for benefit of this discussion?

My main carry holster doesn't have a strap lock, but I have one on a revolver I keep in car - although it's not locked anymore

This is a friendly place to ask questions and there should be no dumb questions. That said there is, unfortunately, someone who will be a jerk.

__________________
Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

It's the lever on the side that renders it inoperable. Found on a few revolvers.

I carry a Glock 27 and my wife carries a Glock 43. Neither have a separate safety lever. We both, however, carry them in holsters that cover the trigger. If I pocket carry, I do not have a round in the chamber.

I once saw a security guard at a movie theater carrying a Webley R.I.C.. I've never seen anybody carry a Reichsrevolver...

If it's in a pocket holster why the empty chamber?

Of course "one in the chamber".

If someone believes that they are a danger to themselves and those around them carrying a loaded gun then I'm not the least bit interested in trying to convince them otherwise. To the contrary, I feel safer if they don't.

I carried with a round in the chamber and a full mag with my .357 sig S&W. My ND CCWis not honored here in NE since I no longer have a ND address. As a military member, I think it is frustrating to get a new CCW every 3 years. I would also say it is paramount that you practice drawing your weapon as you would in a potential SD situation. It takes officers years to build instincts and muscle memory and they still occasionally make mistakes. Happy carrying!

Your Brain.

Yes.if you carry and Its a modern firearm there is no reason not to.

Honeslty? This is the first time I have ever heard someone carrying a revolver with an empty cylinder. You are already at a disadvantage round count wise, why penalize yourself even more with one less round. I guess years and years ago people worried about dropping them and a round gong off, but that was a long, long, long time ago.

__________________
Still carrying my S&W 642

It was common practice before transfer bar safeties became prevalent

__________________
Retired Career Security Guard

WOW!..... My experience varies with the gun. Revolver carry is chambered for 5 or 6 (J or K) . Obviously no safety. But the semi-auto presents problems. Any semi-auto of the 1911 style carried in "cocked and locked" sounds reasonable.... until the SHTF. I've tried drawing from IWB behind the hip and shoulder holster positions and getting the safety off and gun pointed in the correct direction to fire is TOO MUCH TO ASK in a real emergency, particularly with sub-compact guns (small safety in "ON" position). It's not me. I may not be the quickest, but I felt micro-seconds passing as I needed to ensure the safety was off before pointing and pulling the trigger. Easier said than done.

So for me in the IWB, behind the hip, or wherever, I carry a DA/SA de-cocked safety "OFF" semi-auto. I'm no hero. Just an average guy wanting to be safe and prepared.

Huh, I've never had an issue with safeties during competition. Now this was with a full size 1911 or a Hi Power. If you are only talking about small guns then I could see it.

__________________
K & N S&W revolvers

When I first got my Shield I carried it in my bag unchambered and with the safety on. After a trip to the range I started carrying it on me, same condition. As time went on I started carrying it chambered with safety on and eventually the safety came off. The more confident owners start out that way, but we all eventually get there. Set your own pace and you will get comfortable enough.

The problem is she is getting stabbed either way. The only difference is in one outcome she might be putting some rounds into the assailant, but still likely looking at a mutual slaying. In these reactive ECQ/extreme close-quarters scenarios, empty hands skills combined with proper defensive movement/getting of the X are necessary to effectively draw/transition to the firearm.


Carrying with one in the chamber is no doubt better and leaves you better prepared for a wider range of possible defense situations, but I don't think empty chamber carry is quite as dire as some of these somewhat contrived simulations portray it since the necessary unarmed transition skills will mitigate the drawbacks to some degree in certain cases. Not in all situations, but in many. I'm in no way advocating for C3 carry, just giving an alternative perspective and primarily highlighting the need for comprehensive ECQ counter-ambush skills rather than focusing solely on drawing the firearm.

*
That is a training issue, pure and simple. Like any other psychomotor skill, it takes a lot of repetitions, properly conducted under controlled circumstances to develop and maintain adequate skill. I carried a 1911 as a duty weapon for quite a while once we had the option to get away from the below mentioned monstrosities.

I've carried DA/SA pistols by mandate, and hated them. The typical slide mounted safety/decocker is an ergonomic abomination that should have resulted in severe beatings for the idiots who designed and mandated them.

As for carrying a round chambered, that is not an optional situation. It's utterly critical. The only exception is if one is carry some real odd old clunker because that's all they can afford. One cannot count on having time or the ability to draw and chamber a round. Go study under any combat (mil or LE) experienced instructor and you'll get the same answer and teaching every time.

I have a couple of 1911s, and rarely carry that format any more. As I become more arthritic, it becomes more unrealistic. I also have to consider my daily work attire, and that pretty much mandates a pocket carried G33 (yes, in a pocket holster, and yes, with a round chambered). Belt carried, IWB or OWB, I often carry my 19L (cut down 17).

__________________
NHI, 10-8.

My CZ 75D is a sa/da with decocker. No experienced self defense instructor is going to say it isn't an excellent weapon. If you carry a revolver, it is the same manual at arms as a da/sa auto (condition 2, no safety) as far as first shot, and anyone who trains with one knows that.

__________________
Halfway and one more step

IIRC, during the class for my Utah non-resident CFP, Utah's open carry rules were covered. As I remember, if carrying a semi-auto in the open, it must be carried with an empty chamber. If you are carrying a revolver in the open, the first chamber to align under the cocked hammer must be empty.

__________________
Judge control not gun control!

It appears that is only if you don't have a license to carry. Dumb law.

__________________
K & N S&W revolvers

I beg to differ with a few of you, the modern revolver makes an excellent impact weapon. With your finger tucked neatly behind the trigger for a better grip you can beat the living snot out of someone with a steel revolver. You can stab them in the gut with the muzzle, bash them under the chin with the top strap, scrape them with the front sight, and bash them over the head with the butt or underside of the frame. You can also hold the cylinder in your palm for a side of face smash.

I was guilty of this with my shield 9. I was so worried about an ND or shooting myself in the leg that I just didn't chamber one (no safety on my shield) then I started taking the Concealed carry Courses at Mass Firearms school and saw that If I'm going to carry a semi, it just needs to be chambered ready to go. A couple of 4 hour training classes actively drawing and shooting did wonders for my confidence. I also carry a Jframe 642 in the summer (in a smart carry or a 3Speed). I don't know why I felt more comfortable with that one right off the bat. Probably the DA only and 10 pound MA trigger makes it kind of feel like an ND is less likely to happen

I beg to differ..... It is not simply a training issue. I qualified my remarks as particularly with sub-compact 1911 style guns. Think Sig 938 series. A full size 1911 is functionally better due to size and fit into the hand. The DA/SA safety decocker would be a real PIA if one carried the gun "decocked/safety on". I cannot imagine trying to thumb the safety "up" into firing position. Decocked/safety "off" is the way to carry. Nothing to mess with.

__________________
Keep on Chooglin'

Always with a loaded chamber. Most gunfights happen at contact distance, which means that there is a strong likelihood that you will be using your support hand to ward off an initial attack. Until you get a round in the chamber, your gun is just a clumsy impact weapon until you can free your off hand up to rack the slide. Yes, it is possible to rack the slide one-handed, but I challenge you to achieve it efficiently while your concentration is on the guy trying to bash your skull in or stab you to death.

Just checked the Utah rules. The empty chamber is for unlicensed open carry only. Licensed people may fully load their weapons.

You ain't even my real dad

__________________
Retired Career Security Guard

*
Ah, I have not considered such a platform. The scaled down 1911 platforms work better than the chopped full size, but neither serves a use I have.

__________________
NHI, 10-8.

Always hot

__________________
Spin The Wheel

P30, no safety, just a decocker on the rear of the slide. I carry with 1 in the chamber, and decocked.

__________________
John 14:6, Luke 21:11

I come at it from a slightly different angle. Mine was not a fear of having a round chambered because I know my Shield will not fire unless the trigger is pulled, due to the sear and firing pin blocks that have to move out of the way during said pull. My concern was more of a mechanical nature about whether having the firing pin spring compressed for a long period of time would damage it. Research on this site and other places confirms that it does not. So, she's hot and ready all the time. Just a quick flip of the thumb safety and away we go.

I've got two points, then I'll leave this discussion.

Point 1: In those videos the distance between aggressor and would be victim was too small, the weapon should have already been drawn. If it was unclear that the one person was soon to attack then the would be victim should have put some distance in between them. It's called being aware of your surroundings.

Point 2: What good is a defensive weapon that's not ready to go?

__________________
Jorge