Just out of curiosity, those who use autos for home defense or CCW for that matter. How many of you keep a round chambered in your gun at home or when carrying?

I do.

"An unloaded gun ain't good for nothin."

Regards,

Tam 3

I keep one in the pipe both in my home defense pistols and my CCW pistols. All are DAO, so feel perfectly comfortable with that. You see video of some poor schmo trying to rack a round while getting plugged or 1st hand account of some guy that managed to save himself by grabbing his pistol and popping off rounds... no other way to go for me.

Yes, always.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Why wouldn't you?

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Jim
Many K and N Frames

cocked and locked allways ready to rock. what good is an unloaded gun.

I guess if it is big enough you could hit them with it, then chamber a round. Or if they are nice guys, just ask them to wait right there for a couple seconds.

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Shoot fast & live long
Warren

Always on both accounts

No difference between a rock and an unloaded gun IMHO

Always...duh!

Be safe.

Always keep one chambered unless you practice some method of firing that begins with loading an empty chamber. Never seen a need for that myself, but it makes for good effect in the movies.

Condition 1 - Always!

Always, Cocked and Locked, or I'd have something else, which I do.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

It's a common question.

Not too long ago, a guy got jumped in a Dayton, Ohio gas station while pumping gas. By his own admission, if he hadn't had a chambered round, he probably would never have been able to chamber a round once the fight started. It was two on one, him vs. two druggies. He managed to free an arm, draw his firearm and shoot the one in front of him. The other one remembered pressing business elsewhere and departed.

Had the victim not had a round chambered before the attack started, he probably would have ended up severely beaten, his car stolen, and probably shot with his own gun.

I NEVER carry without a chambered round. As the saying goes, no plan survives contact with the enemy. I'm not going to assume that somebody who causes me to need to shoot them is going to facilitate me doing so.

Carry? Sure, unless for some reason I had to rely on a gun that was of dubiout safety to do so.

At home? Not usually. I generally stayed in the habit of keeping guns in condition three if loaded at all. Caveat - I have a lot of guns, so this was simpler.

Bedside gun is loaded with 15 rounds of Remington Golden Sabres, one of them being in the chamber.

Yes, I carry with one in the tube. Handguns make poor impact weapons. The stuff in the big gun safe in the basement is kept unloaded, but all the handguns in the little pistol safe in the bedroom are all loaded and ready.

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Proud anachronism

No-brainer.

All handguns not in my safe are loaded with JHP along with one in the pipe. That also includes any rifles or shotguns that are not in the safe although not with JHP rounds. When I see wile e. coyote I don't have time to run to the safe and dig out my ranch rifle, so it's always in a handy spot close by, and bird season is close at hand as my dogs will tell you! Rooster gets up and I don't at least make some attempt to bring it down, I get real dirty looks!!! Best have a 12 gauge handy too!

Pete

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Don't tread on me

Any pistol I carry or have strategicly stashed is fully loaded , including chamber.

Handgun rules at my house. If a gun is in the safe, it is never loaded. If a gun is out of the safe and intended for CCW or home defense, if I pull the trigger it will fire. If I pull the trigger again, it will fire again, up to magazine or cylinder capacity.

However, if I am in a fictional situation, I always need to rack the slide to put one in the chamber, even if I just did that in the previous paragraph or in an earlier scene. I always need to click the safety off on all Glock pistols too.

I do work hard at staying out of fictional scenarios.

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Infected by Smith&Wesson

the go to guns are hot at all times.

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it just needs more voltage

I keep mine chamber loaded as well, had a couple friends that dont though. Just wanted to see what the forum was saying on the situation.

At home: no
CCW: revolver
Car gun: no

Always chambered and ready to go

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A closed mouth gathers no foot

Always chambered and ready to go. An unloaded gun is a brick, and I don't throw bricks.

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SW40VE AF
2000 rounds so far

Always! No reason not to unless you are carrying an old Colt SAA or something similar.

Do not currently cc. We keep a G-22 with the magazine loaded, empty chamber, on the nightstand. In 32 years we've dealt with a few folks who thought to enter our apartment/home. There's always been time to rack the slide (on a pump shotgun) or a pistol. Works for us. YMMV. Sincerely. brucev.

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<><

I'm saying:
wear a suit.
send flowers.
ask the widow what she will be doing with the collection.....

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Only correction, is not to wear the full suit. Wouldn't want to show up to your own funeral with holes in the coat...how embarrassing.

It's "wear a suit to the couple friends funerals".

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

On this topic what do you all use as a CC holster? I have a Blackhawk which is not very hideable and a Uncle Mikes soft which I feel is too soft to have a round chambered. Currently both of mine do not have a round chambered.

I find that quality leather works best for me - JMHO - belt slide is preferred over paddle style as they keep the gun in close to the body and higher above the belt line. The IWB is leather as well with j style hook but I don't like it as much as my belt slide models, it just comes in handy in hot weather. Good belt is a requirement. Cheaper Uncle Mikes style works well for house guns or truck guns if you're trying to keep them from getting beat up. A Galco belly band works good around the farm doing chores and such, but that's just me. I'm sure there are many people who have other opinions.

Pete

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Don't tread on me

Cocked and locked on in-house handguns, but I don't keep a round chambered in the 12 ga.

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Rick, W0FG
CTR2 68-72

I use a Blackhawk Serpa Concealment Holster for my Sigma .40VE under a large overshirt. It does print some at times, but those that don't know figure it's just a cell phone or other device. If I do get made it's by others that carry, and that doesn't bother me. In Colorado it's not a problem if you print. And I have worn it for over 18,000 miles on the Harley this season and had no problems, and that's been in over 10 states!

Bob

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SW40VE AF
2000 rounds so far

My 1911 is always condition 1. There may not be time to chamber a round.

Not an issue, I keep a fully loaded model 60 close at hand.

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Regards, Ron
USASA 1965/69

No unloaded or "half loaded" for me. If I am going to need it at all I am going to need it with a rd. in the chamber.

There are some who are serious about using a firearm for personal protection, and there are those who aren't. The serious folk always carry with one in the chamber.

All of my self defense guns are loaded at all times. Plinking or pleasure guns are not.

For carry the only time I don't have a round chambered is if I'm carrying my 1911 in a holster that does not have some sort of positive retention. Otherwise there is a round in the chamber, at home I do not keep a round in the chamber. I do however keep a loaded magazine in each of my ready guns. For concealment holsters I use several depending on what I'm carrying, wearing and what my activity is. I have Desanti's FFDO for my Sig's, Blackhawk three slot pancake for my 1911 both are owb belt holsters, I also have Desanti's Tuck This II and Old Faithfuls which are iwb, the Old Faithfuls are just like a Supertuck at half the price. For open carry in the field, I have several different paddle holster as well as a few utilitarian nylon belt holsters that ride on a duty belt.

Always have a round chambered and it's either on my hip or within reach. As for my "non active" handguns, they are always loaded with snap caps.

One down the pipr and a full Mag. at all times. As someone else said an unloded gun ain't worth nothin.

Holsters for both carry guns are homemade horsehide holsters. I do have a High Noon for my main carry gun if I'm in a situation where I may have to disarm, it is easier to get on and off.

Neither of my guns will go off if dropped so I would still carry chamber loaded if having to use a nylon holster.

This... I can't fathom if your're gonna carry why you wouldn't be ready to shoot.

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Get off my lawn.....

Even carrying a Glock the only move after getting the pistol out is pulling the trigger. Same goes for sitting on the table at home. Pick it up and pull the trigger. Sixteen times by the way.

I read this story a while back and it dealt with carrying a 1911 cocked and locked. Seems that with the advent of DAO for use for law enforcement from revolvers an old Texas Ranger showed up for training carrying his 1911 stuck in his jeans - no holster and cocked and locked. The instructor turned around and saw him and said " Why are you carrying a 1911 like that? Don't you know it's dangerous? The old Ranger looked at him and said " dang right it's dangerous - it's suppose to be, young fella - it's a gun."
That ended the discussion. The old Ranger watched the training and said" I guess it's (dao) is ok, but it's a tad slow for me. I'll stick with my Colt". I'm guessing if he's still around he's still carrying his Colt even if he is retired.

I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night nor am I an Israeli, but I don't have a handgun that I depend on for Immediate Self Defense that I don't keep a round chambered. As for my ARs and Shotgun around the house, nope I don't keep a round chamber there.

I'm a optimistic pessimist, I figure if anything happens, I'll hold them off with the handguns till I can chamber a round in the "take care of business" guns.

Rule 303

"Nightstand" gun is a P220, they have a decocker and it's a simple point and click situation when you decock it with one in the pipe.

My wife isn't good with machines, so my preferrence being a 1911, I went with the greater good and we have the P220 selected for HD.

When I carry the 1911, condition 1 only.

In the field, the 629-2 has a full cylinder and two speed loaders on my belt.

One in the pipe will keep you a live.

Always loaded, always ready.

An unloaded gun will not shoot.
A gun that will not shoot is worthless.

In addition to all the above comments, I really hate to chip a nail when I have to rack the slide too quickly

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Jim
Many K and N Frames