Readiness of firearm

[Protected One]

That's 99% true for striker fired pistols.

Not always true for revolvers, 1911s, Hi-Powers, and similar pistols. Unless maybe you're carrying a 1911 style pistol in some sort of a flap holster.

I've seen some 1911 holsters that cover the trigger, but I don't know anyone personally who actually carries in one.

Does this qualify?

 

[ContinentalOp]

Who's Mr. Murphy? A member of this forum? What does he carry? I mean, besides Chapstick and pens and stuff.

I'm pretty sure he carries with a round chambered, as do I.

 

[Don~Z~]

I keep one chambered at all times and I keep a big rock right next to it also... and the rock has one chambered also...


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[Wise_A]

I don't know of a single competent instructor who advocates empty chamber carry.

I know a generally-incompetent one who does, but I don't even like to be in his presence when firearms are involved.

 

[Don~Z~]

Seriously though, I carried a shield 45 for about six months, shot it a lot, loved it... but I always had thoughts that an accidental discharge is a possibility. (not the guns fault at all). I am new to the game also, I have only been carrying for about a year, so..... the only way to stop the thoughts of an accidental discharge for me was to switch to DAO, I switched over to a CS45D and I feel 100% comfortable carrying it every day and by my side all night... also for me, the thought of one in the chamber became pretty clear after practicing/training both ways, there is no doubt in my mind that my gun is ready to fire and I am qualified to use it at any given moment... also when I re-holster I keep my thumb on the hammer, just another peace of mind... hope this helped, practice a lot and you will find out what you need to do!


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[ExcitableBoy]

My, my... some awfully touchy folks commenting on this thread.

I read the OP as querying about concealed carry. My vote was for one in the chamber at all times, with every firearm, and adhering to all proper safety procedures. Overwhelmingly, the poll numbers agree. As stated in slightly different ways, any pistol without a round chambered is called a club. One would think that a person exercising his/her CC rights would have the confidence and intelligence to carry their weapon of choice in the most effective manor possible; split seconds count when it comes down to self-defense.

The firearm readiness of anyone else while hiking, or whatever, makes no difference to me. They can wear that Mountain Gun as a hat, with daisies stuffed in the barrel, for all I care.

That strong headwind kinda negates the ******* contest that seems to have developed.

 

[silversnake]

I don't know of a single competent instructor who advocates empty chamber carry.

I know a generally-incompetent one who does, but I don't even like to be in his presence when firearms are involved.

I know an instructor like that too...it's too bad as he is just about the nicest guy around. He learned to carry with an empty chamber decades ago in the military and never updated his training.

 

[S&WsRsweet]

DA revolver ,357 magnum in town ,44 magnum ( generaly loaded with 44 special) out in the country ,but I'm no expert so I guess I don't trust myself to remember to take off tne safety with a 45 auto in a life or death gun fight and I don't trust myself to not empty a magazine of a high capacity auto in a gun fight therefore possibly sending a lot of bullets flying to who knows where .Im no expert or professional so DA revolvers for me but each one of us who carries a gun needs to be realistic and know yourself I mean who you really are not who you want to be and how you would really react not how you hope you will ,then decide what to carry .For me it's a good powerful dependable easy to operate DA revolver.

 

[Brasky]

Might as well change the first two options to "I carry a rock"

 

[Walkingwolf]

Here is my problem, and it is a big problem, I just don't care.

I carry with a round in the chamber, but that is my decision. I don't get worked up with what type of holster, what condition, brand of gun, or caliber size of others. I figure they are adults, and make their own decisions. I am nobodies parent on the internet gun world.

 

[NYlakesider]

Right now my casual carry gun is a Ruger LCR .38 and that has all chambers loaded. No manual safety at all to disengage.

Going to the city gun is a XDs.45 and that one also has a loaded chamber and no safety engaged.

Carried a 1911 for many years and that one was carried cocked and locked (chamber loaded, hammer cocked and safety engaged!)

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

I also carried a revolver at the age of 13 or 14. Some people don't understand what it's like to travel in bear country. So it's easy for them to not understand. Still isn't an excuse to bash you. But there are those that judge instead of try to understand.

So if I understand correctly, we could make this thread less argumentative and more productive by turning it into a bear thread?

 

[ContinentalOp]

"Sticks and stones will break your bones ....but bears will f***** kill you" ....

"Whatever does not kill you will make you stronger...except for bears....bears will kill you"....

That does it....from now on I'm carrying a fully loaded bear.

 

[Valmet]

If you're not comfortable with carrying with one in the chamber, why carry the gun at all?

This ^^^^^
I carry a Glock 19 (most of the time), with a full magazine and one in the pipe.

 

[Kanewpadle]

So if I understand correctly, we could make this thread less argumentative and more productive by turning it into a bear thread?

Obviously I was making a point. But I guess you don't get it.

 

[InsideWaist]

I hereby propose a toast! . . .

 

[Wise_A]

I know an instructor like that too...it's too bad as he is just about the nicest guy around. He learned to carry with an empty chamber decades ago in the military and never updated his training.

I encounter a lot of guys like that, in varying degrees of competent-to-not.

Sometimes I point out that we've learned a lot about handgun shooting since they were in the service (although some of them, I simply cannot believe they were taught to shoot as they do). It's a polite way to start prying off their resistance.

Other times--especially with "empty chamber" or "hammer-down", that sort of thing--I point out that a military handgun is a different animal than a CCW handgun.

In the military, you have a whole host of lethal stuff available. The radio (which calls planes and helicopters and tanks and artillery), grenades, machineguns, rifles, and so on. Basically, a handgun is the second-to-last deadly implement a guy carries, just ahead of a knife. If you need it, the powers-that-be have determined you'll have time to get it ready. They're more concerned with you shooting yourself with it.

In civilian life, the handgun is the only deadly implement you might carry. And nobody is around to tell you how to carry it.

 

[silversnake]

I encounter a lot of guys like that, in varying degrees of competent-to-not.

Sometimes I point out that we've learned a lot about handgun shooting since they were in the service (although some of them, I simply cannot believe they were taught to shoot as they do). It's a polite way to start prying off their resistance.

Other times--especially with "empty chamber" or "hammer-down", that sort of thing--I point out that a military handgun is a different animal than a CCW handgun.

In the military, you have a whole host of lethal stuff available. The radio (which calls planes and helicopters and tanks and artillery), grenades, machineguns, rifles, and so on. Basically, a handgun is the second-to-last deadly implement a guy carries, just ahead of a knife. If you need it, the powers-that-be have determined you'll have time to get it ready. They're more concerned with you shooting yourself with it.

In civilian life, the handgun is the only deadly implement you might carry. And nobody is around to tell you how to carry it.

Exactly right. CCW as a civilian is much different than carrying a pistol in the military. The other thing that's changed since then - we now have thousands of videos of ambush attacks on YouTube. Many of these attacks happen so fast there's little time to get a gun ready for action. In a few cases you can actually see people trying to rack a slide, failing to do so and dying as a result.

People can do what they want, but at least be aware of the risks inherent to empty chamber carry.

 

[Buford57]

My carry options include a DA revolver, a DA/SA Semi and a DAO Semi. I carry all fully loaded. Only the DA/SA has a manual safety. I engage it only when stowing the pistol in my car safe. I have no rational reason for using the safety in that case, except for 30-year old training related to securing my weapon in the locker at the jail sallyport.

However, as a teenager I carried a SA revolver with the hammer down on an empty chamber and once had to finish off a porcupine with a rock after he took 5 rounds of .22 Special. Just pretend porky was a bear and I've covered all the bases.

 

[ExcitableBoy]

I like my bears with fixed sights. They are more durable under rough conditions.