Should chamber be cleared when putting gun away for the night?

[Baltimoreed11754]

You wouldn't unload your revolver at night, why unload your semi. My Mustang is always loaded with a round in the chamber with the safety on. What I like is the ability to do a press check on the Mustang while the safety is on.

 

[lkabug]

I don't want to be racking for the rest of my life.
My carry gun always has a round chambered.
You do what ever makes you feel comfortable and safe.

 

[bushmaster1313]

Much appreciate the responses

 

[Sistema1927]

Other than the once a week cleaning to remove dust bunnies, my P365 remains in its pocket holster with a round in the chamber and the magazine inserted. When it comes off of my person at night it resides on the bed side table, still in the Kydex Alabama pocket holster.

 

[Rustyt1953]

 

[RMFnLA]

I do not pull the trigger on my EDC unless I am at the range and heaven forbid in self defense or defense of others. Never! If I feel the need to dry fire, I have more than enough firearms (both short guns and long guns) at home to do so. Why at work? Could get you in trouble or scare the bejesus out of a coworker. I shoot handguns at least once a week at the range about 50 weeks a year, I shoot rifles two days a week about the same amount as handguns.

I should have mentioned that I'm alone in my office; no co-workers to scare, no trouble to get into.

As for dry firing my EDC, that's the one I want proficiency with, not some range toy or safe queen.

 

[jareds06]

I usually unload autos. Revolvers stay loaded. My PX4 does as well

 

[S-W4EVER]

Everyone has a theory on this but if you're like me and have a half dozen loaded guns around your house 24/7/365 it seems pointless to unload the gun you carried all day. Further, "put up for the night" implies locked away. I just leave my EDC on my dresser, in the same condition as when I carried it. There's nobody here to touch it and it doesn't do anything on its own, notwithstanding what the fake news headlines imply!

Funny. I expected debates here but I see we generally agree with the concept that "a loaded chamber is a happy chamber".

With the exception of jurisdictions that require unloaded guns in homes most well trained defensive shooters will keep chambers loaded.

As for these:





The entire IDF trains using pistols in Condition 3 because back in the day, think 1948, they were supplied with an enormous variety of pistols and the decision was made to train everyone the same way. Ipso facto - Condition 3.

But an Israeli Soldier can draw his or her pistol, rack the slide, and be on target and firing faster than you can say Jack Robinson! (Side note - that phrase actually originated in the 18th century!) They train that way and they probably repeat that maneuver thousands of times. I've seen it done (long story oft- repeated in other threads) and it's impressive. If you can shoot like that feel free to carry your pistol in Condition 3.

We had to carry our 1911's in Condition 3 with two five round mags when I served (Army MPC), carried in a flap holster no less. It was possible to draw and rack the slide pretty quickly, but nowhere near as fast as Condition 1 would have been. (Carrying 10 rounds was pretty stupid too.). It takes two hands to rack the slide, assuming you still have the use of both your hands. I don't mess with my EDC weapons, nothing more dangerous than an "unloaded" firearm.

 

[stansdds]

We had to carry our 1911's in Condition 3 with two five round mags when I served (Army MPC), carried in a flap holster no less. It was possible to draw and rack the slide pretty quickly, but nowhere near as fast as Condition 1 would have been. (Carrying 10 rounds was pretty stupid too.). It takes two hands to rack the slide, assuming you still have the use of both your hands. I don't mess with my EDC weapons, nothing more dangerous than an "unloaded" firearm.

Oh, yes, slipped my mind with my first reply. If you get into a physical altercation, your hands may be quite busy. It may be possible to free one hand to draw the pistol, but if the chamber is empty, it can only function as a small rock, not as a functioning firearm.

 

[AJ]

We had to carry our 1911's in Condition 3 with two five round mags when I served (Army MPC), carried in a flap holster no less. It was possible to draw and rack the slide pretty quickly, but nowhere near as fast as Condition 1 would have been. (Carrying 10 rounds was pretty stupid too.). It takes two hands to rack the slide, assuming you still have the use of both your hands. I don't mess with my EDC weapons, nothing more dangerous than an "unloaded" firearm.

When I first joined the Corps we were not allowed to load a magazine into a M1911A1 stateside for EDC. When I became a Guard Chief at a Marine the Commandant finally decided we could load loaded magazines into the weapon , but no rounds in the chamber. A couple of years later I was assigned to the Marine Corps Security Battalion (Pacific). The we were trained to carry Condition 1 and did so. We used that funky old M1916 holster. We were trained to draw and fire from that holster in less than 1.5 seconds. We were also trained in several different ways to rack a Condition 3 weapon with one hand. Now it just falls back to training.

 

[venomballistics]

I don't clear my carry piece.
It's loaded ... it's always loaded.
if something goes bump in the night, it's still loaded.
There will be no confusion nor misunderstanding ... it is loaded.
Some may gasp at the notion.
Guns do not fire themselves. Guns fire when we handle them, either with the intent, or in error. This includes the handling involved when clearing a weapon.

 

[Hair Trigger]

The Israelis are not the only ones carrying with an empty chamber, in the model 1911 era condition 3 was standard in the US armed services. Read a field manual from that era.

My cousin (more like a brother) carried a 1911 in Vietnam in addition to his rifle (1st Cav). He said everybody who had one in a combat area carried it C1. I can see requiring it C3 in a rear area with little chance or immediate need of use, or on base in CONUS.

If I am carrying one of my 1911's, it is C1 when it is loaded and in my holster. The only time it gets unloaded is once a week to wipe it down, then reloaded and back to C1. I rotate carry with a revolver, which stays loaded when it is my carry piece (the 1911 gets unloaded, magazine out and hung in the safe), and the revolver will also get the once a week wipedown.

 

[WR Moore]

Originally Posted by 326MOD10 View Post
Repeatedly unchambering and chambering the same round can lead to disaster.

Each time you chamber a round the bullet gets pushed a little more into the casing. This increases the case pressure.

Has anyone ever actually experienced this?

l.

OK, while employed I'd receive emails or other notifications sent out by various law enforcement entities about mishaps with fire arms. (Off topic but these included one horrific photo of what happens when you're sloppy doing the opposing hands slide rack and your trigger digit happens to be on the trigger. A high performance 9 mm round stripped the muscles from the left forearm.)

Received several notices of over pressure ka-booms caused by bullet set back from repeated chambering. While some designs and possibly ammo brands may be more resistant to setback than others, repeatedly chambering a round can be setting the stage for a bad result.

Long gone are the days when auto pistol ammo had case cannelures to help keep the bullet from setting back during the feed cycle. The practice suggested by several ammo companies is to limit chambering to no more than 4-5 events. YMMV, but err on the side of caution.

I should note that when our practice was to unload service pistols prior to putting them in the arms lockers at end of shift, the semi annual armorers inspections found a significant number of set back .40 rounds. The .40 seems to suffer both set back and ka-booms more frequently than other rounds, esp with 180 gr loads. We used this as grounds for keeping the chambers loaded.


Also, if you do dry fire drills with all plastic inert/dummy rounds, clean the firearm prior to live fire! Accumulation of itty, bitty plastic shards have created major problems.

 

[Eric300]

I usually unload autos. Revolvers stay loaded. My PX4 does as well

Please share/explain your thought process on this. Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[AJ]

OK, while employed I'd receive emails or other notifications sent out by various law enforcement entities about mishaps with fire arms. (Off topic but these included one horrific photo of what happens when you're sloppy doing the opposing hands slide rack and your trigger digit happens to be on the trigger. A high performance 9 mm round stripped the muscles from the left forearm.)

Cooper has a rule.......Your finger is not on the trigger until your sights are on something that you are willing to destroy.

 

[WR Moore]

He also didn't keep the muzzle away from anything he wouldn't wish to destroy. Maybe more accurately, didn't keep body parts clear of the muzzle.

I've seen a number of injuries of various degrees from the opposing hands clearing method. Some by folks I'd thought skilled before their OOPS! Ya can't fix stupid, but you can choose actions that minimize bad results.

 

[RetCapt]

My EDC (Glock 26) is always loaded with one in the chamber. That is for two legged predators, regardless of where.

For four legged predators I take a different approach. The Remington 870 in the bedroom is loaded, but not with a round in the chamber. I figure that if I have time to get to the 870 I have time to rack a round in, and the music may be a deterrent. We live in an isolated mountain area. The two apex predators are bear (black, not grizzly) and cougar. That is the primary purpose for the 870. In fact the first round up is a popper, hoping noise will cause a four legged predator to leave. Next round up is bird shot, to help with the persuasion. The final two are rifled slugs on the assumption that if I get to that point I (and the bear or cougar) have run out of options. If I can run off the creature that is my preference. We live in a tiny pocket of civilization in a vast wilderness. This is their turf. We love living in this environment or we would not be here.

The scariest sound in the jungle is 'click'. I don't want to hear that sound.

 

[AJ]

My EDC (Glock 26) is always loaded with one in the chamber. That is for two legged predators, regardless of where.

For four legged predators I take a different approach. The Remington 870 in the bedroom is loaded, but not with a round in the chamber. I figure that if I have time to get to the 870 I have time to rack a round in, and the music may be a deterrent. We live in an isolated mountain area. The two apex predators are bear (black, not grizzly) and cougar. That is the primary purpose for the 870. In fact the first round up is a popper, hoping noise will cause a four legged predator to leave. Next round up is bird shot, to help with the persuasion. The final two are rifled slugs on the assumption that if I get to that point I (and the bear or cougar) have run out of options. If I can run off the creature that is my preference. We live in a tiny pocket of civilization in a vast wilderness. This is their turf. We love living in this environment or we would not be here.

The scariest sound in the jungle is 'click'. I don't want to hear that sound.

A friend in Pa. has problems with bears raiding his feeder (for squirrel's, turkeys and birds). The bears got use to him hollering at them and now ignore a shout. Then he used firecrackers and now those do not work. Next came bottle rockets and those are losing their fear factor unless he is able to hit one. The city limits end at his property line on one side, but he thinks gun fire will draw the local gendarmes (State Police). So he has resorted to bringing the feeders every night.

 

[M29since14]

I think always a good idea to avoid any unnecessary administrative handling of loaded guns. I'd leave it loaded, somewhere secure, if little folks could come around.

 

[Magnum_PI]

I know it may take some getting used to, but you need to carry with a loaded chamber.

Don't fall for the "you can pull, rack, and fire" and it'll all go good".

You carry a gun to be prepared. Carrying on an empty chamber will only get you killed. A thug carrying isn't carrying on an empty chamber. I can assure you of that.

If you want to feel safer, ditch the Sig and get a revolver. 5 to 10 (depending on size, model, caliber) loaded "chambers" always ready to go and no safety to fuss with or worry of it going out of battery, etc.

I can't for the life of me understand how anyone feels safe carrying an empty chamber. No offense. I just don't see how you're safe doing so.

They say statistics is *most* civilian shootings are 3 rounds or less anyway.