Help settle an argument...one in the chamber or not?

brucev · #51 03-23-2012, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ilike9mm

My older brother carries (later model) .357 wheel gun. He only puts in 4 rounds. He says: "clear chamber in case he drops it". The second chamber empty, in case he pulls the trigger/hammer when getting it out of the holster.

I say: it won't go off if you drop it and not likely to discharge when de-holstering. He won't listen, maybe a second opinion from the forum might change his mind.

Your brother is misinformed. Early DA S&W revolvers posed a very slight risk of discharge if dropped. During WWII a serviceman was killed by such a accident. S&W added a hammer block to positively prevent this sort of thing. It has been standard on all subsequent S&W production.

As to the second empty chamber, again he is simply not thinking clearly. Possibly he might by some stretch of imagination pull the trigger while drawing the revolver. There are after all folks in cowboy action shooting who begin cocking the hammer of their single-action revolvers while drawing it from their holster. But, that is about the only rational by which anyone might suppose that anyone would cock a revolver while drawing it. If he is a "gamer" in CAS, then his concern might be justified. But that is about the only possible logic I can conceive.

I would suggest that your brother educate himself by reading a up to date book on S&W revolvers, their design and construction, their use and care. Sincerely. brucev.

Retired LTC, USAR · #52 03-23-2012, 08:29 AM

If he is leaving the chamber under the hammer empty, when he pulls the trigger it will go "BANG". The only down side is that he only has four rounds to kill the bad guys and not five.

wbraswell · #53 03-23-2012, 10:00 AM

Did he arrive at these decisions all by himself, or is he married?
"All we have to fear, is fear itself." FDR

DeadAye · #54 03-23-2012, 10:18 AM

I thought that ALL Y'ALL were firearm safety conscious - And then I read how you fill all 6 holes...

A revolver should be carried with the gun (as defined by the ATF) in your holster and the goin around part with all the bullets in it in a pocket (but without the bullets (obvious, I know)) - The bullets themselfs should be locked in a safe, but convenient.

Semi-autos should get similar treatment - gun in the holster - magazine in a pocket - slide in a different pocket - bullets in a safe.

Using the ultra safe method as described above you are (again, obviously) always protected - Since a gun is ALWAYS loaded. And what you have in your holster is a gun by definition.

jkc · #55 03-23-2012, 10:37 PM

If I understood the OP correctly, brother is keeping two chambers empty, and leaving four live rounds in what must be a six chamber cylinder, not a five chamber J-frame centerfire cylinder. In any case, I hope, for the sake of the forum member and his family, that this irrational behavior owes to some medical condition, birth defect, substance abuse, etc., and is not of genetic origin...