Probably because I'm new to guns, I'm hesitant to keep one chambered. However, I realize in a situation,
being ready to go might mean the difference between living or dying. I'm working up to it...

I sure do!!!!!!!!!

Yeah...really if you are going to carry a semi-auto for self defense, carrying a round in the chamber is the only way to go. There are various options (DAO, striker vs hammer, cocked and locked vs hammer down) that depending on the model and style gun you carry can help with your comfort level, but I don't think anyone would really recommend an empty chamber. The most important thing is that regardless of how you decide to go, get some good training and instruction on YOUR weapon...and then practice with it until it is second nature...not just shooting, but manipulation of the safety etc.
Good luck!

Bluffing is for poker. Keep a round in the chamber.

As BCDWYO said, get training!

I do, and confidently at that. It's the only way to go, really. With a good holster and safe gun handling, there's virtually nothing to worry about.

Started carrying in 1975 and have ALWAYS carried one in the chamber.

one in the chamber, pistol in a good holster.

if pistol is out of the holster, finger out of triggerguard.

use care when reholstering. i have read that lots of NDs occur when clothing or some other object (like a finger) gets in front of the trigger during reholstering.

IMHO not carrying a round in the chamber is like the old practice of carrying an empty chamber under the hammer of a revolver. In modern firearms neither makes any sense and could result in a bad outcome. Get some good training, practice until handling the gun becomes second nature and hope you never have to use it.

It's all about being comfortable with your gun. If you get some range time with it and a good holster, you will be ok.

A duty/carry gun that's not fully loaded, with a round in the chamber, is called a "Dead mans gun".

At the same time, if you are not comfortable carrying a pistol that way yet, get some good training until you are.

Look at it this way; if you had to fight off an assailant with one hand and draw your weapon with the other, how would you rack the slide to chamber a round?

Carry a round in the chamber and practice with it until you are confident and comfortable. If need be practice (safely) with snap caps. If you cannot get over it, than consider transitioning to a revolver.

Good luck, stay safe.
Frank

it's actually quite easy to rack it one handed off your belt.. but yeah, who wants to have to do that DURING a fight?

All of the info posted above is A++ WISDOM. However, if you are unable to achieve a training level that is comfortable for you,then I would suggest carrying a DA revolver.I don't mean that to sound snotty, I do know some folks that are just not comfortable carrying "cocked and locked" over a chambered round. The solution,as I suggested,is a good double action revolver. In any reasonable caliber .357 Mag or better you will not be undergunned.Nick

Reading all these responses, really makes me hate living in Illinois.

Good advice from this gentleman.I'd like to add "brain connected to trigger finger."A semi auto with manual safety may be the way to go for you.Yes I know there are a lot of people who feel it's not needed, but go with what you are comfortable with.It's all a matter of personal preference.Not to ignite controversy,but racking the slide of a loaded weapon off your belt during a fight makes me extremely nervous.

With anything other than an old style single action, yes always a live round in the chamber.

I look at it like this... You carry the weapon for protection, only to be used in life threatoning situations. What good does it do if it is NOT ready to be used. If you are concerned about safety, your abilities, etc. PRACTICE until you are OK with it. If you don't feel safe with the gun, don't carry it till you do. You'll just get yourself hurt.

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Gerry

When I carry my .45 Commander, it's in Condition One - loaded, cocked and locked. Your carry piece must be your own, meaning you are comfortable, knowledgeable, proficient and confident with it. If you're not, PRACTICE until you make it your own.

Larry

Always a round in my chamber with a 1911 or any auto. I usually carry a DA revolver now days because of arthritis in my hands. Gripping a slide comes with much pain, but I can shoot 44 magnum. I never feel under gunned with a revolver.

Carrying a gun without a round in the chamber is a lot like putting on your seat belt JUST before you crash.

Randy

I ordered my 9c with a thumb safety.
Be safe, and be ready for an event with a round chambered. I agree.

No controversy intended.. just stating it can be done and not a bad thing to know in case some situation requires it.. But yeah, no need to add a risk.

^^^ Great suggestion.

If the SHTF its better to flip off the safety than rack the slide.

A lot of people in this Glock era feel an external safety is stupid, and try to force their opinion on others.

Go with what's comfortable for you and don't worry about impressing someone else.

Just because someone else is comfortable with something doesn't mean you have to be.

(Just some randon thoughts.)

One of my customers dead on the floor with an empty chamber! How do you think I carry?

All my pistols have one in the chamber though at first I wasn't comfortable with the idea. I practiced until I felt like I had the hang of carrying and drawing my weapon while loaded.

I when I first started to carry never had a round in the chamber but then came the day that I ran into a potential adversary, who didn't seem to recognize me and seemed preoccupied and perturbed about an auto part. As I was new to carry my weapon was in my vehicle with no round in the chamber but as soon as I returned to my vehicle I racked the slide and have carried that way ever since.

Also I sometimes carry openly now since it is legal for me to carry openly or concealed in the State of Tennessee with my Handgun Carry Permit but I also carry concealed most of the time except when I am at my workplace or job site and depending on the job site may carry if necessary!

Now I don't even think about racking one into the chamber and stuffing it into a good holster, which is the most important part of carrying!

You finger is the most important safety that you have if you mean to shoot then put it on the trigger if you do not keep it away from the trigger guard!

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59,M&P9,40,40C,357,(2)45,G26

Most definately always

Why carry if a round is not in the chamber?

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The American dream is alive

I surely do!!

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Omiedudeman

That pretty much sums it up. That's the only way I carry.

Amen to this.

If you are commited to carry for protection you have got to be committed to be able to use the firearm as quick as possible in a deadly force situation. There is no other way to have this speed short of a loaded round in a semi-auto or a cylinder full in a revolver. Just a thought.

James

Cocked and locked, safety on, always, without fail.

Then again I carry a 1911 everywhere I go, so that - for me anyway - is the ONLY way to go!

Load magazine to maximum capacity
Install magazine to your M&P
Rack slide to chamber 1st round
Release the magazine
Install another round into the magazine
Re-install magazine to your M&P
Holster your firearm until needed for training or protection
Repeat as needed and often...

I carry a 1911 cocked and locked. Sometimes I carry a spare magazine.

I will always carry cocked and locked. It is useless not to.

The OP posted this in the M & P (semi-auto) section, so just wanted to add this model has several internal safeties that allow it to be carried with a round in the chamber. Some older guns will fire if dropped, but this one will not. Agree with all the other posts about safe handling and training.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

The more you shoot and handle your firearm, the more comfortable and informed you will be about how it operates. Some people carry an empty chamber and practice charging the slide on their hip after clearing the holster and bringing the gun forward. And this may work for them as long as they are standing upright and facing their target. Unfortunately, we seldom get to select what position our bodies are in when we have to draw.

If a loaded chamber makes you nervous get the training and practice you need to get over it. If not you may as well go Barney Fife. Not only carry with an empty chamber but also put your loaded mag in your shirt pocket. That should ease your mind.

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Life Member B.A.S.S., NAFC

I always have a round chambered in my HD gun, and/or in the gun I am carrying. I don't want to have to rack the slide or otherwise try to charge the pistol in a self-defense situation. If there is time enough to do that, then perhaps there is time enough to look for alternatives out of the danger. If not, I don't want to be racking the slide and chance that I will induce a malfunction under stress, like not fully retracting the slide and hanging the round instead of chambering it.

On my other pistols, not being used for HD or not being carried, I do have the magazines loaded but no round chambered. If I want to look at them, clean them, or otherwise handle them, I can just drop the magazine and they are safe and clear (I always check to be sure anyway.) That way, I don't have to worry about dropping the round out of the chamber, and then reloading it...with possible bullet setback, etc. If, however, I do need a second gun, then the magazine is loaded and a round can be chambered if needed.

As others have pointed out, you can opt for either a pistol with a safety, or a pistol with either a DAO or a DA/SA action whose trigger pull is sufficiently long and hard to help preclude NDs. Otherwise, proper firearm handling should avoid any NDs...a modern firearm will not fire without the trigger being pulled.

I have always carried with a round in the chamber

If you carry a gun you plan on using it right then and there so it must be able to fire when the situation arises not after otherwise you could be a casualty or statistic don't be either for an unwanted fear it could be worse for the long run~

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59,M&P9,40,40C,357,(2)45,G26

Ain't no use carryin' a gun if it's not loaded!!

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Bob.
SWCA 1821

I carry mine chambered.

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Ray in Texas
S&W M&P 40cal.

me too. ....

One in the chamber always....

Always! You will feel more comfortable with time.

I read a post once on this same question and someone wrote that if you weren't going to carry with one in the chamber then you may as well leave your pistol at home and carry around a hammer in your holster. It just made me laugh. As for me, I was very intimidated at first, walking around with a loaded chamber, but you do get used to it. I would spend plenty of time with an empty gun practicing your draw. And remember that your gun is always best kept in a quality holster that covers the trigger guard. I would also suggest you work on re-holstering as well since many accidents occur when you are trying to stuff your gun back into the holster and it snags your clothing in the trigger.

The problems with carrying empty chamber to me are:
1. Requires the use of two hands. I don't know about you but I am usually carrying stuff. Yes, I will drop what I am carrying but those extra seconds could cost..
2. Relies on more precise motor skills than I prefer to have to use under stress. Consider that you may have to do this moving, or taking cover
3. Requires that everything during the charging sequence to work and charge the pistol. If any one thing fails then the pistol is essentially a big rock. For example, what if the bullet fails to chamber, or the slide doesn't completely go into battery? You have essentially a rock in your hands.

This is exacerbated with one handed racking. Not only does your equipment need to support this (flat pistol sights, hard belt or hard holster), but you will need to clear your cover garment and rack the pistol, with the same caveats as (2) and (3) above, without being able to see what you are doing (do you really want to look away from the assailant?) and you may possibly be in motion.

Definitely not something I want to have to rely on, especially during stress and with an assailant. So, I guess to answer the OP's question, yes I carry chambered.

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NRA Certified Instructor

Carried cocked and locked when I first got my CHL but changed to J frame size about 4 years ago. And of course there is a round in every hole.

Round chambered

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M&P .40, M&P 9c & Shield 45

You heard a unanimous chorus of "keep the chamber full". I have since the day I got my CPL. When I carry a 1911, it's "cocked & locked". This includes my Sig 1911 RCS and my Sig P238. I have an M&P 9 also with a thumb safety, carried the same way. I have a HK P7PSP and a Beretta Nano which do not employ safeties. Still carry one in the chamber. The P7 is decocked when its not gripped, the Nano has a DA trigger around 7.5#. A firm, fitted holster is critical.