Carry one in the chamber

[vsraptor]

So I have a shield with thumb safety and have gotten very comfortable carrying chambered and on safe iwb. With cooler months coming, maybe time to start carry the full-size. I have a comptac gladiator holster for it. I have carried that setup before with one in the chamber. Of course the full size doesn't have a safety. Just looking for thoughts. I am new (6mo) to ccw. But I make sure I stay discrete. Even with three kids. Oh just for your information, I started working on my chl before it started getting crazy!!!!! And I carry anytime legal when I'm not going to work, even then it's in the truck.

 

[Turkey61]

One in the chamber, always.

 

[andrewcdub]

I would always carry with one in the chamber. Never saw the point really of not. I never really felt uncomfortable with not having an actually thumb safety. Maybe only when I carry appendix. After a while I kinda just forget about it.

 

[dullh]

A lot of older-timers, many of whom were trained in the military (especially Vietnam-era and back), will not carry a round in the chamber. I do. It's up to the individual. Carry however you want, Condition I or II...just so long as you're carrying...

 

[Arik]

Modern guns can have a round chamberd no problems.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2

 

[mcoe74]

I rotate between a revolver and semi-auto dependent on the clothing/weather. Carrying one in the chamber is an individual choice. For me, when carrying a semi-auto, I keep one in the chamber and fully loaded with a revolver.

 

[catcus-jack]

If you don't carry one in the chamber just leave your pistol at home and carry a hammer because that's what you have.

 

[Keithmj]

Chambered

One in the chamber can mean the difference between life and death for you. I always have one chambered as I might not have time to rack one into the chamber.

 

[Just another 22 shooter]

.....This:

One in the chamber, always.

 

[Jaysq]

If you should get into a situation that requires using you handgun, think of how the adrenal is going to be flowing. What if you do not give it a full rack and get a jam. What if he grabs your arm...it takes two hands to rack a round.

Most modern handguns are safe to carry with a round chambered. Carry in a holster that covers your trigger and you should be OK. Most will tell you to use the safety on your shield to holster your weapon and then take the safety off. If you carry with the safety on....practice drawing and releasing the safety until it becomes second nature.

 

[targetchief]

One in the chamber. The downside of the M&P line is they make a terrible club

 

[KarmannGhia]

Concealed carrying without a round in the chamber is the equivalent of driving around without air in your car's spare tire (the hardware is there, but useless when you need it immediately). The only time it would be prudent, is a Glock (or similar type) loose inside a purse or bag.

 

[shamuscull]

One in the chamber in a proper holster no problems!!!

 

[vsraptor]

So no one sees any problem carrying the full size with no saftey, condition zero?? Just trying to educate myself on everyone else's wisdom.

 

[TahoeDust]

Personally, the only time I would feel a little nervous carrying chambered without a safety is during holstering. Once it was holstered and on my body, I would have no reservations at all.

 

[Biscut]

A lot of older-timers, many of whom were trained in the military (especially Vietnam-era and back), will not carry a round in the chamber. I do. It's up to the individual. Carry however you want, Condition I or II...just so long as you're carrying...

Very true with the old timers!

Modern era with a modern gun we train and are trained that a gun without a bullet in the chamber is called a club.

When you consider anyone whether LE or civilian is carrying and the incredibly short time period to shoot/not shoot it really does make sense to say that if you are not comfortable with one in the pipe you probably should reconsider carrying a pisol for SD in the first place.

It;s not a knock on you either, takes a real man to admit it's not for him. Some people just don't sit well with it.

 

[Jaysq]

So no one sees any problem carrying the full size with no safety, condition zero?? Just trying to educate myself on everyone else's wisdom.

I personally do not see a problem with it. Carry in a proper holster that covers your trigger and take care when you holster.

That said, you are the one that is going to have to feel comfortable carrying with one chambered. If you do not feel comfortable.....you would be better off to continue to carry your shield with the safety on.

If you get into a situation with a handgun with no round in the chamber.......you are going to loose.

 

[Lee in Quartzsite]

Wow, this discussion again!? You can answer the question yourself by reviewing a few scenarios:

You are sitting in your car waiting for the light to change when suddenly someone opens the door or reaches through the window and grabs your left arm and tries to pull you out of the car....how do you chamber a round?

You get into a fight with a BG and get knocked to the ground, injuring your left or right arm.....how do you chamber a round?

Someone comes at you with a knife and in the heat of the moment you draw and pull the trigger only to hear a click. Might be the last sound you ever hear. A un-chambered gun is just a paperweight...keep it loaded and ready, or leave it home and call 911.

 

[Donn]

So no one sees any problem carrying the full size with no saftey, condition zero?? Just trying to educate myself on everyone else's wisdom.

If you've taken the FS to the range, you know the trigger has more travel than a cocked 1911 or revolver, in order to disable the internal safeties. Same with the Shield. As long as you've got a decent holster that covers the trigger, and you keep your finger off, you'll be OK. I've got a FS, Compact 9 and a Shield, (on which I don't use the thumb safety). I feel more at ease with my M&P's with no external safeties in condition one than I ever did carrying my 1911 that has three. And for the record, I'm one of those Vietnam vet old-timers who used to think the sun rose and set on a 1911. Still like 1911's, have two. But I carry an M&P.

 

[k31scout]

I carry with one in the chamber but it did take a while to get comfortable doing that. Of course I could walk around with my hand resting on the grip to shave even more time off my presentation but then I'd be paranoid. lol However you carry you need to be consistent with it and practice the draw with dry firing or get a full size M&P AIRSOFT pistol which is what I did. It's a $45 pistol and is an exact replica of the FS M&P line with a decent trigger. No recoil but hey, it's great practice for drawing and getting on target and firing that first shot.

 

[Arik]

So no one sees any problem carrying the full size with no saftey, condition zero?? Just trying to educate myself on everyone else's wisdom.

No its not a problem. Ment to be carried loaded without a manual saftey. That safety is just a mental thing

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2

 

[S&W45Colt]

So no one sees any problem carrying the full size with no saftey, condition zero?? Just trying to educate myself on everyone else's wisdom.

Keep your finger off the trigger until you intend to pull it. Simple, but it works.

 

[S&WProtected]

When I purchased my first M&P I bought the model with no external safety. I was somewhat hesitant at first because my old pistol was a Ruger P95 which had a very heavy trigger for this fist shot like a revolver so I never worried to much about it. When I got my CHP I was concerned because I had little experience carrying concealed or otherwise. I will say that practice will help ease your concerns over carrying with a round in the chamber, meaning when you train practice drawing safely from holster and shooting. The best thing I did was join IDPA and start shooting matches, this made me more comfortable drawing from a holster and also made me practice other skills that I did not normally practice.

As far as your original question I would carry however I was most comfortable with to start but I agree a weapon that is not loaded does little good when a situation arises and you only have seconds to respond.

 

[joonbis]

I carry my revolver most of the time, fully loaded. I will admit that when I carry the p238 I carry it without one in the chamber although I have practiced racking it on the Aris belt. Just my preference. The xds was also carried unchambered, again just my preference.

 

[vipermd]

So no one sees any problem carrying the full size with no saftey, condition zero?? Just trying to educate myself on everyone else's wisdom.

I may be wrong but I believe the thumb safety only prevents the trigger from moving??? If that is correct it would not prevent, nor cause the firing pin safety to malfunction, and is therefore superfluous unless you are trying to prevent yourself from pulling the trigger? I have carried SW Sigmas since the early 1990's and still do, with a loaded chamber. As was stated above a holster that covers the trigger guard should prevent an unintentional discharge. So I am not sure that I understand why you ( no disrespect meant ), or anyone would want a thumb safety? Is it to prevent pulling the trigger?? Be Safe,

 

[ItsGotMyBack]

I am a relatively new carrier and was also hesitant to carry OITC at first myself without a safety on my 40c...

After taking the gun apart to install an APEX DCAEK kit (highly recommended) I was no longer concerned.

I learned how the gun operated and safeties built into the design of the sear, blocker, and trigger. Once I understood that I was fine and not concerned of an AD just from carrying it Etc.

But at the end of the day YOU have to be comfortable with what you are carrying. If you are not you shouldn't be carrying it. I would stick with the Shield as your EDC if you aren't.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

 

[shawn mccarver]

So I have a shield with thumb safety and have gotten very comfortable carrying chambered and on safe iwb. With cooler months coming, maybe time to start carry the full-size. I have a comptac gladiator holster for it. I have carried that setup before with one in the chamber. Of course the full size doesn't have a safety. Just looking for thoughts. I am new (6mo) to ccw. But I make sure I stay discrete. Even with three kids. Oh just for your information, I started working on my chl before it started getting crazy!!!!! And I carry anytime legal when I'm not going to work, even then it's in the truck.

Why would you NOT carry one in the chamber? Police always do. Your need for self-defense is the same - perhaps not as likely - but the same in that when "that time" comes, it will likely be a surprise requiring quick action, and maybe one handed if you are managing to move a child or loved one out of harms way.

Requiring two hands to get a pistol into action is about as ridiculous as needing two hands to read the time on your wrist watch. Remember those unfortunate wrist watches back in the early 70s that had blank screens and you had to press a button on the watch body to light up the red LED numbers in order to see the time (pre LCD days) - anyone remember those?

Another analogy is your car. An unloaded firearm (half-loaded, military definition of full magazine and nothing in the chamber, condition 3, etc.) is about as useless as keeping your car's gas tank empty, but having a gas can nearby, so that if you need to drive, you can "load" some gas in your tank.

 

[RussC]

I would carry two in the chamber if they would fit.

A good holster that covers the trigger and your brain is all you need to be safe.

The gun will only go bang if you pull the trigger.

Russ

 

[DocSunShine]

Carrying without one in the chamber is flat out stupid & manual safeties are completely unnecessary (outside of a 1911) and act as a crutch for those who lack training & confidence. If you don't want to carry with one in the pipe, keep your gun home cause it's more likely to get you hurt rather than save your life at that point.

 

[10xatten]

I am an old timer. What I know is that an empty chamber means a useless firearm. Untill it is loaded which could take about the same time as it could take some cretin to kill you.
Richard