[mikesid]

An interesting discussion came up a few weeks ago at work between a few of us. The discussion was whether or not, when you carry, do you keep a round in the chamber? Needless to say the discussion got quite heated.

The ones that keep a round in the chamber said they do so because if you are forced to use it you don't have to worry about racking it once you take it out.

The ones who didn't keep a round in the chamber said they don't in case someone gets the gun.

I think with both options you run risk no matter what. However if you are aware of your surroundings and only need to use it when you must it won't be taken away, therefore keeping a round in the chamber would be a good idea.

The other discussion was about when you carry. Some only carry if they are going to an unfamiliar area or a not so great area. Others carry all the time.

Curious on everyone thoughts.

P.S. Sorry for any typing mistakes. I'm doing this on my iPhone since comcast stinks and my Internet is down.

 

[SGB]

If someone is so worried about someone else taking their gun away from them that they carry an empty chamber because of it they need to get some professional training before they get themselves killed.

Weapons retention and situational awareness training is as important to safely carrying a firearm as is the ability to hit what you're aiming at.

 

[deadeyedick]

If you ever need to actually draw your weapon in a self-defense situation, you will become a rapid convert to carrying with a round in the chamber. I too used to carry in Condition 3 (loaded magazine, empty chamber) until I had to pull my Glock on a BG...I did, in fact, have time to chamber a round in that situation, but I quickly realized that would not necessarily always be the case.

As far as your associates who are concerned about being disarmed, do they practice weapon retention techniques? Or carry a BUG? If they're that concerned about having their gun taken away by a BG, perhaps they shouldn't be carrying at all.

 

[lilarmy2001]

I keep a round chambered all the time. I may have time to pull and chamber a round but why take that chance. no one will take my handgun from me unless im beat from behind with a bat. With that said, I wouldnt be able to get to them in time for them to chamber one anyways. so really no benifits to not having a round chambered in my eyes.

as for carry, I have mine on me all day. It is at the point where it is comfortable and in reality we carry to protect ourselves and our family. so if that is your intentions as well why not do the best to protect them. leaving a loaded gun in the dresser drawer isnt going to help me keep my wife save at the local hess that is getting robbed by some meth-head. Even if it is a safe place 99.99 percent of the time there is always that chance you are there at the wrong time. I also believe you should carry in your house, you may be behind lock doors but like I tell my wife, it doesnt take much to break that sliding glass door or the sidelight in the front door.

with all that boring stuff I just wrote I will summarize it to this. do what you can to protect your family and always be aware of everything. there is no such thing as excessive when it comes to protecting my family and the same should go for yours. stay safe.

 

[Mac45]

Unloaded chamber carry is not a good idea, for a very simple reason.

In a civilian self defense situation, you will probably not have time to draw, cycle the action and engage your target before suffering serious harm. Speed in bringing your defensive firearm into play may be the difference between surviving and dying.

For example, you are attacked at close range by a man with a club. It may very well be necessary to defend yourself from the initial attack with one hand or arm while drawing and bringing your handgun to bear. If the slide has to be pulled back to chamber a round, then you are left with a very short club with which to defend yourself until you can create sufficient distance between you and your assailant to charge your weapon. That is, of course, supposing you do not have a broken arm [or other injury making it impossible to use your weak hand to load the weapon]. Keep it loaded whenever you carry.

The fact that people consider the possibility that they may lose their handgun is good. It might happen. That is where handgun retention techniques come into play. The whole point is not to let your opponent disarm you before you can open fire.

 

[MZA119]

One in the chamber, no safety, always on me when out in public (unless I'm in the water).

 

[brownie]

Need to know how to create time and distance to get to the firearm. Once time and distance has been created physically, then you can draw.

 

[fhpdude]

The Tueller Drill - man armed with a knife 21 feet away.

Many people cannot successfully draw a concealed firearm and make a good COM hit in the time it takes the BG to conver that distance and deliver a disabliing or lethal cut/thrust.

Most of those who can, couldn't if they needed to chamber a round.

I know the Israeli military advocates Condition 3 carry, but handguns are seldom primary weapons for a soldier.

Condition 1 carry always, with training and practice in weapons retention and basic hand to hand skills.

Of course avoiding the bad guys always helps.

 

[Uechi]

I guess I must be missing something. Unless you live in a state with Open Carry and you are in fact open carrying, how's a bad guy going get your gun? The BG shouldn't even know you are carrying till you pull your weapon.

The average person can cover 21 feet ( 7 paces ) in 1.5 seconds and your going to have time to rack the slide? If anyone is that concerned about weapon retention then get a level 2 retention holster.

The only possible advantage is if your gun is already pulled and the bad guy gets it away from you before you can pull the trigger. In that event you may have a few seconds to get your firearm back or run like hell. Of course you can always hope that if the gun is taken from you and there is no round in the chamber that the BG won't know what to do next,yeah right.

There is only one way to carry to maximize your chances of survival and that's with a round in the chamber. If anyone is not comfortable with that they need training.

 

[mikesid]

As far as your associates who are concerned about being disarmed, do they practice weapon retention techniques? Or carry a BUG? If they're that concerned about having their gun taken away by a BG, perhaps they shouldn't be carrying at all.

Agreed

 

[Glock30]

Please explain

Could someone please explain condition 1,2,3...Sorry if I sound dumb but I have no law enforcement or military training. Thanks for tha future help...G30

" I would rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6 "

 

[Devilfrog]

Could someone please explain condition 1,2,3...Sorry if I sound dumb but I have no law enforcement or military training. Thanks for tha future help...G30

" I would rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6 "

Per USMC the Four weapons conditions:

1. Condition 4- Weapon on safe, bolt home on an empty chamber, no magazine inserted, ejection port cover closed;
2. Condition 3- Weapon on safe, bolt home on an empty chamber, magazine inserted, ejection port cover closed;
3. Condition 2- a round must be in position to be fired, the weapon’s action must be closed, and the hammer must be forward. (This condition only applies to weapons that have external hammers).
4. Condition 1- Weapon on safe, round in chamber, bolt home, magazine inserted, ejection port cover closed

 

[Mac45]

Conditions 1, 2, and 3 were originally applied to single action handguns [1911's] and some long arms.

Condition 1: [cocked and locked] loaded chamber, weapon cocked, safety on.

Condition 2: loaded chamber, weapon not cocked [hammer down].

Condition 3: unloaded chamber, loaded magazine hammer usually down.


Devilfrog beat me too it. Thanks.

 

[Glock30]

Thanks for the info and my favorite smileys raising the colors....AWESOME........G30

" I would rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6 "

 

[ncligs]

All my guns are chambered and ready if needed. I always carry when I leave the house. When I am in my house, one of my Glocks is within arms reach at all times...........even in the bathroom.

PS No kids in our house

 

[Paladin]

Always armed where legal and when sleeping of showering. Always one in the chamber.

I won't explain why as everyone else has done that.

 

[Steve48]

+1, except usually not at home.

Carrying without ready to fire? No way.

 

[Wyrd0]

When I carry my revolver, all chambers are loaded. My 1911 I carry condition 2. (Loaded chamber, hammer down) I've practiced & I can pull the hammer as fast as flick off the safety, so I prefer to drop the hammer.

 

[fuzzy03cls]

G27 chamber & holstered at all times.

 

[XD-Man]

Just read an article in the Concealed Carry magazine, where someone explained why they carry all the time as a comparison with the spare tire in your car. Who leaves the spare at home and only loads it on the car occasionally? If you have a permit, it only makes sense to carry ALL THE TIME, when possible. The only places I cannot carry is at work and at the school attached to my church. And since I carry all the time, there might be some times when I carry into a place I shouldn't. But I'll take my chances.

And I always carry with one in the chamber and no safety. Actually, neither of my 'carry' guns has a manual safety - the XD-40 has both trigger and grip safeties, and the Keltec P-11 is a DAO with a trigger pull so heavy that you literally have to work the gun to make it fire. I also carry at least one extra magazine for each gun I carry, and a lot of times I'm carrying both.

Firearms safety (as opposed to the safety on a gun) is foremost when you carry. You have to know your gun, know how it operates, and respect the fact that theyit is loaded and ready to fire. In a close quarters fight, as others have said, there is no time to rack a round. You may not even have time to draw, so as Brownie said, you have to move, try to increase the distance and make yourself a lousy target while getting ready to fire your own weapon.

Like a good Boy Scout, your motto should be "Always Be Prepared!"