Posted on 11/30/2016 10:38:43 AM PST by rktman
If there’s one topic that can cause a lot of heat in shooting circles, it’s whether or not you choose to carry with a round in the chamber.
When you research this topic or bring it up, particularly around experienced shooters, you’ll find a lot of strong opinions like, “only an idiot would carry without a round in the chamber,” or my all-time-favorite, “you might as well carry a brick for as much good as an unloaded gun will do you.” And these experienced shooters have these strong opinions because there is ample evidence, and many examples, where not having a round in the chamber has cost a good person their life.
That being said, the decision to carry with a round in the chamber, or not, is a personal choice once you understand all the facts and have good information. So let’s look at the reasons why you would want to consider carrying a round in the chamber, and some tips and techniques to help combat the fears and concerns that may prevent you from doin
(Excerpt) Read more at womanwiseguns.com ...
#1: A concealed weapon is a concealed weapon, with all the legal implications thereof, regardless of whether a round is chamnbered. (Check your local laws, as I am not admitted to practice in your state)
#2: According to the most recent stats on shootings,
80% are at 20 feet or less. 55% are at 7 feet or less. Average number of shots fired is 5. Average number of bullets that hit is 1. AVERAGE TIME FROM START OF GUNFIGHT UNTIL END IS 3.4 SECONDS
Since the only justification (in most cases) to employ deadly physical force, OR BY THE OVERT ACT OF THREATENING TO USE THAT FORCE DISPLAYING A FIREARM, is the presence of opposing deadly or grievous physical force, and since it is going to be over in less than 4 seconds, you do not have time to chamber a round.
Additionally, chambering a round requires two hands. In a deadly confrontation, you may not have both hands available, or be able to get them into action. Example, you are on street, condition Yellow. Perp suddenly approaches you and begins to draw his knife or pistol. You are close enough to him that no retreat is possible. You grab his right (gun/knife) hand with your left hand, move it down and away, while you draw with your right hand.
Now, unless you let go of his gun/knife hand, how are you going to chamber a round?
Modern semi-automatic pistols are completely safe with a round chambered, safeties on. You may want to remove the round when storing the weapon, but never carry a weapon you are not ready to shoot in less time than it takes the perp to draw his weapon and shoot.... and remember, in most self-defense situations, the perp “gets the first move.” In those situations, you cannot claim self-defense unless he performs some overt act first, so you are already “late.”
Granted, there are times in Red, Orange and even some Yellow situations where you can have your hand on your weapon, but to display it means you are ready to kill the person involved if they continue their deadly or grievous actions against you... and in those situations, you do not have a tenth of a second to spare.
Yes, it’s that serious.
No glocks
My wife doesn’t feel comfortable having to rack during a confrontation.
God Bless Ya, MARINE!!!!!
Gunny G 1952-1972
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Cocked and Locked!
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https://gunnygblog.wordpress.com/2013/05/25/gunny-g-so-was-it-cocked-and-locked-or-locl-and-load/
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It’s totally bad if you misrack ....
Brian Nichols killed an ICE Agent because he decided to not have his piece chambered. In the time it took him to pull his gun and try to chamber it, he was shot down.
I never carry with out one in the chamber and I never buy worthless guns with safeties.
Opposite argument of that is that I’ve also witnessed more than one thug idiot moron pull his piece with one in the chamber and the damn thing go bang into the floor.
One in the chamber? YES!
I'd agree with that. You have to be comfortable with unholstering and racking the slide in one smooth action. Gotta love snap caps for that. They are also great at demonstrating a flinch while shooting. Have a friend insert the snap cap in place of a random round. If you pull the trigger, and it falls on the snap-cap, and your hand moves, you need more practice.
Same thing applies to the pump shotgun foolishness. Rack the slide so as to notify Mr. Attacker where to shoot.
My personal rule: It must be deployable one-handed.
Therefore, I carry with a round in the chamber. Always.
“If the firearm does not have an external safety (e.g., my Sig and KetTec), the two actions are (1) rack a round and (2) pull the trigger. I therefore do NOT keep a round in the chamber.”
I agreed to this on another post here a year or so ago and was well criticized by a few for owning an expensive club.
Get a da/sa Sig, and keep it hot.
Ah, perhaps the same ones have already checked in. :)
I tell my wife whenever she leaves the house with her .380...
never go out without one in the spout...
I only carry DAO pistols with long, heavy trigger pulls. No safeties and round in the chamber. Gunfights happen at point blank range so the trigger pull is never a problem for accuracy.
And practice to get used to it still lets me make that accurate long shot.
Unless it’s SA.
My only safety is between my ears. Works reliably well.
I’ve had some negligent discharges. Got kids to prove it.
“My wife doesn’t feel comfortable having to rack during a confrontation.”
And that is fine. Folks should do what they are willing to do and willing to practice doing.
I live in a pretty low crime area. The odds of someone rushing me while pumping gas or in the hardware store are very tiny. I carry mostly for an ‘active shooter’ situation, not a ‘get off me’ situation.
I also accept that a gun doesn’t stop your attacker - not unless you shoot him in the brain, first shot, which is darn unlikely. You can shoot a guy in the heart with a 44 magnum, and he is physically capable of shooting back for 10-20 seconds. MANY bad guys stop at the sight of a gun, or after being hit once. Those that do not can keep shooting you even as you shoot them.
My revolvers have a round chambered, but I sometimes carry a small BU pistol in a pocket - with the chamber empty. That doesn’t bother me. If anyone is bothered, and prefers to ALWAYS carry with a round in the chamber, fine by me.
But a gun with a round NOT chambered is not just a brick. It is a brick that can convert into a gun. Me? I get tired of people telling me my 686+ or my J-frames are worthless because cops don’t carry them, or because they reload too slow, or because I don’t have 16 shots of 9mm ready, etc.
There is no correct answer for everyone in all situations, but that won't prevent us from expressing our obviously correct opinions.
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