Old Corps used to call it cocked and locked; that was b4 lock and load came into vogue...
;)
Semper Old!
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Oh...sorry...for ladies only...my bad...
My personal rule: Two actions must be required to fire the weapon.
If the firearm has an external safety (e.g, my Ruger), the two actions are (1) disengage the safety and (2) pull the trigger. I therefore keep a round in the chamber.
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.
PS I have practiced extensively using “snap caps” with all my firearms and also with live ammo at various ranges. The “two actions” take me about 1/2 a second. PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE matters!!!
Not a lady, but, my wife is, and she keeps a round in the chamber.
Modern guns are safe to carry with a round in the chamber. This nonsense comes from old guns without safeties and breakable half-cock positions that will go off if the gun is dropped and hit on the hammer.
If you don't have a round in the chamber and you are attacked, you not only have to pull your weapon, you will have to rack the slide to chamber a round.
"Pardon me, Mr. Attacker, it will take me a few moments for me to be ready for you. Would you mind waiting?"
I prefer not waiting. . . or asking.
Carry a revolver...you won’t have to remember to rack it back.
It doesn’t take long to rack the slide. Think of it as a super-safety. If it makes someone feel comfortable carrying, it is fine by me.
The growing number of striker fired pistols without safeties and mild trigger pulls bothers me. I’m a revolver guy myself, but the trigger pull of a S&W DA revolver is quite different than a striker fired gun.
IIRC, the Shanghai Metro Police in the early 1900s carried with the chamber empty. They practiced racking the slide when pointing. It obviously isn’t the fastest way to do things, but it isn’t totally bad either.
I carry my .40Smith with a round in the chamber. It’s always ready to go. Same with my Beretta Tomcat.
#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.
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 tell my wife whenever she leaves the house with her .380...
never go out without one in the spout...
I’ve had some negligent discharges. Got kids to prove it.
Rather than carry an empty gun, just get a J frame and have 5 when you need them.
Drink seventeen cups of coffee, swallow a few Benadryl, then jump into the pool in January, then try to draw your weapon and chamber a round. That will approximate for the average non-combat experienced person what it will feel like when you find yourself in a lethal force equation.
Good Luck.
What I would like to do is find a functional light shoulder holster for a 38 without a hammer. Any ideas Freepers?
What the heck do women officers do?
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Yes. Glock. One in chamber. Kevlar-snap holstered in my purse. Always. Tactical shotgun loaded for bear within easy reach under bed. Always. 180-lb Old English Mastiff tried and true as well. ; D