How many carry with a round in the chamber

[cali-da]

This is something that I have been thinking about for awhile. How many of you out there carry with a round in the chamber? I talked to several current and ex cops who say that it is not necessary and they don't do it. One of them is also a DDA who has a CCW.

I have read several posts here that would indicate that there is no time to rack the slide and chamber a round. Thus it would seem important to carry with a round in the chamber.

I have been tempted to do it because it would increase my load to 8 rounds but I am concerned for safety. I carry a Sig 239 and there is no active safety. The DA works great and I have a thumb break on my holster so I am not worried about the weapon going off on accident.

Anyway, I wanted to get the opinion of the more experienced CCW'ers. Thanks

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Rugerman]

I carry a Glock 27 with one always in the pipe. Your safe holster is key.

[Airedale]

I always carry fully loaded. I can't think of a reason in the world to be armed and not chambered.
Dave

[rocky]

Always 1 in the tube. A gun that isn't ready is useless IMO. Alot of cops don't shoot much or really know their weapons , so may not feel comfortable with em loading.
you are already behind the reactionary curve w/ an assault, why slow yourself more?

[los]

Always 1 in the tube.

ALWAYS!!

[P95Carry]

Yes - ALWAYS!!

My EDC is the SIG 226 so like you I am safe by virtue of the DA trigger and I have absolutely zero problem with that.

To have to draw and rack the slide is IMO just too much time needed when a situation may demand real quick response.

[pete156]

ALWAYS!!

What they said.

[soonerjh]

always here

[MattInFla]

Always. Every time. No exceptions.

A firearm that is not ready to use is not going to help if the worst happens.

Matt

[ENSANE1970]

I just recently read an article on this very subject, I wish I could remember where so I could link to it. Anyway the article stated, as most of us know, most altercations happen within 7yards. In the time it would take you to draw your weapon rack the slide and fire, the bad guy would have had, more than enough time to cover that distance. So bottom line, if you don't trust your weapon enough, to carry with one in the pipe, find one that you do trust. I don't meen any offense by that last statement, but your life may depend on that decision someday.

[oilman]

Always, always, always.....get the picture?

[QKShooter]

Absolutely One In The Chamber ALWAYS for me.

That would be no matter what make or model of semi~auto I am carrying.

I would not even consider carrying a defensive firearm with an empty chamber.

Just always keep your finger off the trigger & out of the trigger guard & you'll never have a problem with your SIG pistol.

You bought a great high quality firearm from one of the most respected gun makers in the world.
If your firearm is functioning correctly it will never go off all by itself.

If you don't trust yourself then that is a separate and completely different issue but, you can trust your SIG firearm to do its part.

It's quite possible that you don't have total confidence yet in your gun handling ability & so (should THAT be the case) don't let anyone push you into carrying in any condition/mode that you do not feel perfectly 100% comfortable with.

Usually, some good "hands on" intense "real world" firearm instruction taught by a qualified professional is a great surefire confidence builder.

Sign up for some self~defense shooting instruction in your area.

You'll be glad that you did and it will be worth whatever the cost.

[CraigJS]

One in the pipe ALWAYS. To much time, to much noise, to much unneeded movement (attention getter), to much chance of not racking the slide completely under stress, to much of MY attention being taken away from the very threat I'm defending against!!
My carry piece, a CZ 75 PCR (with decocker) is no different than carrying a wheel gun with all tubes filled..IMHO

[Janq]

Always.

As a non-LEO CCWr if I were carrying less then that means the time I have to unholster, think to manually cycle the slide chambering a round, and then bring my front sight up toward POA could then be argued that the threat was far enough away from me that I'd also had time to retreat to safety and not require use of lethal force...which is a required condition in many states including MA where I am now.

I carry nothing but single action 1911s.
With God's help if ever things get so bad that I deem it necessary to go for my CCW then it had better be prepped and ready to go to work immediately, and not three shakes later upon fumbling & working of its action, which is exactly how it should be and one would expect from a life saving device.

Anything less is IMHO reckless akin to buckling your seatbelt upon detecting an impending collision and trying to do so just before impact.

- Janq

[Tubby45]

Always.

If you were a cop around here and carried on duty with an empty chamber, there wouldn't be a warning. You would be fired IMMEDIATELY. No questions asked. No union is going to save your ass for that. Don't listen to stupid cops like the ones you described. Stay far, far away from them.