Defensive Carry banner

How do you carry your SD Pistol? With a round in the Chamber - No round in chamber

Status
Not open for further replies.

POLL - Do you carry: With a round chambered - No round in chamber

310K views 1K replies 741 participants last post by  JD 
#1 · (Edited)
As I have not been able to find a simple poll (recent or not) of members regarding your choice on keeping a round chambered or not. (please forgive me if I've missed anything from the last 365 days!) Please vote at the top of this post!

There are plenty of discussions, but I am just looking for a simple count.

After answering, please feel free to expound upon your choice by giving details such as your pistol's usual condition (0 ~ 4), its trigger type (DA/SA, etc.) & so on.

Thanks much!
 
#372 ·
If you don't carry with one in the pipe, you're just asking for trouble. If you lack the confidence in yourself or your gun to carry with one in the chamber, you're not ready to carry. Get training.

If you don't carry with one on the chamber, you are a danger to yourself and others. The more functions you have to perform in a high stress, life-or-death situation (like racking the slide before engaging a threat) the more likely you are to be seriously injured or killed.

On the other hand, carrying Condition One with a good holster and belt, good training and proper gun handling, your chances of survival are greatly increased.
 
#374 ·
If you don't carry with one in the pipe, you're just asking for trouble. If you lack the confidence in yourself or your gun to carry with one in the chamber, you're not ready to carry. Get training.

If you don't carry with one on the chamber, you are a danger to yourself and others. The more functions you have to perform in a high stress, life-or-death situation (like racking the slide before engaging a threat) the more likely you are to be seriously injured or killed.

On the other hand, carrying Condition One with a good holster and belt, good training and proper gun handling, your chances of survival are greatly increased.
Looking at the number of people killed or injured by negligent/accidental shootings in the US each year it would appear to me you are a greater danger to yourself and others if you carry a round in the chamber. We know not a single one of those negligent/accidental shootings are caused by someone carrying condition 3. I'm not sure how many people are killed or injured each year because they needed a split second to rack the slide in a SD situation...but I'm sure there are some.

I do agree with your last sentence that carrying condition 1 with a good holster can only help your chances of survival in an SD scenario.
 
#373 ·
-
Glad to see this thread's revival. There are plenty of ideas about the subject and I find the exchanges to be interesting.


My update:

Now, more than a year later I find that I am satisfied that my decision to carry full-time, and to carry chambered, was the right one for me. I picked up a Crossbreed Qwik Clip (and a solid belt) for my PF-9 and wear both everywhere I can carry. It is a comfortable rig to wear in both the heat and the cold, and conceals very well whether tucked or untucked.

I quit clearing the chambered round when locking either of the pistols in the various safes that I use, to help reduce the possibility of setback and to maintain their ready state. Always carrying seems pretty much second nature now and I find that I don't have any concerns about keeping the firearms chambered. I always treat my pistols as loaded (which is tough considering the break-down method of the Glock!) I also use safe backdrops when I need to clear the pistols, and am always cognizant of the where the barrel is aimed when the need to unholster and move them arises.
_______

Thanks to everyone who has voted, and for offering your thoughts and opionions on the subject. There are now over 900 votes, providing a decent statistical background to the numbers. Keep it up, and keep it friendly!

:bier:
 
#376 ·
I've carried for over 30 years and never consider not having one in the pipe (for autos, revolvers are always ready). If you're not confident in your abilities, or your weapon, then don't carry. That moment of time to chamber a round is a moment you can use somewhere else.
 
#378 ·
Sorry, not the same Lima. There's condition 3 then there's irresponsibility, please don't put them in the same pan. There are irresponsible people who carry in all conditions.

I get what you're going for but that wasn't up to your standard of writing, in my opinion.
 
#381 ·
I have a standard of writing?

No, I'm not trying to put everyone "in the same pan." I know there are very responsible people who carry condition 3. But I do know, for a fact (because it's been posted here before), that people have credited their condition 3 carry for the reason they felt it was okay to put their finger on the trigger and then "Bang!"

Of course a truly C3 firearm cannot fire because there is no round in the chamber but to claim that it's "safer" is a bit misleading. A firearm is a firearm is a firearm. It is neither safe nor unsafe in and of itself. It is its handling that makes it safe or unsafe and the truth of the matter is that people have used condition 3 to foster bad habits and people and things have been shot because, "How did that get loaded? I don't carry with one in the chamber!!"

I'm not saying that people who carry C1 are perfect by any means. There are plenty of people who carry with one in the pipe that have atrocious gun handling.

But I just don't buy into the whole "C3 is safer!!" It's neither more safe or less safe. It's just a different brand of jeans.
 
#382 ·
Back to the original questions. I alternate in carrying a Kahr CM9 pistol, DAO trigger, and with one in the chamber, 6 in mag, 1 in chamber, total 7 shots. The other is a Ruger KLCR .357mag/.38spl revolver, DAO trigger, and a full cylinder of 5 shots. In each I use a "proven" JHP cartridge that meets critical capabilities for self defense. Responsibility for control and knowledge of the firearm is up to the hopefully mature individual that carries it, and being comfortable it is MORE than adequate to perform it's intended use. Practice and knowledge of the firearm's functionality is IMPERATIVE before and during it's use,IMO. I practice basics and exercise SD scenarios on a regular basis, and READ AND UNDERSTAND new info constantly/daily when practible. Take care and be safe!
 
#384 ·
+1 to what Lima said.

Follow the 4 safety rules and it won't matter what condition you carry your firearm (for safety, that is). Negligence is done on the part of the handler, not the firearm.

 
#388 ·
TRUE C3 is safer, vs. ND's. As stated, an unloaded gun can't go boom. However, modern firearms are designed where they cannot go boom without the trigger being pulled, THUS C# (any number) is equally safe from ND's as long as proper firearm safety discipline is maintained I.E. keep your finger off the trigger!

C3 CAN lead to a false sense of security, in that the operator may THINK his weapon is unchambered whereas it is not. I had a friend who always carried C3, KNEW his firearm was C3, and yet he shot a hole in his living room when the firearm dropped and he grabbed it=finger on the trigger and bang. His brother had "borrowed" (i.e. took it out of the gun cabinet) the gun to shoot an armadillo and had just reloaded the mag w/o clearing the chamber. Always being C3 had led to complacency on my friends part. I carry fully loaded, and know I am fully loaded at all times therefore I WILL NOT become complacent-my gun is ALWAYS loaded, I don't need to check but I do, and amazingly it always is loaded.
 
#389 ·
Everyone likes to mention that you're fine if you follow basic safety rules...well, obviously. The problem is people don't always follow the basic safety rules...even the most experienced and safest firearm handlers fail the rules at times. I see a couple well respected and highly trained individuals in this thread that have admitted to ND's. Why didn't they follow the basic safety rules? Probably has something to do with being human and the fact we are all capable of making mistakes.

As we both agree, C3 is more safe from a carry and administrative handling perspective. Just as you are confident you'll never become complacent, I too am confident in the same regard and ALWAYS treat my guns as if they are loaded. Your friend's mistake was not related to carrying C3, his failure was that he did not check to ensure the gun was unloaded when he first took it from the safe...basic gun safety fail. He was irresponsible...can't blame that on C3. All the rules still apply.
 
#392 ·
It always makes me chuckle watching a tv show when the actors are searching a building, alleyway, etc. etc., then just before going into a potential fire fight, they chamber a round. Never saw that on the old tv shows when they used wheel guns, now did you? My weapon is always loaded and always chambered, and always checked before holstering and going out.
 
#399 ·
Now, I carry loaded/chambered with a SAO. For many years I carried a .38 revolver with only 5 rounds and empty hole under the hammer. Then I learned to have them all loaded.

When I transitioned to semi-autos, I carried a sig P238 SAO. Then my wife wanted that one so I got a P938. I have never had a problem with the external safety, but I tend to check it often...especially after strenuous activity. I use a simple IWB holster, but may upgrade to one of the more upscale holsters someday.
 
#401 ·
Chambered and ready to go just seems a whole lot more logical to me than not chambered and not ready to go.

I'm not quite sure why anyone would want to keep their first round in a state of unreadiness.
 
  • Like
Reactions: lchamp
#404 ·
Not Me

The reason I don't is because it is just a potential problem. You hear of people doing stupid stuff like dropping it out of their pants in the bathroom and it going off or something else. I have children around also and although they are very gun aware, one in the chamber just makes me a little nervous.

Aside of these reasons, here are mine if none of the above were relevant.

With 1 in the chamber, my first shot accuracy is horrible. I have never been comfortable with an initial high-stress double action trigger pull.

I practice drawing my weapon 2 handed and quickly rack it on the way up. I find I can do this quick enough that I would only save probably a second or less but my accuracy on that first shot goes through the roof. I can have the weapon racked before its into shooting position anyway so thats probably about as fast as I could get a shot off whether I had one in or not.

Great Topic. I'm surprised how many carry with one chambered. Oh well. Its all about responsibility when it comes down to it anyway.

:banana:
 
#405 ·
I practice drawing my weapon 2 handed and quickly rack it on the way up.
You need to practice drawing and racking one handed, if you ever really need the pistol, both hands may not be available to you. As for me, I'm surprised by the number of people that don't carry chambered.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top