Defensive Carry banner

Plus 1 in your pistol

13K views 143 replies 99 participants last post by  pskys2 
#1 ·
Curious how many people load their pistols to mag capacity plus 1. I have developed a habit of not adding the plus 1. That is to say if mag capacity is 10 rounds, I load 10, chamber a round, and don’t top off magazine. This may be silly but I don’t like the top round being too tight with the slide.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#78 ·
Currently I don't chamber an extra round. A large part of the reason I do this is to cut down on administrative handling. Also should I have to store my pistol, I don't want to have to worry about a stray round floating around. I have never felt the need to do so if a pistol can carry 8 or more rounds in the magazine.
 
#79 ·
Depends on the gun. I had a Sig 2022 that was a single shot if you loaded it +1 as that first round never cleared the chamber. The reason is that particular gun was sensitive to top round pressure which affects slide speed and a fully loaded magazine slowed slide speed to the point of stove piping that first shot every time. Part of the reason I hate "Magguts" is because I had the same top round pressure issues in the guns I tried those in. Not every time but, enough to totally defeat the reason to have an extra round at the cost of reliable function. My Pico and P30sk both have zero issues with +1...so far, but is it really worth the risk? You decide.I would extensively test a gun before recommending +1 to everybody.
 
#83 ·
Good point forester58. When I go to the range, I always +1 every time I reload a magazine in all the pistols I shoot. Everytime.

The only pistols I ever had a problem with was a Ruger sr9c and a S&W Bodyguard. I had 2 Bodyguards at the time, one I couldn't make it jam if I tried, and the other was a jammomatic. Now I only have 1 Bodyguard.
 
#87 ·
This question comes up every so often, and it's always worth commenting again.

I'm a full mag plus one in the chamber. This was my training in all of my CCW courses, and it's the general conclusion of at least most of the articles I read on the topic.

To be sure, having the extra cartridge might be a life saver, but there are other persuasive reasons, as well.

First, consider that when carrying with a chambered round, you do not rack the slide for the first shot. In a time of major need, your hands could be shaky, dirty, or slippery (sweat, blood, anything.) The slide could be difficult to completely rack, and you might have a failure to load just when you need reliability. Another consideration re obligatory slide-racking is that the procedure can be a bit noisy. If you are hidden from the bad guys, the slide can be an unfortunate alert to an armed self-defender.

Second, let's say that your magazine is either defective or dirty or insufficiently seated. These are the prescriptions for failures to load and fire. The one cartridge in battery is likely good to go, thus no matter what you have at least one shot.

I carry with a round in the chamber, most do, not all. Your level of comfort and your assessment of your ability to manage the firearm safely are your guides.

.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pete63 and msgt/ret
#95 ·
...but carrying one in the chamber, is a different discussion, from carrying +1. For example: Duty carry, for my department, is one in the chamber, fourteen in the inserted magazine. Three, fifteen rounds mags, a total of forty-five rounds.
The aspects you site, as to why we should carry with a round in the chamber, still apply, and are still addressed, even if you don't top off the inserted magazine. The difference is, one less round in the gun, and overall in your load out.


Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk
 
#89 ·
This is my daily carry. Three of these have a full magazine +1 in the chamber. One doesn't. This has been my daily carry for ages (3 automatics+1 wheel gun). The only change has been a new flavor wheel gun. Two spare mag's for the XDs (at capacity). One spare mag for the XD subcompact (at capacity). One spare mag for the G20 (at capacity). If I'm going/doing somewhere/something that I perceive as an added risk, I'll carry two speed loaders for the Redhawk. Others here can do as they want. Not my business.

Firearm Gun Trigger Airsoft gun Gun accessory
 
#93 ·
Aw man ...

I'm so outa line here on the Forum. I just don't load "+1." Insert magazine loaded to capacity, chamber a round, flick the safety on, and go.

The automatics here will all function fine with a full magazine and one up the spout. I just don't bother with it. Don't even have a solid reason why I don't.

- Lazy

- No vision

- Higher expectations for the effectiveness of the first round fired than for the "+1" round.

- Habit

Read all the thoughtful responses here pointing out why it's expedient. Probably won't change the habit though. Just can't gen up enough concern.

 
#96 ·
My former large-city department has always taught chamber, remove magazine, top it off. This went along with not allowing the pistol to run dry, but instead count your rounds fired, drop the mag when it runs out and reload. Officers are issued ammo for all magazines they wish to carry +1. I still do follow that practice.
 
#100 ·
One in the pipe, magazine filled to capacity.
 
#101 ·
After reading about testing your carry pistol with +1, I went to the range today and did so.

Happy to report that my PPS functioned flawlessly running all 4 mags at +1 configuration. I did notice that when ejecting the mags after chambering the first round that the top round in the mag had moved forward in the feed lips a little. Normal, I guess.
 
#104 ·
I did it that way for many years, most of my life, actually...drop one into the barrel, release the slide and insert full mag. Someone finally taught me a few short years ago that that's hard on extractors, and it's much better to load the chamber from the mag. I was told (by someone who knew lots more than I do about pistols) that doing it my way would ruin an extractor.
 
#107 ·
I carry my 1911s and BHP w/ +1, AFTER checking to see that the pistol and magazines handle reliably.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top