First time jitters.

Started carrying a couple months ago myself, although not new to guns by any means.

Printing hasn't really been a concern for me as I did much preparation before hand and ended up with solutions that work very well, and make me feel very comfortable.

Carrying with one in the chamber hasn't been an issue for me either. One of my guns is very Glockish, in the fact that it doesn't have anything but a "trigger safety", if you even want to call that a safety. The other is a striker fired SA but with a thumb safety. Proper practice and handling, along with good holsters quickly made me become comfortable with that aspect.

My two biggest issues are getting stopped and leaving the gun in the vehicle. I have not had a traffic stop in over a decade but it's still probably the main thing I think about when carrying. What to do and how to act. I take my DL and CHP out every time I get in the truck and set them in a factory "cubby" just to the right of the steering wheel. My registration stays in between the visor and ceiling. I don't want to be having to reach for anything should I be stopped, it's all right there and easily accessible.

I haven't mastered a plan for leaving the gun in the truck when I'm at work. As it is holster and all come out and go under the seat, truck locked.


I find it a little ironic this discussion has started so soon after I started carrying. I'll be following along on this one.

I never worried about much of anything once I got my permit, but by the time I had my permit I had received some fairly extensive training in the military. If you are properly trained, have an appropriate holster, and your pistol is of a modern, decent design- you should not have anything to worry about as far as having a round in the chamber. If you are concerned, more quality range time with a competent instructor is probably the best advice I could give you. This will improve your overall proficiency, knowledge, and confidence, as well as providing an opportunity to have your pistol and holster assessed by a more experienced individual from the standpoints of safety and tactical effectiveness.

Printing was my first concern 29 years ago and probably is the first concern of the majority of first time gun carriers. After awhile of EDC, that fear will dissipate and eventually disappear completely. You eventually realize that nobody is looking at you!

Carrying with a round in the pipe may take longer, and as our recent poll showed, some never get to that point. FL-NC has some good advice on this matter.

Leaving a gun unattended in your car is something you do as seldom as possible. If it is impossible to avoid, a locked glove box, console, or best, a bolted small safe will add another security layer.

Hi Derek,
I guess when I started carrying; I too worried about printing or my shirt riding up exposing my gun. But that was a long time ago. Nowadays, I worry that I’ve become so accustomed to having my snub-nosed revolver at 4:00 o’clock on my right hip that I will forget it’s there when I walk into a place where firearms are forbidden and I’ll get arrested, or at least chewed out.

It’s the same with my wife. She’s been carrying longer than I have. This afternoon she had to go to the Social Security Office in town. When she got there, she called me on her cell phone to let me know she’d arrived safely. It’s a good thing I reminded her about the armed guard at the door of the Social Security Office who would take a mighty dim view of the gun in her purse, because she’d forgotten all about it.

I’m not saying that either my wife or I would forget we had a gun if we needed it. Nor am I saying we’re so nonchalant about carrying loaded firearms we’re unsafe – yet. But you ask what other people who carry worry about, and that’s it – I worry that I (or my wife) could get into trouble or have accident because one of us might someday become so accustomed to carrying.

JTHunter said:

G.o.B. - leaving an unattended gun in a vehicle may not be a good idea.

I understand that laws in your state are different but here in Illinois, it can't be left in plain view, it can't be loaded if it is "off body", etc.

The only way it can be "visible" is when you take it off to put in your trunk if you are going into a "No Guns" location.

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I agree it's not the best idea but am not sure what else to do if I want to carry to and from work. I work in construction and besides the boss not wanting me to carry on the job (yes I actually talked with my employer before hand), I normally carry a few lbs of gear on my tool belt already everyday. So it's a little unrealistic.

As far as I know I'm not breaking any laws doing what I'm doing but anyone here feel free to educate me. That's what we're here for and I'd greatly like to know if there's anything I've missed.

I know it's not "optimal" what I'm doing but I drive an older single cab truck with not many hiding spaces. Aside from mounting a "lock box" or safe in plain view I'm not really sure what else I could do. After all the truck is locked.

Derek.J. said:

Great replies. Let me add to the pulled over concern. I've seen some YouTube videos on that matter. Long story short. Tell the cop you have a permit and where the gun is located. KEEP YOUR HANDS VISIBLE ON THE STEERING WHEEL. And be polite and follow their instructions. Each time will be different so when you get your license and stuff do it how they say.

Sent from my 831C using Tapatalk

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10-4 on that.

That is why I mentioned how I travel. I have also seen those videos.


Don't get offended if some on here mention how you should never let LEO's know you're carrying (if that's legal in your state of course).

Is your apprehension of carrying chambered a general thing or is it gun specific? What gun are you carrying?

Good Ol' Boy said:

As far as I know I'm not breaking any laws doing what I'm doing but anyone here feel free to educate me. That's what we're here for and I'd greatly like to know if there's anything I've missed.

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You are not breaking any laws. You are in Virginia. For 20 years I had to leave my gun in the parking lot across from my Government employer. I had it in a safe bolted to the floor.

Of course there are no sure things. The car could have been stolen. But since the City Police Station was only a block away, the constant patrol car presence increased my odds.

You don't have that luxury. Just keep it secure in the locked glove box, console or get a bolted down safe.

gbran said:

Is your apprehension of carrying chambered a general thing or is it gun specific? What gun are you carrying?

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He clearly states in the first post he's carrying a M&P9c.

He does not state whether or not it is equipped with a thumb safety.

From my understanding some of the M&P line are equipped with a thumb safety, some are not.

Sorry I missed that, but I'm still curious. I'm comfortable with most platforms. I'm not fond of carrying unchambered.

Yeah, probably striker fired as are my Glocks. I give them a little more respect than guns with safeties or revolvers.

gbran said:

Sorry I missed that, but I'm still curious. I'm comfortable with most platforms. I'm not fond of carrying unchambered.

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I could definitely see how a new shooter/carrier could feel more comfortable with one platform over another. For example, to compare a 1911 based gun to a Glock for EDC would be night and day. One gun that has several safeties versus one that has virtually no safeties is IMHO a big difference.

That's not to say that one can't overcome that with practice/training, but they are major differences.

And that's another specific the OP left out. How much experience he has with different platforms or guns in general.

Iggy, I love your map!

I remember my first public walk after getting my CC permit. I was sure everyone was looking at me to see if I was carrying.

Turns out, they weren't.

If I must wear clothing that makes printing more likely, I like to divert attention with an unusual hat, or walking with a cane. Folks look at the hat or the cane...it's like a magician diverting your attention away from a trick.

Finally, I would not carry any firearm that caused me to be worried about safety. If the OP is not convinced that carrying one in the chamber is completely safe, then he should not carry one in the chamber. I would not engage in argument to prove him wrong.

Sometimes I O/C. Sometimes I pull my shirt out and over the gun. I don't care about printing; sometimes I care about O/C, sometimes I don't.

A person with gun left in car should have a good alarm #1. I also like my metal box. It is bolted to floor, under passenger seat. I don't use it, much, but the seat can be set back, to cover the box and then a padlock is set in the seat frame to stop the movement of the seat. Tough to steal much.

The way most people nowadays are engrossed in their cell phones, either yapping, texting, or looking for the poking man (whatever that is) I think it has become harder to be noticed at all, carrying a gun or otherwise- unless you are a super hot chick or morbidly obese or something like that.

IF you dont carry chambered might as well not carry at all... Good luck racking a round when some crackhead has ahold of one of your arms...