Lonestar49,
The plusses and minuses of warning shots and blanks have been covered by others. It doesn't worry me so much that your first round is a blank or that a blank may or may not cycle. What really worries me is that you made a choice to carry a certain gun/ammo combination and bet your (and any other innocent person in the vicinity's) life on something without knowing if it would even function.
Use your intelligence and research to make the decision you feel is best...but whatever you decide...TEST IT!
You can do a search...and this has been hashed to death. But consider chamber empty carry (and good training on this method...try: http://fight2survive.com/store/detail.aspx?ID=26) as a better alternative than a blank. Your chambering the gun will serve as a warning if that's what you are going for, it will put a good round in the chamber. There are many downsides to chamber empty carry, but it has less problems than a blank in the chamber.
The best method is probably to just learn to use your guns as intended (chambered) and train until you are proficient. Learn more about the laws in your area as well so you are more comfortable with the possible outcomes of a shooting incident.
The plusses and minuses of warning shots and blanks have been covered by others. It doesn't worry me so much that your first round is a blank or that a blank may or may not cycle. What really worries me is that you made a choice to carry a certain gun/ammo combination and bet your (and any other innocent person in the vicinity's) life on something without knowing if it would even function.
Use your intelligence and research to make the decision you feel is best...but whatever you decide...TEST IT!
You can do a search...and this has been hashed to death. But consider chamber empty carry (and good training on this method...try: http://fight2survive.com/store/detail.aspx?ID=26) as a better alternative than a blank. Your chambering the gun will serve as a warning if that's what you are going for, it will put a good round in the chamber. There are many downsides to chamber empty carry, but it has less problems than a blank in the chamber.
The best method is probably to just learn to use your guns as intended (chambered) and train until you are proficient. Learn more about the laws in your area as well so you are more comfortable with the possible outcomes of a shooting incident.
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