Is keeping "1 in the chamber" a bad idea??

[SorenityNow]

Hey all, the other day I was thinkin of selling my 6 inch gp100. My wife says "No, dont do that!! I go for that weapon when I think I hear something and your at work." I said "go for the Glock". She then tells me she is much more comfortable with the wheel gun, dont have to rack the slide back. With revolvers just point and BANG. Glocks dont have that thumb safety. Do you guys keep 1 in the chamber? I have even heard my friends say to keep one chamber empty on the revolvers and to store the gun in that empty chamber. To me that sounds dumb since my revolvers are hammerless or have a Ruger transfer bar. What your input?

 

[Hanzo581]

Keep one in the chamber for autos and all cylinders filled in a modern revolver. If you ever need it you'll want it fast and will as much ammo as it is designed to hold.

 

[Lost Sheep]

How it all got started

Thanks for asking our opinions and welcome to the forum.

The empty chamber thing got started when people realized that if you carry a gun around all day with a percussion cap under a hammer, anything falling on that hammer (or the gun falling and landing on the hammer) has a good chance of setting it off. So, unless preparing for an imminent firefight, it was normal to leave the hammer down on an empty chamber.

Not necessary with any revolver of modern design. Transfer bars, hammer blocks and such design features prevent that sort of accidental discharge. Revolvers not using those design features do not have that organic safety. Good replicas of older guns and cheap (in the pejorative sense of the word) new guns are not that safe.

For the GP, all chambers loaded is as close to perfectly safe as you can get.

Semi-autos have a slightly different history.

1) If you drop a 1911 style gun on its muzzle, the inertial firing pin has a possibility of hitting the primer. Colt and some other manufacturers have updated the 1911 design to include a firing pin block that prevents that. But many other makers do not have it. Some people carry with an empty chamber to prevent that possibility with 100% surety.

I do not remember if Glock has a firing pin block. But I suspect Gaston would have used it or a similar technology in his drive for safety.

2) Some people are just nervous with a cocked hammer behind a loaded chamber. Manual safety or not. While Glock does not have a manually operated safety, it does have a longish trigger pull, as the action starts with the hammer/striker only semi-cocked and the trigger has to move deliberately over a finite distance in order to fire the gun. Again, this gun is as nearly as safe with one in the chamber as it is empty.

The condition of a gun with empty chamber is often called the "Israeli Carry". Google it. Supposedly, the Israeli Army required its troops to carry in that condition except when actually preparing for an imminent fight. Also Google "Condition One", "Condition Zero", "Condition Two" and "Condition Three" for more history on whether to keep one in the chamber or not.

I would only recommend a chamber-empty condition for a home defense gun if your early warning system gives you PLENTY of warning time and is 100% effective and reliable. Otherwise, the half-second extra time to rack the slide could cost you. And the extra second and a half doubt asking yourself "Is there one in the chamber or not?" could cost you your life.

There is no sound so load as that of hearing "Bang" when you expected a click, or hearing a "Click" when you expected a bang.

Whatever you do, practice with it and do not vary.

My home defense gun has one in the chamber under the hammer and I recommend that for both your Glock and your GP.

I also recommend keeping the GP, as the other shooter in the house finds it more comfortable. Confidence in home defense is important. She is confident in her skills with the GP. Decision is made until she practices enough with the Glock to have greater confidence in it.

Lost Sheep

P.S. We have not addressed what ammunition choices you have made, nor the other features of your overall home defense plan. But you did not ask about those.

 

[W.E.G.]

 

[beatledog7]

One in the chamber or not? My answer for a home defense or personal defense gun is another question: Where else would you put it?

 

[Sauer Grapes]

Home or on my hip, locked and loaded. She shouldn't have to rack the slide, keep it ready. Teach her the manual of arms for the Glock.

 

[KAS1981]

Leaving the hammer on an empty chamber isn't necessary on a revolver with a transfer bar.

Any auto that I'm carrying or leaving in the night stand, etc, I have a round chambered. My 1911 has a firing pin block, grip safety, and a manual safety. The Beretta is DA/SA so I can leave one in the pipe with the hammer down, plus it also has a firing pin block. My LC9 that I carry the most is DAO, has a manual safety, and a firing pin block. So I'm not worried.

And, of course, I keep my finger off the trigger.

 

[SorenityNow]

Gret advise everyone. To answer lost sheep question on my ammo and plan. My defense ammo is Speer gold dot and Remington golden saber. The plan would be to get my wife and infant child in the safe room and lock the door, get armed and call police. Safe room would either be the bedroom or bathroom. I would get my family safe, I dont need to be looking around in the dark to Kill someone if the cops are on the way and we are together and safe. Burglars are usually lookin for a easy score, once the "job" is jepardized with shots fired they run like hell. At least I think thats the plan. If I have to take someone out then Im ready to deal with it.

 

[Zerodefect]

With semiautos. If I have one in the pipe, then that gun is in a holster. Even if I'm not wearing it and it's in a dresser drawer, if it's a hot gun, it's in a holster.

Kind of a safe zone for my gun. I know never to f with the gun in the holster.

All the safety a Glock will ever need, is a good holster and good trigger disipline.

 

[easyg]

My revolvers always have the cylinder full, and my autoloaders always have one in the chamber.

 

[Thylacine]

One in the pipe, always.

 

[Ben86]

Keeping chamber loaded is not a bad idea as long as proper safety precautions are exercised. That said if your wife is more comfortable with the revolver let her keep it. Don't push your Glock on her.

 

[SorenityNow]

Keeping chamber loaded is not a bad idea as long as proper safety precautions are exercised. That said if your wife is more comfortable with the revolver let her keep it. Don't push your Glock on her.

Funny thing is I purchased a Glock19 for her thinkin the gp100 was way too heavy for her. She didnt have the heart to tell me that the gp100 looks alot more MEAN than the plastic sissy Glock. LOL . I love that woman. And on that note I said 357 is worse than 9mm, so Im keapin the gp.

 

[rondog]

FWIW - I recently bought a nice, used Uberti Cattleman, a SA .45 Colt SAA clone. It's not very old, and it has a firing pin on the hammer like the old Colts, no transfer bar. If the hammer's down on a round, the firing pin is resting on the primer. But it also has that first notch you can cock to and carry with, that takes the pin off the primer.

That said, MHO is to keep any gun intended for defensive use loaded and ready with a round in the pipe. Loaded and safetied accordingly.

 

[towboat_er]

That first notch has been know to break when dropped on the hammer.

 

[RatherNotSay]

In order for a glock to go off 3 things have to happen.

1. The trigger safety has to be pulled along with the trigger.

2. After the trigger safety is pulled the firing pin safety has to be activated (pulling trigger only.) The firing pin will not move if the firing pin safety is engaged.

3. In order for the strike release to engage the drop safety must come off it's "shelf".

In the past there were some issues with the frisbee test by the fbi but that is no longer an issue. Essentially the trigger MUST be pulled in order for the firing pin to strike it. I used to be skeptical however after a few empty chamber tests you are good to go.

This brings me to the next thing you should think about which is stress. Under a stressful situation, like your wife stated, fine motor skills deteriorate and a negligent discharge can occur. However, this can occur regardless of which firearm she reaches for so proper usage of the 4 cardinal rules comes into play.

Now for the issue of the round in the chamber. I have a glock 21 in reach of my bed just in case an intruder decides he want's to taste a 230grain hollow point. I always have a round in the chamber because it's 1 extra movement that could cost me valuable time to get a controlled pair out to the intruder. I found this self evident in either a home defense situation and concealed carry. To me, personally, an empty chamber pistol is a paper weight. However, again the issue of fine motor skills, proper usage of the cardinal rules and the disorientation of waking up in the middle of the night comes into play.

In conclusion both weapons are going to do the job. It's just a matter of your wife following the 4 cardinal rules, specifically the one about keeping your finger off the trigger until ready to fire. If she doesn't follow that one it doesn't matter if it's a revolver or not something bad could happen. I believe in a well placed round over high capacity magazines but you never know. I would rather have that extra fire power and not need it than need it and not have it.

If your wife does decide to use the glock and not have a round chambered than it is imperative that you have her go through enough slide motions to where she can efficiently grab the weapon, have a smooth slide action and put some lead in some bad guys. Practice makes dead bad guys in this case.

Best of luck!

 

[Warp]

Of course I keep one in the chamber. Holstered, obiously. This includes all 3 of my Glocks. If the trigger isn't pulled it won't fire. Follow the rules and you'll be fine.

 

[john5036]

Condition 1, all the time. If it's not being cleaned, shot, or stored away in a safe, the gun is hot and ready.

That includes the Glock, but like a previous poster, that sucker remains in the holster.

About the Glock firing pin safety, if you study the "safe-action" design of how the striker is engaged, it is virtually impossible for the gun to fire spontaneously by itself, or from a drop, without some manipulation of the trigger, or the complete, sequential failure of the three "safeties" disengaged only by a complete trigger pull.

Edited to add: RatherNotSay's post is better.

 

[RatherNotSay]

I forgot to mention that you throw the element of surprise out the window when you have to pull the slide. I don't care how slow you do it it's going to make noise when you chamber a round. The bad guy might recognize it and get desperate...

 

[Unistat]

I keep the chamber empty on my shotgun.

The Glock and the S&W revolver are all loaded up and ready to rock.

 

[ForumSurfer]

If it is for defensive purposes, there is one in the chamber. I feel just fine with my glock chambered while it is on nightstand duty or sitting in my holster.

Everything else is unloaded and resting in the safe.

If I keep a rifle or shotgun out of the safe, I typically leave the chamber open as my handgun is my first line of defense.

That being said, everyone in my house (kids included) is well versed in firearm safety and they know where the guns are.

 

[Ben86]

And on that note I said 357 is worse than 9mm, so Im keapin the gp.

But...

She then tells me she is much more comfortable with the wheel gun, dont have to rack the slide back. With revolvers just point and BANG.

So shouldn't you let her keep the gp 100?

 

[HDCamel]

That first notch has been know to break when dropped on the hammer.

Ubertis first notch is actually a hammer block. Even so my SAA pulls double duty as my carry gun and my nightstand gun. When I carry it it's five up, when I go to bed I put the sixth in.

 

[rondog]

Well, my Uberti SAA clone is just for shootin', so it stays unloaded and in the safe anyway.

 

[ku4hx]

Gret advise everyone. To answer lost sheep question on my ammo and plan. My defense ammo is Speer gold dot and Remington golden saber. The plan would be to get my wife and infant child in the safe room and lock the door, get armed and call police. Safe room would either be the bedroom or bathroom. I would get my family safe, I dont need to be looking around in the dark to Kill someone if the cops are on the way and we are together and safe. Burglars are usually lookin for a easy score, once the "job" is jepardized with shots fired they run like hell. At least I think thats the plan. If I have to take someone out then Im ready to deal with it.

Good plan; exactly what my wife did one Friday at 1100 hours a few years ago. When she raked the slide on "her" GLOCK 23 the guy [who crashed in the front door] turned and ran at the sound. She retreated to our "safe room" and called the sheriff. They made two salient comments: He won't be back and the only thing she did wrong was she didn't shoot the guy. I'm glad she didn't. She's a gentlewoman and I wouldn't want her to live with that. But she was ready then and she's even more ready now.

We live in a gun ownership friendly state, we're both licensed to carry concealed and she'd been well briefed on using "her" GLOCK 23 loaded with factory 180 Grain Golden Sabers. A load she is very good with.

We've since moved to Crimson Trace lasers on five GLOCK pistols: 17, 22, 23, 26, & 27. I'm pushing 66 and she's about to be 62. In low light situations, day or night in our house, our eyes need all the help they can get. In the language of cameras, a laser makes a gun a "point and click" device. She's an accomplished photographer and appreciates this, not to mention her increase in confidence and accuracy with the CTC lasers.

Wife has just "adopted" the G26 (did a bill of sale to her at her request) with 124 grain Golden Sabers, bought an 11-87 in 20 gauge to learn skeet shooting and a Marlin 795 .22LR semi auto for plinking. Only thing that worries me is she keeps wanting to fondle my Gen4 G19 which I dearly love. Through ~1,000 rounds it's been functionally perfect.

I'm a lucky man ... life is good.