Ok....Why Do People Carry Without One In the Chamber..?

[xXxplosive]

Why is it some of us carry without one in the chamber ?

Unfortunately, I've had a few scenarios over the years in which I would have never been able to rack a slide. The encounters were unannounced and too close for comfort, say under 10'.

It's comforting to know that you are ready for what ever occurs and have confidence in what your carrying to stop the threat immediately.

So let's be honest, fess up here and come to grips with it.......why are you carrying a gun......IMO..."Unloaded".

 

[indoorsoccerfrea]

I personally carry with one in the chamber, but I can see why some people might not. Doesn't mean I think it's smart or advisable, but I can see where they are coming from.

1. Carrying with one in the chamber drastically increases your chances for a ND
2. Racking the slide may have an additional deterrent effect on the perp. (debatable)
3. If the gun gets taken away from you in a struggle, then the perp. will not know if it is a hot weapon or not, and may pull the trigger to only hear a *click*

Again, I personally think that you should carry with one in the pipe and simply maintain proper trigger discipline.

 

[19-3Ben]

I never carry with an empty chamber. The gun is always loaded to "+1."

My father carries with an empty chamber. He doesn't trust himself not to be absent minded and accidentally either pull the trigger or let something get into the trigger guard.

He sees it as a way to make sure he doesn't have an ND. When I mention to him that he may not have the opportunity to rack the slide if he ever does have to pull the gun, his response is that there's not much likelihood that he'll ever have to use the gun in SD, but he DOES handle the gun everyday. So playing the odds, he prefers to carry empty chamber.

I disagree, but hey, it's his call.

 

[xXxplosive]

Hooter....What do night sight have to do with carrying an unloaded gun.....please stay to the topic and answer the question.

Sill, waitin for a candidate to tell us what the motive is to carry unloaded........C'mon, you'll feel better once you discuss it.

 

[Mayo]

The perp isn't going to know whether you have 1 in the chamber or not. Most likely, just pulling the gun is going to stop him in his tracks---at that point you have more then enough time to rack. How long do you think it takes to rack once you pulled it--less then 1 sec.

 

[MCgunner]

Mmm, guess, because they carry a Glock and they know Plaxico Burris?

 

[JDGray]

at that point you have more then enough time to rack

Maybe not!! And will you remember too?

 

[flyingdog]

I didn't realize that there's another way to carry, unchambered.

 

[docnyt]

Just get a Makarov and one of those Spetznaz holsters that rack the slide as you pull down, and it will either eject the loaded round or chamber a new one if unloaded. You don't have to remember whether it's loaded or not. Problem solved.

 

[angel1216]

i am not a cop nor a swat. my situational awareness and my feet allows me to carry empty. gun should be your last resort! if a BG surprises me from behind, then he's really good. give everything to him. wallets,watch the whole nine yards.
by the way i'm originally from NYC. i don't know plaxico "burris" but i do know plaxico burress.(we have the same gun) also being from new york, i always have my "new york reload" in my front pocket.

 

[AZ_Rebel]

People who carry without a round in the chamber do not trust their weapon or themselves. Its a personal choice that could impede your ability to respond to a situation.

Then there are the people who run around with fully tensioned strikers like in the Springfield XD's not knowing that impact to the metal slide on a poly frame could knock the striker foot loose and accidentally fire the weapon.

Oh...? on the XD, if the trigger is not held back the firing pin safety will not allow the firing pin to go forward to reach the primer... Please explain how you believe this is possible!

 

[Mainsail]

1. Carrying with one in the chamber drastically increases your chances for a ND

Carrying a gun with a round in the chamber drastically increases your chances of murdering someone too, using that logic.

-If you drive or ride in a car, your chances of being in an auto accident are drastically increased. TRUE or FALSE?

-If you eat, your chances of getting food poisoning are drastically increased. TRUE or FALSE?

Or, maybe your chances of a negligent discharge are increased by carelessness, complacency, or unfamiliarity with your tools.

To tie all this back to the original question, people carry without a round in the chamber because they choose to believe the illogic of the above quoted statement. If one handles a firearm with due care, they do not allow themselves to become complacent, and they ensure they fully understand the firearm they choose to carry, they have as much chance of having an ND as they would if they left it unloaded (or just left it at home).

I know there are some people, including people that post in this forum, that believe an ND is an inevitable by-product of owning a firearm. I do not subscribe to that belief; if I did, I wouldn’t own a gun.

 

[xXxplosive]

So, the gun dropped and went off....what are you trying to say. That if I drop my Combat Commander and the hammer is struck, it will go off......Maybe.

So, what does that have to do with carrying in a holster.....unloaded ?


C'mon.....we need someone here to break the ice and tell us their concerns about carrying +1........you'll feel better about discussing it here. Let's here from you.

 

[xXxplosive]

So I guess I woke up a little late this morning.......
So Hooter, are you trying to say you are carring -1 in the chamber. If so that's OK.............just explain your thoughts so we can better understand.

Who else.......?

 

[indoorsoccerfrea]

-If you drive or ride in a car, your chances of being in an auto accident are drastically increased. TRUE or FALSE?

-If you eat, your chances of getting food poisoning are drastically increased. TRUE or FALSE?

Or, maybe your chances of a negligent discharge are increased by carelessness, complacency, or unfamiliarity with your tools.

Mainsail, If you go back and read my whole post you will see that I discussed how careful handling should remove any danger of a ND. And as answer to your questions, yes. Driving will increase your danger of getting in an auto accident, as there is no chance of it happening if you aren't driving. Same with food poisoning. It is impossible to get food poisoning if you don't eat.

If there is no round in the chamber, then it is impossible for the gun to fire a round from the trigger being pulled, unless a round is chambered. I am completely for carrying +1, I do it every day. I was simply trying to come up with arguments some might bring up.

 

[orionengnr]

Do a search for "Condition one" and another for "Israeli carry". You will find enough to keep you busy for a while.

 

[Mainsail]

I was simply trying to come up with arguments some might bring up.

Yes, I understood what you were saying and I was trying to support your position. You were playing devil's advocate and I was building off it.

 

[xXxplosive]

OK...............instead of what if's by those of us who carry with one in.

Let's hear from those with real concerns about carrying -1 so we can maybe recognize their position more openly.

 

[searcher451]

I've been practicing the Israeli carry method for awhile now and must admit that I'm getting better at it as I go. I prefer a manual safety (from years of carrying a Walther PPK), and the decocker on the P99C that I'm using now, while perfectly safe, still makes me a bit nervous -- a lingering side-effect, I guess, from giving up the external safety. I'm split now between relying totally on the decocker or continuing with the Israeli-style method until I get it right. But a funny thing is happening: the more I carry with the decocker, the more comfortable it becomes. I'm still practicing the Israeli method at the range, but not at fervently as I was a few months back.

 

[Justin]

Carrying with an empty chamber is an indicator of a training gap. Given a proper level of firearms training, a well-made handgun, and a decent holster it is completely safe to carry a pistol with a round in the chamber.

 

[xXxplosive]

Alright, another that is easing into it slowly by gaining confidence each time at the range....whether it be utilizing a decocker or manuel safety.
Great.

Who else....? We hear you, the time is now to discuss your concerns.

 

[MICHAEL T]

Well said Justin If no round in chamber you have a small club

 

[UpTheIrons]

The perp isn't going to know whether you have 1 in the chamber or not. Most likely, just pulling the gun is going to stop him in his tracks---at that point you have more then enough time to rack. How long do you think it takes to rack once you pulled it--less then 1 sec.

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

Sometimes the perp is just itching to shoot. Here's one example where the GG would not have had time to rack the slide. I encourage everyone to read the whole thread, but look especially at post #21 where the GG explains when the BG started shooting.

http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=257561

 

[Skillet]

I mainly carry in the mountains and when I am hunting or hiking ect... and this question has sort of been itching in my mind for a while now, because of my pistol being a double action, I can lower the hammer after i put a round into the chamber, but to be honest, I'm a tad bit scared to. while lowering that hammer you never know what will happen, and I really don't want an accidental discharge on my hands. I think it really depends on your environment that you are in to decide of you want to carry +1 or not. I would say it's personal preference for me. sometimes you have to ask-do you REALLY trust yourself? sometimes I wonder...

 

[Girodin]

I may offend some people but here on my candid thoughts on the matter.

The only reasons I have ever heard someone give for carrying empty chamber could generalized as fear of a ND. If you need to carry empty chamber to avoid NDs you should not have a gun. Guns do not just go off. You will not have a ND with proper gun handling and a quality holster. If you cannot manage proper gun handling you shouldn't have one period.

The idea that you will have time to rack the weapon is speculation. In some scenarios you might there are many imaginable scenarios in which you might not. In the training I have done one of the things that stands out to me the most is how quickly a situation can develop that requires the gun to accessed and used ASAP.

I have never met a person that has received quality training in the use of their weapon that opts to keep their carry gun with an empty chamber. I would interested to hear what training any of those that advocate the empty chamber have.