One chambered w/CCW? POLL

[fatfreddiescat]

Tell the truth. To those of you that
(1) live in California;
(2) have a current and valid Carry Concealed permit;

While you are carrying concealed, do you keep 'one in the pipe?' (keep a round chambered), or do you leave the chamber clear, thinking that you're going to slide one in should circumstances dictate?

I carry an EMP 9mm, and usually keep the chamber clear, mostly, I guess, out of 'over-caution'.......

I think I might start carrying 'full up' (one chambered then replace with one more in the mag. (The EMP is 9+1)

Thanks for those who opinionated.

 

[ants]

Sorry, I don't have a California permit.
Beautiful state, wonderful people, but I don't live there.
I hope you will allow me to respond nevertheless. Thank you kindly.




Carrying a gun for self defense with empty chamber:
The bad guy won't have an empty chamber.
Why would you wish to enter a gunfight with an empty chamber?

 

[Frank Ettin]

I don't have a California permit, but I have permits for Arizona, Nevada, Utah and Florida. I travel in a number of States, including Arizona and Nevada, regularly.

I carry whenever I legally can (in a state that honors a permit I have or on private property with permission), and I always carry with a round in the chamber (most often a 1911 in condition 1, but occasionally an H&K P7M8 with a round in the chamber). I'm not clairvoyant, so (1) I have no way of knowing how quickly I may need to put my gun to use if I need it; and (2) and I'm not willing to count on have two hands available.

A 1911 can be safely carried in condition 1 by a reasonably well trained person and is routinely carried that way by a great many people who rely on the 1911 as their primary personal defensive weapon. And at schools such as Gunsite and Thunder Ranch, and by instructors such as Massad Ayoob and Louis Awerbuck, condition 1 is taught as the preferred method of carrying a 1911.

If you are uncomfortable carrying an EMP in condition 1, you might consider a different gun, like an DA/SA semi-auto. Or you might consider some more training.

ETA: I'm also not sure what being in California has to do with the issue.

 

[801sureshot]

Oops didn't catch the California part till after I had voted.

 

[FirearmsEnthusiast]

I'd feel nervous about carrying a Glock with one in the chamber, but would have no problem with a 1911.

 

[David E]

Hey, is it that time of the week already? I mean, this question comes up weekly.

If you're going to carry a gun, carry it ready to go. If you're not comfortable carrying Gun Model X with a round chambered, then carry a gun model that you ARE comfortable with carrying chamber loaded.

The reason you're not carrying your EMP 1911 with a loaded chamber is that you have not yet mastered the 'cocked and locked' concept. Master it and you'll be comfortable.

 

[Manco]

If I could get a CCW (easy in some counties, virtually impossible in others like the one I currently live in), then I'd carry with one in the chamber and a full magazine loaded, the hammer/striker cocked, and always ready to fire. Obviously, I'd use a manual safety for SAO and DA/SA pistols that have one, and I'd carry them cocked & locked. More than likely, however, I'd be carrying a Smith & Wesson M&P with no manual safety, and I'd be comfortable with that (the stock trigger has negligible effect on my aim, and its 6.5 lb pull weight is a good balance of safety and ease/quickness in firing).

 

[happygeek]

Yeah, I've always figured that in the unlikely event that I ever need a gun, I'll need it very badly. I'll also need it loaded very badly. Both the pistols I have and use for CC (Beretta 92FS & Sig 1911) have manual safeties, so.

This does seem to come up almost weekly ...

 

[scarredpelt]

I'd feel nervous about carrying a Glock with one in the chamber, but would have no problem with a 1911.

I don't understand this reticence among gun owners. I have had my Glock for several years now and feel absolutely confident in its 'safety' features. I am not in the least concerned about it misfiring from being dropped, and carrying in a leather holster that covers the trigger I also don't worry about objects entering the guard and firing the gun.

 

[Crash_Test_Dhimmi]

It depends on the weapon, My H&K .45 USP has a mechanical safety. I am comfortable with one in the chamber. When I carry a Glock 17 9mm, that does not have a mechanical safety, then I carry with an empty chamber.

 

[deadhawg]

Whether I'm carrying my G30, G19, or my Kahr P45, there's a round in the chamber and a full mag.

 

[F40]

Glocks/users have 2 manual safeties, your finger being one, the bladed trigger being the other. My 27 always has a round in the chamber.

When I carry my baby eagle, I don't have the cocked and locked option, so I just leave the safety off, and "rely" on the DA trigger pull of the first shot as the safety, always a round chambered also.

I'd rather carry a rock than a gun with an empty chamber, it would be faster to deploy, and through the course of history, rocks have proved effective.

 

[schnarrgj]

Why would you want to carry without one in the chamer? If you ever need to use it,
You will need it yesterday! My life and my family's safety far out weighs
Any misguided sence of "political correctness". God gave me my life and my
Family to love,protect and cherish. I am not going to let some piece
Of dirt take anytjhing that precious becauise I did not want to appear too prepared.

If you are that unsure of your weapon,get more training or a different weapon.
None of us ever wants to use the weapon,but if God forbid, it happpens'
I want as much advantage as possible.

 

[duns]

I carry my 5-shot J-frame revolver with all chambers loaded. It has two safeties - the trigger guard and the long firm trigger pull. I carry my Walther P99C-AS with one in the spout and the striker decocked. It has the same two safeties as the revolver - the trigger guard and a long firm trigger pull on the first shot (though not as firm as on the revolver). I have a Beretta 92FS as a home defense weapon. This has a safety but I do not use the safety, keeping it with the safety off, one in the spout, and the hammer decocked. Again, the trigger guard and a firm double action pull for the first shot provide adequate safety IMO. All three guns have the additional safety that I will hopefully keep my finger off the trigger until I want to shoot. All three will fire with just a pull of the trigger should the need arise. I am not the least worried about an inadvertent discharge.

If one needs to use a gun, a fraction of a second may be important and I don't see any significant risk in keeping a round chambered with my weapons.

To the OP: what scenario do you have in mind that leads to you thinking that keeping the chamber empty is a good idea?

 

[SMMAssociates]

'Tis, I think, really simple....

Charging the weapon usually takes two hands, and a couple of seconds....

There are ways to use only one hand, but they may tear up your hand, your belt, shoes, etc., and possibly your sights, unless the gun is specifically designed for it.

But mostly it's the time....

I'm told that the Israeli's push the empty chamber carry to the point that it's often called "Israeli Carry" because there are a ton of different guns in use (including a random selection the Police are supposed to give to those who ask), and it's simpler to turn everything off and leave it off, and just tell the user to charge the gun before use.

Seems like it'd work, but it's a little silly, and, IMHO, dangerous.

If Condition One scares you, go with a TDA semi or revolver....

Regards,

 

[shockwave]

I'm told that the Israeli's push the empty chamber carry to the point that it's often called "Israeli Carry"

I'm interested in some techniques the Israelis use, like Israeli Combat Shooting, and you can see in the videos over and over that they train to produce the firearm and rack the slide as they extend the pistol forward for point shooting:

ICS is a fluid movement that involves drawing the handgun while the shooter is moving into his stance, chambering a round while the gun is pushed out, grasped and fired. After a five-hour class, shooters will be able to draw their gun, chamber a round and deploy three rounds accurately to the head within 1.1 seconds.

So if you want to carry with an empty chamber, there's nothing particularly wrong about it as long as you train for speed.

 

[Barbara]

I like to carry empty with a trigger lock, with the magazines buried in the bottom of my purse. Can't be too careful.

I'm kidding.

For Pete's sakes..get a holster you trust (ie: one that will retain the gun and isn't a Serpa) practice with it, and you'll be fine. The gun won't go off. I've carried a Glock with one chambered forever and its never shot at me.

 

[moooose102]

walking around without one in the chamber would be like walking through bear country with you bear spray burried deep in your backpack. totally useless. if you are going to have it, make sure you are ready to use it. otherwise, leave it at home.

 

[dom1104]

Just another reason to love CZs, a decocked DA/SA is about as safe as safe gets. Thats the first thing that popped into my head.

The second thing, is do what you are comfortable with, most likely you will grow comfortable enough to carry with one in the chamber.

 

[rodensouth]

Multiple times in the "armed citizen" there have been circumstances where the ONLY option for the good outcome was to draw and shoot one handed because the other hand is already in use defending against the perp. There are just too many times that it would not only leave you at a disadvantage, but totally without the possibility of using the solution you brought for such an occasion.

 

[youngda9]

anything else is just a paperweight

 

[6seal]

Revolver...

 

[ar10]

If you're going to carry a gun, carry it ready to go. If you're not comfortable carrying Gun Model X with a round chambered, then carry a gun model that you ARE comfortable with carrying chamber loaded.

Exactly:banghead:

 

[azyogi]

+1 [or is that 6?] for 6seal

 

[The Bushmaster]

Not in the USSR of C anymore, but when I was living there I carried quite often without a permit and ALWAYS carried with a loaded chamber. An empty chamber is like having a pocket full of rocks. In time of danger you have to get them out of your pocket before you can throw them...I'd rather carry them in my hand...