Please load your CCW...I didn't

[DFW1911]

Long story short: after a long walk with my girlfriend the other evening I removed my J frame to see if it had any sweat on it.

Well it didn't, and to my abject terror it didn't have any bullets in it either.

I started thinking "what the ****?" and remembered that I had wiped down the pistol over the weekend. Of course I unloaded it to clean it up but I have not a clue as to why I wouldn't have kept it unloaded.

So I was carrying my CCW, as loaded, for 3 days. This was disconcerting to say the least.

The only good news is that I carry 2 speed loaders (they had rounds) and have practiced malfunction drills enough that if I had to "shoot" (with an empty gun) I can reload pretty fast if needed.

No need to get paranoid, just be sure to check every once in a while.

We all make mistakes, so please learn from mine.

Take care,
DFW1911

 

[BP Hunter]

I'm surprised you didn't feel the weight of an unloaded weapon.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[mljdeckard]

Oops. Ok.

But you know what? I think it's better to err on the side of safety one time out of many thousands, that your gun is loaded when it isn't, than to wrongfully assume it ISN'T loaded when it IS.

 

[Darsh]

I'm surprised you didn't feel the weight of an unloaded weapon.

The movie 'Taken' springs to mind. Not saying this could never happen to me, but I'm pretty sure I can tell the difference in weight of a loaded and unloaded firearm. Plus, you can *see* the bullets in a J frame. (and yeah I carry one.)

 

[Katana8869]

Walked out the door once one morning with my 642 loaded with snapcaps. That was a bad feeling when I discovered so at the end of the day. I had a full speedloader too, but in a fight.... well that's not a nice thought is it?

I swing the cylinder out and look before I leave these days.

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Perhaps since the revolver is mostly metal already, it's sufficiently heavy to make the added weight of rounds not very noticeable. I only carry polymer semi-autos, and not only is it visually obvious without opening the action if there is not a mag inside, the light weight of the unloaded polymer weapon makes the insertion of a full mag VERY noticeable.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

"You should always know the condition of your weapon at all times." Right.

I like to check my chamber(s) before strapping on my firearm for the day. Perhaps you should adopt a similar protocol.

 

[Erik M]

I always carry with one in the pipe, and unload and lock my firearm up when its not in use. It would be an odd feeling indeed to discover that I was carring the weapon with an empty magazine. thankfully its never happened.

 

[One-Time]

I did that once. i was working s a Security Officer and had cleaned it then never reloaded it, worked all night in a bad section 8 housing project and had no ammo in the gun(SW K Frame)

 

[kd7nqb]

I keep my M&P stored with a full magazine but empty chamber and then load the chamber before I holster it. I once realized that when I went to clear it at the end of the day, I had carried and empty gun all day. But I at least had a full magazine.

 

[DFW1911]

The weight difference between a loaded / unloaded 5 shot revolver is going to be significantly less than that of a hi-cap polymer pistol loaded / unloaded.

I imagine if I sat down with two J-frames and gave serious thought to it, I might be able to determine which one was loaded. Grabbing my gun and going I sure can't tell.

As far as seeing the rounds in the gun, it's kind of tough when it is in its IWB holster.

I've been carrying for 9 years. I guess if you do it long enough a mistake or two is going to happen. The key is to learn from them (hopefully share with others so they, too, can learn) and not repeat.

One observation, the "I always carry X in Y condition" train of thought is what got me into this situation. Many of us were trained to check it once and leave it alone...just make sure you do check it !

 

[MedWheeler]

Did something similar.. used to leave the mag out of my Bersa Thunder and just next to it, and went for a walk one day. An unrestrained dog charged from a nearby yard, but stopped before getting within thirty feet of me. I had cleared leather and was holding the gun down by my leg. When the dog stopped and we had gotten some distance, I re-holstered.
Upon returning home, I went to remove the mag, and discovered I had never inserted it. Because of the mag disconnect, had I needed it, it would not have fired the round left in the chamber.
My solution? I now keep the gun with its mag inserted, and on me pretty much all the time, instead of in its previous resting place.

 

[Dr. Fresh]

All of my handguns are loaded all the time, with rounds in the chambers of the autos. When I unload them to show someone or to clean them, I promptly load them again before I reholster them. Thus it has never been a problem for me. I know for a fact that they are loaded.

 

[rondog]

All of my handguns are loaded all the time, with rounds in the chambers of the autos. When I unload them to show someone or to clean them, I promptly load them again before I reholster them. Thus it has never been a problem for me. I know for a fact that they are loaded.

Me too. Ain't that how it's supposed to be done? And I always know what's in 'em too.

 

[Dr. Fresh]

I think it's the best approach. I never understood why people are constantly unloading/reloading their carry piece, and sometimes carrying with a round in the chamber and sometimes not. You ask me, it should be loaded and then left alone.

 

[sidheshooter]

Long story short: after a long walk with my girlfriend the other evening I removed my J frame to see if it had any sweat on it.

Well it didn't, and to my abject terror it didn't have any bullets in it either.

Son of a gun. Cooper was wrong about rule #1...








Good reminder!

 

[BullfrogKen]

It's an eye opener, isn't it?


It became a bit of a habit for me when I got home from work to remove my handgun from its holster and set it down on the kitchen table. I'd do the same with my keys, wallet, and all the other items in my pockets. It was just more comfortable for me to not be sitting on my wallet and other junk while I'm watching Shepard Smith give me the news of the day.


Well there were a few times I'd done that, and had an errand I'd have to go back out to run, or some other such activity after dinner. So I'd put everything back in my pockets and return the gun to the holster and go do it. I'll have to admit there have been a couple occasions when I was in a rush that I left the house with an empty holster.


As far as ammo . . . . I usually keep the range bag in my truck, so if I ever left the house with an empty gun I could load it up while I was out. Assuming I noticed it first . . .


Habits are both good and bad things. It is a good habit to get into that any time the gun has been out of your control to recheck it's status.

 

[KenWP]

Chances of you ever needing the gun for anything but a paper weight are around 1 in 30 billion so it actually is just a extra peice of weight to carry around. Look at it as a training aid for your health and go from there.
I find it hard to believe the post on this. People actually think they are going to need a firearm and are prepared for useing it. It's fine to carry a gun once in a while just to say you can but to really think its needed is parinoid to an extreme.

 

[earlthegoat2]

My dad was a cop during the revolver to semi automatic transition and really hated the auto because you couldnt do a brass check near as easily as with the revolver. He sometimes was paranoid that there wasnt a round ready in the chamber.

 

[DFW1911]

Folks,

Please keep in mind that we're controlled by our minds, which are not perfect machines by any stretch of the imagination. As such, I repeat: the "I always know....I always have..." mentality were my sentiments until this last weekend.

Always means it's only a matter of time until something "not always" happens.

Just take my word for it, put steps in to ensure your weapons are in the condition you want them in, and go from there. You may already have them. Great. I did, too. Now rethink yours and try to find any holes and repair as necessary.

We all have room for improvement - guaranteed.

Going on blind faith will lead to mistakes.

I know.

Thanks,
DFW1911

 

[WC145]

I know the feeling!
I keep my carry guns loaded all the time, even when they're locked up in the safe, yet every time I put one on I double check. Yes, it's redundant but it is my habit (thank goodness!). The other day when I was getting ready for work my wife was talking to me and I was preoccupied listening to her as I got my uniform and gear on. I dropped my BUG in my pocket, got my duty gun out of the safe and holstered it, finished the conversation, kissed her goodbye, and headed out the door. When I got to the truck I realized I hadn't checked that my gun was loaded so I unholstered it, dropped the mag and was shocked to see that it was empty! I did a press check and the chamber was empty, too! I was baffled, then I remembered that I had emptied the ammo out of it a few days prior and used it up in another gun, intending to reload it with fresh ammo but apparently put it away without doing so.:banghead: I went back in the house and loaded up and then went to work but I have to say I was a bit shaken. I will not allow my routine to be interrupted again, and I will ALWAYS check that my "loaded" guns actually are loaded.

 

[Fred Fuller]

It's a very apt reminder, DFW 1911. It's kind of you to share it, and I hope everyone here benefits thereby.

lpl

 

[Norinco982lover]

Thank you for the reminder! As I carry a polymer handgun (XD45C) I can usually notice if it is loaded/unloaded. I ALWAYS keep my guns loaded and I am sure to check the striker indicator (quite often actually) and the loaded chamber indicator to be sure that I am loaded up before I go anywhere.

~Norinco

 

[Zach S]

There's been a time or two that I left the house with a government model, and two spare mags for an officer's model...

When I purchased my first glock, the hardest habit to break was reloading after 7 shots.

A buddy and I got our mags mixed up at the range one day. I was shooting a G19, he was shooting a G23...

I once left carrying only my .38 and two speed strips. The speed strips were loaded with .357 mag... On that note, be sure to check for the correct ammo when you buy it. You'd be amazed at how many people wont accept free ammo from a total stranger...

One reason I do not, or will not, own a 20 gauge shotgun is so I don't load my 590 with 20 gauge ammo. See above note about free ammo.

"You should always know the condition of your weapon at all times." Right.

I like to check my chamber(s) before strapping on my firearm for the day. Perhaps you should adopt a similar protocol.

Yes, we should, and I do.

However, I still check everything I pick up, when I pick it up, and check for correct ammo/mags...

I think it's the best approach. I never understood why people are constantly unloading/reloading their carry piece, and sometimes carrying with a round in the chamber and sometimes not. You ask me, it should be loaded and then left alone.

Agreed. Most of my pistols are unloaded in the safe, however, my carry gun, BUG, and beater pistol stay loaded (and normally sleep on top of the safe). No sense in unloading, reloading, unloading, reloading every day.

 

[mbt2001]

Wild Bill Hickock unloaded his cap and ball revolvers every morning and loaded them again. Cap and Ball powder was prone to being impacted by humidity and other things, so it was a precaution to ensure that his pistols went BOOM when the trigger was pulled.

Check your loads every day, wipe the gun down, inspect the barrel and elements of the gun where lint and other fouling could impact the action and holster the piece.