Soooo . . . What Procedure Do You Use to Carry A Full Mag Plus One in the Chamber?

[MisterMike]

I apologize for asking an exceptionally basic question, but I'm just wondering how those of you who carry a full magazine plus one in the chamber do it.

Do you load the chamber from a different magazine, load the chamber, then top up the magazine, or ???

Again, a thousand mea culpas for asking something so basic. I've just never carried with a chambered round (and, yes, I know that many think that's nuts).

 

[Old Fuff]

As a rule of thumb, you should always chamber the first round from a magazine, rather then dropping the cartridge into the chamber and then releasing the slide. To do otherwise might invite a damaged or broken extractor.

Which magazine you use doesn't matter, but which ever it is should then be topped off.

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

Always load from a magazine---if you just stick it in the chamber and slam it shut--you'll beat up the extractor---which I did when I was young and dumb---eventually cracking off enough pieces where it needed replacing.

 

[MisterMike]

That answer my question--I know that some guns can be loaded through the extractor port, but for reasons I can't explain the thought of doing it that way always creeped me out. Now I know that it can cause damage.

Thanks.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Load one round in magazine, chamber it, remove magazine, fill magazine full, reinsert.

 

[TheVirginian]

After cleaning the gun, I load a magazine, not even always completely. I'll shove it into the well and then put it up. I will not keep a round in the chamber until I am ready to use it.

If I needed to use it, I'd rack the slide and it'd be ready to go. If I wanted to carry it a ways and be ready, I'd rack the slide and after it stripped one from the mag, I'd place it on safe and go. I'd not replace the one stripped from the mag. I figure that if I can't handle my own self defense with ten rounds, I deserve to be eaten...
-Bill

 

[benderx4]

Always have the gun strip one off a magazine and then top off the mag.

 

[Sapper771]

I usually have an empty mag on my night stand. I load my +1 round into it. I then lock the slide back on my 1911 and insert the mag that has the +1 in it. I then ease the slide down and chamber the round. I then eject the magazine and then load my full one. I have found this works great for me and saves my rounds from the dreaded "set back" due to the 1911's loading pattern.
I also do this with my Glocks, but it really isnt necessary.

 

[Old Fuff]

Easing the slide down may result in it not going fully into battery, especially if the pistol happens to be one of the "extra tight" 1911 products that are currently so popular. If you are using factory-loaded ammunition, where the bullets are sealed with a lacquer, bullet set-back is unlikely.

 

[usp9]

I load a mag with anywhere from one to full capacity.
Insert the mag
Rack the slide, load a round.
Decock if it has one, no need on DAO.
Finish loading the mag and re-insert.
Holster the pistol.

 

[sohcgt2]

I lay a loose round on top of the magazine and release the slide as I insert the magazine.

 

[Sam1911]

I usually have an empty mag on my night stand. I load my +1 round into it.

+1 on the Barney mag.

-Sam

 

[model of 1905]

After cleaning the gun, I load a magazine, not even always completely. I'll shove it into the well and then put it up. I will not keep a round in the chamber until I am ready to use it.

If I needed to use it, I'd rack the slide and it'd be ready to go. If I wanted to carry it a ways and be ready, I'd rack the slide and after it stripped one from the mag, I'd place it on safe and go. I'd not replace the one stripped from the mag. I figure that if I can't handle my own self defense with ten rounds, I deserve to be eaten...
-Bill

To each his own, I wish you the best of luck.:banghead:

 

[Knightrider03m]

Always have the gun strip one off a magazine and then top off the mag.

X2..

 

[TimboKhan]

I just dropped one into the chamber of my Ruger for years with no problems. As it turns out, I was incorrect for an equal amount of years about that procedure. Stripping one out of the mag is the correct procedure, as virtually all have indicated.

 

[David E]

A test was recently done with a 1911 with internal extractor.

They did something like 1000 "bubba loads" dropping the slide on a chambered round. The extractor tension was NOT changed one bit.

Other extractor designs may not fare as well.

Evenso, the "proper" way to load the gun is by having the round stripped from a magazine.

 

[TheVirginian]

To each his own, I wish you the best of luck.

Thanks for the thoughts. I'll be fine. I've racked a few slides in my time. I've yet to drop a gun or leave one loaded and unattended.
-Bill

 

[AKElroy]

I then ease the slide down and chamber the round.

I would run the gun the way the gun does. I only strip from the magazine,dropping the slide under full tension. Even with the slide apperantly fully forward, the round may not be engaging the lands at the same incremental depth & a first round flyer could result from easing the slide.

 

[TimboKhan]

I would run the gun the way the gun does

Agreed. Easing the slide down is not the proper technique, and can lead to an out of battery gun pretty easily.

I've yet to drop a gun or leave one loaded and unattended.

I have three pistols and an AR in my house loaded and ready to roll at all times. I live alone, so I don't worry overly about an AD on someone elses part, and I by god KNOW my guns are loaded. I don't treat my guns as if they are loaded, I treat my guns as loaded, because I know they are. To be honest, I am always a little surprised when I check a gun and find out that something isn't in the chamber as opposed to finding that there is.

Of course, saying that makes me sound a bit kooky. I assure you that I am not preparing for a zombie apocalypse or anything of that sort. I just know that I would rather those 4 guns sit loaded for 50 years without being shot than have to worry about it in the 3 seconds that I need them to be loaded.

 

[Big Daddy Grim]

I pop one off the top then replace that one shell everytime.

 

[sohcgt2]

I have three pistols and an AR in my house loaded and ready to roll at all times. I live alone, so I don't worry overly about an AD on someone elses part, and I by god KNOW my guns are loaded. I don't treat my guns as if they are loaded, I treat my guns as loaded, because I know they are. To be honest, I am always a little surprised when I check a gun and find out that something isn't in the chamber as opposed to finding that there is.

It sounds smart to me not apocalyptic. I had a reverse accident last week. I was cleaning my carry (G22) and found that it had 15 rounds, 14 in the mag and 1 in the chamber. Last trip to the range I shot my carry ammo as usual and then reloaded and shot range ammo. After when I reloaded for carry I had a bow with 15 rounds in it. I went over a month 1 round short of what I thought I had because I got side tracked after a day at the range.

 

[HorseSoldier]

Load from a full mag.

Press check.

Drop mag.

Top off mag.

Re-insert mag.

Pull down on mag to ensure it's fully locked.

-- I pretty much do it the same way, every time.

 

[Kind of Blued]

I do it the correct way.

Just a note which hasn't been mentioned:

After cleaning my carry guns (and magazines), I'll inspect every round, putting those with visible signs of extractor wear on the rim at the bottom of the mag. If there is considerable rim wear, or visible evidence of bullet setback, I'll retire that round altogether.

 

[FiveFiveSixFan]

I then ease the slide down and chamber the round.

Some manufacturers (Kahr, for instance), state in their manual that you should lock the slide back, and then load the round by releasing the slide lock rather than by easing the slide down.

I'm a big fan of reading manuals. I don't always end up following their recommendations 100% but it's amazing how much trouble you can save yourself.

 

[Walkalong]

Chamber one from the mag, go about my business. No, I don't "top it off" when using 8 round mags, or a 7 in an officers size grip, but I do sometimes in a 7 or a 6.