Chamber or No Chamber

[wow808]

So I'm curious fellow CHLs... do you carry with a round chambered?

If so, what do you do with semi auto pistol that have a hammer cocked when you chamber one. Seems dangerous to walk around with one chambered and hammer back.. How about those that do not have hammers, Glocks, XDs.. etc.. XDs have that little firing pin indicator.. I'm just curious on the best practices in these situations.

Sorry if this question is lame, but I've gotten conflicted responses to this.. Thanks.

[E.Marquez]

Yes...Always
on my pistols with hammer, the safety is on, and my finger is off the trigger till I decide to shoot. Carried that way those pistols are as safe as any can be.. unless I choose to make them deadly weapons.
On my striker fired pistols, much the same but no thumb safety.
On my revolvers, hammer is down, weapon is fired in DA for first round.
But Have a look at what a few other hundred members had to say
http://texaschlforum.com/viewtopic.php? ... n+the+pipe" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[WinoVeritas]

http://texaschlforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=70060" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Abraham]

It's a reasonable question.

Put a spent round in the chamber and carry it that way for awhile.

Occasionally, check to see if you've ever accidently pulled the trigger.

If not, perhaps you'll think more positively about carrying one in the pipe.

That's what I did with my Glock 19.

For well over ten years, I've carried one in the pipe.

[wow808]

Thanks. I'm all for one in the chamber, but more curious on what folks do with hammer type semis and strikers...

HK USP and the like have big ol hammers. One guy I know loads one in chamber and slowly drops the hammer on it.. to keep it "safe". I said that's probably not a good idea.. argument ensues lol. So I bring up strikers.. you can't make it "safe" by your definition.. so he swears off striker types. LOL. XDs have grip and finger safety,. They don't just "go off".. but he states you are not in control of the firing action with those. It seems I can't win lol.

What says the community on this?

[Oldgringo]

Thanks. I'm all for one in the chamber, but more curious on what folks do with hammer type semis and strikers...

HK USP and the like have big ol hammers. One guy I know loads one in chamber and slowly drops the hammer on it.. to keep it "safe". I said that's probably not a good idea.. argument ensues lol. So I bring up strikers.. you can't make it "safe" by your definition.. so he swears off striker types. LOL. XDs have grip and finger safety,. They don't just "go off".. but he states you are not in control of the firing action with those. It seems I can't win lol.

What says the community on this?

Look here: viewtopic.php?f=23&t=70060" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for your answer.

[C-dub]

Glocks in the chamber for over 10 years. I think I might have carried without one in the chamber early on and that might have only been in the house for a little while before the license arrived. I can't remember carrying since having the license without one in the chamber.

[wow808]

Bump due to forum guidelines .. any more advice?

[C-dub]

Bump due to forum guidelines .. any more advice?

There might not be in this thread. This is a widely covered topic on this forum. There are many threads on this issue.

[SQLGeek]

All I carry are striker fired pistols and the only way I will carry is with one in the chamber. That's how I've done it from day one. I do not carry a gun in a condition I cannot immediately fire because my line of thinking is if I need a gun, I need it now.

There are too many entirely plausible scenarios where I would only be able to employ my gun with one hand for me to consider carrying anything else.

My philosophy is carry in a high quality holster that completely covers the trigger guard, holster carefully and then leave it alone.

In my admittedly limited experience, most semi autos with external hammers will either have the ability to carry cocked and locked our will have a decocker that you can safely drop the hammer with.

[pcgizzmo]

There isn't much more to add. With very few exceptions mandating recalls modern day guns just don't go off unless the trigger is pulled. If your worried about it get a gun with a de-cocker or a manual safety. I carry a Sig SP2022 with a de-cocker. I have a friend that carries a Glock but no round in the chamber. I've told him if he gets in a rough situation where he needs to pull his gun quickly he might as well throw it at the attacker because he will never rack the slide fast enough to load a round before being shot.

Find a gun that works for you and your feel for safety and go with it but don't carry a gun without a round in the chamber.

[hpcatx]

As others have said...

Chambered.

The internal safety mechanisms of modern pistols will prevent discharge (except for when the trigger is pulled) and racking the slide may make the difference between successfully defending myself and reacting too slowly in a critical situation. My first edc gun did have a thumb safety while I was getting used to daily carry; it was also the first and last time I purchased a gun with a thumb safety. (Caveat: My carry guns are all striker fired, so they don't require decockers or manual safeties.)

[tommyg]

Do you think a thug will give you a chance to pull back a slide or take a safety off
A double action s/a is best if you want to carry an s/a. Carry with the hammer down
and a round in the chamber I can see both sides of the issue of safety on or off
use this technique with double action s/a.

Guns are different Please be familiar with any gun you carry read all the literature that comes with your gun and practice with it before you carry

I think I will stick to my .38 revolver

[stevem]

One in the chamber all the time with a modern pistol and appropriate holster.

[RPBrown]

I cannot remember a time when I didn't carry with one in the chamber. Been carrying a lot of years now and never had an AD