To Chamber or not to Chamber?

[flintknapper]

IMO, there are no good reasons to carry a firearm without a round in the chamber. None, Zero, Zip, Nada.....

Besides the comments posted above, you might not be ABLE to chamber a round if an attacker has struck first and caused a crippling blow to your support hand/arm.

Don't give up any tactical advantages (especially time).

[atxgun]

I had the same concern and did the same thing as Seamus and quickly become confident of what you always here "guns don't go off by themselves". Well I probably didn't do everything as Seamus as I don't have my plastic yet, but did as much running around and getting in worrisome positions in my apt as possible.

[Skiprr]

IMO, there are no good reasons to carry a firearm without a round in the chamber. None, Zero, Zip, Nada.....

Besides the comments posted above, you might not be ABLE to chamber a round if an attacker has struck first and caused a crippling blow to your support hand/arm.

Don't give up any tactical advantages (especially time).

Yep. We have to keep in mind that action is always faster than reaction. As civilians carrying for protection, the vast majority of possible scenarios that occur outside of our home mean that we're defending--reacting--and the BG is the actor, the attacker. We're behind the OODA Loop right from the start. Any carry method that robs you of time is not a good thing. By the time you decide you need to clear leather, you're already a half-second or more behind the curve.

[seamusTX]

I had the same concern and did the same thing as Seamus and quickly become confident of what you always here "guns don't go off by themselves". Well I probably didn't do everything as Seamus as I don't have my plastic yet, but did as much running around and getting in worrisome positions in my apt as possible.

I did everything at home, including gyrations on the sofa and in the car. (If I put it on YouTube it might be a hit.)

BTW, you might want to confirm that your handgun will stay holstered when you stand on your head or whatever.

- Jim

[G.C.Montgomery]

I think that this has been talked about in previous posts but I cannot remember where. I carry in my vehicle all the time and some out in public. I have thought through a few scenario's from time to time and one common concern keeps popping up. I do not keep a round chambered in either of my guns. I have double action weapons with good safety mechanisms but I still feel that chambering a round will give me time to think through the situation before I make a decision- or it will give me enough time to get killed.

Any comments are welcome.

[sarcasm] Take a drive down I-10 East. Turn south at Gregg/Waco and then bear left onto Coke Street. IF you return alive, lets review your thoughts on this subject. [/sarcasm]
Just kidding...In all seriousness, I'm going to try to offer some real advice. If the firearm is not under your direct control and/or in a holster, I consider transport mode (fully charged magazine, empty chamber) to be a reasonable way to transport the firearm in your vehicle. However, if you are carrying the firearm on or about your person for the purposes of stopping the unlawful use of force against you, I strongly suggest that the chamber of said firearm be loaded prior to any engagement. Let me add one caveat...A firearm carried with a loaded chamber should be secured in a fashion such that the trigger guard is protected from the unintentional interaction of the trigger with foreign objects and or your finger. That usually means the firearm needs to be in a holster. YMMV.

[Fosforos]

I was apprehentious about carrying with a round chambered when I got my first gun (feels like a long time ago... 8 months or so). What I did was reset the trigger on my Glock and insert the loaded mag, but not chamber it. I put the gun in the holster, and carried it like that around the house, including flopping down on the couch, lying on the gun, turning around with full weight on the gun. Every now and then I would look at the gun to see if the trigger had been pulled. Of course it never was, so I built my confidence that it won't pull its own trigger in the holster.

The other day I freaked out when I took the gun out of the safe box and it didn't have a round in the chamber. I had forgotten to chamber after cleaning it.

[atxgun]

The other day I freaked out when I took the gun out of the safe box and it didn't have a round in the chamber. I had forgotten to chamber after cleaning it.

that's not reflex after inserting a loaded magazine at this point ?

[Fosforos]

The other day I freaked out when I took the gun out of the safe box and it didn't have a round in the chamber. I had forgotten to chamber after cleaning it.

that's not reflex after inserting a loaded magazine at this point ?

Yes it is... all the more reason to freak out to find it empty. Taught me to check the chamber every time before I put in in the holster.

[Kalrog]

I still press check every morning even though I put it away and I am the only one with the combo to the safe. I haven't been holding it constantly so I treat it as loaded until I can confirm. Then I feel better.

[zeroskillz]

Go to an outdoor range with two friends. Face the target with your gun holstered and no round in the chamber. Have one of your friends stand with his back to yours (back to back, facing in opposite directions). Give him something to drop. Have friend number 3 yell GO! And you draw, chamber and shoot while friend #2 runs away from you. When he hears the shot he drops whatever it is he was holding. Holster our weapon and turn around. That dropped object is how far someone could be away from you and still incapacitate you before you get a shot off.

Repeat the process with a round chambered.

It's a very eye-opening exercise. Kind of fun too.

HTH
-Ted

[kitty]

All of you have really given me something to think about. My husband and I are both new CHLs, and have only been carrying for a few weeks. Neither of us carry with a chambered round, but, after reading this thread, I think we probably should. I spoke with my husband about it, and he's nervous about it. I'm nervous too, because I'm still so new and because my carry gun is a S&W M&P .9c, and it has no exterior safety. It is a very nice gun, and I love it. The trigger must be pulled all the way back to fire, but I'm concerned that I may accidentally pull it while unholstering or reholstering.

[Lumberjack98]

...... because my carry gun is a S&W M&P .9c, and it has no exterior safety. It is a very nice gun, and I love it. The trigger must be pulled all the way back to fire, but I'm concerned that I may accidentally pull it while unholstering or reholstering.

Your brain is the "exterior safety".

Also, as a famous Texas CHL'er once said, "Keep your bugger hook off of the bang switch."

If you follow proper gun handling (finger not on the trigger or even in the trigger guard unless on target) then holster work shouldn't be an issue.

Practice this at home with an UNLOADED firearm until you are comfortable with it.

[lawrnk]

I figure I'd not have time to chamber if I needed to fire. I carry and keep chambered on all my weapons.

[Charles L. Cotton]

All of you have really given me something to think about. My husband and I are both new CHLs, and have only been carrying for a few weeks. Neither of us carry with a chambered round, but, after reading this thread, I think we probably should. I spoke with my husband about it, and he's nervous about it. I'm nervous too, because I'm still so new and because my carry gun is a S&W M&P .9c, and it has no exterior safety. It is a very nice gun, and I love it. The trigger must be pulled all the way back to fire, but I'm concerned that I may accidentally pull it while unholstering or reholstering.

Practicing a proper draw-stroke and reholstering at home with an empty gun will do much to allay your fears of an accidental discharge. Your trigger finger should be straight on the frame of your pistol (a/k/a "indexed") until your front sight is on what scares you. It should also be indexed when reholstering. If you practice laying your trigger finger on the outside of your holster (whether IWB or OWB) in a position so that it will be properly indexed when the gun is drawn, then this will become second nature and you will no longer worry about an accidental discharge during holstering/reholstering. How many repetitions this will take varies by the individual, but it will be many. And don't worry about speed; draw smoothly and safely and speed will come.

If you live anywhere close to PSC, I'd be happy to work with you and your husband and show you some drills you can work on at the range and at home.

Chas.

[kitty]

Thank you Charles, very helpful information and I will definitely practice, practice, practice. Unfortunately we don't live near you, we're in the D/FW area, but thank you very much for the offer of help.