Put one in the chamber, or don't carry it!

[Charles L. Cotton]

Personally, I carry in condition 1. However, if you will Google "Israeli Carry", you will find that with proper training with draw and shoot methods candion 3 carry can be quite effective.

The "Israeli Method" involves using two hands and it presumes you have time to execute the drill before taking fire. I'm not sure how "effective" it is in combat v. practice on the range.

Chas.

[Charles L. Cotton]

After reading some of the comments, and the title again, I think I get the point, but I don't agree with the all or none statement. I think the point is if you are not comfortable carrying in ready condition, maybe you are not practiced or confident enough to carry at all? And it is less about survival.

If you REALLY want to be ready for the BG, you should carry it in your hand at all times, not a holster, because that second or two to draw it could be the difference in surviving or not. Or maybe you can't get to it easily because you are sitting, or, or, ... There is always a compromise made somewhere between perfect safety and practicality.

We teach our kids in life you often have to choose between good, better, and best, not between good and bad. So if you don't carry in 'best', then good and better are no good?

I carry a DAO with a long pull specifically to avoid a light trigger as mentioned above. It is what I am comfortable with.

My point was and is simply that one shouldn't carry a semi-automatic if they are lack the skill and confidence to carry a round in the chamber. I never said don't carry a gun; carry a revolver.

I wholeheartedly agree that we make compromises in many aspects of self-defense weapons. Rifles are far more efficient at stopping a threat, but we don't carry them for social and practical reasons. It would be slightly faster to deploy a self-defense handgun if we carried it in our hand, but that's illegal, impractical and anti-social. Comparing a gun-in-the-hand to a loaded chamber is not a realistic comparison.

I agree with folks who state that a DAO or even DA/SA semi-auto is operationally the same as a revolver for folks who fear carrying a round in the chamber. I doubt those folks would agree.

Chas.

[Charles L. Cotton]

"A stupid man learns from his own mistakes while a wise man learns from the mistakes of others." While there is always trade offs like a cover garment, sitting, seat belts, etc. . . there is no reason to add not having a chambered round. You will no doubt get hurt when you draw an unloaded pistol (unchambered) so it would be best if you don't carry with one in the chamber to not draw the pistol when trouble comes or as has been echoed throughout this thread just simple carry a revolver. There is no shame with a revolver and it sure doesn't make you a second class citizen.

This is an excellent video. I disagree with the moderator's comment that most of the time there is sufficient time to charge the gun, at least for outside the home confrontations.

Chas.

[ScottDLS]

I agree with Charles.

And it may be apocryphal, but I've been told that IDF uses the "condition 3" method because they don't trust minimally trained draftees to safely operate semi-auto handguns. Which kind of begs the question of why they arm them with such.

Additionally there are different reasons for carrying firearms for a soldier and a citizen who is outside a war zone.

[WTR]

I agree with Charles.

And it may be apocryphal, but I've been told that IDF uses the "condition 3" method because they don't trust minimally trained draftees to safely operate semi-auto handguns. Which kind of begs the question of why they arm them with such.

Additionally there are different reasons for carrying firearms for a soldier and a citizen who is outside a war zone.

From my readings, Condition 3 is also the carry method of the majority of the worls's Police Departments.....War Zone?

[ScottDLS]

I agree with Charles.

And it may be apocryphal, but I've been told that IDF uses the "condition 3" method because they don't trust minimally trained draftees to safely operate semi-auto handguns. Which kind of begs the question of why they arm them with such.

Additionally there are different reasons for carrying firearms for a soldier and a citizen who is outside a war zone.

From my readings, Condition 3 is also the carry method of the majority of the worls's Police Departments.....War Zone?

Then most of the worlds police departments are stupid, or don't care to have rapid access to their sidearms. Really why not carry a revolver with two empty chambers. Makes about as much sense as carrying a semi-auto with an empty chamber. Soldiers on the other hand presumably have some warning when they are about to go into combat or a combat zone, at which time I understand they usually charge their weapons.

[Mxrdad]

Also, an empty chamber makes no difference in how a gun is handled. There should be no assumption of increased safety.

My thoughts exactly.