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I've had a few customers myself that don't carry with a round chambered. I prefer to refer to this firearm condition as "Condition Dumb." Here's a story from a dealer in Tennessee about a recent incident that emphasizes why "locked and loaded" is the only condition that your gun should be in.

"I'm sure you get customers coming in carrying guns with the chamber empty. They'll tell you "I just don't feel safe with one in the chamber." Here's something to share with them:

Customer comes in. He was driving around town about 9PM. Stopped at train crossing with train going through. Not many houses around. Car pulls up behind him. Guy jumps out, looks around. Guy comes up to the driver's side. Pulls 9mm pistol and shoots my customer in the arm. Customer is armed with Taurus .45, empty chamber. Gun shot disables customer's left arm. He manages to get one round racked into the chamber but not before the guy gets back in his car and starts driving off. Customer shoots at him through back window one handed and gun jams. Bad guy gets away (He was arrested in a separate incident later). I guess the gun deterred a car jacking, which is what the bad guy was up to. Empty chamber nearly cost my customer his life. Customer now carries his Judge in the car."

IMHO most who carry their gun without one in the chamber are not comfortable (meaning not familiar, not well trained). Others may be well trained and can "jack" one in the chamber under duress. As for me right now I carry one in the chamber but my loaded gun stays in its holster and only comes out when I am in one of my "safe zones" or I have an urgent issue that requires immediate attention...

See signature line below.

I carried for the first few days after receiving my CHL loaded, but nothing in the chamber. This was only to get comfortable and used to the weapon being there. Once I chambered a round, and put another on in the Mag - it's been that way since. I took a little bit of time before my mind got used to it, but I'm comfortable (and careful) now carrying this way.

IMO, if you are not carrying a 1911 with one in the pipe, locked, then you may just as well carry it empty.

AEA wrote:IMO, if you are not carrying a 1911 with one in the pipe, locked, then you may just as well carry it empty.

I carry a Kahr, we don't need no stinking "lock".

And yes, one in the pipe.

Jaguar wrote:

AEA wrote:IMO, if you are not carrying a 1911 with one in the pipe, locked, then you may just as well carry it empty.

I carry a Kahr, we don't need no stinking "lock".

And yes, one in the pipe.

I guess I should have phrased that better as I did not mean that you HAD to carry a 1911.

So here is the re-phrased text:
IMO, if you are carrying a 1911 without one in the pipe, locked, then you may just as well carry it empty.

The time it takes you to rack the slide could cost you the rest of your life.

Ive carried loaded since day 1 on my Sig with no safety.

Locked and loaded.

I began carrying with the chamber empty. Got used to the feel of the gun without worrying about any other complications.

Graduated up to carrying with one in the pipe. Still keep the safety on, tho. I tend to bump into things, so it's a peace of mind issue.

ZA

Just curious; are there any statistics that anybody knows of on unintentional discharges while carrying? I hear a lot of stories of Glock owners shooting off body parts so of COURSE Glocks (and probably all other striker-fired guns without safeties) are dangerous. My question is, how many of these unintentional discharges are actually the gun malfunctioning and how many are the operator "malfunctioning".

I had a CHL student tell me he was uncomfortable carrying a semi locked 'n loaded he was going to carry a revolver with five rounds and an empty chamber under the hammer. Oh yeah, he also wore a belt and suspenders a man can't be too careful now can he? I didn't even try to reason with him.

Age old argument. But does this settle it?

"Customer comes in. He was driving around town about 9PM. Stopped at train crossing with train going through. Not many houses around. Car pulls up behind him. Guy jumps out, looks around. Guy comes up to the driver's side. Pulls 9mm pistol and shoots my customer in the arm. Customer is armed with Taurus .45, empty chamber. Gun shot disables customer's left arm. He manages to get one round racked into the chamber but not before the guy gets back in his car and starts driving off. Customer shoots at him through back window one handed and gun jams. Bad guy gets away (He was arrested in a separate incident later). I guess the gun deterred a car jacking, which is what the bad guy was up to. Empty chamber nearly cost my customer his life. Customer now carries his Judge in the car."

Would this guy have been prepared to use his .45 when a guy runs up to the window and shoots him in the arm? If I were seated in my car I don't know that I could have gotten to my gun in time with or without one in the pipe. I know all of the arguments but when one considers that for 69 years I was unarmed, now partially armed with one not in the chamber and better armed with one in the chamber I have still not come to a final conclusion as to how I will carry in the future. As a newbie though I do not carry one in the chamber and I need to work my comfort level to one in the chamber. I have a Bodyguard 380 which requires a very hefty (massive) trigger pull so that is not the issue. I know that everyone on this forum says they carry locked and loaded but I wonder if they just say that or really do it. I know with more training the comfort level will change. Just not there yet. And I admit it.

I carry one in, and all my mags -1.

rotor wrote:I know that everyone on this forum says they carry locked and loaded but I wonder if they just say that or really do it.

100% sure they really do carry with one in the chamber.