Green/Red chamber

[Liberty]

I understand the original posers reluctance to chambering his Glock while carrying. I wouldn't carry carry one in such condition. The thing is that a Glock is a terrible choice for ones first carry, The OP should get rid of the Glock and find a gun with a proper hammer and thumb operated safety. I don't know how the OP came to the decision that he should purchase a Glock, but if he did so on a recommendation from his friends they did him a disservice. Glocks are not for everyone. Those who choose Glocks should be very aware of their safety issues and risks.

[Papa_Tiger]

I understand the original posers reluctance to chambering his Glock while carrying. I wouldn't carry carry one in such condition. The thing is that a Glock is a terrible choice for ones first carry, The OP should get rid of the Glock and find a gun with a proper hammer and thumb operated safety. I don't know how the OP came to the decision that he should purchase a Glock, but if he did so on a recommendation from his friends they did him a disservice. Glocks are not for everyone. Those who choose Glocks should be very aware of their safety issues and risks.

Replace Glock with "striker fired pistol without a manual safety". I disagree completely with the part in red and agree completely with the part in blue. There is nothing inherently wrong with a striker fired pistol without a manual or thumb safety nor are they more dangerous when used and carried properly than any other firearm. Using and carrying them requires the bearer to be aware of the safety issues and train with them appropriately, just as one should be aware of the safety issues and train appropriately when carrying any type of firearm.

One could say that a hammer fired pistol with a manual thumb safety is a terrible choice for one's first carry weapon as it requires more training to USE if the need arises. Same thing with DA/SA firearms without a safety. It all comes down to a matter of practice, training and familiarity with your weapon of choice.

[apvonkanel]

I understand the original posers reluctance to chambering his Glock while carrying. I wouldn't carry carry one in such condition. The thing is that a Glock is a terrible choice for ones first carry, The OP should get rid of the Glock and find a gun with a proper hammer and thumb operated safety. I don't know how the OP came to the decision that he should purchase a Glock, but if he did so on a recommendation from his friends they did him a disservice. Glocks are not for everyone. Those who choose Glocks should be very aware of their safety issues and risks.

Replace Glock with "striker fired pistol without a manual safety". I disagree completely with the part in red and agree completely with the part in blue. There is nothing inherently wrong with a striker fired pistol without a manual or thumb safety nor are they more dangerous when used and carried properly than any other firearm. Using and carrying them requires the bearer to be aware of the safety issues and train with them appropriately, just as one should be aware of the safety issues and train appropriately when carrying any type of firearm.

One could say that a hammer fired pistol with a manual thumb safety is a terrible choice for one's first carry weapon as it requires more training to USE if the need arises. Same thing with DA/SA firearms without a safety. It all comes down to a matter of practice, training and familiarity with your weapon of choice.

I agree with this completely. I carry a striker fired. Proper training and practice with the thumb safety (along with a trigger job to clean up and reduce the pull) and I'm better with it than I am with any other pistol I've shot. With proper training and frequent practice, hammer vs. striker fired isn't an issue. It's "can it be carried safely and fired quickly at the desired target"

[treadlightly]

A short throw trigger without a manual safety that's separate from the trigger is a risk. Recognize risks and work around them, that's the need with any gun.

Glock purists seem to hate The Gadget, featured in NRA's Gun Gear of the Week today, but I don't understand why. It lets your thumb monitor and override unwanted motion of the trigger.

If they made one for the P320 I'd get it.

[Liberty]

I agree with this completely. I carry a striker fired. Proper training and practice with the thumb safety (along with a trigger job to clean up and reduce the pull) and I'm better with it than I am with any other pistol I've shot. With proper training and frequent practice, hammer vs. striker fired isn't an issue. It's "can it be carried safely and fired quickly at the desired target"

I don't disagree, but my feeling is that most first time licensed carriers won't have the training and practice behind them. There isn't as much margin for error for a new inexperienced carrier. This thread is about a new totter who may be aware of the narrowed margin of safety and is so concerned that he is reluctant about carrying with one in the pipe. His concern could be relieved if he was carrying an appropriate gun.

[Gunner4640]

Chambered round, safety on, every day here.

an empty chamber equals your dead

[Abraham]

"His concern could be relieved if he was carrying an appropriate gun."

Oh boy...

Grey Poupon anyone?

[Javier730]

Rack the slide and carry with one in the chamber. It'll be okay. Don't forget to post your Glock leg story though.

[Abraham]

Glock leg sounds akin to "his gun went off".

Nope.

People are careless.

It's not the poor old Glock' fault if someone is careless. Come here boy, it's o.k., people callin you names when theys dumb enough to pull your trigger when you look at their leg, poor dear...

How about Remington 700 chest shot? Hey, it just went off...darn tootin, we call Remington 700 chest...

Or Ruger arm as in his pistol went kaboom and killed a person. Durn old Ruger arm...

Glock leg my eye.

[Liberty]

Glock leg my eye.

or Glock leg my ...... Holster?

[hovercat]

I have watched the guys who do quick draw with single action revolvers practice. Wax bullets and chaps, and the chaps have quite a few streaks of wax on them. Drawing any handgun when trying to use it quickly is inherently dangerous.

[treadlightly]

I have watched the guys who do quick draw with single action revolvers practice. Wax bullets and chaps, and the chaps have quite a few streaks of wax on them. Drawing any handgun when trying to use it quickly is inherently dangerous.

Amen to that. Break the draw down to steps, insuring you don't sweep body parts, practice slow. Don't try to draw for speed until it's all hardwired in muscle memory, and never move faster than you can move safely.

Shooting yourself in a gunfight is not good style.

[WildRose]

Ive been CC for a few weeks now and am comfortable now. I hardly adjust my shirt or what have you. I figure hey, its concealed, if anyone sees the firearn and has an issue i am perfectly legal to have it and am no harm.

I have been carrying green, or with an empty chamber for the non military folks. Is this smart/safe?

Should i carry red, locked and loaded?

Glock 23, CC holster that covers the trigger.

Also, if 30.06/30.07 signs are posted, the firearm stays in the vehcile. Is it smart to leave it locked and loaded while in the vehicle?

There are some pretty good studies out there showing that the difference between being locked and loaded and having to load a round into the chamber when someone is rushing you from 21', for the average shooter not an expert, is about 4-6 rounds.

Also, say you are in a situation standing in line or at the bank where you suddenly feel the need to draw and use your weapon while the bad guys are focused on others. Do you want to draw attention to yourself having to rack it to get the weapon into battery?

If you're going to carry, carrying on an empty chamber is a bad idea from a safety/reaction standpoint.

[flechero]

I follow the 21' rule:
By the time you recognize a threat, draw your weapon, aim, and fire 2 rounds, an assailant can cover 21'. throw in a couple of seconds to rack the slide and you are probably already being attacked.

Therefore I carry cocked and locked no matter which gun I have.

Agreed ^^

The reality is that the 21' rule is for a fairly well trained person, already paying attention to a threat. Last time I was at a class, at least 2/3 of the class would have died inside 30'... and that was without having to rack the slide.

Carrying a loaded gun still only addresses a certain number of possible defense scenarios... If you then carry on an empty chamber, you'll have to accept that there is going to be a lot of those scenarios you can't even defend against, due to needing extra time and 2 hands.

For those reasons, I always have a round in the chamber, regardless of whether or not my gun has a manual safety.

[Pawpaw]

Dad Isn’t Carrying With a Round Chambered, Gets Self and Son Killed on Video

Yet another video has surfaced illustrating why it’s critical that you learn to carry with a round chambered.

In it, a father and son are being held up by multiple robbers. The father is carrying, and when one of the robbers isn’t looking he draws, points, then yanks the gun off center-line while trying to rack the slide to chamber a round. The robber shoots him first, and the guy dies on the floor still trying to get a round chambered. Apparently his son was shot, too.