How Long Before You CC With a Bullet In the Chamber?

[torontogunguy]

I agree on the "as soon as you feel confident". You see I had just the opposite problem. I've been carrying a 1911 for almost 30 yrs. Got a new 45 with the decocker[and what have you and it took me almost 2 weeks to learn to trust it.
Peaceful

With all due respect:
(a) carrying a 1911 cocked and locked with one in the chamber means that (a) you are carrying with one in the chamber; (b) you have taken the double action portion of the 1911 and cocked it, turning it effectively into a single action pistol; and , (c) you have 'locked' it - to the extent that the lock is reliable it cannot be fired despite the strongest handheld trigger pull you may exert, say 500 pounds for argument's sake.

When carrying your new .45 with a decocker (Sig for instance) - you have simply taken a double action pistol and lowered the hammer, increasing the trigger pull from perhaps 2-4 pounds to perhaps 8 - 10 pounds and you should note that you do not have a safety engaged despite what Glock or the others with split triggers may like you to think.

Personally, I am now comfy both ways. I do not carry a 1911 as I do not believe they are reliable enough for me personally (even one FTF in 500 is too much for me). I carry Glocks and Sigs. The Glocks do not have a decocker so I go with the NY1 trigger modification to give me true double action trigger pull weight in the 8.5 pound range. The Sig P239 Tactical is an outstanding handgun and the decocker allows one to feed a round from the magazine or fire a round from the magazine and then decock it to true double action status. The trigger is not cocked and the associated trigger pull is much heavier, which I am comfy carrying one in the chamber with. I keep telling myself it is the same as my revolvers and it makes me happy.

There is another post on here that I have to take exception to... lemme see if I can find it.

Having read what you said I can FULLY empathize with your feelings as there is a BIG difference between being 'locked' and simply 'heavy trigger pull'. Glad you have gone with one in the chamber - after much research I have concluded it can mean the difference between life and death in many situations (read BIRD - The Concealed Handgun Manual and Thank God I had a Gun. THEY will open your eyes. Oh. And read Prof. Lott's stuff too.)

[Daugherty16]

Be careful with constant rechambering the same round. Dont do this too often. You can seat the projectile too far into the cartridge and cause a KF and injure yourself.

Had this happen once; since then when i load the chamber i ease the slide home instead of allowing the return spring to hammer it. I know, not supposed to do that. But since the round is already chambered, it doesn't need to be "hamered" up the ramp, and doing so prevents the slug from being pushed into the case. I still periodically eyeball the round with another from the mag just to be sure it hasn't "shrunk".

[MADnMO]

Had this happen once; since then when i load the chamber i ease the slide home instead of allowing the return spring to hammer it. I know, not supposed to do that. But since the round is already chambered, it doesn't need to be "hamered" up the ramp, and doing so prevents the slug from being pushed into the case. I still periodically eyeball the round with another from the mag just to be sure it hasn't "shrunk".

I read a post on some forum, maybe this one a long time ago. It is a lesson I still use today.

The first time I chamber a round I use a sharpie to mark the brass. The next time I have to unload and chamber another round I use a different round and mark the brass with a sharpie. After all 13 + 1 rounds have 3 marks on the brass they go to the range and I start the process over again.

It just made sense to me so I use it.

[Jeff Chance]

For me, it all depends on which gun I choose to carry and the type of holster it is in. Some places I go, there is always one chambered. My choice.

[JJFlash]

For me, it all depends on which gun I choose to carry and the type of holster it is in. Some places I go, there is always one chambered. My choice.

Jeff, aren't you worried that if the SHTF and you yanked that weapon, you might pull the trigger on an empty chamber?

[torontogunguy]

Jeff, aren't you worried that if the SHTF and you yanked that weapon, you might pull the trigger on an empty chamber?

With all due respect, I believe it is far more complex than a simple lapse in memory; more to the point, it is more of "am I in a situation where I am even able to chamber a round in time to save my life?".

Just a single example from the books I previously mentioned. Fellow gets bumped from behind and stops. Notices that the driver of the car that struck him is coming up and has his hand behind his back... then notices something that looks like a gun in that hand for a moment. He is belted in but has moved his paddle to the 1 o'clock position to be able to draw (whatever). The fellow makes it to his driver's side window and uses the butt of his gun to break it (which apparently has caused 'shock' value before and the carjackings have gone smootly). In this case, our victim has drawn his pistol with his right hand and has it sitting beside his seat ready to go. In the 'confusion' of the glass breaking and flying, our victim points and fires several times, both at the bleed out triangle and at the dead stop triangle. End of story, bad guy is dead as a doorknob at the side of the car and the victim, had he not had a round chambered, might not have survived to tell the tale.

These books have several other examples of reasons for carrying one chambered and either cocked and locked for single action or simply chambered and ready to go for a double action, like the Sigs, Glocks, etc.

Personally, I have heard far plenty 'nuff to be a believer. It took a little prodding but plenty of personal research on both the advantages and the dangers before I made my decision. There are very few occasions that I do not carry with one in the chamber. And I train with what I carry. The rest are for plinking and are slowly being whittled down.

Train, postulate, practice, and above all know what you need to do and do it without hesitation (and that takes plenty of training and practice lest you shoot some innocent). With great power comes great responsibility. When we begin to forget this we stand ourselves in harm's way. Canada made that mistake some years ago with the CANDU nuclear reactors and multiplied the world's nuclear powers significantly. The USA is presently making that same mistake by pulling in the reigns on our allies who would take out the nuclear capabilities of those that are not proven to be our allies and neighbors (Iran?).

Hopefully, the Chief will pull his head out of his arse and eradicate the nuclear potential of a nation that has the capability of delivering same. Not just as a nuclear blast... but as a dirty bomb. And if you don't understand the meaning or ramifications of 'dirty bomb' time to have a look via google. It is just as scarey as a nuclear blast but represents a slow and lingering death to those that are downwind.

Why do I bring this up? Just to say that even if every man, woman and child on the continent were armed and trained we could never stop such a thing. Food for thought. And I hope I am wrong but I believe that is the next move of our enemies. Take the numbers from 9/11 and add THREE ZERO's after same to get an idea and then remember that the results are chaos and anarchy in the subject area - making Katrina look like a sunshower and walk in the park.

Ditto for biological weapons by the way.

In the meantime, I will carry when and where I am legal to do so. And with one in the chamber. For whatever it's worth.

[kengrubb]

I carried a .38 snub and then a .357 snub for several years. After the Firearms Academy of Seattle, I started carrying my holstered Glock 23 with a round in the chamber right away.

Heavy trigger discussions give me the uncomfortable feeling that some folks are leading themselves down the path of violating Rule #3: Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.

It does not matter whether one is carrying a loaded revolver, a DAO pistol, a DA/SA pistol or a loaded Glock. All of them are in Condition 0. Pull trigger gun go boom.

A heavy trigger pull might give one some feeling of added safety, but methinks one would be kidding oneself. Danger abounds if you allow your finger to dawdle inside the trigger guard.

If and when TSHTF, whether it's a 2 pound or a 22 pound trigger, you'll pull it and the gun will go boom.

[kelcarry]

Hey kengrub: You are absolutely correct in reiterating comments about the gun trigger. Right behind "never point a gun at anyone regardless of perhaps knowing it is unloaded" is "never have finger on trigger unless ready to fire". In a CC situation, it is even more complex because of location of gun and immediacy of retrieval--practice, practice--basic rules of gun safety must be rote--if not, you may get more than you bargained for if you think that "1 in the chamber" is a great idea even though your handling procedures are less than perfect.

[kengrubb]

"never point a gun at anyone regardless of perhaps knowing it is unloaded"

I'd have to disagree and say "wrong answer" on that one.

Rule I: All Guns Are Always Loaded
Rule II: Never Let The Muzzle Cover Anything You Are Not Willing To Destroy

[kelcarry]

Hey kengrubb: Thanks for the lesson. Agree 100%