To chamber or not to chamber

[cbunt1]

Chamber.

[lonewolf]

Chamber. Period. Or find a weapon you are more comfortable with.

I have a Beretta 92G, decocker only, no manual safety. DA/SA.

Recommend working the decocker with the weapon UNLOADED to see how it operates. Read up on it as well. When I use the decocker on mine, after chambering a round (or during testing) you can see the entire striker mechanism rotate away from the hammer drop. The hammer drops with normal force, but the firing mechanism just isn't there.

Test it at the range repeatedly as well, until you are satisied with it. Normal safety rules always apply.

I took your question more along the lines of reliability of the decocker rather then chambered/unchambered. If involved in a situation, I have decided that it is better to have one in the pipe and ready to go than to have to unconceal, draw, work the slide, and pray I survive. Taking one step out of this process is a great help.

Perhaps some of the 1911 shooters will chime in here about having it in the holster, hammer back, safety on, round in chamber, ready to go. Disengaging the thumb safety as one draws, or aims is a LOT easier and quicker than working the slide. As I said, my Beretta has no manual safety and no grip safety, just the DA first shot, but that is quite a pull on the trigger. Good holster and proper technique.

You're good to go.

[WildBill]

Chamber. Period. Or find a weapon you are more comfortable with.

Recommend working the decocker with the weapon UNLOADED to see how it operates. Read up on it as well. When I use the decocker on mine, after chambering a round (or during testing) you can see the entire striker mechanism rotate away from the hammer drop. The hammer drops with normal force, but the firing mechanism just isn't there.

Test it at the range repeatedly as well, until you are satisfied with it. Normal safety rules always apply.

You're good to go.

Normal safety rules always apply.

[RPB]

There used to be a video which answered that question ..... too graphic for here, but it showed a man, hands shaking from adrenaline, trying to rack the slide while getting repeatedly shot, before he slumps over.

So, having seen that video you can find online elsewhere if you look for jewel store robbery videos, I'd say chamber, or learn to throw a pistol really accurately and really hard while running away. (This might require practice.)

I practiced NOT turning on a light switch, so I can keep my finger off the bang switch, that required less practice, but I still pay careful attention and have a healthy respect for that machine which makes thunder and lightning.

Of course, never point the end that has a tube on it at anything you don't want to destroy or kill, ever, even unloaded.

[Excaliber]

IMHO, Someone who is not ready to carry a gun with a round chambered isn't yet ready to carry it at all.

[Dekansnowman]

Try what I have done. With an weapon, assume one is in the chamber and practice drawing and cocking in one motion. Develop muscle memory so you don't have to think about it, you just do it. I practice drawing my empty XDM quite often. I slide the slide back and ready the weapon as if it would fire and practice drawing. I also made the habit of never putting my finger on the trigger unless I'm at the range or dry firing when I KNOW there is no rounds in, on, or around the gun. So when I draw I know that if I hear a "click" from the pin I know that I would've discharge prematurely. And well gentlemen, that's NEVER a good thing. (snicker)

[WildBill]

IMHO, Someone who is not ready to carry a gun with a round chambered isn't yet ready to carry it at all.

That's an interesting observation. I'll have to think about that.

[aaangel]

do what you are most comfortable with. it takes time, don't rush it. i admit when i started, i was the same way too. hey, you are doing better than the other 40%. you have a gun.

[safety1]

Do whatever you are comfortable with! It's your life, your leg, your hospital bills...either way.

[gigag04]

Anyone that's seen Magpul Dynamics' handgun vid remember T Haley's story about when the key put the AK in his face, and he saw it was on safe? In order to put the AK into fire he would have to remove his grip, click the selector to fire, reacquire the grip, and then shoot him...in that precious second Haley was able to draw his own pistol, perry the guy's AK, and stop the threat.

That precious single second of time difference got the terrorist killed. There is literally not a single tactical trainer that I know of in this country teaching people to carry with an empty chamber on a EDC handgun. (Deployable patrol weapons (shotguns, carbines, rifles) are a different story, as they are not always stored within the care, custody, and control of the user)

If a person has a hangup with carrying a weapon with a chambered round, my advice to that person is they need more training before being "ready" to safely carry.

[The Mad Moderate]

Thanks for the advice, my main concern really was the reliability of the DC, as it is the first "saftyless" pistol. But as my dad told me "a gun is only as safe as the hands that hold it". A 9mm 127gr JHP slug now sits comfortably in its barrel

[lonewolf]

To the OP: You are doing a great job asking the questions you are asking. Keep 'em coming. Feel free to use the search function. Don't get discouraged, either. At some point in all our lives, each of us picked up a handgun for the very first time. At some point someone taught us how to shoot and shoot safely. At some point we decided to carry concealed.

I don't know about the rest of the folks on this forum, but I learn things here all the time whether I asked the initial question or not. Its up to you to decide how, what, and even why you carry. Its up to you to decide to use the deadly force if required. In here there is the availability not only of many collective years of experience and wisdom, there is the knowledge and understanding that there are others out there who are just beginning to travel down various paths of life and have questions.

Personally, I could never throw a baseball or a football worth a hoot, but my bullets always seem to fly true. When I began carrying the Beretta, I admit to being shy about having a round in the chamber. I was not secure in the knowledge that the decocker would work properly every time. I still test it when empty after cleaning. Having worked on machines my whole life (and a gun is a machine, trust me) I know that the best laid plans of mice, men and engineers are not perfect. Things wear out.

I handle the weapon like other machines. With respect. I still have all my fingers. Simply put: know the machine and how it works, maintain the machine in top working order, test the machine regularly. I'm sure you'll be just fine.

[OldSchool]

Folks, I request that you lighten up a bit. (I can't believe I just said that! )

I applaud the OP for asking the question. It shows serious (and appropriate) thought and concern.

Regarding the decocker: I agree you just need more time with the firearm (as you probably already know).

We two have carried for a while around home, unchambered, because we were very nervous about this whole new thing. We have since started to carry chambered, and are much more comfortable. Completely comfortable? No. Should we be? Not to my way of thinking. That's a piece of iron that has such a serious nature, not to be taken lightly. We have a responsibility to safety that relatively few can understand.

As some here know, we have a variety, from no-manual-safety to multiple-manual-safeties. Each has given us a slightly different pucker factor when first figuring it out.

We have lately come to realize what good holsters are, and now know how they help with feeling comfortably safe.

I believe a licensee should be comfortable enough, in their own circumstance, that they will carry. Their decision as to having to perform an extra action at the time of drawing, is completely theirs -- realize that the decision to carry is itself a huge change in thought patterns.

I'm not sure the "search" thing applies here. The tenor of this particular discussion seems to change; used to be (seemed to be) that the most important thing was that the licensee be comfortable and familiar with the firearm, otherwise they might not carry at all. You just can't "teach" this familiarity in a short course (last I knew, infantrymen were told to sleep with the rifle).

As always, the humble opinion of a relative newbie.

[WildBill]

I think that others have met with much harsher responses for identical questions. Maybe we are becoming more compassionate and less judgemental in our old age.