In chamber or no?

[sugar land dave]

Excuse me Mr. Bad Guy. Do you mind giving me a second to rack my slide? I carelessly forgot to do it, and now that I see that I need to shoot you, I am unprepared....

[packa45]

Yes...keep a round chambered...

[RockingRook]

I have been carrying daily for only about a year now. When I just got my CHL I wondered the same thing, in chamber or not.

I knew that if I was going to carry I should have one in the chamber but needed to find the right gun to carry
and feel confident with the gun. I have 4 carry guns now I am most comfortable with my Sig P-239.

The 10lb trigger pull in the double action felt safe for me while being totally usable in the event it was needed.

I got comfortable with that gun and now carry it everyday with the chamber loaded.

I think it boils down to whatever you feel comfortable and confident with.

Chuck

[jimlongley]

The mantra "When seconds count, the police are only minutes away." works for chambered or not too: "When tenths of a second count, it only takes a second or two to rack your slide."

[Beiruty]

This question is one on top of the FAQ. Simply, it should be discussed in the first CHL course. Loaded and no safety on my PX4SC.

[FishInTx]

From a NRA Guide, "During an attack, your loss of fine motor control will manifest itself in many ways. For example, you will find it more difficult to load a cartridge into a pistol magazine or revolver cylinder, or to open your car door with your key. To compensate for this loss of fine motor control, the NRA Personal protection outside the home course teaches presentation, shooting and gun handling skills that involve gross motor skills only. This is also why well-designed defensive handguns are simple to operate, and feature controls that are easily and naturally actuated by large muscle movements".

The NRA also teaches a five step draw (seven teknicklely) and "racking the slide", is not one of the steps.

Cops carry everyday all day, chambered. I'm not a cop and don't pretend to be one but if I need to shoot the less I have to do before hand the better. The pistol I've been carrying the most lately is DA/SA so I feel very confident "it's not gonna go off by itself".

[Brettster]

Ditto

[philip964]

There is a video on the web where a jeweler's security camera records his death. It is hard to watch. After you watch it, you will have your gun with a round in the chamber. He draws his weapon and attempts to rack the slide while he is being hit by the robber's bullets. As the recording is ending he is sitting on the ground dieing when the BG comes up and takes the gun from his hand, still unloaded, not ready to fire.

[barstoolguru]

I love people that all they can say is keep your finger off the trigger like thats the only thing that can make the gun go off. follow the rules of gun safety and make use you have a holster that covers the trigger and never try to recover a dropping gun.... let it drop

[C-dub]

I love people that all they can say is keep your finger off the trigger like thats the only thing that can make the gun go off. follow the rules of gun safety and make use you have a holster that covers the trigger and never try to recover a dropping gun.... let it drop

I don't just keep my finger off the trigger. I also keep other things off of it too, but that's pretty easy if I keep it it in the holster until it's needed.

[speedsix]

...I love folks who say to keep your finger off the trigger, too, cause it shows they understand THE most common cause of unintended firing of a gun...and we can never be reminded too often...

[RPB]

I love people that all they can say is keep your finger off the trigger like thats the only thing that can make the gun go off. follow the rules of gun safety and make use you have a holster that covers the trigger and never try to recover a dropping gun.... let it drop

I don't just keep my finger off the trigger. I also keep other things off of it too, but that's pretty easy if I keep it it in the holster until it's needed.

Just last week ...

I wear shirts with 4 pockets, over a T-shirt with a pocket, and cargo shorts.
I "never" put my keys in a pants pocket that contains a gun .... except ... (Yes, my BUG was in a pocket holster which covered the trigger.)

Just last week accidentally did put my keys in the BUG pocket of my pants, and that afforded me the opportunity to teach my niece who was with me at the time the value of a pocket holster which covers the trigger, and a warning about chaptstick/lipstick etc and purse carry.

[C-dub]

I wear shirts with 4 pockets,

I didn't even know such an animal existed until I bought two shirts from BassPro last year. I bought them one size bigger than my normal size because they are a bit stiff, have rip stop, and have two breast pockets. However, when I get them home and put one on to wear it out for the first time I discover a hidden pocket underneath the obvious breast pockets on each side accessible from the side of each pocket. That discovery was very cool. Where are your four pockets located?

[FastCarry]

Chambered, every single one of my handguns, (no kids, no kids have access). I carry an XD, holster covers the trigger, that gun will fire only with both grip pressure and direct rearward pressure on the trigger, about as safe as a non manual thumb safety gets. Depending on the threat, theres already barely enough enough time to draw, and you better bet once you even begin to draw, the attention is all on you now (given there's multiple targets for the badguy).