[NativeTexan]

With today’s holster offerings, and the number of pistols manufactured without a thumb safety, the chances of an unintentional discharge is zero. Draw fast, reholster slowly.

I figure the odds of Glocking one's self are higher than ever having to actually draw your weapon on someone. That's why I really prefer my revolvers to my autos. My autos are DA/SA except for a PT 145. I've carried that one some, but I keep coming back to my TH9c for a pistol...or a revolver.

As to the odds of an ND being zero, even for the highly trained and practiced, I've heard about too many incidents. I prefer hammer guns, either DA or 1911.

Yeah, where I live might bias my assessment and I'll admit to carrying more fire power in Houston, but in my 67 years I've never had to pop a cap. Of course, I've never capped a leg either. LOL

In the final analysis, it's a personal decision how one carries.

 

[olfarhors]

I guess that I just don't really get it, assuming we ARE talking about concealed carry and a hot/cold chamber?
I carry concealed in either a IWB or in the front pocket, 95% of the time in a IWB, and concealing the weapon normally (as in almost always) I have a shirt, jacket covering the weapon and holster.
so I can't see exactly how i am going to clear the shirt, jacket, coat with my hand and still draw and rack the slide?
of course now i may not be that coordianted like some of you guys??
then again maybe I don't have enough hands?
how are you guys carrying concealed ??

 

[TexasAviator]

how are you guys carrying concealed ??

Same as you, though I pocket carry a bit too. When I pocket carry it's usually not just one chamber, but 5 that have .357 Mag in them.

Today its a Sig P250C OWB, crossdraw. (I always carry crossdraw when I carry IWB or OWB).

 

[olfarhors]

Same as you, though I pocket carry a bit too. When I pocket carry it's usually not just one chamber, but 5 that have .357 Mag in them.

Today its a Sig P250C OWB, crossdraw. (I always carry crossdraw when I carry IWB or OWB).

I can see/understand the cold chamber, (still don't agree however) that you could do this with OWB, as long as clothing doesn't get in the way, but with a concealed carry I can't see this?
even in colder areas where one might be wearing a heavy buttoned/zippered coat and OWB I think this a bad idea?

 

[TexasAviator]

I can see/understand the cold chamber, (still don't agree however) that you could do this with OWB, as long as clothing doesn't get in the way, but with a concealed carry I can't see this?
even in colder areas where one might be wearing a heavy buttoned/zippered coat and OWB I think this a bad idea?

Even OWB for me is concealed, I hate tucked in shirts

I do agree some OWB instances like you mention I can see, even though like you I don't agree.

 

[jtg452]

how are you guys carrying concealed ??

IWB under a shirt or jacket (if it ever gets cold enough to wear one again) in an open top holster.

The holster is molded to the gun it carries and, between that and belt tension, it's not going anywhere. I work all day with it on and have played catch after work with it right where it is and I've never had a gun come out of a holster.

I buy my shirts and jackets with concealed carrying the guns I like or trust enough to sue for concealed carry in mind. I carry as much gun as I can hide without standing out, so I buy clothes with that in mind.

 

[Warhammer]

I would challenge anyone to find any competent, professional, certified handgun instructor in the USA (let's not go down the Israeli carry rabbit hole. Different laws, different training, different world) who recommends carrying any concealed automatic handgun without a round chambered. My first thought when I hear about people who are too wary to carry a loaded weapon is, "go get some training and practice." Anyone espousing the carry of an unloaded weapon for self defense comes off as untrained and unpracticed. Now, I don't mean that as an insult. I mean they honestly come off as a beginner who either doesn't know any better or hasn't developed the proper self-confidence to carry correctly. Training and practice can solve both conditions. If someone gets training and then chooses to ignore the counsel of professional trainers and those with more experience, (or just refuses to get training due to the fear that their current opinions may be challenged or invalidated) then it changes from a simple lack of knowledge to a stubborn refusal to learn.

 

[jtg452]

I would challenge anyone to find any competent, professional, certified handgun instructor in the USA (let's not go down the Israeli carry rabbit hole. Different laws, different training, different world) who recommends carrying any concealed automatic handgun without a round chambered. My first thought when I hear about people who are too wary to carry a loaded weapon is, "go get some training and practice." Anyone espousing the carry of an unloaded weapon for self defense comes off as untrained and unpracticed. Now, I don't mean that as an insult. I mean they honestly come off as a beginner who either doesn't know any better or hasn't developed the proper self-confidence to carry correctly. Training and practice can solve both conditions. If someone gets training and then chooses to ignore the counsel of professional trainers and those with more experience, (or just refuses to get training due to the fear that their current opinions may be challenged or invalidated) then it changes from a simple lack of knowledge to a stubborn refusal to learn.

If I don't trust a gun enough to carry it loaded, then I ain't carrying it.

If- heaven forbid- you need it, then you need it right now- not after you get done fiddling around with it.

 

[Flash60601]

I'm not a fan of the "carry rotation", where every gun I own gets its turn on the belt, either daily, weekly, or monthly. I have two semi-autos I carry, sometimes both at the same time, sometimes only one or the other. But I do generally carry an extra mag for each/either for what I am carrying. I have pistols I could carry with equal effectiveness, but size, holster positioning, and other issues make these two my most desirable. And if (Heaven forefend) I should ever have to actually use one in a social situation, I'd rather have these in the evidence locker than one of my S&W's or something nice like my P92AFS.

Primary is a KelTec P-11 on the KelTec belt-clip. It is, for me, an amazingly simple, comfortable, and effective way to carry it. It requires no special manipulation to draw, is almost impossible for anyone to disarm, and requires no especial manipulation to "re-holster" it one-handed. That's my experience, YMMV.

The "in the pocket" is a KelTec P3AT in an Uncle Mike's pocket holster with the plastic blade cut just long enough to keep it upright and in presentable position. Re-holstering this requires pulling the holster out. I do have some trousers with a special, custom made cloth holster sewn to the inside of the pocket which eliminates the Uncle Mike's, but keeps the pistol from going entirely to the bottom of the pocket and turning itself either muzzle upward, or lying on its sights (both conditions almost completely negate the usefulness of carrying )

I carry both of these with one in the chamber - neither has a safety other than myself. However, neither of these are striker-fired. They both have an actual hammer, concealed, of course, but it takes a long pull to bring the hammer back and release the sear to fire - very similar to the double-action pull of a normal revolver.

Now I do realize that this might not be the first choice of many, but for me, it works.

 

[Qwiks draw]

In all my pistols that I carry a round is chambered always.

 

[BigBlue]

I would never take a chance on having to chamber a round when needed, it could easily lead to a unnecessary jam. I'm not as fast as I used to be either. My wife is always telling me I'm half fast, although I don't know what she means by that.

 

[azrn]

I for one always keep a loaded chamber in my cc weapon.

 

[benelifer]

one in the pipe

 

[hunter9mm]

Always one in the Chamber. There are many that will say there is not enough time to rack a round in a violent encounter.

 

[kerk]

I rarely carry. If I do it's usually a Smith model 60-7 3" with standard .38. 158 gr. ..... I'm rather semi-rural and rarely am I anywhere but home after dark. (I hate night driving anymore). ...... Always have one in my vehicle though.

A supporting point though for having one chambered is an LE training fact, 'that' fact being that an assailant with a knife can close a distance of 20 feet 'before' you can draw your weapon and fire. ...... based on that I would guess an assailant with a knife could close a distance of 30 feet before a 'concealed' weapon could be drawn and fired WITH one chambered. ....... WITHOUT one chambered in a semi, my guess is that that distance would extend even further.

 

[TexasAviator]

The only firearm I won which I would regularly carry without a loaded chamber is my Colt Peacemaker clone. If I carried it, carry with 5 loaded chambers one empty for the firing pin to rest in.

As for safety's. If it has one I will use it, but the majority of my firearms don't have manually operated safeties (Revolver and semi-auto).

 

[TangoF123]

Retired Federal LEO, always one up the pipe. Transporting a prisoner for example he ties up your left you don't have a gun anymore. Same for civilians. You get grabbed you need two hands to load a round. Just carry in a good holster either pocket or belt and you'll be fine.

 

[Old_Sp5]

Retired Federal LEO, always one up the pipe. Transporting a prisoner for example he ties up your left you don't have a gun anymore. Same for civilians. You get grabbed you need two hands to load a round. Just carry in a good holster either pocket or belt and you'll be fine.

Same here, Tango...have carried a handgun for over 43 years and not once have I carried with an empty chamber of a semi automatic. Many say they are not police officers and won't have the need to carry chambered...bunk, this stuff happens so fast most civilians have no idea.

How's retirement ? I've been retired 12 years now.

 

[Doc Holliday]

One in the chamber all the time, absolutely positively yes.

 

[daytonaredeye]

Same here, Tango...have carried a handgun for over 43 years and not once have I carried with an empty chamber of a semi automatic. Many say they are not police officers and won't have the need to carry chambered...bunk, this stuff happens so fast most civilians have no idea.

How's retirement ? I've been retired 12 years now.

I will admit that when I first started carrying autoloaders I did carry Condition 2 - full mag none in the chamber. It took me about a month to decide I wasn't too clumsy to carry one in the pipe. My first autoloader was my PT140 MilPro. SA/DA with thumb safety. All went well. I graduated to my PT145 then . . . the moment of truth for me was when I started carrying my first GLOCK a G19. Striker fired with no external safeties.
I do prefer external hammers and have grown rather fond of decockers: so began my love affair with the Sig P series.

As many have now seen, I've become an equal opportunity firearm carrier. I'll carry 1911s, striker fired (my latest favorite the Sig P320), GLOCKs, SIGs and revolvers of Ruger and S&W lineage. And I'll even toss a pocket gun in the pocket as my BUG.