Is your gun loaded?

imported post

Both my 9mm Ruger P95 and my .40 cal SW99 have rounds in the chambers at all times.

imported post

I carry my Glock 23 loaded, but my M16 is unloaded, and the magazine is out.

imported post

Condition 1, always. The more steps you have to perform to get your firearm into action, the more thechange for a malfunction or stoppage.

imported post

XD40, one in the pipe, always.

I always remember my first firearms instructor emphasizing that the "real" safety is between the ears.

imported post

While I agree that theisraeli (condition3) draw is not much slower than a condition one draw, my concern is always of the possibility of a jam...

If I have to draw in self defense, I want as few things happening before the gun goes bang.

imported post

26 years of condition 1 carrying. Always loaded and chambered!

imported post

S&W SW99 .40 - chambered, no manual safety. Trigger pull go boom, no exceptions.

Walther PPS .40 - chambered, no manual safety. Trigger pull go boom, no exceptions.

Kel-Tec P3AT .380 - chambered, no manual safety. You get the idea...

The only thing that keeps my guns from going off is my brain, and I love it. It's just silly to carry without one in the chamber.

imported post

I've stared at this question all evening. This is something with which I struggle. The balance of the safety of my family with, well, the safety of my family.

When I carry, I am very aware of where my side arm is at all times. I will never leave a sidearm unattended in a bad place. If the side arm is not on my person, then it is secure.

In addition, I was raised in a household that would, in today's world, be in violation of State laws. There were, not just loaded, but chambered firearms within my reach as far back as I can remember. The difference? I listened to my father. Even looking at those firearms the wrong way would get me the beating of a lifetime. But it seems even that is not legal today.

My problem? I have a very clever three year old. This child can figure out most any feat of engineering, or so it seems. The only successful manner to keep this little guy safe is exploiting his physical disadvantages.

I am human, and as such, I am subject to err. Safeties are mechanical devices subject to failure. There is no trust involved - this is fact. What I do know is that there is no way my son could action the slide on an auto loader. So in the very very small chance my son ever got possession of a firearm, the probability of him discharging it before being noticed with a firearm or me noticing my firearm is missing is even smaller. It's all probabilities and risks.

I will reiterate that I do not rely on this physical disadvantage to keep my child safe from firearms, and as I have mentioned, if the side arm is not on my person, it is secure. Obviously, I don't play with my son with a firearm on my person.

Like I said - this is not about trust to me. I trust myself with a firearm and I am well adept at firearm safety. Realizing that I am subject to err is not a lack of trust or lack of ability to handle a firearm. Realizing safeties are mechanical man made devices subject to failure is not a lack of trust or ability.

I am 41 years old. I am not in a profession that would require me to carry a chambered weapon. I am your typical homeowner, father, pencil pushing employee who knows the responsibility of protecting himself and his family. In my lifetime, I have never had to draw a weapon in defense (hope that trend continues). It would seem that (using Pareto's Law) 80% of the situations in which I would find myself having to draw would allow me ample time to action a slide. The remaining 20% is a risk I have to accept.

However, I am not one of these egomaniacs who is stuck on themselves and their opinions. If someone can shed some light on carrying and reducing the risk to my family. I'm open to it.

But until I can figure out how to prevent humans from error, mechanical devices from failure and three year olds from curiosity, I will have to action the slide before I can discharge my firearm.

imported post

Mungo wrote:

I've stared at this question all evening. This is something with which I struggle. The balance of the safety of my family with, well, the safety of my family.

My problem? I have a very clever three year old. This child can figure out most any feat of engineering, or so it seems.

Click to expand...

I would suggest carrying chambered but storing otherwise and keeping your weapon(s) in a lock box. This is what I have. http://www.safeandvaultstore.com/product/honeywell-3035d-cash--box&item=833

I keep it tethered to my bed frame so it cannot walk. It takes a 4 digit code to open it and you can change the code in seconds. Easy to access, almost impossible to pry open, and inexpensive. My daughter doesn't even know I have it yet. I keep three pistols in it plus extra mags and speed loaders and the key to my trigger locks on my rifles.

I think the thread was more about chambered while carrying but for those of us with kids, it's a separate issue when we get home.

imported post

Mine is always loaded and ready to go .40 SW99 among others.

imported post

I'm required to carry with a round in the chamber by policy, but in the year or so I carried before I got into LE (was that really 14 years ago?)I always carried with a round in the chamber anyway, and I would if policy didn't require it.

The only carry gun I have with a manual safety is my department issued Beretta 96FS. I carry it off-safe and use the safety as a decocker, but not being a fan of manual safeties on carry weapons, I don't choose it use weapons with them on my time off.

imported post

For the first couple of weeks, I did not carry one in the chamber. After I got comfortable with it I went to condition one

imported post

Yes, and Always.....

I honestly believe it'd be pretty near impossible to use yourfine motor skills to pull the slide back and chamber one, or even simply flipping offjust a safety,(in my opinion) if and when it came to that. I've seen where cops and other highly trained individuals can completely miss their target after emptying a full mag, during a high stress encounter.

I am just very serious, awareand very responsible, enough to know that I always have one in the pipe.

God forbid it ever comes the time I have to draw my defense weapon, that I will also be completely ready and hopefully abletouse it, with a minimum of mechanical movements.....

I don't think one can call a Time Out, in order tochamber one, under such circumstance.

RK

imported post

I think it all boils down to individual preferences and their experiences, habits, surroundings, kids, etc.

I've been carrying for 26 years and throughout the day I carry differently, carry different weapons, and keep them and store them in different conditions. But I've got it down to a regular routine since I handle my weapons pretty much daily. When I'm out in public I ALWAYS carry with one in the pipe no matter what.

At home when the kids are around my weapons are usually locked up in a lock box. When we go out I choose one of three depending on what I'm wearing and where we're going, etc. When I'm by myself, I keep at least one at the ready if not on my person constantly, even around the house, all in condition one.

One night I took my auto outside with me to check on what ended up being a peeping tom. Since I came up on him and caught him by surprise, I was glad that I was at the ready without having to rack the slide, thus giving away my tactical advantage.

imported post

Regarding the handguns I now own, I trust them a lot becauseI've never had a problem chambering a shell when I rack the slide. BUT, I have had failure-to-feed problems with another handgun I once owned.

I carry a round in the chamber for reasons others have stated, butmaybe the top reason is thatif and when I ever had to use it tosave my own or my family's life,I WANT TOKNOW that when I pull the trigger there will be no feeding problem. And that I will have at least that one shot.

imported post

I only wear my seatbelt when I know I am going to get into a wreck.

imported post

Keltec p11, loaded and ready, DAO trigger.

imported post

Unloaded, with the magazine in my back pocket if I forget to leave it in the car. My guns are only for decorative purposes.

I carry in condition -1

imported post

I've been in Iraq since November, so my gun is definitely loaded! :shock:

My rifle however, is a decorative piece , much like .40 Cal's sidearm.

imported post

If you carry a revolver, your question becomes a moot issue.