anxiety of a loaded gun

does anyone get that little bit of anxiety, mood shift when they pull that slide back on their gun, when I go out target shooting its different but an idle gun with a chambered round just seems somewhat scary to me, am I alone

I realize a empty gun is a expensive paperweight

I used to feel this way. With practice, it is simply the same expensive paperweight, but with a round chambered. Safety on, finger away from the trigger, and in a holster that covers the trigger; carry on.

Do it. Grin. Be careful. You're not the first.

Remember the first few times that you drove a car? It's kind'a like that.

Or, the first hundred times you say, "Engineering Officer of the Watch, perform a normal reactor start-up IAW the first fifteen steps of OI-27F. Do not shut the SCRAM breakers without my permission."

Do it. Grin. Be careful. You're not the first.

true true....tomorrow I buy my first 1911, seeing as my other gun is a glock, its harder to put the safety on, as there is none, I know its a safe gun, but I don't trust it

Anxiety?

RULE ONE: All firearms are to be considered to be loaded and ready to fire at all tmes.
ANCILLIARY RULE ONE: if you draw down on someone and you are not prepared to shoot them, or will not shoot them if they do not do what yoou tell them when you tell them to do it, then have the ssights filed down smooth so it will not hurt so bad when the BG sticks your own gun up your butt.

Personally I am partiail to revolvers and exposed-hammer semi-autos which feature a decocking safety and a DA first shot, SA subsequent mode of operation. Others feel entirely confident carrying a "cocked-and-locked" 1911 style pistol.

Whatever you carry should be thought of as a trusted friend. Sort of like a dog, except that it won't try to sniff another gun's butt to get acquainted. Otherwise, carry in any mode could be counter-productive.

I know; all guns are loaded. But, there is that realization of added responsibility when you rack that slide and chamber that round. I think it will always give me just a bit of pause.

I'm glad it does.

Mine is more of a reassuring, "I'm glad it's there if I need it, and ready to go."

I'm more likely to be struck by lightning than be shot by a cocked, locked, and holstered gun.

tim87 said:

true true....tomorrow I buy my first 1911, seeing as my other gun is a glock, its harder to put the safety on, as there is none, I know its a safe gun, but I don't trust it

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That is why the Glock belongs in a holster that covers the trigger. It isn't a good one for IWB sans holster. Just don't "Plaxico carry," and it would be fine. As for the 1911? "Cocked and Locked" is the method of carry. If you prefer to not be cocked with safety on, get something like the Beretta 92FS or variants thereof. Once you get past the "anxiety" of the decocker...... Seeing the hammer drop the first time you go "safety on" with the 92 is a bit nerve-racking at first.

Alexcabbie said:

RULE ONE: All firearms are to be considered to be loaded and ready to fire at all tmes.

Whatever you carry should be thought of as a trusted friend. Sort of like a dog, except that it won't try to sniff another gun's butt to get acquainted. Otherwise, carry in any mode could be counter-productive.

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THIS. I am not concerned with leaving guns loaded because every gun is always loaded. If for some odd reason, I feel I am compelled to unload a firearm, the slide comes off too. If this is too much, because it would take too long to get the gun ready again, then it shouldn't be unloaded. find another option.

I am of the opinion a 1911 is much safer to carry in condition 1 than a Glock. It does require more training to get the muscle memory to bring it to bear, however.

Doug Huffman said:

Remember the first few times that you drove a car? It's kind'a like that.

Or, the first hundred times you say, "Engineering Officer of the Watch, perform a normal reactor start-up IAW the first fifteen steps of OI-27F. Do not shut the SCRAM breakers without my permission."

Do it. Grin. Be careful. You're not the first.

Click to expand...

Me gets the impression that you was a Navy man. Am I wrong?

It used to bother me. The first handgun I purchased about 18 days or so after my 21st birthday was a Glock. I always kept it unchambered with a loaded magazine. Eventually I added a S&W 686 that stayed loaded at all times. Then an H&K USP was added. I would chamber it and decock it with the safety on. After a few years of owning handguns I keep just about all of them chambered. The only time they are unchambered is when they still haven't proven themselves yet or have been heavily oiled for storage. Honestly after cleaning my Colt the first thing I do is load a mag and rack the slide and engage the safety.

The point of this rambling reply? Get familiar with your weapon. Shoot it, field strip it, oil it, respect it and understand that it is a mindless tool. The only way it will do anything is with your manipulations. If it takes time for you to get comfortable, then don't keep one in the chamber until you get comfortable. Just make sure you practice racking the slide so you can put it into action quickly. Since you're getting a 1911 I would reccomend investing in a few snap caps as letting the slide slam home on an empty chamber can put undue wear on it. Lol, you won't break it, but you'll put extra mileage on your pistol. Just remember to always be safe when practicing. That means check it, then check it again. If you aren't sure, give it one last check.

Also, good call on getting a 1911, what make of 1911 are you getting?


-Gruu

My primary carry gun is one of my Glock 23's. It is always loaded and chambered and this never bothers me because I pay attention to what I am doing when handling the gun. I never take things for granted or act casual or cavalier when doing things with it. I do a lot of trigger discipline with my carry guns and this G23 is no exception. This means unloading and loading it back up to do this. Believe me, my focus is on the gun and what I am doing when doing any of this.

I have never felt anxiety with loaded guns in full battery in my possession because I pay attention to the fundamentals and give my full attention to them when handling them. I just found out last week that a man with whom I had worked with (not directly but he was on our project) died last month from an injury with a gun. I understand he was "cleaning", or preparing to clean, one of his pistols and it discharged, resulting in his death. He lived about 8 miles from me.

As others have stated, always treat a gun as if its loaded. Before I pick up any of my guns, even if I know they are unloaded, I always check to make sure they aren't.

I also have a 1911, and I carry it condition 1. It's the only way to carry a 1911. But, rest assured, as long as the safety is engaged, it is nigh impossible for the hammer to fall.

tim87 said:

does anyone get that little bit of anxiety, mood shift when they pull that slide back on their gun, when I go out target shooting its different but an idle gun with a chambered round just seems somewhat scary to me, am I alone

I realize a empty gun is a expensive paperweight

Click to expand...

Haven't been shooting very long? With practice comes confidence. Your anxiety will fade away the more you handle and shoot your weapon.

I also used to feel the same way when I carried my Ruger P-89. I still get a little bit nervous when I chamber a round in any pistol.

For the last year or so, I've carried a Smith & Wesson 65 chambered in .357 magnum. I don't seem to get nervous when I load my .357 revolver, but whenever I load a pistol, It just feels different.

I'm not sure why loaded pistols make me slightly nervous and revolvers don't.

tim87 said:

does anyone get that little bit of anxiety, mood shift when they pull that slide back on their gun, when I go out target shooting its different but an idle gun with a chambered round just seems somewhat scary to me, am I alone

I realize a empty gun is a expensive paperweight

Click to expand...

When your working around the house and you look down and see your finger along side the motor of your cordless drill, you will realize that feeling is gone for good.

Reading about slam fire etc can certainly keep you on your toes and there is great wisdom in developing s consistent procedure for every firearm.

I also tend to consider weapons in only two states, Loaded and Disassembled. I will on rare occasions have to leave my bench, when I do, a pencil goes into the chamber, otherwise it is a loaded weapon.

A little anxiety is a 'good thing'. It will help you concentrate on what you are doing.

There are two times when you will make mistakes. The first is when you are doing something for the first few times and you are not quite sure of what you are doing.

The second is when you have done something often enough to become complacent.

Of the two the second is most dangerous. Listen to that little anxiety, it will keep you alive.

Wiley said:

A little anxiety is a 'good thing'. It will help you concentrate on what you are doing.

There are two times when you will make mistakes. The first is when you are doing something for the first few times and you are not quite sure of what you are doing.

The second is when you have done something often enough to become complacent.

Of the two the second is most dangerous. Listen to that little anxiety, it will keep you alive.

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+1

i've been around them so long they're just another machine to me. i exercise caution ofcourse, but have become so familiar with my carry gun, that i can hit the mag release, and drop the mag into my hand without even looking. i particularly love my 'morning warmup' as i call it, after i go to work, get my gun case out, pull the slide back, visual confirm she's empty, hit the release and positively love the sound of the slide smacking in, slip a mag in her, pull the trigger- listen for the click, and i'm condition 3 confirmed and ready to go, swoop her down to the retention holster, and onward into a peace of mind confirmed day. the only real anxiexty i have is when she's not on my hip.

Wiley said:

The second is when you have done something often enough to become complacent.

Of the two the second is most dangerous. Listen to that little anxiety, it will keep you alive.

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I suspect this is what caused my former co-worker to be killed last month. I prefer to use the word "attention" rather than anxiety for myself.