Confession... I haven't exactly been carrying chambered

Zastavarian · Jan 12, 2011

Ok so I have a confession guys and gals,

I haven't exactly been carrying chambered. Like, ever. I'm sorry but I can't help but put on the hammer safety if I did. I'd need more security than the hammer stop to do so. Otherwise I feel like there's only one tiny piece of metal keeping the hammer from dropping. Obviously I can't keep the safety on though because I can't draw and swtich the safety off at the same time so I'd have one more thing to do before I can shoot. Easy on the words pleaes, I know this doesn't marinade well with most if not all of you.

Am I paranoid or do I just need to trust my gun not to go off? It's an EAA Zastava M88 9mm btw(cheap but simple). Thanks!

peter nap · Jan 12, 2011

I'm not going to flame you.

I do carry chambered but have never been comfortable doing it. It's a physiological thing but you should consider switching to a revolver if you can't get over it.

I started on a revolver and carried one more or less for over 30 years. When I switched to a 1911 for city carry (mostly because it's less noticeable) It just didn't feel right. I practice every day, shoot different drills several times a week but still have that nagging doubt about cocked and locked.

My Glock plain gives me the jitters. A plastic gun with no safety.

Last night at the OC Dinner I wore my 629 and felt right at home.
Saturday at the OC Breakfast, I wore my Super Blackhawk and felt nice and cozy.
At the farm I wear my Titanium frame 44 and am just as comfortable as can be.

Monday at lobby day, I'll probably wear my 1911 or another semi and worry about it all day.

crazydude6030 · Jan 12, 2011

I was the same way when i first started to carry. I knew the risk but I for the longest time I just couldn't bring myself to chamber. Now days I'll chamber but i still feel somewhat uneasy about it.

peter nap said:
My Glock plain gives me the jitters. A plastic gun with no safety.

That's one of the reasons I passed over a Glock. The Glock really freaked me out and with the only "safety" on the trigger it just didn't feel like the best choice for me. The "plastic gun" part of it never really bothered me, not sure why.

jmelvin · Jan 12, 2011

I'll not flame you, but I find being nervous about carrying a modern gun with drop-fire resistant designs to be a bit silly. None of my carry guns have safeties and they are always carried loaded in a retention holster. If the gun must be taken out I make sure I can pay attention to what I'm doing, keep my trigger finger on the frame side and keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. If I were carrying a gun that weren't drop-fire resistant then I might be a little nervous.

USNA69 · Jan 12, 2011

peter nap said:
My Glock plain gives me the jitters. A plastic gun with no safety.

You can install a positive safety on your Glock: SIDERLOCK
http://www.siderlock.com/

I now carry in Condition One with no worries.

Walt_Kowalski · Jan 12, 2011

jmelvin said:
I'll not flame you, but I find being nervous about carrying a modern gun with drop-fire resistant designs to be a bit silly. None of my carry guns have safeties and they are always carried loaded in a retention holster. If the gun must be taken out I make sure I can pay attention to what I'm doing, keep my trigger finger on the frame side and keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. If I were carrying a gun that weren't drop-fire resistant then I might be a little nervous.

+1. get to know your firearm by disassembling, inspecting, and examining it. I have no problem carrying my glock with a round chambered since I know how the drop safety works on it.

The Wolfhound · Jan 12, 2011

One in the tube

I carried for a while unchambered. One day I woke up and realized that I was expecting to always have 2 hands free to deal with a situation requiring my firearm. My solution is a double-action semi-auto with one in the tube, decocked. Safety is optional at that point but my firearm has one if desired. With either hand I can present the pistol for firing and disengage the safety, singlehanded. I won't flame anyone who carries otherwise but be aware of the restrictions you may be imposing on your tactical response.

wylde007 · Jan 12, 2011

Excuse Me, Mr. Bad Guy...

Please wait while I rock the slide and chamber a round.

:banghead:

nova · Jan 12, 2011

jmelvin said:
I'll not flame you, but I find being nervous about carrying a modern gun with drop-fire resistant designs to be a bit silly. None of my carry guns have safeties and they are always carried loaded in a retention holster. If the gun must be taken out I make sure I can pay attention to what I'm doing, keep my trigger finger on the frame side and keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. If I were carrying a gun that weren't drop-fire resistant then I might be a little nervous.

and it rarely comes out of the holster. Either when cleaning it or at the range shooting it.

A modern firearm in a proper holster that protects the trigger is perfectly safe with a round in the chamber. It's how they were designed to be carried.

nova · Jan 12, 2011

USNA69 said:
You can install a positive safety on your Glock: SIDERLOCK
http://www.siderlock.com/

I now carry in Condition One with no worries.

I think anything that requires you to poke around inside the trigger guard other than when actually pulling the trigger is a horrible idea.

ocholsteroc · Jan 12, 2011

crazydude6030 said:
I was the same way when i first started to carry. I knew the risk but I for the longest time I just couldn't bring myself to chamber. Now days I'll chamber but i still feel somewhat uneasy about it.

That's one of the reasons I passed over a Glock. The Glock really freaked me out and with the only "safety" on the trigger it just didn't feel like the best choice for me. The "plastic gun" part of it never really bothered me, not sure why.

You're fingers are the safty.. LEO's carry glocks/S&W M&P(same as glock no safty) I have not heard of discharge by mistake yet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syxrpLbaEuY&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
watch this video, it made me change my mind.

ocholsteroc · Jan 12, 2011

NavyLT said:
http://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/police-suffolk-cop-accidentally-shoots-self-1.2586317

opps

now I heard it.

but this video made me change my mind

Zastavarian · Jan 12, 2011

NavyLT said:
I think I must be missing something here. You say you can't keep the safety on because you can't draw and switch the safety off at the same time, so you'd have one more thing to do before you can shoot. Ummm.... isn't chambering a round one more thing you have to do before you can shoot?...

Sorry I should clarify this:

I was reffering to safety off, unchambered vs. safety on, chambered.

You're right- eather way I have one more thing to do weather I'm chambered or not. You brought up a good point about chambering in such a situation vs. at home. The reason I asked any of this is because I can draw pretty quickly but having to turn the safety off adds time and I guess I just wasn't ready to trust ONLY the hammer stop with the safety off.

My decission is to carry chambered, safety on. After all, from what everyone's been saying, it's better to go that way than to have to chamber a round (with a maybe-unavailable-weak-hand) on the spot.

Thanks for the advice!

DJEEPER · Jan 12, 2011

I used to be the same way as the OP.

i was afraid i would trip and shoot myself in my leg or something.

BUT! If you look at your weapon, you will probably find multiple internal safeties like a firing pin block, as well as whatever is holding the hammer up. So even if the hammer did drop, the firing pin block wont allow anything to hit the primer.

I carry an XDm .40 for many reason. One of these big reasons is because i feel 90% comfortable with carrying locked, cocked and ready to rock (God forbid). It has the trigger safety like a glock, grip safety like a 1911, and to top it all off, a firing pin block on the internals of the slide. If i somehow have a Negligent discharge and shoot myself, i feel that there are powers above that wanted it to happen haha

In summary....

Cock and lock that thing with one in the tube. Carry it like that. Thats the only way you will get comfortable with it. Look at an exploded view of your weapon and learn it. Try to find online animations of how everything works together. If you can visualize how safe the weapon REALLY IS, you will be more comfortable. (i think the lack of physical proof of a safety system that you are supposed to trust is what leads us to this initial fear of carrying with one in the tube)

Main point: Dont be this unlucky sap. This video is what finally did it for me. Chances are, by the time you realize something is happening where you need to take defensive measures, its already too late for you to rack the slide and get on target.

Viewer discretion is advised
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=086_1260862712

ocholsteroc · Jan 12, 2011

DJEEPER said:
I used to be the same way as the OP.

i was afraid i would trip and shoot myself in my leg or something.

BUT! If you look at your weapon, you will probably find multiple internal safeties like a firing pin block, as well as whatever is holding the hammer up. So even if the hammer did drop, the firing pin block wont allow anything to hit the primer.

I carry an XDm .40 for many reason. One of these big reasons is because i feel 90% comfortable with carrying locked, cocked and ready to rock (God forbid). It has the trigger safety like a glock, grip safety like a 1911, and to top it all off, a firing pin block on the internals of the slide. If i somehow have a Negligent discharge and shoot myself, i feel that there are powers above that wanted it to happen haha

In summary....

Cock and lock that thing with one in the tube. Carry it like that. Thats the only way you will get comfortable with it. Look at an exploded view of your weapon and learn it. Try to find online animations of how everything works together. If you can visualize how safe the weapon REALLY IS, you will be more comfortable. (i think the lack of physical proof of a safety system that you are supposed to trust is what leads us to this initial fear of carrying with one in the tube)

Main point: Dont be this unlucky sap. This video is what finally did it for me. Chances are, by the time you realize something is happening where you need to take defensive measures, its already too late for you to rack the slide and get on target.

Viewer discretion is advised
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=086_1260862712

Woah! his gun jammed then didn't fire? then he got it taken away...

@ OP I do not know anything on you're gun model, I am speaking about/from glocks/1911( do not know if you have a firing pin block? Carrying one in the chamber is like wearing a seat belt when you drive. If you do not wear a seat belt when you drive, and wreck you fly out of the car(most likely dying), with the gun you have to rack the slide(giving time for the attacker to charge you, or shoot you.)

2a4all · Jan 12, 2011

I carry my M&P40c with a round chambered. Each of the holsters I use (belt and shoulder) cover the trigger. The weapon isn't fully cocked because of the internal safeties (Glock trigger design).

I was advised by a LEO to do so because "you might not be able to chamber a round when you need to use your gun".

A retired LEO (from UK) phrased it this way: "Think of a modern semi-auto as a revolver with a clip. Can't shoot until you pull the trigger."

Zastavarian · Jan 12, 2011

ocholsteroc said:
Woah! his gun jammed then didn't fire? then he got it taken away...

@ OP I do not know anything on you're gun model, I am speaking about/from glocks/1911( do not know if you have a firing pin block? Carrying one in the chamber is like wearing a seat belt when you drive. If you do not wear a seat belt when you drive, and wreck you fly out of the car(most likely dying), with the gun you have to rack the slide(giving time for the attacker to charge you, or shoot you.)

Gotcha.

It does have a pin AND hammer block safety on the rear of the slide. What I'm trying to figure out is where I could find a diagram, if one exists, of the hammer mechanism. Nothing in the user's manual. I just took the gun apart but i can't take apart the hammer mechanism. Womp womp...

1245A Defender · Jan 12, 2011

well,,,

Practice,,, TRY to make it ND!!!
load it up, "in a safe location and backdrop", rack it, safety on,,, pull the trigger, alot!
bang it down on the table, right side up, up side down, on the left side, on the right side..
saftey off, shoot it, safety on, TRY to make it misbehave.
unload it, double check, rack it, safety on, practice with your holster, in and out, over again, alot!
see how much you can mishandle it, and the safety stays on until you turn it off,on purpose!
slow down you draw,,, draw slower and carefully raise toward your target, then flick off the safety.
now go and do it all again!!

wylde007 · Jan 12, 2011

1245A Defender said:
Practice... TRY to make it ND!!!

I left mine in the holster on my dining room table one day as a lark. Darn thing never went off one time.

I have had one AD in my home

eek

with a 1911 which I attribute to a combination of factors, not the least of which was mental and emotional exhaustion. I learned an important lesson about that particular style of firearm and that is no matter how good you think you can de-cock, you are probably far better off dropping the magazine and racking the chambered round clear.

crazydude6030 · Jan 12, 2011

ocholsteroc said:
You're fingers are the safty.. LEO's carry glocks/S&W M&P(same as glock no safty) I have not heard of discharge by mistake yet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syxrpLbaEuY&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
watch this video, it made me change my mind.

Its not my fingers that I was so much worried about. I wanted to limit my odds every way i could. I ended up going the xd route or the "glock off" as I call it. It has the grip safety that works with the trigger. Its passive when held properly and it has never once not fired when I wanted it to. Not to mention it has a few added visual visuals that I enjoy like the striker indicator and the chamber indicator. Its all personal preference.

Confession... I haven't exactly been carrying chambered

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