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What condition (1,2,or 3) for OC?

mobiushky

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May 30, 2012
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I know a lot of us don't want to give any "info" to potential BG's out there, so I'm not really asking each member to state what condition you carry in. I'd love to hear debate about adv/dis-adv of each set-up. Essentially for my sake it would be only condition 2 or 3. My carry is a Glock so it's either in the chamber and ready or it's not chambered at all. I've read a lot of people who say they carry a Glock in Condition 3 because they want to be safe.

Anyway, I'm just curious to hear thoughts from the forum to see what you all think. Again, if you're not comfortable stating your personal carry condition, no big deal. I totally understand.
 

mobiushky

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Here we go again with a topic that's already been hashed out.


Sent from my iPhone 4

I tried to search and nothing came up. I'm sure it's been hashed before and I apologize for opening wounds if I did. I'm not looking for a fight. I'm just a curious person and wanted to hear both sides of the discussion. I'm not talking CC. I think I'll have a round chambered when I finally get my CCW. Just curious if there were any feelings on OC specifically.

If it's a dead mule, point me to the spot it was killed and I'll read it myself.
 

Kingfish

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Apr 10, 2007
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Atlanta, Georgia, USA
I always OC and always condition 1...Chambered, cocked with safety on. If I were to carry a Glock it would be in condition 0.

An unloaded firearm is as much use or less than carrying a hammer.
 

twoskinsonemanns

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Apr 12, 2012
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WV
I tried to search and nothing came up. I'm sure it's been hashed before and I apologize for opening wounds if I did. I'm not looking for a fight. I'm just a curious person and wanted to hear both sides of the discussion. I'm not talking CC. I think I'll have a round chambered when I finally get my CCW. Just curious if there were any feelings on OC specifically.

If it's a dead mule, point me to the spot it was killed and I'll read it myself.

Don't worry about the rehashing bit. Your thread subject is VERY clear. No one has to open it.
Having said that I carry a SA/DA with one in the chamber safety off.
Having a gun without a round in the chamber, IMHO, is not ready to defend. Most probably gonna be worthless.
 

rushcreek2

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Jun 27, 2010
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909
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Colorado Springs. CO
When I first started carrying a semi-auto .45 acp in 1993 I naively selected a $300 Interarms Star .45 acp compact (6+1). It was a Brazilian mfg gun, and served me well - I even used it to qualify for my first and renewal Texas CHL - -even though I had to reload it mid-stream.

To the topic - I did not trust the gun, or myself enough to carry it with a round chamered - so I practiced - and perfected a "draw, rack, thumb safety release, and present " motion that was equal to a "draw & present". That having been said - I don't believe I was being very smart.

Since 2006 I have also carried a Glock. I have considered the safety concerns associated with there being no thumb safety - but I have decided that it is better to have a LOADED weapon than a potentially loaded one. As long as the Glock is nestled in a secure holster and the fingers stay away from the safety release & trigger it isn't going to fire.

I have also considered another scenario. What if - a bad guy gets hold of your gun ???

If it's not chambered - you have a couple of seconds to attempt to recover control, or at least sabotage BG's attempt to successfully chamber a round..

It's a tough call . I have decided to keep mine ready for action, and understand the risks. If that Glock needs to come out of its holster - it is ready to go.
 
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JamesB

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Jan 13, 2010
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703
Location
Lakewood, Colorado, USA
92FS - 1 in chamber, 10 (or 15) in mag, safety off, 1st round double action..

--Rob

Same here when I have my Barretta 96 in use.

My Glock I carry same way and don't worry about the lack of an external safety.
A mechanical safety to me is defined as a device that can fail, and should not be used as a failsafe.
 
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Beau

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Dec 6, 2007
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East of Aurora, Colorado, USA
My Glock 21 has been my primary carry for the past 10 years. I've carried in condition 1 for the past 9. I've often heard and found to be true that the best safety a gun can have is the one between your ears.

All three of the Glock safeties rely on the trigger being pulled. The first one being in the trigger itself. Don't pull the trigger, gun doesn't fire.

Carry in the way that you feel most comfortable with. That said, you should learn, train, practice until you are comfortable carrying in condition 1.
 

mobiushky

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Alaska (ex-Colorado)
Thanks for all the honest answers. I have been carrying in 3 for a couple reasons. Which I assume will be taken care of in the near future. First, I am still relatively new to this gun (2 weeks now) and I don't exactly trust myself to keep my finger off the trigger when drawing. I practice every day, but I'm not 100% confident in myself. I'd call it a solid 95%. But the main thing that ran through my head was having the gun taken from me. I don't know if I could properly stop that action. But then, getting something like a level 2 or 3 holster seemed not much better than carrying in condition 3 to me anyway really.

I have a fairly simple Uncle Mike's kydex holster that I love. It's easy to wear and the draw is great to me. But it's definitely not impossible to have someone else get the gun from me if I'm not paying attention. I can usually get my hand on top of the gun as soon as I feel a slight tug.

I'm still a little on the fence, but I can totally understand the reasons for condition 1. By all means, anyone else is welcome to add more to the discussion. I love the responses so far.
 

Fallschirjmäger

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Aug 4, 2007
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Cumming, Georgia, USA
Anyone who's carried in Condition-3 and survived an assault will reassure you that you will always have time to rack the slide before shooting.
....
Those who did not have time to rack the slide while being assaulted probably won't say anything, they're too busy being dead.

Can you guarantee -
- that you'll always have two hands free?
- that you'll never have your off-hand being frantically grasped in terror by your wife, girlfriend, daughter, mistress, bff?
- that you'll never carry anything you're not willing to drop Immediately should an assault occur?
- that you'll never be injured in you off-had such that you'll be incapable of racking the slide?
- that you'll never be so occupied fighting off someone with your off-hand that you won't have the opportunity to rack the slide?

Handguns are what we carry when we're NOT expecting trouble; if we WERE expecting trouble we'd carry a real gun. That assaults usually occur without proper prior notification by the goblin that he's about to assault you is par for the course, so.... why are we purposely putting ourselves in a position where we're even more behind the curve than need be?
 

Phoenix David

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Sep 8, 2009
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605
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Glendale, Arizona, USA
With the exception of a 1911, (I own one and that's probably enough for me) I would never buy a handgun that had a manual safety.

I carry round in the chamber.
 
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mobiushky

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May 30, 2012
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Alaska (ex-Colorado)
This is gonna start a little off topic, but trust me I'll bring it back around. Last night we were looking for something to watch and my wife saw this show in the guide called "Gun Talk TV" or something like that. My wife had never fired a gun in her life until last Friday I got her out to the range. She's by no means anti-gun, she grew up in the house of a former cop. She was just way overprotected and never allowed to touch them. She's a girl after all and girls aren't supposed to do that kind of thing (thoughts from her Grandpa). Anyway, she wanted a gun, she's just scared to death. So she says, "hey it's a show for you." Cause I'm kind of obsessed right now. I laughed and did the "yeah, yeah." kind of thing and went back to my gun... lol. I tried to talk to her, and she started shushing me. I looked up ans she's watching it because it was all about first time women training in an all ladies class. They ran some drills and she asked if they have that kind of class here. I assumed so, so I started looking. Long story short, after watching it, she says, you know there's no way you could perform those drills without a round in the chamber. Like condition 0, if you will. All of a sudden, my wife is telling me that we need to learn to carry with it ready to shoot because she doesn't think she could rack the slide in time to stop someone....

Guess I'm convinced. Now it's just a matter of training myself to feel more comfortable and not touch the stupid friggin trigger!!!!! LOL.

Thanks a lot for all the input. It's been really helpful.
 

Bellum_Intus

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May 13, 2012
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Rush, Colorado
Guess I'm convinced. Now it's just a matter of training myself to feel more comfortable and not touch the stupid friggin trigger!!!!! LOL.

Thanks a lot for all the input. It's been really helpful.

Just be careful , many negligent discharges occur when reholstering the firearm (believe it or not) .. the trigger hangs on clothes, etc and the shooter gets a bad case of Glock Leg Syndrome.

Do a LOT of dry drills, work on presenting and reholstering until you get comfortable.. =)

--Rob
 
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mobiushky

Regular Member
Joined
May 30, 2012
Messages
830
Location
Alaska (ex-Colorado)
Just be careful , many negligent discharges occur when reholstering the firearm (believe it or not) .. the trigger hangs on clothes, etc and the shooter gets a bad case of Glock Leg Syndrome.

Do a LOT of dry drills, work on presenting and reholstering until you get comfortable.. =)

--Rob

Thanks Rob. It's really good advice. I actually spent about 15 mins last night drilling myself. Drawing and presenting in both unchambered and chambered (used snap caps for realism). I found that I could not draw, rack, and present anywhere near as fast because I often missed the slide and ended up not fully racking a bullet into the chamber. I spent a lot of time reholstering to be sure I cleared the path of clothes. I guess it's just as important to be sure there's nothing in the way going back in.

I'm teaching myself to keep my finger off the trigger. and even my wife is getting into the swing by calling me out when I do.
 

Bellum_Intus

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Joined
May 13, 2012
Messages
540
Location
Rush, Colorado
Thanks Rob. It's really good advice. I actually spent about 15 mins last night drilling myself. Drawing and presenting in both unchambered and chambered (used snap caps for realism). I found that I could not draw, rack, and present anywhere near as fast because I often missed the slide and ended up not fully racking a bullet into the chamber. I spent a lot of time reholstering to be sure I cleared the path of clothes. I guess it's just as important to be sure there's nothing in the way going back in.

I'm teaching myself to keep my finger off the trigger. and even my wife is getting into the swing by calling me out when I do.

Good stuff!

I yell at my kids all the time about that darn trigger finger.. my step son posted a pic on FB of him holding his friends mini-14.. all 'gangsta' with his finger on the trigger.. I have banned him from my firearms until he learns a little.. respect for them..

At any rate, one of these days (hopefully in July) I'll be NRA certified as a pistol instructor and can give you some pointers.. pointers.. how appropriate.. :p

--Rob
 
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mahkagari

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I yell at my kids all the time about that darn trigger finger.. my step son posted a pic on FB of him holding his friends mini-14.. all 'gangsta' with his finger on the trigger.. I have banned him from my firearms until he learns a little.. respect for them..

I drill regularly with my 7yo daughter "handing" her my sidearm. I'll take it off my hip and say, "hold this." It's not always she correctly asks me to open the action before reaching for it, but she's getting better. In that drill, I don't actually give it to her and pull back out of her reach if she motions for it before asking.

It's scary, really. You can train them on safety and respect all day long, but what happens when they walk out the door and see a friend's Mini-14 is up to the gods. Still training and respect is better than the nothing a lot of parents teach.
 
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