Better off to carry with none in the chamber than not at all?

[Sam Colt]

If you have time to rack the slide, you have time to us-ass the area.

 

[TXAZ]

IF NOT CHAMBERED A GUN IS PRETTY MUCH A PAPERWEIGHT!

I’ll take that challenge: I have 2 pistols that are easy to air rack with just a little practice.

 

[Lonesome Dove]

If you can't rack a gun with one hand or shoot ambitious you need to learn. Why? Because real shit happens.

 

[SARGE67]

If you can't rack a gun with one hand or shoot ambitious you need to learn. Why? Because real shit happens.

Yeah, real shit happens but not to most of us thankfully. I expressed before how my 30+ son and his young daughter were in a parking lot for a hardware store. A guy stepped from behind a vehicle and had a knife waiting for them. My son calmly used his left arm to move his daughter behind him as he also removed his Glock 45 cal with his right hand and pointed it at the ground, not at the perp. Case closed, the perp hauled ass.

 

[Axxe55]

I’ll take that challenge: I have 2 pistols that are easy to air rack with just a little practice.

AGEED BUT MOST PEOPLE ARE INHERENTLY LAZY SO THEY NEVER PRACTICE ANY MORE THAN THEY THINK IS ADQUATE

 

[seeker_two]

If you can't rack a gun with one hand or shoot ambitious you need to learn. Why? Because real shit happens.

"Shoot ambitious".....I like that....

 

[DougC]

Massad Ayoob looks at the history of carrying unchambered such as the Israeli Special Forces. He analyzes the speed of racking a slide. And he also accounts for the percentage of shots fired one-handed vs with both hands on the gun. His demonstration pistol is the SFX9 3.25 inch 15rd.

 

[Sasquatch]

Since the OP, I've had some time to think about this.....

While chamber-loaded carry is the best option, chamber-empty carry may not be as detrimental as first thought. If a perp is close enough that racking a slide makes that much difference, then the perp may be too close for you to draw period. That's when you go for his weapon instead of yours. Also, chamber-empty carry can help foil a gun grab if you're in a situation where it could be likely....like around prisoners or the mentally ill. Then again, most carriers shouldn't be in those situations in the first place....

Again, I'm not advocating chamber-empty carry....just putting it in context....

Bolded part is why uniformed personnel often use level 3 retention holsters as a means to retain their gun, versus open top level 0 or thumb break or ALS level 1 holsters - though I'll say I have seen a very surprising number of Harris County and Houston cops carrying level 1 holsters (Safariland 6390 and 7390's) and a friend of mine who just became a deputy in Idaho was issued a level 1 6390 by his agency.

Weapon rentention skills are also very, very valuable in those situations.

And if you're dealing with inmates or psych patients - you need numbers typically to overcome their determination and strength, because they're channelling demons to give them stupid strength and dexterity while you're trying to simply hold on and try controlling a limb. Fighting psych patients is eye opening. Not a corrections officer or cop, so thankfully have not had to fight prisoners.

The hospital security outfit I work for mandates we use a level 2 holster minimum for our tasers (I don't think anyone actually makes a level 3, but they started issuing us Safariland SLS level 2 holsters, I think we could make them L3 by adding the Sentry lock) - our client is stupid and won't spring for gun toting security, despite the ghetto location of some of our facilities. I worked a new to us site last couple weekends that were ghetto, we took over security operations when our client bought out a smaller outfit and we replaced actual armed officers with taser toters In the last 8 months there was a murder literally across the street from the place, and they had a justified homicide take place IN the ER last spring. Plus all the other shootings and stabbings in the area. But yeah, tasers...

While carrying without a chambered round is better than not carrying, you may be best served carrying a readily deployable non-lethal option if you're going to go empty chamber - to at least buy a few seconds if nothing else. Pepper spray or tase the bastard first to give you a second to draw, rack, and take aim. Taser Pulse ("civilian" taser) IIRC is a 30 second pulse, with the idea that when deployed, provided the perp goes down you drop the unit and unass the area. Axon will replace your taser if it gets damaged or you're unable to retrieve it, provided you and provide a police report of the incident.

 

[leVieux]

I understand the vast benefits of carrying with one in the chamber and drawbacks to carrying with an empty chamber.

I understand the internal safeties that guns have and what a proper holster looks like.

Say you have a friend/family member though, that just will not carry with one in the chamber, overall, generally speaking, all things being equal, are they better off not carrying at all or carrying with no round in the chamber and training to chamber a round as needed?

* This isn't about what method is better, I acknowledged which is better. This is about carrying with no round chambered vs not carrying at all.

<>

No !

’’Any gun is better than no gun when life is threatened !’’

Been there. . . . . .

leVieux

<>

 

[Renegade]

Each method of carry affords faster time to shots fired.

Safety off, chamber hot is faster than chamber hot, which is faster than chamber empty, which is faster than magazine on belt, which is faster than Barney Fife single bullet in shirt pocket.

Likewise where you carry matters too. Chamber hot gun at home is slower than chamber hot gun in car, which is slower than chamber hot gun in purse or backpack, which is slower than chamber hot gun in ankle holster, etc.

We have all seen many shootings captured on video. The slower the method you choose, the less situations you can react too.

But one thing is certain, having a gun is always faster than not having one.

 

[Axxe55]

<>

No !

’’Any gun is better than no gun when life is threatened !’’

Been there. . . . . .

leVieux

<>

YOU THINK YELLING THE BADGUYS THAT YOU'RE ARMED IS THE ANSWERTO SUCH PROBLEMS!

 

[Sam Colt]

YOU THINK YELLING THE BADGUYS THAT YOU'RE ARMED IS THE ANSWERTO SUCH PROBLEMS!

Was that a question or an accusation?

 

[Axxe55]

Was that a question or an accusation?

READ SOME OF HIS PREVIOUS POSTS ON THE SUBJECT TO UNDERSTANTHE PERSPECTIVE

 

[Dawico]

Was that a question or an accusation?

Just ignore Axxe's ramblings. He attacks LeVieux every chance he can and most of it makes no sense at all.

 

[Axxe55]

Just ignore Axxe's ramblings. He attacks LeVieux every chance he can and most of it makes no sense at all.

YOU'RE FINE ONE TO BE POINTING FINGERS AT OTHERS AND CRITICIZING ANYONE MAYBE YOU SHOUL CLEAN UP YOU OWN BACKYARD BEFOREPOINTING OUT SOMEONE ELSES SHORTCOMINGS OR BETTERYET STFU AND MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS

 

[Texan79423]

Funny this came up. I see on TV where the cop pulls his 1911 points the gun and pulls the hammer back. I assume they have a round chambered and hammer in half cocked position with safety off.

 

[Dawico]

YOU'RE FINE ONE TO BE POINTING FINGERS AT OTHERS AND CRITICIZING ANYONE MAYBE YOU SHOUL CLEAN UP YOU OWN BACKYARD BEFOREPOINTING OUT SOMEONE ELSES SHORTCOMINGS OR BETTERYET STFU AND MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS

My backyard is pretty clean but thanks for your concern.

I am also surprised to hear you admit that you have shortcomings but I fear you severely underestimate the extent.

STFU and mind my own business? I was merely helping another member understand your mindless and pointless attack on Le Vieux. I didn't want them to think your post had anything to do with the topic at hand but is more like a Lefty screaming "orange man bad" every time he posts.

I know you think I'm just a big meanie head but calling others out on their BS isn't a shortcoming.

 

[Axxe55]

My backyard is pretty clean but thanks for your concern.

I am also surprised to hear you admit that you have shortcomings but I fear you severely underestimate the extent.

STFU and mind my own business? I was merely helping another member understand your mindless and pointless attack on Le Vieux. I didn't want them to think your post had anything to do with the topic at hand but is more like a Lefty screaming "orange man bad" every time he posts.

I know you think I'm just a big meanie head but calling others out on their BS isn't a shortcoming.

YOU'R A FULL OF SHIT KEYBOARD WARRIR WH LIKES TO ACT LIKE A BADASS FROM BEHIND HIS COMPUTERYOU WOULD HAVE TO BE A MAN FIRST TO BE A MEANIETRUTHIS YOU ARE NOTHING BUT AN IMMATURE DWAMA QUEENYOU SHOULD PRACTICE SELF FORNICATION MORE I DOUBT ANYONE OUTSIDE OF YOURSELF WANTS ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOU OR BE AROUND YOU

 

[cycleguy2300]

Lets all just take a breath...

Sent from my SM-S918B using Tapatalk

 

[TXAZ]

If you can't rack a gun with one hand or shoot ambitious you need to learn. Why? Because real shit happens.

Or get a Staccato, they’re very easy to rack with one hand in one smooth cycle.