Carrying with a round in the chamber is one of those topics that can most definitely get you into a heated debate at your local gun shop. Just a couple of months ago we brought you guys a discussion concerning topping off your EDC magazine. That post received a ton of feedback and response emails! We thank all of you guys for checking that post out… As a result from the reviews, we decided to bring you guys a little more on how we feel about the topic.
Granted, carrying with one in the pipe most definitely personifies the propensity to accidentally discharge your CC firearm, we at PSA submit to you that the positives most definitely outweigh the negatives. For many shooters, carrying with one in the chamber is a new concept that may at first glance appear to be a frightening proposition….namely for the reason stated above.
Carrying without one in the hole in essence morphs your defensive firearm from a “handgun” to a “gun that you need more than one hand” to operate. In other words, if you are in a defensive situation, would you rather have a firearm that is ready to rock and roll, or would you rather have a firearm that you have to undertake several steps to get into battery? Carrying one in the pipe reduces the time needed to defend oneself….and in a gunfight this time is minimal. It’s no wonder why the majority of our police forces carry with a round chambered. The disgusting reality is that there are some very unscrupulous characters out there that are always plotting to deter us from our normal courses of action. The internet is inundated with videos that detail the mistake of some innocent soul carrying…but carrying without one in the hole.
We would like to take this time to point out to all of you wacky shooters out there, that if you are faced with a defensive situation, the first thing that will leave you are your fine motor skills. With that being said, simple actions like racking the slide will become more difficult than you can image. Furthermore, most malfunctions with firearms occur while the action is in motion. If this step is eliminated (i.e. chamber a round prior to carrying), all that is left in a defensive situation is to un-holster and squeeze. If you decide to carry without one in the pipe, and you are forced to have to rack the slide in the middle of a defensive situation you may just end up as the victim in the next shooting video on YouTube. Understand your firearm, practice with your firearm, and please be safe with your firearm.
If you are not prone to carry with one round chambered and you decide to start carrying in this condition, understand that there is one word that stands in front of you: TRAINING. As with anything in life, repetition leads to consistency. Train carrying in this condition. Train holstering and drawing your firearm with a round in the chamber (dummy rounds for novices please!!!). Pay attention to how you handle the firearm, how you treat your trigger finger, and how you ready yourself for a safe discharge while carrying in this condition. As you train, remember to use dummy rounds (inert rounds with no powder, primer, or charge) until your familiarity has sufficiently increased.
*** If you are unfamiliar with firearms and/or their accessories, and want to learn more, PSA strongly suggests that you find, enroll, and attend a comprehensive and reputable firearms safety course. Firearms safety is all of OUR responsibility.
We want to thank you for taking out the time to stop by our lane at the shooting range!! We hope that you enjoyed your stay and hope that you stop back by early and often to catch up on all PSA updates! We truly hope that we were able to hit the target, and if you ever have any questions please don’t hesitate to shoot them our way!! We look forward to shooting the breeze with you soon again!!
And as always….remember to watch your six and stay low!!!