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Should You Carry a Handgun With an Empty Chamber?

I did in the past but have stopped the last 2 years with my then 2 year old grandson around me all the time who is now 4. He was always fast and grabbed things before you can holler, "No!" I had him with me at a store one day while talking to a clerk when I realized he walked up to my side and quickly stuck his hand in my pocket just grabbing to see what was in there. Yes, I was pocket carrying that day with a pocket holster but those little fingers can get into some tight places.

He now knows not to grab in my pockets or on any handgun IWB or OWB, or even touch it if I lay it on the table next to my chair (to test him). We talk about it and he's fine knowing he can't touch it. One day I'll work my way back to 1 in the tube and be teaching him safety and how to shoot too. For now, he's too high strung and fast to be around ... and he's not strong enough to rack 'em.
 
all of my holsters are retention holsters, with strap. as required
the 1911s yes and hammer is not cocked as the retention strap is there
but when you draw its part of muscle memory to cock back hammer, then thumb on safety to make the decision of safe or fire

the XD one in chamber again its LIVE, so great muscle memory about proper hand placement is key

bersa, one chambered and de-cocked via safety , same thumb to touch safety and brain make the decision to safe or fire position .

muscle memory...practice ...repeat
**** still can happen, but the training narrows the odds of shooting the ground or your baby toe


i can say...all the times i had to remove a pistol from said holster, the situation de escalated RAPIDLY and person went the other way. all 2 of them.
 
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all of my holsters are retention holsters, with strap. as required
the 1911s yes and hammer is not cocked as the retention strap is there
but when you draw its part of muscle memory to cock back hammer, then thumb on safety to make the decision of safe or fire

the XD one in chamber again its LIVE, so great muscle memory about proper hand placement is key

bersa, one chambered and de-cocked via safety , same thumb to touch safety and brain make the decision to safe or fire position .

muscle memory...practice ...repeat
**** still can happen, but the training narrows the odds of shooting the ground or your baby toe


i can say...all the times i had to remove a pistol from said holster, the situation de escalated RAPIDLY and person went the other way. all 2 of them.
You know you can have the hammer cocked and the retention strap engaged with a 1911, right?

If you don’t have a pin “drop” safety, hammer down on a hot chamber is one of the most unsafe ways of carrying a 1911 out there…

And if it’s on my person, there’s a round chambered.
 
You know you can have the hammer cocked and the retention strap engaged with a 1911, right?

If you don’t have a pin “drop” safety, hammer down on a hot chamber is one of the most unsafe ways of carrying a 1911 out there…

And if it’s on my person, there’s a round chambered.
i can stretch the strap to go over with hammer cocked, but it caused weird wear marks on the strap
could retry to stretch it again
thanks


update OH ****
my falco holster for the colt (1967) 1911 does allow the hammer to be all the way cocked and safety on, just not half cocked.
but my ronin in same holster the strap snap will cause the safety to be actuated from safe to fire as you snap it secured
i dont carry the ronin, as its my range pistol.
but my colt is safe either way .
so i just discovered the ronin could be a potential oh **** moment when the safety gets moved and hammer is fully cocked, ronins safety lever is larger with a more defined thumb rest.
guess i need to find a new holster for the ronin is i want to carry it
 
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And sing kumbaya out by the campfire
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Kumbaya…………😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫
 
I have a pistol that stays in my small work backpack thats on me daily. The amount of movement, items in and out and stuff in the backpack that could interface with the gun lends it to me to keep no round in the chamber. Even with a high quality holster.
State Law “No Weapons Allowed on Premises” for almost all my work areas keeps me from having it on my hip.
Has to stay in the truck as I go in/out of businesses all day.
Is what it is

I dont want to be like the female police officer that shot herself in the leg swinging her bag around
I should clarify.
When the gun is on my hip or in my truck, its locked and loaded.
My work backback has only 2 compartments, so items are in contact with the firearm constantly.
 
To be fair, that's really not an incorrect statement.

Statistically speaking, you'll never draw a gun in self-defense ever in your life.
That's what I was alluding to. I was also pointing out the fallacy of that way of thinking. Everyone I know who was shot to death ( and there are at least 8, 4 of which were close friends of mine) were statistically safe too. Well, maybe not Bob, he was in E. STL doing things he shouldn't have been doing, but....
 
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all of my holsters are retention holsters, with strap. as required
the 1911s yes and hammer is not cocked as the retention strap is there
but when you draw its part of muscle memory to cock back hammer, then thumb on safety to make the decision of safe or fire

the XD one in chamber again its LIVE, so great muscle memory about proper hand placement is key

bersa, one chambered and de-cocked via safety , same thumb to touch safety and brain make the decision to safe or fire position .

muscle memory...practice ...repeat
**** still can happen, but the training narrows the odds of shooting the ground or your baby toe


i can say...all the times i had to remove a pistol from said holster, the situation de escalated RAPIDLY and person went the other way. all 2 of them.
No 1911 holster is designed to have the hammer down. None. That’s silly with a 1911.

Anyway, no one should ever carry an auto with an empty chamber. It’s stupid. Train and learn safety.
 
If you have young kids around, I think your position about whether or not to have a round chambered might be different than with no unauthorized access. In the recent past, we had a young child riding in a car shoot her mother, who had placed her purse in the backseat with a loaded firearm in the purse. Accidents happen.
 
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