[Mr. Lucky]

Of those who conceal carry, how many carry 6 rounds in the mag and one in the chamber? I carry 6 rounds, none chambered, but a buddy swears that in the heat of the moment, chances are I'll forget to chamber that first round and ruin my day.

I carry my elsie in a desantis nemesis in my front pocket, so the trigger is never exposed, and my buddy (who carries a glock chambered) thinks the lack of trigger exposure and the long initial pull on the trigger would make the gun safe enough to avoid accidental/negligent discharges with a round chambered. Any thoughts?

 

[SandraKaye]

Whatever I am carrying has one in the pipe..... I feel that it takes too long to rack a round if you are really in a self defensive situation. As you stated, the long trigger pull is very forgiving....

Stay safe....

SK

 

[tigertonytigger]

I carry everyday and there is always one in the chamber no matter what gun I have with me. I feel my LCP is a safe gun. Besides you have to pull the trigger 2353 inches to fire the thing.

 

[HowardCohodas]

With the long trigger pull and the relatively heavy trigger weight of 7-8 lbs, I choose to carry my LCP with one in the pipe in a DeSantis Super Fly which is similar to the Nemesis.

I will be adding a ClipDraw for carrying IWB while driving. I will carry one in the pipe with this method as well, although there are a few who do not agree with this approach. When executing a draw, the motion of the background relative to the trigger is in the opposite direction for engaging the trigger. Holstering is the mode where extra care should be taken to prevent an AD.

 

[xenicintelligence]

as you noticed , some say yea, and some nay.
i have practiced enough to do both, with really no difference between either.
as i draw, it takes no extra time to rack the slide depending on what posture i am in or the carry method chosen--if i ankle carry there is always one in the pipe.
there are noticable advantages, and draw backs to both methods.
practice with both so you want have to worry about either.
i prefer most of the time to not have one in the "pipe",but again it really matters where i am at or where i wll be going.
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extra note: while at home put a dummy round in your weapon the get a accustomed to the "one in the pipe method" if after a week of doing so; you just might find out how safe/ unsafe it really is without the result of injury. it will also set your mind at ease as to which one is for you. just remember if you hear a click while carrying with a dummy round or find that the hammer has fallen then you have learned a valuable lesson with out injury.

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The next debates scheduled
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locks vs no locks, thumb safeties- use em or lose em , revolvers vs. autos, and
i betcha my caliber can beat up your caliber. On and on it goes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Slappy]

Get comfortable carrying one in the pipe! There are too many defensive scenarios that show that this is the best way to carry. Do you think bad guys are going to announce themselves first?? "Excuse me sir, I am going to rob you" "Ok, hang on let me chamber a round...." Bad idea. Bad guys will most likely surprise you.

What if you are walking in a parking lot and you find two gangsters coming towards you, are you going to seriously draw your weapon and chamber a round in preparation for the upcoming attack? Because those guys were just going to their car!

The point is, get comfortable carrying one in the pipe, or get a gun that makes you feel comfortable when one is in the pipe.

 

[tawcat]

Firm believer of one in the pipe! Firm believer of respecting your weapon. Don't get careless or over confident.

And if you have kids in the house, be sure to unload it or store it in a place they can't get to it!

 

[flor1]

If you don't have one in the chamber you might as well carry a rock. If someone comes at you then you can at least have something to throw. ???

 

[vsorrentino]

Everything has been mentioned already. Long, hard trigger pull and a good holster that protects the trigger is all I need to feel secure having one in the pipe.

When the stuff hits the fan, and your not drawing your weapon unless you are in a no escape zone (less than 21 feet) better be prepared to rock and roll. No time to play.

 

[Mr. Lucky]

Thanks for all of the advice. I like the idea of getting used to one in the chamber by starting with a dummy round for a while and then switching over to a live round after getting used to the idea.

 

[SleepingZ]

If you are not comfortable enough to carry one in the pipe, I believe you are not ready to CCW. Whatcha going to do when you are in a situation that puts you beside a BG, lets say you are in line to pay for your gas, BG comes in behind you in line and decides it is the time and place to rob, and maybe stab all witnesses, you may be using you weak arm to fight him off, how are you going to rack the slide??? If you point the gun at him and it goes "CLICK" , well you better hope you have your LCP and not a full size 1911, cause he is going to stick your gun up your rear-end exit hole.

What if you take a hit or bad cut to one of your arms and it is rendered unusable--can't rack the slide now very well, the little LCP does not have a big enough sight to catch it on your jeans and do a one handed rack very well.

What if you pocket carry, and you see the very real possibility of a bad situation about to unfold in a store, or out in a public parking lot, you are 99% sure it's going to happen, if you have one in the pipe, you put your hand in your pocket, on the gun and you are ready to play what ever hand is dealt to you, now if you don't have one in the pipe, do you pull your gun and rack it---some one sees you do that, now you have just "brandish" a weapon. Could be bad for you.

I could go on and on, but you have to come to your own conclusion. As for me---I am ready. In a perfect world, you would have time to rack, if we lived in a perfect world you would not need a gun.


Z

 

[Gun-works]

It may take a little time to get use to carrying with one in the pipe.but do agree in a stressful situation you may not have the time to rack the slide

 

[jocko]

IMO, its not a gun without one in the pipe. Leave it home. kinda harsh statement I know but to me not a very good question either. If you don't trust the gun, buy one that you can trust...

 

[ToddG]

Personally: I carry my LCP 6+1, just as I carry my M&P9 17+1.

As for "if you won't carry one in the chamber, you're not ready to carry" that's an oft-heard opinion but does it really make sense? While I agree it's a good idea to become accustomed to carrying the weapon loaded, certainly one is better off with a Condition 3 gun than no gun at all. We had this debate on mp-pistol a few months back. Not everyone understands how safe modern handguns are. Other unusual circumstances may also play a role in a particular person's choice.

However, the statement that "it takes no extra time to rack the slide" is hard for me to believe. How were you measuring draw time? With a shot timer or just an estimate? The only timed comparison I've seen so far has been done by JohnO and published at pistol-training.com here: The Israeli Draw, A Timed Comparison. JohnO, a very experienced shooter, needed 20% more time to get the gun up and running when beginning from an empty chamber. This was without stress, using both hands, under ideal range conditions.

And as I outlined in this article six months ago, the main reasons against carrying with an empty chamber are:

• It takes longer to get the gun into play.
• It takes two hands to get the gun into play quickly; with the lack of sharp edges on the LCP, it's going to be almost impossible to rack a round one-handed.
• Racking the slide makes noise when you may not want to give away your position or the fact that you're armed.
• Loading the gun is one of the most common ways to induce a malfunction. Starting a fight by jamming your gun is a bad move.
• You're effectively reducing the capacity of your gun by one round.

 

[jocko]

you got all that right. I see this hashed and rehased on other gun forums. If you want to carry with none in the pipe, no one will know except you, so again it all boils down to YOUR decision. I have carried for 46 years, have never had the need to draw. always had one in the pipe, but I guess one could also say, had I not had one in the pipe, it would have made no difference in those PAST 46 years. ne can make any scanario fits his needs..

 

[xenicintelligence]

Personally: I carry my LCP 6+1, just as I carry my M&P9 17+1.

As for "if you won't carry one in the chamber, you're not ready to carry" that's an oft-heard opinion but does it really make sense? While I agree it's a good idea to become accustomed to carrying the weapon loaded, certainly one is better off with a Condition 3 gun than no gun at all. We had this debate on mp-pistol a few months back. Not everyone understands how safe modern handguns are. Other unusual circumstances may also play a role in a particular person's choice.

However, the statement that "it takes no extra time to rack the slide" is hard for me to believe. How were you measuring draw time? With a shot timer or just an estimate? The only timed comparison I've seen so far has been done by JohnO and published at pistol-training.com here: The Israeli Draw, A Timed Comparison. JohnO, a very experienced shooter, needed 20% more time to get the gun up and running when beginning from an empty chamber. This was without stress, using both hands, under ideal range conditions.

And as I outlined in this article six months ago, the main reasons against carrying with an empty chamber are:

• It takes longer to get the gun into play.
• It takes two hands to get the gun into play quickly; with the lack of sharp edges on the LCP, it's going to be almost impossible to rack a round one-handed.
• Racking the slide makes noise when you may not want to give away your position or the fact that you're armed.
• Loading the gun is one of the most common ways to induce a malfunction. Starting a fight by jamming your gun is a bad move.
• You're effectively reducing the capacity of your gun by one round.

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I can agree with most of your statements , but the difference is that i practice alot ie. strong hand, weak,clearing a jam by racking slide with sights with pants pockets. in regards to timed difference, no i haven't used a shot timer to see the difference ,and i don't think that the few extra seconds counts that much. i have to agree for the lcp it has to be one in the pipe. i practise with both, the point i made was to practice,practice,practice both methods with the goal to eventually ease into "the one in the pipe". i am not going to be carrying one in the pipe with my kids climbing all over me at home or on the property, but if i am going thru a seedy part of town or a new city it will be one in the pipe. i hope that clarifies some questions. i will have to check out that link/article. FYI i carry a g36, and not the lcp. i bought the lcp as a novelty gun on a last minute whim.

 

[Mud Pie]

There is also the argument that the sound of racking a slide can diffuse a situation. Many an LEO will tell you that simply racking the pump of a shotgun will stop someone in their tracks.

Everyone knows what comes next after the sound of a slide being moved. BOOM !! Sometimes that alone can make someone change their mind. If not, well, you are ready for the next step.

 

[jocko]

a timer is not even needed. common sense will tell one that it has to be slower racking a slide than one in the pipe. You don't need to give your reasons either for doing what you want to do and what deems best for your needs. Its is your gun, and I in no way will hammer you over how you carry, or even if you choose not to carry.

 

[jocko]

There is also the argument that the sound of racking a slide can diffuse a situation. Many an LEO will tell you that simply racking the pump of a shotgun will stop someone in their tracks.

Everyone knows what comes next after the sound of a slide being moved. BOOM !! Sometimes that alone can make someone change their mind. If not, well, you are ready for the next step.

racking a slide on a seimi and on a pump shotgun is totally different. You need two hands on that pump, to operate it correctly,, really one one necessary on a semi. anytime you rack anything under stress, THINGS can happen.

IMO, a very poor argument at best...

 

[tawcat]

Well, I am not gonna bash or hash here. All I will say is while you're trying to rack and poo, my piece will be in hand, finger on trigger. And when I go boom I'm thinking the BG goes poo!

Guess to me, if ya don't have one in the pipe, theres just no sense of having it in your pocket.

Best case scenario, you have time to rack. I doubt however, in any situation where you are reaching for your piece, it's not the best case scenario.