[hopsmx]

I guess this is a question for those of you who that regularly carry an M&P:



Do you carry it with or without a round in the chamber?



I'm asking this because, I've found that it makes me anxious to carry the M&P with one chambered, I guess because of the absense of a mechanical safety.

 

[TBoliv]

While I understand the nervousness, it doesnt make a lot of sense to carry a gun you've got to rack the slide on before you can use it.



I think it boils down to responsibility. You have the responsibility to carry the gun in a safe holster (one that's got nothing to snag the trigger on), and the responsibility to ensure you safely handle the pistol when it's not in its holster. If you do so, you should be fine, it might just take time to build the comfort and confidence.



Then again, if it bothers you that much, it might be better for you to carry something that's got some sort of safety on it. If you're not comfortable, you're not likely to carry it.

 

[Bloodnut]

hopsmx, this topic (or at least it's first cousin) has been done to death on Glocktalk. The upshot is that folks who carry a pistol for serious purposes carry with a round chambered. If this make you uncomfortable, you may certainly carry with an empty chamber. Doing so, however, places you that much further behind the power curve when faced with a problem that requires you to discharge the pistol.



So, there are three options: 1) carry one in the chamber (it'll be okay - keep the finger off the trigger until you want the gun to go band - the gun is designed to be safely carried in this manner); 2) carry with an empty chamber and understand the disadvantage at which you place yourself; 3) acquire a pistol that you are comfortable carrying fully loaded.



Also, find a quality holster which covers the triggerguard.

 

[hopsmx]

Thanks for your reply. I understand and agree with you that carrying a gun that is basically useless until you rack a round sets you in a great disadvantage and I dont feel comfortable with that disadvantage.



As for holsters, I own a couple of good holsters for the M&P (DeSantis and Comp-Tac infidel).



I guess I decided on the 3rd option and thats why I got the XD 45 compact. I don't have such a problem with it, and plus it's a little smaller, and easier to conceal and its a 45.



Don't get me wrong I love my M&P and its my favorite gun to shoot. Just not the one I feel more comfortable carrying in concelament. Maybe if I were a LEO, and could carry it in a tactical holster I would feel more at ease.



8)

 

[rjhauser]

just remember any mechanical safety is subject to failure. I have a beretta that has a safety on it, and it DID fail.



the best safety is between your ears. finger off trigger until ready to shoot, never point at anything you are not READY AND ABLE to kill.



and concealed is concealed. keep it that way until needed.



just my opinion.



fwiw

 

[Dan Burwell]

We had an AD at our club this year during an IDPA match. The gun was an XD and it occurred during holstering a hot weapon off the clock. The Shooter was injured bullet traveled about 8in down his thigh and exited cleanly. He was OK after a few hours in the ER.



Point is the same as rjhauser's safeties do fail and sometimes at the worst of times.



No one should ever feel comfortable holstering a hot weapon no matter how many safties their gun may have. You always need to take an extra second and make sure everything is clear of the holster before puting the gun in.

 

[ysued]

Amen Brother Dan!!





I carry (at this time) a G19, Nothing up the Pipe, If the time comes (God Forbid) I'll have to rack the Slide, Israeli Style!!





Y

We had an AD at our club this year during an IDPA match. The gun was an XD and it occurred during holstering a hot weapon off the clock. The Shooter was injured bullet traveled about 8in down his thigh and exited cleanly. He was OK after a few hours in the ER.



Point is the same as rjhauser's safeties do fail and sometimes at the worst of times.



No one should ever feel comfortable holstering a hot weapon no matter how many safties their gun may have. You always need to take an extra second and make sure everything is clear of the holster before puting the gun in.

 

[GaryXD]

If you believe you'll have time to rack the slide before you need the weapon you probably don't wear your seatbelt and think you'll have time to buckle up right before the crash, right?

From personal experience I can tell you the bad guys don't give you a two minute warning.

Carrying a gun without a round in the chamber is useless.

 

[ysued]

Hey, to each his own!



Nobody can dictate to anyone how to carry!!



It's a personal choice!!



You say from Personal Experience, please explain



Have you been attacked by multiple perps with intent of causing bodily harm??



Have you had to Draw your weapon in Anger??



I have not, but my father did, he had a Colt Cobra in a Inside the pant holster with a Thumb release, loose inside his pocket, he had time to pull the gun & holster together, unsnap the Thumb Release, Pull the gun and fire 6 rounds, missing of course, but he did it a dn lived 15 years after that!!



BTW, all this happened 3 weeks after his first Heart Attack!!

If you believe you'll have time to rack the slide before you need the weapon you probably don't wear your seatbelt and think you'll have time to buckle up right before the crash, right?

From personal experience I can tell you the bad guys don't give you a two minute warning.

Carrying a gun without a round in the chamber is useless.

 

[Mdnitedrftr]

No one should ever feel comfortable holstering a hot weapon no matter how many safties their gun may have.

What makes holstering a hot gun unsafe?







But to the topic at hand, I carry with one in the chamber, always. Like everyone else in the thread said, if I ever have to use it, I might not have time to rack the gun, so I wanna be prepared.

 

[rjhauser]

from experience, and I can relate the whole long story if really interested, along with police report #'s and hospital reports...



i was shot, point blank, by a BG, had a handgun, had one in the pipe, and due to circumstances around at the time, chose not to use it.



so having it does not always make it useable.



It is a PERSONAL decision, and I would rather he had that handgun if needed than not have it. If you are going into a bad area, then chamber it ahead of time.



I often times do not carry chambered when I am in the house, although it will always be on me. However, answer the door, and yes, I do.



It is PERSONAL, and NO ONE CAN DECIDE FOR THE PERSON.



Let him get comfortable with it first.

 

[ysued]

There's nothing Wrong with it!!



But what Dan Meant is that nobody should feel overconfident!!



Accidents "DO" happen.



Maybe not to you, or me, but a HOT gun is that HOT!



A minor slip of the mind, can be deadly, to you or somebody else.



Dan was just being careful and giving you a very wise advise.



Neither dan or I want to see a member of this forum as a victim of an unfortunate accident.



If you feel confident and secure carrying Hot, it's OK, I feel confident carrying my G19 cold.



My S&W 60 is full, so is my Colt Commando Spec.



Y

[quote name='Dan Burwell']No one should ever feel comfortable holstering a hot weapon no matter how many safties their gun may have.

What makes holstering a hot gun unsafe?







But to the topic at hand, I carry with one in the chamber, always. Like everyone else in the thread said, if I ever have to use it, I might not have time to rack the gun, so I wanna be prepared.[/quote]

 

[ysued]

Thanks!!





I'm sorry you got hurt!!



I do the same, I work out of my house, so Cold is the way to go for me, I have a small child and I feel more comfortable that way!!



When I travel, or in a bad part of town, I have chambered.



Buliek you said, it's a personal Choice.



Y

from experience, and I can relate the whole long story if really interested, along with police report #'s and hospital reports...



i was shot, point blank, by a BG, had a handgun, had one in the pipe, and due to circumstances around at the time, chose not to use it.



so having it does not always make it useable.



It is a PERSONAL decision, and I would rather he had that handgun if needed than not have it. If you are going into a bad area, then chamber it ahead of time.



I often times do not carry chambered when I am in the house, although it will always be on me. However, answer the door, and yes, I do.



It is PERSONAL, and NO ONE CAN DECIDE FOR THE PERSON.



Let him get comfortable with it first.

 

[bcook75]

I carry with one in the chamber. However, I can not think of a situation (legally) where you would have to pull your gun and not have time to rack the slide. I would not pull my pistol, from concealement, if someone came up to me with a gun pointed at me. If someone threatens to beat you, you may not legally shoot them, at least in my state.

 

[Dan Burwell]

What makes holstering a hot gun unsafe?

With most holsters it is nearly impossible to holster without sweeping your body at some point in the holstering process and it is a great time for things like shirts or shooting vests to find their way into trigger guards.



For the purpose of staying on topic I always carry with one in the chamber, although recall an article a few years back by I think Mas Ayoob where he demonstrated that chambering a round only adds about 0.25 seconds to a draw. His point was that if 0.25 sec is the difference you needed you screwed up in the first place and should have had the gun out sooner.



But do what you are comfortable with if you are going to carry empty chamber practice drawing and chambering a round and practice it a lot. If You do practice it is likely that you can get faster than most guys carrying with one "in the pipe"

 

[Mortech]

Wasn't there a case of some guy suing Glock because he chose to carry empty chambered and then he got jumped by some bad guys and couldn't get his weapon ready in time ????

 

[ysued]

But do what you are comfortable with if you are going to carry empty chamber practice drawing and chambering a round and practice it a lot. If You do practice it is likely that you can get faster than most guys carrying with one "in the pipe"

There were 2 Stages at the USPSA Limited Nationals that you had to start empty.



One you had to Draw & rack, & the other you had to pick up the gun from the back of a Golf kart , load a mag & rack!!





That kid of stuff teaches you lots on how to handle a pistol!!

 

[ysued]

Wasn't there a case of some guy suing Glock because he chose to carry empty chambered and then he got jumped by some bad guys and couldn't get his weapon ready in time ????

Then again didn't some lady Sue McDonnalds because she spilled hot Coffe on her Crotch??



I bet if this happened, this person would have had problem if he carried hot with a 33 Round mag!!



There's nothing better than pracice!!



Find a way you want to carry, then practice with it, lots!!



Y

 

[DesertRat]

I like to carry with one in the chamber; that is my preference. There are basically two reasons why I do.

When it comes time to use it, the fight vs flight factor kicks in and your body flooded with adrenaline, will you be able to draw, rack the slide and be ready? Or maybe you might fumble with it and things might not go as you’d have hoped. True, if you practice that way then maybe that’s not a problem.

Second, when you feel that you need to draw your gun, there might be the chance you wouldn’t have to fire it. May be and hopefully just by drawing and the presentation of the gun would deter someone. But if you draw and the BG sees you racking the slide that may give him the message that the fight is on no matter what!

 

[Mdnitedrftr]

[quote name='Mdnitedrftr']What makes holstering a hot gun unsafe?

With most holsters it is nearly impossible to holster without sweeping your body at some point in the holstering process and it is a great time for things like shirts or shooting vests to find their way into trigger guards.

[/quote]



Ohhhhhhh you meant hot as in loaded, I thought you meant hot as in temperature wise, like you might get burned cause the barrel was so hot after shooting x amount of rounds.