Uneasy about carrying one in the pipe?

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All my revolvers that I carry are always fully loaded, No empty chambers. My sa/das will usually always have one in the pipe,hammer down and safety on. Now no matter what anyone says I will never carry a 1911 cocked and locked. I have a personal problem with that so I never carry my .45
Now onto my newly purchased Glock 27. Still haven't carried that one yet since I didn't get my holster for it yet and I will not carry it unless it's holstered. As far as carrying with one in the tube, Well I'm going to have to practice that with the suggestions that I have recieved here. Different gun style with a different trigger system in which I'm not used to and as they say Practice makes Perfect. Sooooo there is my thoughts on this matter FWIW ;)

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We preserve our freedoms by using four boxes: soap,ballot,jury, and cartridge.
Anonymous

[This message has been edited by loknload (edited July 06, 2000).]
 
Hi FUD:
I have a Mk9 and like it a lot. I generally feel more comfortable carrying it with an empty chamber. There was some talk of the Mk9 failing a drop test a while back. I know there is an article on the Kahr home page about it passing a drop test. This is a question you might pose to Frank Harris at Kahr. If you get an answer please let me know.

Best,

Jeff
 
I think I posted in response to awhile back on this subject? In brief, the Kahrs and Glocks are "pre-cocked", to a certain extent. I can only speak for the Kahr, as I have personally broken one down to its bits and pieces.
For it to disharge, w/o manipulation of the trigger, would be impossible, IMHO. Not only would the firing pin(striker) safety have to "fail", it would literally have to disintegrate into powder to allow the striker the freedom to move forward. THEN, the raised "bump" on the cocking cam(maintains rearward pressure on the striker) would have to SIMULTANEOUSLY shear off, allowing the spring to propel it forward through the sintered remains of the striker safety.
A starving infant in Calcutta has a far greater chance of hitting the Powerball, than EITHER of those two postulates coming to pass. :)
 
Sorry, but anyone who thinks a gun is going to spontaneously become possessed by demons and fire itself in the holster shouldn't be carrying a gun, period.

Even if internal safety devices fail, it still takes pressure on the face of the trigger to fire the gun. (especially on those
without external hammers and internal sears)

How is the trigger going to be spontaneously
pressed if the gun is carried in a rigid holster that fully encloses the triggerguard?

The best safety device is the one between your ears. However, it appears that in this day an age that this crucial safety device is either missing or not properly installed.
This is due to lack of common sense.
 
I have, and generally favor, revolvers as carry guns.

I have a 1911A1.

I have a Kahr K9.

The only one I won't carry with a round in the chamber is the 1911. I've never been comfortable with the concept of cocked and locked, but that is a personal thing, not a blanket statement on the advisability of the practice.

In my situation, since I'm not comfortable with it, I do not think that it is advisable. You should ALWAYS be fully comfortable with your defensive firearms and the method in which you carry them.

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Beware the man with the S&W .357 Mag.
Chances are he knows how to use it.
 
Fud,
I carry my Glock 26 with a round in the chamber. I also have the 3.5lb connector and reduced power trigger spring installed. I have trained myself to keep the trigger off the trigger unless I an ready to shoot. I am the ONLY one that handles this weapon. I carry it in a holster that completely covers the trigger guard. It is an IWB unit. You know which body part the muzzle is pointed in the general direction of. I have NO problem with this. I have chosen to adapt this method of carry, I will be very careful.

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Yeah, I got a permit to carry,it's called the friggin Constitution.---Ted Nugent

"Glock 26: 17 rounds of concealed carry DEATH comming your way from out of nowhere!!! THAT'S FIREPOWER, BABY!!!"
 
Since I don't own or shoot the traditional
SA revolver's; I always carry one up the pipe. Of course, my CCW has changed over
the last few years from the world famous
Sig-Sauer's, to a Glock 27 for everyday,
casual dress. If in a suit and tie or
dressed like a "redneck"; you might very
well find me still armed with the Sig P220
in .45ACP. :eek: In any case, the main
idea is to keep your finger off the trigger;
until you acquire a proper target.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
There seems to be alot of uneasiness regarding carrying a 1911 in condition 1. I ask you, have you ever carried a shotgun or rifle hunting? Same principle only the safteys on those could very well be less positive. A 1911 IN GOOD MECHANICAL CONDITION must be droped on it's muzzle from over 20' to overcome the firng pin spring. The Series 80 Colts have a firing pin block that prevents this. Other than that, the gun must malfunction to have an AD, or more likely, an ND due to "I thought the safety was on". For the record the only time I've ever heard of a gun going off by itself was an SKB s/s that discharged due to expanding and contracting metal during a period of cold weather. This was confirmed in a lab.



[This message has been edited by PKN (edited July 07, 2000).]
 
1911
Cocked and locked.

My Kimber Ultra Carry has both a manual safety and a grip safety. I wouldn't carry it any other way. I simply draw it and push the manual safety with my thumb as I'm removing it from my holster, without my finger on the trigger. I've practiced this repeatedly, and I feel safe. I'd hate to have to use my free hand to rack the slide.

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NRA Life Member
Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners(MCRGO)
 
Fud,

I always carry a round chambered in: (1) my .357 magnums, which all have firing pin blocks, (2) my Sigs, which have been de-cocked, and (3) my 1911A1s (Kimber and Colt), which have multiple safeties (and are carried in Condition One).

However, I never carry my Glock with "one in the pipe", for the reasons you (and others) have already mentioned.

Regards.
 
FUD, Get someone whos very familar with the glock/kahr pistols to go through a complete disassembly/reassembly with you so you can see how the internals work. I think that when you understand whats going on in there you will gain alot of confidence in the safety of the mechanisim. Is understandable that if the internals of the pistol are just a black-box it would be hard to be confident in the safety of chambered carry.
 
My usual carry gun is a G30, G27, or Kahr MK9. I carry all of them with a round chambered in clip-on IWB holsters by Horseshoe Leather Products. When taking off the gun, I simply remove the whole holster and put it away with the gun in it. The guns never leave the holsters except at the range or at home, for cleaning or practice. Because it's a relatively rare occurrence, I am constantly vigilant when any of these guns is out of its holster. I have no problem with carrying this way.
 
Fud,

In many ways, a Kahr is not much different than a Smith & Wesson revolver with a concealed hammer.

The firing pin is positively held by the linkage/cocking stud until the trigger is pulled, so I don't think there is any chance of it discharding if dropped.

Also, the long, somewhat stiff trigger pull helps prevent accidental discharges.

I've no problems carrying my Kahr fully charged and ready to go.

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Beware the man with the S&W .357 Mag.
Chances are he knows how to use it.
 
I have been carrying semi-autos [1911's] for years and ONLY WHEN I FEEL A THREAT would I "jack a round".

I feel the Glock with a round in the chamber is a blessing. It will set there...There is no hammer safety to be accidently knocked off. To be this secure you must know YOUR and your weapon's limitations.
 
I carry a K40 and actually feel safer with all the safeties internal to the weapon. The striker design is such that not only is it inherently safe, but no outside influence, other than squeezing the trigger, can make it any less so. While I haven't looked carefully at the Glock, I would assume that it is similarly safe.

The only caveat to this is that I would never carry in a soft holster without a trigger (safe-t-block) type device.

Additionally, you can check the striker safety everytime you clean the weapon. Assuming that you are practicing regularly, you are therefore cleaning your weapon regularly; any structural defect should become apparent fairly soon.
 
First, I would never carry a firearm for self defense that was not "filled to the brim," and "Ready For Freddy."

That said, if I were someone afraid of "a round in the chamber," then I would practice drawing and racking the slide [USING DUMMY AMMO!!], at least 3,000 times. That is about the number of repititions which would make the operation commit to memory as a NATURAL part of self defense actions, if need be.

(By the way, I know of several real life situtations where a man or woman could not have been able to rack a slide, in desparate self defense episodes. They managed to pull and fire immediately and save their lives.)

JMHO. J.B.
 
Always have one in the pipe with Glock and Kel-Tec. And always either have the trigger guard covered by a holster, OR have a Saf-T-Blok on the Glock (e.g. when in a fanny pack). But I'm in the habit of being very consciencious about handling the pistol safely when removed from the holster (don't point at anything, remove mag, rack, visually inspect chamber, don't ever hand the gun to anyone without doing all the foregoing, etc.).
 
I always carry my double action revolvers with an empty chamber. I know that I can draw, open the cylinder, and load a speed loader full of ammo before the bad guy or bear covers 7 yards! If you believe this I want to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge. Handguns are meant to be carried loaded. An unloaded pistol for defense defeats the purpose of being armed. The only exception I make is an empty chamber under the hammer on all single action revolvers. Regards, Richard.
 
As you can see from all written above, it is pretty much a personal preference. I've carried in the pipe and with the pipe empty.

It doesn't make your gun uselss if there is not one in the pipe or not. The first thing to remember when carrying or not is "awareness". It is rare that the threat will just appear out of nowhere and force you into a Wyatt Earp fast draw. Let's get real guys.

I know many guys who carry without one in the pipe and they rack the slide very fast while bringing the gun into play. Practice!

What has to be considered also is how the gun is being carried. Fanny Pack, IWB, SOB, Ankle, Cross Draw or Stronside. The placement of the weapon as well as the clothing you are wearing will dictate the way the gun is carried.

When I carry my G26 SOB it's with one in the pipe. However, when I put it in the front of my pants without a holster (I know it's not recommended but circumstances have dictated such) there is no way that it will have one in the chamber!!!

When it's in a fanny pack, no problem.

As has been stated over and over again, go with what you are comfortable with and what you've trained/practiced with.

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The best weapon for self defense is the one you have when the need arises!
 
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