Chambered or Unchambered?
Do I carry with one in the chamber or not? That is the
question a ton of concealed carry and self-defense advocates are debating.
There are those that claim "you might as well carry a club instead of a
gun if you don't carry with one in the chamber". There are some that say
it's safer to carry without. The main question here is, “how do you feel”? We
will cover a few of these areas in-depth and you will need to decide for
yourself which is better for you. Safety
is the main concern!
Unfortunately, concealed carry classes are the very first organized firearms course many people take. In some cases, this might be the only course they ever take. This is unfortunate! Everyone should take a firearms related course at least once every year or two. It might not always be in the budget or hard to find the time for it. However, if you carry a concealed firearm, it is your responsibility to become as proficient with the firearm as possible. Both with the draw and shot placement!!!
With an unloaded firearm, how often do you practice your draw? Is it a fluid motion or do you hit a few snags? Here is a tip: When you have some “me time” pick out an area of your home where you can practice the draw. Be sure to verify your firearm is unloaded and you do not have any ammo in the area with you. If you are using a semi-auto I would recommend to not have a magazine inserted while practicing (even after you have verified the firearm is unloaded). Practice the draw in front of a mirror and see how it looks and feels to you. Where was your trigger finger when you drew? Did it slip from the frame on to the trigger? If so, then you need to practice a lot more with drawing an unloaded firearm before you carry with one loaded! There is no such thing as accidental discharge. They are all negligent discharges (aka ND) because the firearm owner did not take the time to train or practice safety.
Presentation of the firearm can be a hazardous time for the shooter in a self defense situation. Stress will be high and the adrenaline is pumping! It’s not the same cushy environment where you were practicing your draw technique feeling ridiculously like Harry Calhoun. In a stressful self defense situation the last thing you need is a self inflicted wound from your own ND. How ridiculous do you feel practicing that draw now? The draw and presentation need to be practiced with an unloaded firearm as often as possible! Be sure you know your holster and what type of retention you are using. If you are using an outside the waistband holster you may have a snap, thumb, or trigger finger release. Use caution with the Serpa style holsters and make sure your trigger finger does not hook back into the trigger during the “pull-chest” and “rotate-chest” positions. Keep that trigger finger on the frame until you are on target and have made the decision to fire.
Unfortunately, concealed carry classes are the very first organized firearms course many people take. In some cases, this might be the only course they ever take. This is unfortunate! Everyone should take a firearms related course at least once every year or two. It might not always be in the budget or hard to find the time for it. However, if you carry a concealed firearm, it is your responsibility to become as proficient with the firearm as possible. Both with the draw and shot placement!!!
With an unloaded firearm, how often do you practice your draw? Is it a fluid motion or do you hit a few snags? Here is a tip: When you have some “me time” pick out an area of your home where you can practice the draw. Be sure to verify your firearm is unloaded and you do not have any ammo in the area with you. If you are using a semi-auto I would recommend to not have a magazine inserted while practicing (even after you have verified the firearm is unloaded). Practice the draw in front of a mirror and see how it looks and feels to you. Where was your trigger finger when you drew? Did it slip from the frame on to the trigger? If so, then you need to practice a lot more with drawing an unloaded firearm before you carry with one loaded! There is no such thing as accidental discharge. They are all negligent discharges (aka ND) because the firearm owner did not take the time to train or practice safety.
Presentation of the firearm can be a hazardous time for the shooter in a self defense situation. Stress will be high and the adrenaline is pumping! It’s not the same cushy environment where you were practicing your draw technique feeling ridiculously like Harry Calhoun. In a stressful self defense situation the last thing you need is a self inflicted wound from your own ND. How ridiculous do you feel practicing that draw now? The draw and presentation need to be practiced with an unloaded firearm as often as possible! Be sure you know your holster and what type of retention you are using. If you are using an outside the waistband holster you may have a snap, thumb, or trigger finger release. Use caution with the Serpa style holsters and make sure your trigger finger does not hook back into the trigger during the “pull-chest” and “rotate-chest” positions. Keep that trigger finger on the frame until you are on target and have made the decision to fire.
Take a look at the video below. Was there a ton of time between the chambered
vs. unchambered?
Yes, this was a long amount of time to draw, rack the slide,
aim and shoot compared to carrying with one in the chamber. This amount of time could have been the
difference between life and death in the event you had to escalate to use
deadly force. Train as you fight and
expected the unexpected. Nothing will be
as you plan or hope for. What you can
plan for is that you have properly prepared yourself for the unexpected
situation you may find yourself in some day.
I pray to God this day never comes for my family, friends or my students
but if it does we know the laws and how to act accordingly.
*The primary causes of firearm
accidents are carelessness and ignorance.
Remember to learn, train and educate correctly. Find an instructor in your local area or join a local IDPA league in your area. For those in Utah, feel free to contact us at any time for training. Whether its defensive shooting, Concealed Carry Courses, Hunter Education, NRA Courses or AR-15 classes, we do it all. Contact us at Utah CCW Training.
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