Do you carry a full magazine + one in the chamber?

[Roadie]

Actually, it's like if one cube slot cracks in the tray, do you just not fill any of them up?

I don't carry a round in the chamber at all. I can rack the slide in about half a second. I'll have it out in plenty of time to do that, if it's needed.

1/2 second could be the difference between life and death..
Just ask this guy:
[ame=http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=086_1260862712]LiveLeak.com - Jewelery Store Shooting in Agra[/ame]

 

[GunsNstuff]

Most times I leave the 15 round mag at home and use the Clinton 10 rounder to save weight. Or I leave the auto at home and just carry the 5 shot revolver. I live a very low risk life though.

 

[GunsNstuff]

Of course if I worked in a jewelry store or a quick stop, I'd probably have the gun completely full and chambered. Anything can happen anywhere but there are places where it's more likely that something bad will happen and places where it's less likely that something will happen. I stay in the less likely category these days.

 

[Roadie]

I've said it before, I will say it again..

Would you drive your car without a seatbelt, then when traffic gets heavy put it on because of perceived "increased risk" then take it off again when traffic clears?

 

[GBuck]

I've said it before, I will say it again..

Would you drive your car without a seatbelt, then when traffic gets heavy put it on because of perceived "increased risk" then take it off again when traffic clears?

Yes.

 

[rvb]

I'll be the odd man out.
I was looking for an "it depends" option. So I didn't vote.

I don't have a firm rule of "what's enough," but I do NOT top off my G19 (15 rounds total), but I DO top off my 1911 (9 rounds total). It is handy to not have to handle a loose round in the event you need/want to unload it. And if 15's not enough, I need another magazine (and maybe air support).

Most of the time, I only have 5 rounds in my 642, so down a round is still considerably more...

-rvb

 

[minuteman32]

I have carried my guns fully loaded for years. When I got on a local PD, I found it interesting that they issued me a Glock 22, 3 mags & 46 rounds of ammo! Not a full box, not 45 rounds, but FORTY SIX! I guess they wanted full mags & a round in the chamber, too.

 

[Hookeye]

Does that mean that their dept's stats say one bad guy down in 46 shots?

 

[Classic Liberal]

Yes, and carry in condition 0!

 

[VERT]

I have carried my guns fully loaded for years. When I got on a local PD, I found it interesting that they issued me a Glock 22, 3 mags & 46 rounds of ammo! Not a full box, not 45 rounds, but FORTY SIX! I guess they wanted full mags & a round in the chamber, too.

Strange. You would think they would simply issue a full 50 round box every couple of months. After all a person could loose the plus one or repeated loadings could cause the bullet to set back. Nothing wrong with having a few extra cartridges.

 

[Laughing Snake]

This is just my way...but I normally rack the slide when I draw my handgun to be certain there's a round ready so the +1 in the chamber is a waste for me.

 

[ATM]

This is just my way...but I normally rack the slide when I draw my handgun to be certain there's a round ready so the +1 in the chamber is a waste for me.

Ever heard of a press check?

http://www.americanrifleman.org/blogs/Conducting-Press-Check/

 

[Citizen711]

Of course if I worked in a jewelry store or a quick stop, I'd probably have the gun completely full and chambered. Anything can happen anywhere but there are places where it's more likely that something bad will happen and places where it's less likely that something will happen. I stay in the less likely category these days.

^^^ This. Plus, the guy in that video clearly had not practiced much with his gun. Had he successfully racked it in that first half second, things could have turned out much better for him.

 

[mrortega]

Pipman, your technique is referred to as a "Bubba load". Sooner or later, but eventually, it will screw up your extractor.

When the slide strips a round out of the mag the cartridge rim mostly rides up under the extractor. The extractor flexes very little, if at all. When you slam the slide against a round already in the chamber the extractor has to flex to bump over the rim. Upon firing the ejector hits the opposite side of the round and flips it away from the extractor without much movement of the later again. Hence, you are making the extractor do a lot more flexing than it should.

 

[mrortega]

This is just my way...but I normally rack the slide when I draw my handgun to be certain there's a round ready so the +1 in the chamber is a waste for me.

Good luck if your other hand is occupied or injured.

 

[fireman28]

I have to go with no on my springfield 1911 with out the safety and yes with my ruger with the safety decocker. I don't want to be that guy that dropped his gun and it landed on the hammer and shot him in the face.
But it is better to have one in the chamber just in case.

 

[GBuck]

I have to go with no on my springfield 1911 with out the safety and yes with my ruger with the safety decocker. I don't want to be that guy that dropped his gun and it landed on the hammer and shot him in the face.
But it is better to have one in the chamber just in case.

Your 1911 doesn't have a safety?

 

[Roadie]

This is just my way...but I normally rack the slide when I draw my handgun to be certain there's a round ready so the +1 in the chamber is a waste for me.

^^^ This. Plus, the guy in that video clearly had not practiced much with his gun. Had he successfully racked it in that first half second, things could have turned out much better for him.

Just curious, have either of you had any training?

Good luck if your other hand is occupied or injured.

 

[GBuck]

Just curious, have either of you had any training?

Yes, I'm sure they have. With Israeli Mossad.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRdZ3hZ8y-w&feature=related[/ame]

 

[mrortega]

I have to go with no on my springfield 1911 with out the safety and yes with my ruger with the safety decocker. I don't want to be that guy that dropped his gun and it landed on the hammer and shot him in the face.
But it is better to have one in the chamber just in case.

Have you disabled the grip safety on the 1911? (I guess if you dropped the gun just right, the grip safety hit a protruding board and did it hard enough to jar the hammer you could have a problem.)