Round in the chamber or no? XD9

[Chefcook]

I'm going to be carrying a Springfield XD9 subcompact soon and I want to know what other people that carry guns that don't have a thumb safety think: Round in the chamber when carrying, or just in the magazine? I know it would be best in a self defense situation to have one in the chamber, but how does safety when not in a defensive situation play into that?

YES...

 

[eldirector]

Thanks for your opinion everyone. I picked up a glaco IWB holster recently and was planning on picking up a Blackhawk! OWB holster once I felt comfortable. I'll carry it unloaded but cocked around my house to get confident, then when I go out I'll have one in the chamber.

Sounds like a good plan. I carried my XD with an empty chamber for a month or so when I first started carrying. Once I was more comfortable, with holstering, drawing and just walking around, I went +1.

I also practiced drawing and holstering, racking the slide, etc... a lot until I felt confident I would do it all safely every time. I still have a mag of snap caps, and do a few refreshers now and then.

Just keep practicing good habits.

 

[DarkRose]

Carrying my P6, one in the chamber. The P6 is a DeCock model, so no safety to fumble with, and VERY stiff/long DA trigger pull, so a ND doesn't concern me as much as some other handguns...

 

[mwg]

I carry one in the chamber of my glock 26. If you use a good holster that covers the trigger you should be ok.

 

[TiminMishawaka]

I carry 5 rounds in the chamber. It's a striker fired pistol right? Why is there an issue with round in the chamber?

 

[Ranger_Ranson]

I always carry a full mag and one in the chamber. I typically carry a Kimber Ultra CDPII at stage 2, chambered w/ hammer dropped and no safety. I'm comfortable with this configuration because the weapon cannot discharge even if dropped. I can quickly cock the hammer when I pull the pistol from its holster.
My biggest fear has always been carrying a pistol, chambered, ready to fire, and it somehow fall from my waste and discharge. Safeties malfunction and Murphy and I don't get along.

 

[Compatriot G]

I always carry a full mag and one in the chamber. I typically carry a Kimber Ultra CDPII at stage 2, chambered w/ hammer dropped and no safety. I'm comfortable with this configuration because the weapon cannot discharge even if dropped. I can quickly cock the hammer when I pull the pistol from its holster.
My biggest fear has always been carrying a pistol, chambered, ready to fire, and it somehow fall from my waste and discharge. Safeties malfunction and Murphy and I don't get along.

The U.S. Army tested this in the 1920's. They dropped 1911's which were cocked and unlocked onto concrete surfaces from various heights. I don't remember the greatest height, but I want to say it was around 50'. They dropped them on their hammers. Not a single pistol discharged.

 

[Roadie]

My GoogleFu is weak tonite, so I cant find the video...
..but I started carrying with one in the chamber after seeing a video of a jewelry store owner shot and killed while fumbling with his "not ready" gun.

 

[Benny]

Thanks for your opinion everyone. I picked up a glaco IWB holster recently and was planning on picking up a Blackhawk! OWB holster once I felt comfortable. I'll carry it unloaded but cocked around my house to get confident, then when I go out I'll have one in the chamber.

I'm just now getting to this thread, but I +1 the suggestion of carrying it cocked but unchambered until you feel comfortable...When I got my first Glock (G19 that is my EDC now) I used this method for well over two weeks before I was comfortable. You will learn in a hurry that the safety between your ears is all you need.

BTW, do you currently carry anything or is will this be your first? If you already carry, you should obviously just keep carrying what you are comfortable with, but if you are a new LTCH owner, carry the hell out of that unchambered XD9! It's obviously better than nothing.

 

[mrortega]

My GoogleFu is weak tonite, so I cant find the video...
..but I started carrying with one in the chamber after seeing a video of a jewelry store owner shot and killed while fumbling with his "not ready" gun.

I saw something like that. From what I remember the perps came in and immediately started shooting. Not even TF on speed could have drawn and fired quickly enough to have defended himself

 

[thebishopp]

Pretty much imo your question is like Ford vs Chevy, Hammer vs striker fired.

For me, I would NOT have one in the chamber unless I was ready to fire. The firearm is ready to fire therefore less trigger pull and less force to fire.

If you are in a SHTF situation etc, you can be racking the slide as you are pulling the firearm up to aim.

This is bad advice. if you are in a shtf situation the odds are that you will NOT have time to draw, rack the slide, and fire. If you think you can let me stand 20 feet away from you and rush you with a knife. If you can draw, rack the slide, and positively drop me before I stick that knife in you then you are far better than most competitive marksman. They've proven this over and over again and people who practice daily and who's job is to train cqc can not do this. Forget about it if your opponent has a gun WITH a round in THEIR chamber.

As far as it being "safer"... why sure, it would be even safer if you kept the magazine in your pocket in case the BG takes your gun before you can rack that round.

 

[andrewjames124]

I'm just now getting to this thread, but I +1 the suggestion of carrying it cocked but unchambered until you feel comfortable...When I got my first Glock (G19 that is my EDC now) I used this method for well over two weeks before I was comfortable. You will learn in a hurry that the safety between your ears is all you need.

BTW, do you currently carry anything or is will this be your first? If you already carry, you should obviously just keep carrying what you are comfortable with, but if you are a new LTCH owner, carry the hell out of that unchambered XD9! It's obviously better than nothing.

This will be the first gun that I carry. I think that I'm going to be carrying with one in the chamber once I have enough practice to know that I'm not going to pull the trigger when I draw

 

[thebishopp]

This will be the first gun that I carry. I think that I'm going to be carrying with one in the chamber once I have enough practice to know that I'm not going to pull the trigger when I draw

Good. Be sure to keep practicing. Unlike riding a bike, firearms proficiency is a perishable skill.

 

[Rambler]

I saw something like that. From what I remember the perps came in and immediately started shooting. Not even TF on speed could have drawn and fired quickly enough to have defended himself

Here's the video:

LiveLeak.com - Jewelery Store Shooting in Agra

Please enlighten us on which bullet killed the store owner. Was it the first bullet, or the several more that he took while trying to get his "safe" pistol into action by racking the slide? Looks to me like although he may have been shot once or twice, a ready pistol would have allowed him to return fire effectively and perhaps defended himself from death, if not injury.

Roll however you see fit. Personally, I choose not to stick my head in the sand. Twenty + years experience in carrying a Glock, chamber always loaded, zero problems.

 

[Boost Lee]

If the people here that are making an argument against +1 carrying that also stand behind
the statement that it's "more of a risk when you pull it from the holster"...

I have to ask: What situation are you pulling your firearm from the holster that you DON'T plan on pulling the trigger?

Situational awareness is key - but you can't turn that key if you don't use the safety between your two ears.
If you're getting home, mellowing out after a long day and go to pull the firearm from your holster...
that should be the only non-threat situation to remove it and you should have zero adrenaline or panic.

I can't reiterate enough how important it is to TRUST yourself and more importantly, trust and be comfortable with your EDC firearm.

 

[SMiller]

If you have to start a thread titled as so then you need to get some schooling, you will now when you are ready, carrying without one in the chamber can/will get you hurt.

 

[IndianaSigma]

I am a new carrier as well. I've been practicing my drawing on a regular basis, but I carry without one in the chamber for now.

If you are good, both methods can be ready to fire in under a second:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-w9vKyB74c

 

[Concerned Citizen]

I carry an FNP-9, no safety, 16+1 in the chamber, with the hammer released down. The FN is both single & double action, so cocked with the hammer down means it's ready to fire, but has a little long trigger pull to fire. When I carry a revolver (Ruger SP101 357 Mag) I carry it with one (5) in the chamber with the hammer down, and it has no safety. This is not much different than a revolver, in this way.

 

[Patrolman1981]

round chambered............unless you want the perp to take your gun from you and shoot you with your own gun.........i don't know about you but I ain't going down like that.

 

[Roadie]

.