new to carrying

[plblark]

I shoot the carry mag at the start of the practice session then shoot range stuff, then reload. If I were being economical, I'd drop the carry mag and download it to x (+ the one in the chamber) and shoot that. Then I'd be shooting some full house SD loads but not all of them and wouldn't have to deal with setback.

[Wodtke19]

I carried for a while without one chambered. Then I ran across this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMbIC0RPBRs&feature=plcp

He makes some good points. Whether you like him or not is a different story. Congrats on the permit!

Excellent video!!

However, I'm still going to stick my head out from under my bridge and ask "Why are you carrying if you don't have 100% confidence in the gun you're using, and possibly 100% confidence that you can/will use it if you have to??"

Nervous about people seeing the gun is normal, and quickly goes away. But you need to be honest with yourself about WHY you don't want to carry with the gun completely ready, and where this nervousness is really coming from. And quite frankly, being nervous about people seeing the gun has NOTHING to do with whether it's unloaded, loaded with an empty chamber, or cocked and locked. So spend some time figuring this out, and from the comment that you only got about three minutes range time DOES make me wonder who your instructor was, (and I can guess, too...), and it's abuntantly clear that you need to spend HOURS shooting HUNDREDS of rounds of ammo at the range to get completely familiar with the gun. PTC courses are instruction, and instruction only, and even the best PTC with the most range time doesn't even to BEGIN to be a substitute for getting confidence in your gun and your own ability to use it without even thinking about it, which is what's really necessary if you're going to carry.

I never said i didnt have confidence in my gun or will to use it if need be. Like i stated before i have put roughly about 600 rounds through it. I know that probably does not qualify as a lot but in my opinion I do feel like i know my gun and how it works. As far as holster work goes, I do need to work on that. I guess i made the mistake here of saying i was nervous. Just like I was nervous the first few times i took my motorcycle out by my self after just getting that. I know i have nothing to be nervous about in reality. Its just one of those things i guess i cant really explain.

[rtk]

I shoot the carry mag at the start of the practice session then shoot range stuff, then reload. If I were being economical, I'd drop the carry mag and download it to x (+ the one in the chamber) and shoot that. Then I'd be shooting some full house SD loads but not all of them and wouldn't have to deal with setback.

This is good advice.

[Seismic Sam]

The other thing you can do is load the mag, and with the slide back and locked and the gun pointing down but NOT at one of your feet, drop a round into the chamber, and then let the slide snap home. Then insert the full mag, and make sure the mag catch is FULLy engaged. If you don't reload and hit the range a few times a month, that carry ammo can start to add up. And you're right to worry, because I've had some Glaser Blue ammo set back on me with as little as two chamberings from a mag.

[Pat Cannon]

The other thing you can do is load the mag, and with the slide back and locked and the gun pointing down but NOT at one of your feet, drop a round into the chamber, and then let the slide snap home.

This will force the extractor hook to bump over the rim of the cartridge, which some people will freak out about, although I recall seeing this method taught in an old US Army 1911 manual.

[Seismic Sam]

Well, I'm having a hard time seeing how a 45 case could cam up smoothly enough in feeding to slide UNDER the extractor hook on a consistent basis. Anybody got any high speed videos of a 45 cycling, or a description of how this whole process specifically works??

[Countryfried Frank]

I don't blame you for not having one in the chamber. There are plenty of good reasons for and against. I won't recommend one manner of carry over another for you but I will recommend that you train like you carry. Snap Caps are great for dry fire practice just double check to make sure your handgun is clear first.

I guess I fail to see one advantage of carrying a weapon that is not fully loaded. Enlighten me please.

Simple, you're still carrying. I don't do anything that I'm not comfortable with involving firearms and I am not going to recommend that someone else do otherwise. Case in point, at the latest steel shoot China made a suggestion to me that could shave a couple seconds off my time on a weak hand only stage. I wan't confident that I could reliably perform it without dropping my pistol so I thanked her for her suggestion and let her know I would try it with snap caps before trying it with a loaded handgun. I since have and now will put it to practice the next time I am shooting a weak hand only stage. Sometimes you have to walk before you run.

I guess the way I see it is that, you don't pull the trigger and it doesn't go bang. And everyone is happy and safe. My gun has a manual safety and I got a lot of crap from glock guys saying carry guns should not even have safeties.

I agree with your sentiment. I prefer one in the chamber (actually one in each chamber but that's a different story) and my handgun does not have a manual safety. My point is that the only person that can determine what is right for any individual is that particular individual. You and I agree as it refers to ourselves. As it refers to the OP I only think he should train in the manner he chooses to carry.

[connsolo]

My first carry gun was an sp101. Just felt more comfortable with a wheel gun. Felt more transparent to me. I still carry it occasionally. A double action piece might help you feel more comfortable carrying with one in the chamber. Just a thought.

[sgruenhagen44]

...I guess I fail to see one advantage of carrying a weapon that is not fully loaded. Enlighten me please...

I will...
I think you all are missing the point. The OP is not, initially, carrying the pistol for personal protection--he's carrying it to get used to carrying a pistol. Once he feels comfortable doing so, as he stated, he will begin carrying for personal protection with one in the pipe. I think most here can appreciate what it feels like carrying the first time (or few times); I'm printing, everyone knows, it's going to go bang for no reason, etc... While the points made here are valid and very real in terms of carrying empty for self defense, that's not his goal at this point. Get off his ass.

I just went by the op which said nothing about only carrying an empty chamber at HOME. Just said carry. My personal opinion is that carrying an empty chamber is an extra risk. I carry a gun for personal protection. I feel that I am prepared to use my weapon mentally and physically. I shoot it a lot, from what I hear most gun fights end within seconds and are close range. Why waste time racking a round? If i was worried about random discharges I wouldn't stick a 9mm inside my pants in the first place I'm not flaming anybody. How he decides to carry his weapon does not affect me. I'm just giving my .02 And by the way, not trying to be a smart a** either, but no one has given me an advantage to carrying with an empty chamber yet.

[sgruenhagen44]

My first carry gun was an sp101. Just felt more comfortable with a wheel gun. Felt more transparent to me. I still carry it occasionally. A double action piece might help you feel more comfortable carrying with one in the chamber. Just a thought.

This is true as well. My first carry gun was double action. And in response to fried frank, just being armed is not an advantage to having a round in the chamber. But you're right in the sense that you shoudn't do whats not comfortable.

[XDM45]

I shoot the carry mag at the start of the practice session then shoot range stuff, then reload. If I were being economical, I'd drop the carry mag and download it to x (+ the one in the chamber) and shoot that. Then I'd be shooting some full house SD loads but not all of them and wouldn't have to deal with setback.

This is good advice.

That would work, but it's also expensive to shoot off the hollowpoints especially to just clear the chamber vs. cycling them and getting that problem with cycling the same casing over and over and over time after time.

[Ivan45]

Clearing your weapon of your carry rounds gives you a functional piece of mind. Worth the price

[XDM45]

Clearing your weapon of your carry rounds gives you a functional piece of mind. Worth the price

If you can't trust it, you shouldn't carry it. This holds true for guns and ammo. I'm all for testing it, but every time? I don't think that's needed.

[Stradawhovious]

I'm all for testing it, but every time? I don't think that's needed.

Then how often?

Once?

Once a year?

Once every 5 years?

Periodic function tests are an important part of being able to trust your weapon. If you don't do them, you can't be surprised if your weapon fails when you need it most.

EVERY gun malfunctions for one reason or another. To blindly trust that your firearm will work without periodic function tests is silly. I send rounds down range through my carry piece almost every range trip (usually just spend my carry ammo and replace it with fresh), and they happen fairly frequently. Is it expensive to shoot PD ammo at the range? Yeah, it can be..... but worth it. It's the best way I know of to cycle carry ammo. All in all it really only ends up being about 200 rounds a year give or take. To some that may be a little excessive, but to me it's par for the course.

[sgruenhagen44]

See for me i just carry winchester whitebox. I know a lot of guys will disagree with that decision. I carry it because i shoot it so much. It's all relative. 9mm practice ammo hits harder then some other calibers that people carry. I really enjoy shooting my sr9c and usually send about 300 rounds down range every trip. I know that gun from point blank to 25 yards. It's my only auto, maybe thats why its so fun. For me its all about confidence, my gun has had one malfunction since I bought it, and have put around 2000 rounds through it. The recoil is very controlable so its easy to shoot fast and accuarte. I don't know if going to some high power loads would make me feel any better.