Being comfortable carrying Condition One

[Mark W.]

Ah, yup. Revolvers make life simple--six in the chamber.

I go with 5) of course most days they are .44spl. with a 200 grain hollow point that looks like someone tried to make a place to park a 5 gallon bucket in the tip. LOL. Think of it as getting hit with a very large brick that only goes 3/4 of the way through the bad guys chest. LOL

 

[DunRanull]

Back then when I was a young & strong bull I didn't feel the need to carry for defensive purposes because I felt very confident that I could diffuse any situation and BTF out of anyone who dared to try make an easy mark of me.

BoyHowdy I remember those days! Very well put... Time has a way of catching up with us, and sometimes so does wisdom eh...

 

[The Courier]

It took me awhile to get comfortable keeping one in the chamber as due to my job at the time I had to pocket carry and the idea of a 357 sig in my thigh wasn't too appealing, after practicing clearing the weapon and chambering a round I came to the conclusion a weapon for protection should be quick to deploy and there's way too many variables when trying to rack the slide.

 

[hookr26]

Condition 1, mag loaded to capacity and round in the chamber.

Using civilian training methods, I imparted the agencies suggestion of, graduation of personal carry.
1 around house empty,
2 around house with mag,
3 around house condition 1.
4 out of house with loaded mag, no bullet in chamber (if you were uncomfortable with it),
5 out of house, condition 1.

I always gave my personal suggestion, (as a long time LEO trainrr) they not carry outside the house until they could comfortably carry outside the house in condition 1.

To carry without the ability to address your threat directly, without loading the gun first, is not consistant with the way we train use of force firearms handling today.

In countries where they often rely on firearms that cannot be carried safetly in condition 1, these styles of draw are taught.

I suggest you never trust your life to a second rate firearm.

Just my 2 cents as a 30+ year professional leo firearms/use of force trainer.

 

[clearconscience]

I fully understand how you feel and I was the same way.
I carry a glock and carried to for a couple years without it chambered.
But as watching a ton of self defense videos and knowing most of the time when I carry I'm with my kids I had to start carrying chambered.
When i have my kids half the time I carrying one of them and thinking of a self defense situation when I'm holding my kid I wouldn't be able to take a minute or more to set my kid down keep them safe, unholster my firearm and rack the slide.

Bad guys don't wait. Just the secs it may take to draw a firearm may be too long. Why add to it?

The more you carry and practice the more you will feel more comfortable with carrying cond 1.
Just never get complacent. Never stop fearing your firearm.

 

[Pops1911]

For all of the above reasons I am really starting to like the DA/SA all metal pistols a lot. One in the pipe and a lllooooonnnnnggggg first trigger pull for "bang". After that, 4.5lbs per trigger press. I always practice with at least one full mag per range session of nothing but the long DA shots. That has upped my confidence in making that first DA shot count.

 

[orygun]

I quite often carry a 1911. Condition One is the only way I do. If I'm carrying any other handgun there's one in the chamber then, too.

When I first started carrying what I did to make myself comfortable was to use a thumb break holster. No matter the gun's safeties, that strap of leather made sure the gun couldn't fire.
After I got used to the thing it wasn't a bit deal. I still use a thumb break holster when bouncing around in the toolies, but other than that it's an IWB, Condition One.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

To get used to carrying chambered, just watch attack videos.. You'll see the lack of time and space people have in a scenario like that. Racking a slide just costs a person precious time, and not all are able to do so like they think they can in an emergency situation.

 

[JohnnyD]

I always carry condition 1 unless I just toss it in my pocket to go to the mail box or something. normally carry my colt combat commander or my sig p938. 1 Thing I love about my sig is I can pull the hammer back put the safety on and then rack a round it. nice knowing the entire time it's loaded the safety will be on.

 

[Hawaiian]

Always one in the chamber. I carry HK's. The safety is on and my muscle memory will move it off with my thumb upon drawing from the holster. I also usually have the hammer decocked or down. I can easily and discreetly cock it back if my surroundings don't seem right, with the safety remaining on until I draw.