Full Size Carry? Safety or no safety?

[Droff]

I currently carry an M&P9C IWB, which I like but it does not have a thumb safety, so I don't carry with a round chambered. I like the gun and how it shoots but I also have a full size Beretta 92FS and Ruger SR1911 that I like and both shoot well also. I would consider carrying either, other than their size and finding the right holster and carry position. I'm about 6' and svelte 160#.
Another reason is that they both have a safety so I would feel better with a round chambered and the safety on.

So I guess I'd like to know some opinions on carrying with a round in the chamber or carrying without one in the chamber.
Am I kind of defeating the purpose of carrying when I carry a weapon that is not loaded? Thoughts?
Thanks.

 

[120 Acres]

1911 locked and loaded here.

They wont hear the safety clicked off.

 

[travisstorma]

I don't like manual safeties. It is one more thing you have to remember to do when shft. If you do have one, train, train, train!

An Enid police officer was lucky a few months ago. They got in a short pursuit, car crashed. Officer rushed up and one of the BGs had a gun that they were trying to get to fire pointed at the police. It was later discovered that the gun was chamber loaded, but the BG had the manual safety on. I'm sure the BG known that he had to click the safety off. However (Luckily in this case) he didn't. The reason I brought this up is that this could be anyone that CCs.

 

[hrdware]

I always carry with one in the chamber.

My previous carry gun was a Ruger P-90 carried with the safety off. I was confident enough in the firing pin drop block that it didn't bother me to not use the external safety.

My current carry gun is a Ruger SR45 carried with the safety on. The safety on this firearm is in a position that is much easier to reach during the draw than the P-90 was so I carry it on.

If you carry without a round in the chamber, you should practice your draw and rack technique so it is second nature. Those few seconds could make a difference.

You should carry how you are most comfortable carrying, the key is to practice/train in that manner.

 

[Rod Snell]

So I guess I'd like to know some opinions on carrying with a round in the chamber or carrying without one in the chamber.
Am I kind of defeating the purpose of carrying when I carry a weapon that is not loaded? Thoughts?
Thanks.

I hear these kinds of concerns, and IMHO they can be addressed with some training and some (simulated stress) IDPA or USPSA practice.
Once you gain confidence in your gun handling, and see first hand on a timer how many shots you are spotting your opponent (simulated), you will have a better grasp on the tactical realities of carrying an empty gun. I sometimes put such drills into IDPA as giving you something to hold in your off hand (to simulate fending off a knife, say) while you draw and fire strong hand only. When you try it yourself, you start to feel it.

 

[SoonerP226]

An Enid police officer was lucky a few months ago. They got in a short pursuit, car crashed. Officer rushed up and one of the BGs had a gun that they were trying to get to fire pointed at the police. It was later discovered that the gun was chamber loaded, but the BG had the manual safety on. I'm sure the BG known that he had to click the safety off. However (Luckily in this case) he didn't. The reason I brought this up is that this could be anyone that CCs.

Not me--I don't intend to draw down on a JBT.

It depends on the pistole I'm carrying. If it's SA, like a 1911 or Hi-Power, it's cocked and locked. If it's a DA/SA, like a P226 or 92FS, it's hammer down, safety off (if it has a manual safety). I never carry a pistole that's not drop-safe, so I don't worry about carrying chamber-loaded, but I do worry about short-travel, relatively light SA triggers catching on something.

 

[Glocktogo]

So I guess I'd like to know some opinions on carrying with a round in the chamber or carrying without one in the chamber.
Am I kind of defeating the purpose of carrying when I carry a weapon that is not loaded? Thoughts?
Thanks.

Always carry chamber loaded. By its very nature, a defensive firearm is more often going to be a reaction rather than an action. You hope you'll get the drop on whomever is threatening your life, but you can't count on it. You may be in a physical struggle and not have the ability to chamber a round.

There are literally millions of striker fired pistols out there being carried chamber loaded with only the internal and trigger safeties in play. ND's are rare and almost always a result of negligent handling. If you don't trust your manual of arms with it, get some good instruction like TDSA. Shoot IDPA or some other sport that requires drawing from the holster under simulated stress to gain more confidence.

As for manual safeties, I personally recommend carrying pistols without them. Under stress, it’s one less thing to worry about. With a quality holster and proper technique, they’re really unnecessary. If you have a lot of time and experience on something like a 1911 to the point it’s instinctual, I see no reason not to carry one if you have better confidence in your performance with one. That said I see a lot more issues with entry and mid-level shooters getting the first shot off using 1911’s at matches than all others combined. Failure to get the grip safety and manual safety disengaged correctly are usually the culprits. If you ride the thumb safety for better recoil control and to make sure the it stays in the off position while shooting, it opens up the palm and makes keeping the grip safety depressed more difficult, particularly if the grip safety hasn’t been “sensitized”. If you don’t ride the thumb safety, recoil and handling can cause you to inadvertently bump it back on safe, particularly if it’s an extended variety. Catch 22 applies.

Worst of all IMO is carrying a safety equipped auto with the safety disengaged, such as Beretta 92’s and S&W 3rd gen DA/SA guns. The safety gets bumped into the safe position inadvertently and when the shooter tries to get a shot off, all they get is a disabled trigger. That’s a nasty surprise. Even if you routinely carry one with the safety off, you should train to reflexively disengage the safety on the draw, just in case.

Hope that gives you some info to reflect on.

 

[Droff]

Well, pretty much the information and opinions I was looking to get. I got to thinking about this over the weekend so I thought I'd ask the question.
Practice and scenario type shooting seem to be the answer in getting comfortable carrying with a loaded chamber, with/without a safety.
I've tried some pulling, racking and shooting but can only do so much, that's a fairly stout slide on the M&P.
I imagine it would be best to go whichever route I'm good with and practice with that weapon in that config.

 

[travisstorma]

I was cautious when I first stated wanting to carry. When I was waiting on my license I carried my Glock around the house in the holster unloaded, but with the gun racked. After wearing it a few days like that, I figured the trigger never pulled, so I was good to go.

 

[hfa68]

I carry a 9c and prefer a weapon without a manual safety. Now for about the first week and a half, I didn't carry one in the chamber. Once I was fully comfortable with carrying, I'm +1 all the time. Now during the winter months, I'll carry my M&P Fullsize. It all depends on the weather and what I'm wearing that day.