Help ease my mind.

[benschne]

I carry a Glock 23 and had the same concern at first. I would suggest carrying at home with the trigger set and the gun unloaded and put it through its paces. Bump it, jump with it, jump on the trampoline, whatever. It will ease your mind once you realize that nothing is going to happen as long as nothing applies pressure to the trigger. G Forces from bumps just isn't going to do it.

I also heavily researched the actual functions of the trigger safety. Glock has this one their website, not sure about any other brand.

 

[inactive]

Your fear is irrational unless you are not competent. That is the way your gun is designed to be carried.

That said, I'm not sure the majority of gun owners would meet most instructors' definition of "competent".

If you're uncomfortable with a round in the chamber, you are likely not competent yet and you should get professional training ASAP.

Michael Brown

I respectfully disagree. You can be "competent" but not yet carried frequently enought to be "comfortable." Competence comes with learning and practice, but comfort truly only comes with successful and demonstrated experience. You will always have some discomfort the first times you carry until you do it a few times and end up NOT shooting yourself in the leg.

Get your license, shoot at the range often, gain confidence in yourself and your weapon. Handle your weapon frequently at home just to get completely familiar with it. Carry in condition three if you want at first (better than unarmed) and with your experience will come that comfort.

Just don't allow that comfort to grow into complacency.

 

[willnotgoquietly]

Hello.
My First post here. I have carried CCW for about a year. I know how you feel with one in the pipe, but as others have said, it is the only way to go. When your start carrying your weapon in public, you will feel that everyone somehow knows. They don't and don't care. You weapon won't fire unless you pull the trigger. Put it in a holster that covers the trigger and don't touch it while your out. Be careful about pushing on it, messing with the holster, or resting you hand on it. It will feel really weird, but it won't fall out.
I would add to the other post's that you need to get to know your weapon. I have 3 CCW pistols, Sm 38 spl, LCP and Glock 19 now and can tell you that they all have good points and bad. No one pistol will ever be perfect for every outing. As another poster said a small J Frame might make you feel better about caring one in the pipe. You really have to want to pull the trigger on those things. That said, it was not long before the Glock 19 became my primary carry. After shooting it many, many times and studying the three safties I am 100% confident that it will not go off without pulling the trigger.
Mine stays in a holster [Loaded] unless it is getting shot at the range, cleaned or I'm dry firing in my back room pointed in a safe direction. You can't go wrong with that.

Your M&P is a fine weapon, You only need a good holster. With some time, you will be comfortable, without ever worrying about a discharge as long as it stays in the leather.
J

PS. Practice, practice, practice keeping your finger in register.

 

[blutch]

Thank you so much for all the comments so far. This group is just the greatest with so many people willing to help a newcomer with sincere, helpful responses.

I don't doubt that I am not yet competent. I'm working on that and hope to be much much closer to competent by the time my license arrives. A couple more questions for clarification...

1. When I said I carried concealed in my car, I neglected to mention the gun was completely unloaded. I was just trying to see how it feels when driving. I'm not sure how this is different from having the gun in a case on the floor next to me unloaded.

2. Someone mentioned lots of dry fire. This is most likely a very stupid question.. but.. here goes.. that hasn't stopped me before. :-) With the M&P I have to manually rack the slide each time I dry fire it right? Is there some trick to get it to cycle dry that I haven't heard about?

If not, I don't see how lots of dry firing would be as helpful as it is with a revolver.

Thanks again for the comments. Keep them coming.

B

 

[grwd]

Take a pistol class.
taking anything else to heart is just listening to a bunch of guys in their underwear on the internet.

 

[inactive]

2. Someone mentioned lots of dry fire. This is most likely a very stupid question.. but.. here goes.. that hasn't stopped me before. :-) With the M&P I have to manually rack the slide each time I dry fire it right? Is there some trick to get it to cycle dry that I haven't heard about?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBf0HLg4fZU

May be worth a shot.

 

[blutch]

Take a pistol class.
taking anything else to heart is just listening to a bunch of guys in their underwear on the internet.

Mike,

I hope to do that soon. I would like to try competitive shooting as well and hope to shoot the November IPSC in OKC. Maybe I will meet you there. There is a lot to do and a lot to pay for. :-)

I was wondering if anyone felt that I could get more out of a 2 hour private lesson than I would out of a group class. Couldn't the instructor get more into my specific needs? I've been reading a bunch - real books not just guys in their underwear - and practicing also. The all day classes aren't very practical for me right now.

B

 

[twoguns?]

+1 on the Training. All these ?? were answered in the Classes I took . You Can rack the slide with one hand, I wouldnt carry that way. One of the instructors was a LEO he carried a small Glock appendix carry uncocked, to protect the Jewells, and, if it were taken away or dropped He would be facing an unloaded gun, it would give him some time. He cold put that gun to work Pretty quickly( with practice Im sure). +1 on the carrying around the house cocked Without one in the pipe, Has it accidently went off then, or became UNcocked.I think practice will make us better, or more confident, on what our Pistols were ment to do.

 

[BadgeBunny]

Take a pistol class.
taking anything else to heart is just listening to a bunch of guys in their underwear on the internet.

Damn, Mike. That just makes my mind's eye hurt!!

If you are not comfortable carrying a gun for any reason then DON'T. Get training and get comfortable and competent, then carry.

Both my husband and I carry all the time (and sometimes different guns -- 1911s, Glocks -- for different reasons) but they are always chambered. And we both have practiced drawing from concealment with the guns we carry.

And, I am not gonna go research the statutes again but if I recall correctly the first offense of carrying without a permit is a misdemeanor. You might check OSCN and see if you can find the pertinent statute if you are concerned about this particular law and how it applies to you.

 

[Shadowrider]

Blutch,

I can relate your apprehension. I've never had a problem with a loaded chamber per se, but it did take some getting used to not having a safety of some sort on the gun. I was always a DA revolver lover (still am too). But my 1st striker pistol was a M&P45 without the safety. It was a little disconcerting at first but that feeling will go away. I have ZERO problem with it now. Just make sure that your holster totally covers the trigger guard on BOTH sides of the gun. Almost any holster you find will do this and if it doesn't you don't want it.

I'm also of the opinion that chambers are SUPPOSED to be carried hot and with a full mag. A class with a knowlegable instructor will make this real clear and real fast.

Hang in there, you have an excellent gun, you'll get there.