@KillJoy
My EDC is a Taurus G2c. I always have 1 in the pipe with my safety on. A lot of people don’t care for a manual safety but you get used to it whether it’s on or off. It’s all in the practice. If you carry it with safety on just practice drawing your weapon and flipping the safety in one motion as you grip your gun. When practiced consistently it becomes muscle memory.
If you prefer to not use it, that’s fine too. You have your trigger safety also that forces you to properly squeeze the trigger correctly before it will fire.
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@ Smiddy
Agreed 100%! PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE !!! Proficiency is Key…
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Carrying FMJ is better than carrying an empty mag for the time being until you can buy self defense rounds. Just be more mindful of your background in the event you have to draw your firearm.
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So, So True!
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I whole heatedly agree! I carry my S&W Sheild 45 the exact same way. Just practice disengaging the safety during your draw and all is good.
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Answers made from some of the best Educators; always carry a round in the the chamber and learn always to handle your firearm as if it is loaded. That is even if it has been unload and checked multiple times in the past.
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I vividly remember a video I saw on U-Boob where a robbery was taking place and the concealed carry fella was waiting for his opportunity to end the threat. After a couple attempts, he was able to get his gun out without being noticed and kept it behind him, low and out of sight. But now he had a hard time finding another opportunity to chamber a round for fear of being heard, and thus taking his element of surprise away. The opportunity to take decisive action was nearly lost as he was finally able to get a shot off as the robbers we in the process of leaving; but it was just about too late. Point being; have a round chambered; you never know when it’s going to be needed.
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Short and sweet yes you should
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Check out Targetsportsusa.com
I get my hollow points through them and at my local gun dealer. It’s 39.99 for box of 50 rounds but it’s the federal premium law enforcement tactical hst 124 grain +p ammo.
May seem expensive but fmj may not stop the threat.
If rather pay and stock up than be left without
Hope this helps and don’t sound dumb
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I would rather*****
Not if
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So, I just got back from a family reunion.
We had a “Show me your firearm” session it seemed where I showed a bunch of relatives AR’s, pistols, revolvers and shotguns. (We did not have time to fire any, just a show and tell).
It was very educational and the wives learned the most as they truly wanted to LEARN as half of them wanted to start carrying due to all the silliness going on in the world.
I have mentioned in other stories here in the forum about my brother-in-law who is Mr. Smarty Pants / Know It All, and he just couldn’t help himself by telling me I was wrong about the kinesthetic and isosceles stance. He just had to show folks a weird contorted weaver stance along with your off hand positioned like a cup underneath the grip. I kinda remember this from the 70’s as being popular.
I nicely explained “empirical data has shown that…”, and discussed the proper stance and grip. He had nothing to say, I could see his head spinning and thinking to himself that, “yep that makes sense”
Anyway to the OP, he also showed everyone that he did NOT carry with one in the chamber. After an explanation and demonstration, (Not with a firearm in hand or on person) that at even 15 feet away, he could not draw his firearm work the slide and have it on target before the threat was on him either discharging their own firearm or swinging a blunt object at his head. The rest of the family agreed and once again you could see his cogs spinning in his head.
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That was my original grip. I’m old enough that it made sense to lil 'ol untrained me. When my first instructor corrected me, my accuracy ramped up quickly.
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Mine too in the way back club. The ladies really really liked it that they could use Unsighted Fire. Explaining how this works and how much more natural it is to a body in adrenaline rush made complete sense to them. BIL, yes, his smarty pants cogs were spinning again. The other guys were easier to show it’s advantages to as well.
Most of the family was from Columbus Ohio area and Pittsburgh area so I’m shooting @Aaron25 's contact info to them all for taking the CCHD course. Sorry Aaron, but Mr. Smarty Pants maybe in contact with you as well. He’ll probably do much better with you as you are NOT a family member trying to help him with what is best practices.
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I"m happy to help. I will be patient with him (if he comes). 
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Yep, if he (they) come. Folks tend to have anxiety about training. It can be money, time, the newness of never taking a firearms course before, or just taking the kids to King’s Island (Greatest amusement park in the world next to Disney World) with the time and money instead.
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I’m with you… this is a journey… not in the chamber , that is ok. I think if someone has the drop on me … well ok… I want to start by moving to cover and escape. If I am hunted down , I prob had time to chamber one…
So these scenarios of instant need… well as I am new to this - these could still happen. But I will work up to that.
How about real advice of how to actually train and be successful with one NOT in chamber… .
Thoughts?
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This is a journey… I’m ok with not chambering a round…Again… I hear the “ya gotta chamber one” stuff… but any real discussion on how to NOT chamber one and be successful… so someone gets the drop on me… it may happen… no different than not carrying … but more likely I will be in situation where I will be escaping and covering… if someone hunts me down… I will have time to chamber… so it didn’t matter I did not have one “in the chamber”. …
thoughts?
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Welcome to the family brother and god bless you. I always advocate to carry one in the chamber because if you don’t your gun is not loaded. That precious second to chamber one before the fight starts can cost you your life. Don’t be afraid because the gun will not go off unless you yourself pull the trigger. Train and take some classes also to build your confidence. The USCCA has knowledgeably instructors.
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Definitely buy a box of defense ammunition, fill your mags with it always. When I go to the range I simply empty my defense ammo into my pocket until I’m done shooting. Then reload the good stuff.
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