What's the law on "One in the Chamber"?

[phillyd2]

I don't know bout no stickin law but I carry with one in the chamber

My number one goal when carrying is to never ever need to pull my pistol out - but if God forbid I ever had to I know it was only because I had no other choice and I want my +P ready to go the second I need it.

You have heard about "rather be tried by 12 then buried by 6".

Steve or another expert can comment about the actual law but I really doubt there was such a thing. Otherwise, what about those who carry six shooters?

[Steve in PA]

One in the chamber? Why in the world would you NOT carry a handgun with one in the chamber????

In answer to the OP, there is no law on the subject because it is a non-issue. You are 10000000000% within your legal right to carry with one in the chamber, or not. Your choice.

[One_in_the-Chamber]

Thanks Steve (and everyone else). I have never found anything on the isssue and just wondered if anyone else had. I definitely carry with on in the chamber and just wanted to make sure I was within the law. Its a bit frustrating when you have people that deal with gun owners everyday and these people put out bad info (i.e. gun shot owners and even some law enforcement officers).

[Frenchy]

You have heard about "rather be tried by 12 then buried by 6".

Where have I seen that before?....

[josh]

??????????? If there isnt a round in the chamber than all you have is a really expensive paper weight.

Well put,cocked and locked is the only way to go.

[whoshisface]

I carry with a dummy in the chamber, I might drop the practice after I've carried regularly for a few more months. I practice, with snap caps, drawing and racking at the same time. I can rack while acquiring the target fast enough that I forgot that I do it until something points it out to me. I see no hard problems with doing so unless one of your hands has been chopped off. I also practice, just because I thought of that possibility, racking the slide one handed on my belt. Yeah I put a small scratch in the slide once, but I can do it right out of the draw while stepping back, I'm not great at it but I can do it.

There is no law in PA about not having one in the chamber, if you're comfortable with it, do it.

[SGTUSArmy]

I *think* this is reffered to as 'condition 1' in the military. \

Must be a Marine thing. In the Army, we call it "locked and loaded", or "ready state" when the safety is off.

If someone has a revolver, with 6 in the cylinder, wouldn't they be carrying locked and loaded? How is that different than carrying a semi with one chambered? Doesn't make since.

Uhmmm..the one time my dad took me out shooting, using holsters, he tried to teach me to draw and place in ready state in one motion. He is a believer in if you draw it, you had better be ready to shoot.

[whoshisface]

I wouldn't be comfortable in having the hammer rest on a bullet in a revolver.

Before you all fry me, I will admit that I don't know much about revolvers.

Perhaps the hammer can't "rest" on the primer, I'm just saying based on my ignorance, and I admit its ignorance, I would be comfortable.

[SGTUSArmy]

I wouldn't be comfortable with the camber being loaded on a 1911 either. But I'm not the one carrying it. Again, I live in the DPRM.

[G21.45]

Hmmm ... I'll admit that I usually carry my Glock with an empty chamber; but, that's probably because I use a Mossad draw and can clear the holster and fire in less than 1.75 seconds. (Do it all the time.)

The other reason I carry with an empty chamber is that - even though I live in NEPA - I really don't spend that much time in circumstances where I perceive I'll need to draw and fire THAT quickly. I actually worry more about inadvertently becoming a safety threat to my family and others with whom I come into daily contact than I do about shooting Pocono bad guys. (Which, so far, have only rarely turned up.)

I'm 63 years old and have, only, had to draw a pistol on someone else twice during my lifetime. The last time I really needed to draw a pistol on someone it wouldn't have mattered whether or not I had a round in the chamber, anyway: On the one hand, I had 2 or 3 times the amount of distance and time I needed to draw and repeatedly fire the weapon; and, on the other hand, I had stupidly forgotten to bring the pistol with me! When I reached, I found an empty holster; the other guy saw the draw, stopped rushing at me, turned, and ran off. (Lucky for me!)

One thing I'll say about Mossad carry is that it, 'compensates' for all sorts of physical mishaps with: clothing, manual dexterity, and plain good old-fashioned human forgetfulness. The other thing I like about, 'going Israeli' is that it teaches you to anticipate and helps to keep you in, ‘condition yellow’. For instance, I always know that I’m going to need two hands and an extra second in order to bring the weapon into play. Still, I consider this situation to be safer for my family and neighbors than if I were to go around, all the time, with a charged and ready chamber – especially with a Glock!

I would, also, be the first to admit that if I earned my living in police work, I’m certain I would not feel this way, and would carry in, 'condition one' all of the time. For most ordinary citizens, though, I believe that the vast majority of the time a pistol with an open chamber should suffice.

Just my, ‘two cents’. I well understand that a lot of younger gunmen will wholeheartedly disagree; but, I also disagree with many of the incredibly sloppy and dangerous gun handling techniques I often see at the range.

(So, we’re even!)