Why I kept the chamber empty in my semi...

[Hokkmike]

When I used a semi (now use a revolver) I always left the chamber empty in my night stand gun It gave me one more layer of safety allowing me to think after just being roused from sleep so that I would be fully awake before considering any action.

Sometimes I wake up with a start and am disoriented for a minute or two.

Hope I explained this OK.....

What do you think?

[NathanB]

i think that its a giant waste of time to have it unchambered. Those precious seconds could very well be needed and plus are you going to remember to chamber a round when your door is kicked in and you have seconds to react.

[paptini]

I agree with you. Fact is no matter what safety(s) you have/use, you will never have an accidental misfire without a round in the chamber. It truly doesn't take all that much time to rack a slide and if you practice it that way at the range you can be quite proficient. Just out of curiosity, do you rest your hammer on an empty chamber?

[ettorment1916]

There is another older "one in the pipe" thread around that went on and on forever. It made for some interesting reading.

The one in the chamber discussion makes for some really "lively debate". It's right up there with the tried and true "shoot a dog" threads that are around.

Curious to see where this thread goes.

[harold63]

If you feel better with the revolver and want a semi, just choose a DA/SA semi that you can leave the safety off, round chambered, hammer down. Your first pull on the semi is the same as the revolver. Both are safety off, first trigger pull is the heavier DA. For added safety on the semi, flip on the safety, but leave round chambered.

I do the 1911 thing, now, exclusively, for home pistol defense; condition 1.

[mpan72]

I think what ever floats your boat brother.
I keep a round chambered. I feel that I might not chamber it and pull the trigger. That might waste enough time to make a difference, it might not matter at all. I also have a revolver with all cylinders full not to far from where I sleep.

I keep a fixedblade knife under my matress with the handle within easy reach. I keep a hachet under the foot of my bed. I think I have my most likely needs covered.

[mpan72]

There is another older "one in the pipe" thread around that went on and on forever. It made for some interesting reading.

The one in the chamber discussion makes for some really "lively debate". It's right up there with the tried and true "shoot a dog" threads that are around.

Curious to see where this thread goes.

Lock down within a day or so. If not I would be surprised.

[harold63]

I think what ever floats your boat brother.
I keep a round chambered. I feel that I might not chamber it and pull the trigger. That might waste enough time to make a difference, it might not matter at all. I also have a revolver with all cylinders full not to far from where I sleep.

I keep a fixedblade knife under my matress with the handle within easy reach. I keep a hachet under the foot of my bed. I think I have my most likely needs covered.

I used to do all that until I took this off my wall: https://www.google.com/search?q=saw+...2F%3B270%3B270 Now, I only keep me pistol tidy.

[GrumpyBear]

Like mpan I have more than one item readily availble in my bedroom.

All fully loaded.

I have trained to keep my booger hook off the trigger
until ready to shoot.

[87hurricane]

When I kept my 1911 by my bedside, I always left the chamber empty, it was just how I felt most comfortable, and it was always the condition my pistol was in, so it was second nature for me to rack the slide when picking it up. Now that I have a doubl action revolver in its place, it sits with a full cylinder. I'm not 100% sure what condition I would leave a DA/SA in, although I'd probably still leave the chamber empty as its what I'm used to in a semi-auto. I know there are lots of good arguments to both sides, but for me comfort and routine rules.