Carrying with one in chamber and bedside manners

[Tapout75]

A little background first, After being laid off for 12 months i had to sell my Bersa 380. After some time i purchased a Hi-Point 9mm, which i have had for around 8 months.

Now Im not sure about other pistols but the HP has a thumb slide thingy that pushes up and stops the slide from moving.( the bersa had a hammer and a safety) When i CC i never have one in the chamber because i am afraid that i could accidently flip the safety off and discharge the weapon. So my dilema is, if i get in a situation where i need to pull my weapon, i will have to unholster and then load a round.

Secondly I have two kids ages 2 and 6, and when i go to bed i put my pistol into a frame about 5ft up on the wall about 4ft from the bed. I would like to have it in my nightstand right next to me in some kind of safe that is quickly accesible but yet protected from small hands.

I know HP doesnt have the best reputation, but to be honest it has less FTF/FTE than my Bersa did, and i actually like it.


So my 2 questions are:

1. How can i carry safely, but yet be more prepared?

2. Any suggestions on how to have my pistol closer to me when i sleep?


Thanks in advance, I love coming to this site everyday and learning!!

 

[ddenny5]

A good holster can help you in this situation. Raven concealment has some good holsters that might work for you. Look into getting a Fobus holster as well if you are on a budget. The likely hood of the safety moving and the trigger moving in a holster is slim to none. However, you need to do what is comfortable for you.

If you want your firearm closer then keep it in your nightstand.

 

[SMERGLE]

I have a c-9 and had for a couple of years now I love it. I carried for a few months empty with safety-slide release on and it never came unlocked. Now I carry loaded and still no discharge. As for the night stand issue you could get a small safe or a lock box

 

[Fixer]

I have carried my XD45 with one in the chamber for several years with no incidents at all. A good holster that secures your firearm should keep you from any type of accidental discharge also. I also keep my Ruger SP101 with Crimson Trace grips on the nightstand overnight just in case. I have 2 kids 6 and 12 and both are educated about guns and safety. My youngest shoots a youth sized .22 and knows that she is not big enough to shoot any of my handguns. She has handled them under my supervision and I have discussed that when she is old enough to shoot I will teach her. If you don't feel comfortable with that there are a lot of good quick access safes out there also.

 

[JoshuaW]

You can carry one in the chamber, just keep the safety on. Of course if you are nervous about it, dont, until you are convinced you are safe doing so. Never do something that is uncomfortable to you. If you want to test the safety of it, carry it cocked, with no round loaded, and see if it has gone off by the end of the day. Do that a few days to make sure. It shouldnt.

**Edit**
Gun Vault Mini for a fairly accessible, yet secure method of having it by the bedside. Mini Gun Safe | GunVault

 

[E5RANGER375]

no point in carrying if ones not in the chamber, in my opinion. you will be dead before you chamber a round.

whats a safety? lol. heres my safety tip: dont pull the trigger and the gun wont go off.

kids: do your kids know how to knock? lock your bedroom door when your in there. problem solved.

sorry if i sound rude, but thats just the way it is, i dont know how to put it any other way. welcome to INGO by the way!!

 

[RomanDad]

A little background first, After being laid off for 12 months i had to sell my Bersa 380. After some time i purchased a Hi-Point 9mm, which i have had for around 8 months.

Now Im not sure about other pistols but the HP has a thumb slide thingy that pushes up and stops the slide from moving.( the bersa had a hammer and a safety) When i CC i never have one in the chamber because i am afraid that i could accidently flip the safety off and discharge the weapon. So my dilema is, if i get in a situation where i need to pull my weapon, i will have to unholster and then load a round.

Secondly I have two kids ages 2 and 6, and when i go to bed i put my pistol into a frame about 5ft up on the wall about 4ft from the bed. I would like to have it in my nightstand right next to me in some kind of safe that is quickly accesible but yet protected from small hands.

I know HP doesnt have the best reputation, but to be honest it has less FTF/FTE than my Bersa did, and i actually like it.


So my 2 questions are:

1. How can i carry safely, but yet be more prepared?

2. Any suggestions on how to have my pistol closer to me when i sleep?


Thanks in advance, I love coming to this site everyday and learning!!

1. Ive carried "Israeli" for years now. The key, like anything else, is practice practice practice. The presentation and chamber become one fluid motion to where the time is of zero consequences..

YouTube - AGI 301 The Israeli Instinctive Combat Shooting Method

2. I have a seven year old... I have a gunvault Micro And MINI.... I really like them.... The micro might fit in a nightstand drawer depending on its dimensions....

Biometric Gun Safes | GunVault

Biometric Gun Safes | GunVault

 

[CTC B4Z]

I honestly have not carried with one chambered yet. It seems the 1911 is alot safer carrying 'cocked n locked', but with the new carrying piece(P99), the decocking method, converting trigger into a double action, seems just as safe with a cnl'd 1911..

 

[Demo]

Tapout- kudos to you for being responsible. Given the age of your children I completly agree that a weapon on the night stand is a big NO!

I've got young ones and they are poking me in the eye before I know they are next to our bed.

In regards to carrying without a round in the chamber you are putting yourself y behind the curve if you were to ever have to draw and shoot.

If you are going to have a large percentage of carry you are going to have to train yourself to confidence bud.

 

[groovatron]

One in the pipe.....there's no other way. Watch that Israeli video.....it definitely slows down the draw to fire time......and they are quite trained.

 

[Doug]

If you cannot afford one of the mini gun safes for your pistol, look for one of the small document safes at hardware stores. They typically run about $30. Get one with a double-sided key that is easy to insert without looking at it. Lock your gun in the safe on the floor or nightstand and keep the key on a rubber band around your wrist.

 

[thekuhnburger]

I'm in the same boat as you. I have a glock 23 that I carry without a round in the chamber. I'm sure everyone and their brother carries their glocks with a round in the chamber but I'm just not quite that comfortable with that yet. I'm sure I will eventually though.

 

[The Keymaster]

If there is not a round in the chamber, the firearm is not loaded. If it's not loaded it's as useless as a rock. You have to be confident with what you carry. I understand the financial issue, but your life may depend on this weapon at some point. If you do not trust it with a round in the chamber, it's just not worth carrying.

 

[antsi]

2. Any suggestions on how to have my pistol closer to me when i sleep?

Gunvault.

 

[wtfd661]

I EDC a cocked and locked 1911 and I understand your concerns (as I had the same when I started carrying). Like others have said carry, for a couple of days, your gun cocked and locked but with out one in the chamber and see for yourself (and gain the confidence in your gun) that it is not going to go off by itself (make sure you are carrying in a good holster that covers the trigger). Time, training, and familiarizing yourself with your gun will give you the confidence in it (and keeping your finger off the trigger).

As far as the bed side safe, if you are on a budget there is nothing wrong with getting a "cheaper" lock box (under $30) and like was said keep the key on your wrist.

Whatever you decide make sure to post how well it is working for you (so others can learn)

AND welcome to INGO!!!!!!!

 

[samrothstein01]

First, for some people it takes a while to become comfortable carrying with one in the chamber. Understand and be of the mindset that this is temporary. You don't want to train or get in the habit of having to rack the slide when you do start carrying with one in the chamber. That being said, it does help to carry it around, even around the house without one in the chamber to increase comfort level as well as play with holster settings, etc.

Secondly, and way more importantly, go get some training!! This will help you become more familiar with your firearm, understand your firearm, and be very comfortable with it and carrying it. It will also help you understand why one "not in the chamber" is a big disadvantage.

As others have said though....don't carry with one in the chamber until YOU are comfortable doing so.

Just my

 

[SSGSAD]

Two things, if you were carrying a Revolver, you wouldn't even worry
about a round being chambered, Carry how YOU are comfortable.....
About the night, if your child cannot rack the slide, no gun lock is needed. When your child can rack the slide, then is when you need to worry.....

 

[esrice]

It's very common to worry about carrying with a chambered round. I always recommend 'testing' yourself at first, to build confidence in your ability to carry a loaded weapon (as others have also suggested).

Try this:

Remove magazine, ensure gun is completely unloaded.
Rack slide. (gun is now cocked on an empty chamber)
Since you have a manual thumb safety, engage the safety.
Insert loaded magazine.
Put gun in holster.

Now carry it like this for the next week, checking it nightly to see if its ever been accidentally "fired" during your daily routine. Do this enough, and you'll start to realize that safety is more about mindset, trigger control, and a good holster.

 

[booey50]

i like that guy's porn stache on the video...

and to the op don't worry about not carrying one in the chamber right now...when your ready you will become confident with it.

 

[indyjoe]

If you have a round in the chamber or not, it doesn't matter. A GUN IS ALWAYS LOADED. I'd prefer to have one in the chamber. If you carry a Glock without it in the chamber, you can carry it with it cocked. You should never see it be fired at the end of the day. The only ways this will happen is if your holster is defective. Then striker isn't even fully cocked until you almost finish pulling the trigger. I assume the HP with a safety on is similar.

If I were to decide to carry a Glock without one in the chamber, I would make sure the trigger is pulled. That way, when I am trying to pull the trigger while the bad guy is shooting me, I can used the already pulled trigger as a clue to rack the slide first, because I will have forgotten in the stress of the situation.

If you treat every firearm as it is loaded, then safety does not get reduced at all when it actually is loaded, handling, carry or otherwise.