EDC: Full capacity +1 or chambered round and mag downloaded by 1

[Sigblitz]

Are you asking as part of the discussion or with a hint of sarcasm?

No sarcasm. I was just agreeing with some points you made. I guess the question marks caused some confusion.

I'm not saying we're sloppy, but I error on the side of caution so no one can pick up a gun and fire off a live round. Shared safe with the wife and we have kids in the house. And when I'm heading out I rack and holster and get going. I always carry racked and store with no live rounds. It's part of not having 100% control of storage and eliminating risks.

 

[Mongo59]

At my LGS we take about important stuff like "will appendix carrying a gun with depleted uranium rounds cause you to shoot blanks" and mysteries of the universe stuff like that...

 

[Sigblitz]

At my LGS we take about important stuff like "will appendix carrying a gun with depleted uranium rounds cause you to shoot blanks" and mysteries of the universe stuff like that...

 

[cce1302]

I carry +1 unless I'm carrying a revolver (then it's +8).

I don't think it's bad or wrong to fill a magazine, load, and not top off. If I were carrying my XDS45 with a 5 round magazine and didn't top off, that wouldn't be a great idea, but for many carry guns, the difference is between 14-15 or 11-12 and I don't think that's a huge deal.

 

[Doublehelix]

+1 here as well. SIG P938 with the 7-round mag, so I am carrying 7 + 1.

I have always felt a bit light with the "7 + 1" as it is, which is one thing that makes higher-capacity guns like the P365 appealing. I will probably switch to the P365 someday.

 

[VERT]

No sarcasm. I was just agreeing with some points you made. I guess the question marks caused some confusion.

I'm not saying we're sloppy, but I error on the side of caution so no one can pick up a gun and fire off a live round. Shared safe with the wife and we have kids in the house. And when I'm heading out I rack and holster and get going. I always carry racked and store with no live rounds. It's part of not having 100% control of storage and eliminating risks.

I would caution the eliminating risks statement. Reducing yes very possible. Most children can not rack a slide. But I do understand the dilemma. It is easy to get complacent, I am guilty. Personally I try to limit gun handling outside of holsters and leave handguns loaded. I press check 1911s but that is out of habit and not necessary on proper modern fighting guns.

 

[MCgrease08]

No sarcasm. I was just agreeing with some points you made. I guess the question marks caused some confusion.

I'm not saying we're sloppy, but I error on the side of caution so no one can pick up a gun and fire off a live round. Shared safe with the wife and we have kids in the house. And when I'm heading out I rack and holster and get going. I always carry racked and store with no live rounds. It's part of not having 100% control of storage and eliminating risks.

I'm having a hard time following your process.

What do you do at the end of the day when the gun goes back in the safe? Do you completely unload everytime? Or do you unload, unchamber than re-insert the mag? What do you do with the round from the chamber?

It just seems like a lot of unnecessary handling, not to mention issues of bullet setback if you're constantly rechambering the same round.

Also, are your wife and kids trained to rack or load the guns if they were to need them in an emergency? (Not sure how old your kids are.)

It seems like it would be easier and safer to leave them either loaded and ready to go or completely unloaded when storing them in the safe.

 

[Mongo59]

Along the same line but slightly different. I have a Russian Imez Macarov in .380 double stack high capacity. Everyone always (including the USMC) talks about mag springs and never keep them fully loaded, etc.

I have owned this gun since the late '80's, both mags have always been fully loaded and kept that way since I have had it. I shoot it, clean it and pack it back up. It might set a month, it might set a year but it maintains the proper tension and has never failed to chamber and fire every round every time i have used it.

Now I am not advocating everyone doing this or that every design is even capable of this, but has anyone noticed an issue with or a lack of issues with any mags?

 

[Sigblitz]

I'm having a hard time following your process.

What do you do at the end of the day when the gun goes back in the safe? Do you completely unload everytime? Or do you unload, unchamber than re-insert the mag? What do you do with the round from the chamber?

It just seems like a lot of unnecessary handling, not to mention issues of bullet setback if you're constantly rechambering the same round.

Also, are your wife and kids trained to rack or load the guns if they were to need them in an emergency? (Not sure how old your kids are.)

It seems like it would be easier and safer to leave them either loaded and ready to go or completely unloaded when storing them in the safe.

I put the chambered round back in the mag. That's a good point about setback. I'll have to keep my eye out for that.

Wife's guns are in the same safe. Kids are little.

 

[tcecil88]

At my LGS we take about important stuff like "will appendix carrying a gun with depleted uranium rounds cause you to shoot blanks" and mysteries of the universe stuff like that...

Uhh... does it?

 

[MCgrease08]

I put the chambered round back in the mag. That's a good point about setback. I'll have to keep my eye out for that.

Wife's guns are in the same safe. Kids are little.

Thanks for clarifying. Setback can be an issue depending on ammo, but can be mitigated by having several magazines dedicated for carry ammo so you're not always rechambering the same round.

There are a few different threads discussing setback. Here's one that shows how bad it can get if you're not careful.

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...bullet-setback-hornady-critical-duty-9mm.html

I only unload my carry guns prior to dry fire practice, which I admit I don't do as much as I should, but I do unload and reload over a 5 gallon bucket filled with sand. Just in case.

 

[Dead Duck]

Thanks for clarifying. Setback can be an issue depending on ammo, but can be mitigated by having several magazines dedicated for carry ammo so you're not always rechambering the same round.

There are a few different threads discussing setback. Here's one that shows how bad it can get if you're not careful.

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...bullet-setback-hornady-critical-duty-9mm.html

I only unload my carry guns prior to dry fire practice, which I admit I don't do as much as I should, but I do unload and reload over a 5 gallon bucket filled with sand. Just in case.

I always reload while aiming at my nieghbor's house.
It's made of brick.

 

[russc2542]

Full +1 on my belt or if I'm asleep (thus without a belt) on the nightstand. Only little one in the house sleeps 11+hrs and I sleep a lot less so that's not much of an issue plus we've been drilling her on behavior regarding guns.

Agree with MCgrease08 on setback from storing full+0 then racking.

If your gun doesn't like full +1, fix it or replace it. I know the Rem R51s are hit-or-miss on that (both seating a full mag on closed slide and racking on a full mag). Mine's never had that problem but there are a couple tricks to tweak the mags.

 

[JettaKnight]

As as far as the “heard it at the LGS” crowd. To be fair I see a more stupid advice and opinions given on INGO then I do at my LGS. That is not to say the LGS is a better place for advice, but there are a lot more people posting on INGO.

True. It's a cognitive bias. But, dang it, some employees do fit the stereotype.

 

[JettaKnight]

I only unload my carry guns prior to dry fire practice, which I admit I don't do as much as I should, but I do unload and reload over a 5 gallon bucket filled with sand. Just in case.

I too am not a big fan of the constant coonfingering in the name of safety. I don't think that's too safe, IMHO.

 

[elkhunter2018]

I do full capacity +1. I have the shorter mag in to minimize printing and want the extra round in my shield. I have never had a feed problem when I practice from that starting point at the range.

 

[USPatriot11B]

Got into a discussion last week with a couple LGS employees which I consider very competent young men when it comes to firearms. They both load up a mag to full capacity, rack, and holster. I've always done full mag capacity +1. Their statement is 15rds(glock 19) is better than potential 1 shot then a stoppage. Reason being that top round in mag puts force underneath the slide when mag is full and with a potential dirty gun(we aren't always diligent with keeping are carry guns clean) the slide may slow down enough to cause a malfunction. I see the rationale but I'm not buying it. I have yet to see or hear of issues from quality handguns by running full mag +1. Is this one of those "it sounds like a credible possibility and we need to prep for a 'what if' situation", even though the likelihood of it happening is .000001%

Discuss....

This has been a constant struggle with me as well. About everytime i rotate mags i come to this. I see the point in both. We are not as diligent as you say with cleaning top that with the fact that most of us dont practice clearing malfunctions enough or at all to really make it muscle memory i usually default to loading down one. With that i have chose to carry weapons that hold a minimum of 10+1. In theory that should be enough to get out of any day to day situation and back to the vehicle for my edc bag and more ammo. While still carrying something i condider big enough and comfortable enough. I trained to exhaustion with the m4 with s.p.o.r.ts, immediate and remidial action to do it in my sleep. But the nature of all firearms is at some piont they will fail. Down range i carried all my 30 round mags loaded down one due to the nature of environment and the .001 chance. And belive me my rifle was spotless after hours on end of cleaning. So yes i like that 1 extra round but i dont always feel its worth it.

My 2 cents

 

[Hohn]

I never top off.

I just carry a gun with enough capacity that I'm unlikely to need that last round. I don't think for a minute that being downloaded one round helps reliability at all (and if the manufacturers agreed, they not have that as the listed capacity).

No, I carry in "minus one" simply because I'm convinced that handling a hot weapon without a safety is inherently risky, and that once I chamber, it goes into the holster. I'm not interested in handling it more just to get one more round.

So, yeah my belief in the enhanced safety of not topping off is likely irrational and at least debatable. But certainly no less of either than belief that 15 rounds won't be enough but 16 will.

 

[VERT]

I never top off.

I just carry a gun with enough capacity that I'm unlikely to need that last round. I don't think for a minute that being downloaded one round helps reliability at all (and if the manufacturers agreed, they not have that as the listed capacity).

No, I carry in "minus one" simply because I'm convinced that handling a hot weapon without a safety is inherently risky, and that once I chamber, it goes into the holster. I'm not interested in handling it more just to get one more round.

So, yeah my belief in the enhanced safety of not topping off is likely irrational and at least debatable. But certainly no less of either than belief that 15 rounds won't be enough but 16 will.

This is actually a good argument against topping off. Chamber weapon then insert into holster.

 

[Hop]

I never top off.

I just carry a gun with enough capacity that I'm unlikely to need that last round. I don't think for a minute that being downloaded one round helps reliability at all (and if the manufacturers agreed, they not have that as the listed capacity).

No, I carry in "minus one" simply because I'm convinced that handling a hot weapon without a safety is inherently risky, and that once I chamber, it goes into the holster. I'm not interested in handling it more just to get one more round.

So, yeah my belief in the enhanced safety of not topping off is likely irrational and at least debatable. But certainly no less of either than belief that 15 rounds won't be enough but 16 will.

I release the mag after the hot gun is holstered, top it off, reinsert the mag. Tug to check that it's seated. I use G-Code RTI belt slides and holster adapters so never need to remove the gun from the holster when I get home. Just a different way to do things.