Do you keep a round chambered in your self-defense weapons?

Discussion in 'Opinion POLLS' started by InWalkedBud, Jan 9, 2023.

?

Do you keep a round chambered in your self-defense weapons?

This poll will close on Jan 9, 2026 at 6:00 PM.
  1. Yes

    19 vote(s)
    63.3%
  2. No

    11 vote(s)
    36.7%
  1. yardmeat

    yardmeat Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2010
    Messages:
    56,118
    Likes Received:
    30,613
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Most people I shoot with have the same reaction that I did when I first shot it. *BOOM*, put gun down, "I never want to do that again." Five minutes later. "So . . . can I try that again?"
     
    Polydectes likes this.
  2. FatBack

    FatBack Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2018
    Messages:
    52,287
    Likes Received:
    48,664
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Imagine what you can do with a cap and ball ;)

    Of course you should never use smokeless powder unless you like holding a hand grenade but you can load the chamber to to maximum ability to hold powder and lead without dangerously overloading it. But I never do that because it's a waste of powder I think most of it is just wasted muzzle flash. But it does make a really neat giant cloud of smoke with every shot.

    I load 1 .38 case worth of powder in my 1858 New model army and it is a 44 caliber shooting round lead ball. You may remember having seen pictures I've posted of it in the past.

    I weighed the powder load on a digital scale in the past and I do believe that one 38 brass cartridge filled with powder to the top is 27 grains. I shot a wild hog with a load like that once and it was probably about 130 lb and it was broadside and it went through the hide punched the hole through a rib and a hole through both lungs and the ball came to rest just under the hide on the far side. If I was loaded more I probably would have had a through and through but as it was that hog did not run but about 15 ft before dropping dead
     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2023
    Grau and yardmeat like this.
  3. InWalkedBud

    InWalkedBud Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 20, 2022
    Messages:
    1,849
    Likes Received:
    2,296
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    I'm in a semi-rural low-crime area. My most frequent EDC is a 5 round .357 snub. If I know I'm going to spending some time in one of our sketchier metro areas, I'll pack the 9 mm with an extra magazine or two. I don't begrudge those who choose to be unarmed. To each his own.
     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2023
    yardmeat and FatBack like this.
  4. FatBack

    FatBack Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2018
    Messages:
    52,287
    Likes Received:
    48,664
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    If they ever find themselves in a situation where a gun could have prevented harm that would otherwise happen.... That tends to make a believer out of the victims if they survive the attack
     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2023
  5. InWalkedBud

    InWalkedBud Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 20, 2022
    Messages:
    1,849
    Likes Received:
    2,296
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Absent the come-to-Jesus moment you've mentioned, I've found that trying to convince them otherwise is a waste of time & energy.
     
    FatBack likes this.
  6. fmw

    fmw Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2009
    Messages:
    37,751
    Likes Received:
    14,562
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Every handgun is an exception. My own self defense weapon is a double action pistol that stays with a round in the chamber and the hammer down. A hard pull of the trigger fires it. Subsequent trigger pulls are easier since the hammer is no longer down.
     
  7. Pro_Line_FL

    Pro_Line_FL Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2018
    Messages:
    25,617
    Likes Received:
    13,906
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    That's a double-action/single-action (DA/SA), which is what I have my SIGs P226 (another SIG is double only). IMO DA/SA is the best, but I'm sure many would disagree,
     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2023
  8. fmw

    fmw Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2009
    Messages:
    37,751
    Likes Received:
    14,562
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I don't really understand the difference. My defense pistol is an H&K in .40SW caliber. I load the magazine, rack the slide and then lower the hammer with a lever on the side of the receiver. It is then ready to go. It takes some energy to fire the first round since the hammer is down. After that it is pretty normal. It is quite accurate for a a tactical pistol. Well made.
     
    ToddWB likes this.
  9. Pro_Line_FL

    Pro_Line_FL Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2018
    Messages:
    25,617
    Likes Received:
    13,906
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    First pull is double (pulls the hammer + releases it) and after that its single action (release only). H&Ks are among the best ones out there.
     
  10. fmw

    fmw Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2009
    Messages:
    37,751
    Likes Received:
    14,562
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Then what is a double action only?
     
  11. Pro_Line_FL

    Pro_Line_FL Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2018
    Messages:
    25,617
    Likes Received:
    13,906
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Hard pull every shot. There is no option to c*ck the hammer for easier release.

    Double-Action (DA)/Single-Action (SA)
    https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/re...ction, also known,from cocking it (revolvers).
    A double-action, also known as double-action only (DAO), is a design which either has no internal mechanism capable of holding the hammer or striker in the cocked position (semi-automatics), or has the entire hammer shrouded and/or has the thumb spur machined off, preventing the user from cocking it (revolvers).

    This design requires a trigger pull to both **** and trip the hammer/striker for every single shot, unlike a DA/SA, which only requires a double-action trigger pull for the first shot (or a typical DA/SA revolver, which can fire single-action, but uses double-action as a default). There is no single-action function for any shot. The hammer or striker always rests in the down position until the trigger pull begins. With semi-automatics (unlike DA/SA weapons) the hammer does not remain cocked after the first round is fired. Every shot is in double-action mode. When it comes to a revolver, the shooter does not have the option of cocking the gun before shooting and must always discharge it in double-action mode.
     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2023
  12. InWalkedBud

    InWalkedBud Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 20, 2022
    Messages:
    1,849
    Likes Received:
    2,296
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    A gun in which the trigger both cocks & releases the hammer/striker. A revolver with a shrouded hammer, for example, like my Ruger LCR. Or a semi-auto like wife's Glock 43x.
    [​IMG][​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2023
    yardmeat likes this.
  13. fmw

    fmw Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2009
    Messages:
    37,751
    Likes Received:
    14,562
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I have never encountered one like that. Your definition of the double action revolver is not quite right. A DA revolver can be used in DA or SA. You can shoot hammer down or **** and shoot. I used to teach shooting to police academy students in the days that they were all using DA revolvers. We taught DA but the revolvers certainly weren't limited to that. There are a few revolvers without an external hammer but most of them have one.
     
  14. fmw

    fmw Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2009
    Messages:
    37,751
    Likes Received:
    14,562
    Trophy Points:
    113
     
  15. InWalkedBud

    InWalkedBud Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 20, 2022
    Messages:
    1,849
    Likes Received:
    2,296
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Unless the hammer is shrouded & inaccessible like the Ruger pictured above. The hammer can only be actuated by pulling the trigger. Hence DAO: Double Action Only.
     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2023
  16. fmw

    fmw Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2009
    Messages:
    37,751
    Likes Received:
    14,562
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I had a 9mm Glock 17 once. They are a strange bird. Instead of a safety they are always on safe until you access the trigger and press the little button on it. But you are right about how the action works. Didn't care for that pistol at all. It was light and foolproof but not very accurate. I used to shoot NRA competition so I'm fussy about accuracy. My .22 olympic match pistols can put their 5 rounds into a single hole at 50 feet. I can't but the pistols can. My Benelli .22 looks like this:
    benelli.jpg
     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2023
  17. Grau

    Grau Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2015
    Messages:
    9,035
    Likes Received:
    4,223
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male

    My bedside pistol functions the same way.
    It's a HK45 and the magazine holds 10 rounds .
    I'm very happy with it.

    I also have other firearms stashed in different places that I can get to quickly if needed.

    Thanks,
     
  18. yardmeat

    yardmeat Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2010
    Messages:
    56,118
    Likes Received:
    30,613
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I still keep my revolver close by, but I'll be honest, my pit bulls will get to the bad guy way before I wake up, put on my glasses, turn on the lights, and level my aim.
     
  19. Buri

    Buri Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2018
    Messages:
    7,723
    Likes Received:
    6,426
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    man that’s pretty cool, I didn’t even know those were out there! Thanks for the heads up!
     
  20. Grau

    Grau Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2015
    Messages:
    9,035
    Likes Received:
    4,223
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male

    Do you mind telling what you choose for a self defense revolver?

    I've got an old S&W Model 25 - 5 in .45 Colt caliber and a S&W Model 29, Lew Horten edition,
    Both are a joy to shoot.

    Thanks,
     
    yardmeat likes this.
  21. yardmeat

    yardmeat Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2010
    Messages:
    56,118
    Likes Received:
    30,613
    Trophy Points:
    113
    It's a snub nose S&W Model 19, .357. I didn't really choose it as it was my grandfather's and inherited it, but I do very much enjoy shooting it. I normally keep it loaded with .38 special in the house, though. I'd like to keep my eardrums.
     
  22. InWalkedBud

    InWalkedBud Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 20, 2022
    Messages:
    1,849
    Likes Received:
    2,296
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Apologies if you were directing that at someone else... for years, my ccw was a Colt Detective Special (left). Then the Mostly Peaceful Riots® persuaded me to buy a Taurus G3C (middle) with more than twice the firepower. I carried the Taurus for about a year til I stumbled on a great deal on a Ruger LCR (right). The Ruger is now my most frequent ccw. The Colt is now my wife's beside gun.
    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]

    My bedside gun (& one of my favorites to take to the range) is a Ruger GP100.
    [​IMG]
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Mar 16, 2023
    Grau likes this.
  23. InWalkedBud

    InWalkedBud Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 20, 2022
    Messages:
    1,849
    Likes Received:
    2,296
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    I confess: I've never seen anything like your Benelli.
     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2023
  24. modernpaladin

    modernpaladin Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2017
    Messages:
    27,695
    Likes Received:
    21,093
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    My primary defense weapon is a revolver, it'll fire whether I pull the hammer first or not. Thats part of the reason I carry revolver. Some of my rifles are loaded, but they'll need to be cocked before use.
     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2023
  25. Joe knows

    Joe knows Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2021
    Messages:
    13,465
    Likes Received:
    9,920
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Yes and most definitely. What’s the point if it’s not chambered? Hey mr murderer, please wait for me to load my gun…
     

Share This Page