One in the pipe

[AJBert]

Lose the Copenhagen and carry another mag.

Or man up and just go with the "Silver Lid" or "Snuff". Depends on what store you are in when asking for it.

[Craig1056]

Always 6+1. Not that I expect to be in a quick draw situation but I feel much better knowing there is one there and ready. Last thing you want is to have a nose dive happen as you are trying to rack a round in self defense.

[aKahrt_and_p2KT]

For a Kahr???? You gotta be kidding. It is as bad as suicide if not, considering we are not supposed to rack the slide to load a round. LOL.

I never rack my slide to load a round and was trying to explain this to someone and they didn't understand me at all. I do think about this a bit when I have my cm9 in my nightstand. I think racked and in a slim holster is probably best for that situation but if I'm carrying I always have one ready.

[sharpenit]

Minority opinion here. On the few occasions I have carried my Kahr, the chamber has been empty.

I am not expecting to be in a "gunfight." Ever. We don't live in the Wild West anymore where he who can draw fastest will live and the other guy will die. Seriously, how many fast draw situations are any of you personally aware of? Even in the news? Be realistic now.

Carrying a loaded weapon to be prepared for a situation where deadly force is necessary to protect your life has its advantages, but the realist in me also realizes the enormous danger posed by lawyers and media-fed public opinion, which in most cases is the greater problem we face.

Any threat that I am likely to deal with personally will afford me enough time to chamber a round. Of it will happen so fast that any attempt on my part to shoot will be worse than the threat. Shooting in haste is not a good idea.

But a "fast draw" situation is not the only one where you might need to have a round in the chamber. It could be that you're using your free hand to fend off the attacker or his knife while you draw your gun with the other hand. In such a case, it's going to be hard to rack the slide.

[Double3]

Absolutely

[rholmes69]

always chambered here...

[CarlCyrus]

When carrying the PM9 one is always in the tube. And when carying my 1911 it is always in condition one!!!!

Carl

[Frayed Knot]

Always 7+1 for me.

[c6vetter]

Always 7+1 for me.

So what's your method?
- lock slide rack
- insert round on chamber
- slide release
- insert mag with 6 or 7 rounds

Is this the appropriate process?

[Tinman507]

Load mag full. Insert into magwell.
Rack slide to chamber one
Drop mag, add additional round.
Reinsert mag into magwell

[Frayed Knot]

So what's your method?
- lock slide rack
- insert round on chamber
- slide release
- insert mag with 6 or 7 rounds

Is this the appropriate process?

As Tinman stated, strip one off the top of the inserted mag and then drop the mag and top it off.

[7shot]

Load mag full. Insert into magwell.
Rack slide to chamber one
Drop mag, add additional round.
Reinsert mag into magwell

I couldn't imagine doing it any other way!

[c6vetter]

Thanks, fellas!

[Catalina]

One in the Pipe

I agree, that needing to rack the slide in a defensive situation can be a serious issue. My question is: Is the tension on the firing pin (after racking the slide) enough to fire off a round in the event of a catastrophic failure of the firing pin safety. Or is the additional firing pin tension from the long trigger pull required? I asked this in an e-mail to Kahr, but never got a response.

[Russ]

One in the pipe only if you want to live

YouTube has a disturbing video of a concealed carry person trying to rack while being held up. He died at the bad guys hand while attempting to rack.

You are already at a disadvantage if someone pulls a gun. They enjoy the element of surprise.

I believe the only chance to overcome the bad guy advantage is wait for the moment when they are distracted and shoot fast and often assuming they hesitate using the gun and they don't know you are armed. If their intent is to kill when they draw their weapon you most likely will die especially at close range and no body armor. You can be the fastest gun in the west but at 7 yards gun drawn finger on trigger you are not going to win even with one in the pipe. Your only chance is hope they don't know you are packing and they are easily distracted.

I pocket conceal because I can draw my Shield sweep safety and dry fire in just over one second. Add racking and you are dead.

I have been practicing shooting without looking at sights. I fire immediately when the gun reaches my face and at 7 yards I can hit the kill zone (8 1/2 x 11 inch paper Target) more than I miss.

A self defense situation will be 7 yards or less which means you will not have time to aim or rack if you want to live.

Russ