One in the pipe

[340pd]

Russ, you have got it right. Tricked up triggers and special sights will mean squat. No time for anything but point shooting and praying. Don't get me wrong. I have the triggers and sights but I am practicing like Russ.

[dirtkicker]

Russ, you have got it right. Tricked up triggers and special sights will mean squat. No time for anything but point shooting and praying. Don't get me wrong. I have the triggers and sights but I am practicing like Russ.

I agree 110%. This is the point when training and instincts take over. I don't have anything fancy other than a CT laser which I practice with but I train as Russ does.

[wyntrout]

You should be able to get good enough alignment before the gun gets as high as your face. For inside 7 yards and depending on the circumstance, you might want to fire sooner with the gun aligned vertically with the BG... barrel axis alignment vertically is easy, but horizontal takes practice. A laser, even a laser boresighter, can be helpful for practice, but I don't carry a laser when I CC. Kahrs seem to be natural pointers.

Having a round successfully chambered and the next round fully to the rear of the magazine can almost guarantee at least the first two shots will fire without problem. Waiting to rack and then doing it under less than ideal circumstances can almost guarantee that Murphy will "help" you... like that "Mayhem" in the insurance commercials. Chambering a round and the next round being pulled forward contribute to the "nose dives" many experience on round 2 or 3.

There are no time outs in self defense and second place sucks!

Wynn

[Russ]

You should be able to get good enough alignment before the gun gets as high as your face. For inside 7 yards and depending on the circumstance, you might want to fire sooner with the gun aligned vertically with the BG... barrel axis alignment vertically is easy, but horizontal takes practice. A laser, even a laser boresighter, can be helpful for practice, but I don't carry a laser when I CC. Kahrs seem to be natural pointers.

Having a round successfully chambered and the next round fully to the rear of the magazine can almost guarantee at least the first two shots will fire without problem. Waiting to rack and then doing it under less than ideal circumstances can almost guarantee that Murphy will "help" you... like that "Mayhem" in the insurance commercials. Chambering a round and the next round being pulled forward contribute to the "nose dives" many experience on round 2 or 3.

There are no time outs in self defense and second place sucks!

Wynn

Wynn

I tried firing my gun before she reached my face and I missed more than I hit. For me if I fired as soon as the gun reached my face level the first shot was pretty close to where I was looking. If I hesitated just a second my first shot was off.

I really think the quicker you can get that first shot off the more accurate the point shooting method is at least that is what I have found. I tried this with trap shooting and I dusted the clay if I didn't think but just pull the trigger when the barrel reaches where I am looking.

Russ

P.S. I think the reason my point shooting is more accurate if I wait to pull the trigger when the gun reaches face level and not before is when I point my finger at an object I do so at face level and my finger usually is pointing right at the object I am looking at it is when I hold the pose for a few seconds is when my finger moves off the Target. I really believe the best point shooting method is to replicate the natural split second finger pointing at an object. Your brain will direct the finger to the object your eyes are fixed on we just need to trust our brain enough to pull the trigger immediately.

[hondakilla98]

I always carry with one in the pipe. Especially with the pm9.

[wyntrout]

Russ, no problem... you practice and do what works for you. It's best to find out under controlled circumstances what works... tactics, equipment, and ammo. It's nice to weed out jam-prone mags or ammo that gives problems... I've certainly found problems with things of mine at the range.

Dang! I need to get to the range... have so many things to get done there! I still need to drag Wifey there, too!

Wynn

[Short Bus]

Do I carry with one in the pipe? Is there any other way?

[fitpro]

I lived in Central America for over a year and I fought off an attack by two muggers. Things happen so fast in a real fight that you are lucky if you have time to even get a clean draw. Carrying without a round in the chamber is suicide if someone means you harm. Everyone should get trained to a competent level with their weapons and that training is far beyond just feeling comfortable carrying "one in the pipe." If you don't carry with a round in the chamber take an earlier poster's advice and get a revolver.

[robdnor]

well, I always carry with 1 in the tube and a topped off mag, no matter what gun I have on me, 9 out of 10 its the pm40, pocket carry strong side... an otf auto knife weak side, 2 flashlights (180+ lumens each)
also I train point shooting, combat rocks, flash sight shooting, etc
also I train and recommend others to as well, close quarters defense/ weapons take away and weapons retention... I hope I never need to use the skills I practice multiple times per week and all the training courses I take..... but if for any reasons I need to use any of my defensive tools I want to know they are ready to be used, and know/hope my training prevails over the individual(s) intent on causing me harm and or death

[Stides]

As long as the gun in in a good holster/pocket holster that properly covers the trigger and you have some training, carrying with one in the pipe is clearly the best way to carry. This is even more important on the smaller Kahrs (and other small guns that have very stiff recoil springs) as hand racking the slide properly and consistently in a very stressful situation is not easy for most people. Having to rack a slide is way too slow in far too many self-defense situations to carry without one in the pipe. That is why LEOs always carry with one in the pipe. Modern quality made handguns do not go off unless you pull the trigger so having the trigger covered in a good holster and a some basic training is the best way to go.

[Planedude]

If any firearm I find is not considered safe to carry with "one in the pipe" then I'm not going to carry that firearm.
If a firearm is mechanicly safe to carry loaded then the only thing to make it unsafe is found under the heading of "human error"...
I Load that first round from the mag, in a nice safe area, where I can take all the time I need to be sure its chambered right. Next, I top off the mag and taking my time, carefully insert the full mag. Placing the gun carefully in the holster safely with all the time in the world to get it right comes next. After that I move, store and place on my body the weapon/holster as a unit. Any firearm in a holster at my home is loaded and ready to shoot, by keeping that fact consistant, well, that's what keeps me safe as I handle a loaded carry gun here...
...And the gun being loaded on the draw is what keeps the BG at bay.

If a gun is not loaded at my home then the firearm is stored in a rug and the holster is stored in the bin until needed.

[warbird1]

I do in all my weapons including my PM9.

[Bawanna]

If any firearm I find is not considered safe to carry with "one in the pipe" then I'm not going to carry that firearm.
If a firearm is mechanicly safe to carry loaded then the only thing to make it unsafe is found under the heading of "human error"...
I Load that first round from the mag, in a nice safe area, where I can take all the time I need to be sure its chambered right. Next, I top off the mag and taking my time, carefully insert the full mag. Placing the gun carefully in the holster safely with all the time in the world to get it right comes next. After that I move, store and place on my body the weapon/holster as a unit. Any firearm in a holster at my home is loaded and ready to shoot, by keeping that fact consistant, well, that's what keeps me safe as I handle a loaded carry gun here...
...And the gun being loaded on the draw is what keeps the BG at bay.

If a gun is not loaded at my home then the firearm is stored in a rug and the holster is stored in the bin until needed.

Excellent plan and consistency is the key. I follow a similar path. All firearms in my man cave are kept empty but of course double checked every time I pick them up. The guns in my carry rotation are either on me or in my bedroom always loaded and always kept in the same location.

I often times use those for my grip fitting and I unload them in the bedroom before taking them to the man cave. Just a consistent pattern that seems to work well for me.

[QuercusMax]

Alright you guys. I told you earlier that I'm not walking around with one in the pipe because I didn't think I needed to be ready for any quick-draw gun battles, but majority opinion here has now convinced me otherwise.

So I'm ready now.

Oh wait, I only have 5 rounds in the cylinder with the hammer down on the empty chamber. Guess I'll never be a famous gunslinger in any century.

So never mind.

[Bawanna]

I just thought of that myself and just like you I don't load the 6th chamber on them guns neither. I do on the Rugers but not the ones with no transfer bar. My quick draw days were over long ago which is really sad cause I love cowboy rigs just like that.

Don't work for beans sitting down all the time.

Probably my favorite gun maybe even more than a 1911 is my Uberti 45 Colt SAA replica with the birdshead handle. It just feels right to me. I don't shoot it well but I'm working on getting better.