Should I carry my concealed handgun with a round in the chamber or not?

This is a great question and one that is frequently asked in our Utah Concealed firearms course to get your Utah gun license. The short answer is YES, it is strongly recommended, however that is your personal choice. The purpose of this article is to provide you with the pros and cons of doing both.

When I was hired as a deputy sheriff over 25 years ago, my law enforcement firearms instructor required all law enforcement officers to carry a round in the chamber in our duty guns we used for self defense and protection of others. New officers would spend a 40 hour week training on our handguns; eight hours was classroom instruction, learning how to safely handle our guns, how to load/unload our guns, how to clear common malfunctions , how to draw from the holster and how to clean our pistols. We then spend 32 hours of live fire on the pistol range learning how to shoot under stress, ie running up a hill to the firing range, going to pick up our gun to fire, only to find out the instructors took apart our guns and we had to put them together to fire at our targets, all timed drills. We shot in the dark using our flashlights, shot with our support hand only and much more. It was a long week, my hands were sore after shooting about 1200 rounds over the course of one week.

Our firearms instructors told us the importance of following the main rules of gun safety:

1. Never point your gun in an unsafe direction, never cover the muzzle of that gun over anything you are not willing to destroy, or can’t afford to replace.
2. Always assume guns are loaded
3. Never put your finger on the trigger until your sights are on target and you have made the mental decision to fire.
4. know your target and what is beyond.

We were trained in the importance of having a good quality holster that covers the trigger and had at least two points of retention, back in the day a dual retention holster had a thumb break snap holding the gun in the holster and a retention screw that adjusted the tension of the gun in the holster. 

We were taught how to safely draw the gun from the holster with safety rules in mind; keeping that finger off the trigger until ready to fire.

We were also told that if you follow all safety rules and have your gun holstered in a proper holster, there is not worry about having a round in the chamber because that gun is not going to go off unless that trigger is pulled and they were right! 

I have carried my concealed and open carry guns in the holster for over 25 years now and have found this advice to be true! I can tell you from personal experience on the job as a police officer and deputy sheriff the necessity of carrying a round in the chamber. I had a man with a gun call I was looking for and I had only a seconds notice of imminent danger, when I saw him in the street waiting for me as he began firing multiple shots at me with his Colt 1911 .45 handgun. I have had other life threatening calls, in which similarly I only had a second or two notice an imminent dangerous threat was upon me.

Similarly I have seen person’s killed because they were not adequately prepared with a loaded firearm to protect themselves and their families.These threats happen quickly folks (almost always seconds) before you are attacked and if you are not carrying a round in the chamber, you may find yourself on the losing end of a gun fight vs a dangerous criminal that IS NOT afraid to carry one in the chamber and will certainly have a dangerous advantage over you in these situations.

I can tell you most concealed carry students that come to class are new to handguns and understandably can be intimidated by carrying their new handguns especially with a round in the chamber. Most will not initially feel comfortable carrying one in the chamber unless they have received the proper training. But once you are comfortable doing that and start carrying one in the chamber responsibly, you will be better prepared in the event an unfortunate event happens.

Carry tips:

1. We suggest to all  of our Utah Concealed Carry students to bring their carry gun and holster if they have one to class, (unloaded) for safety reasons. In class we will show you how to wear and safely draw and re-holster your gun, how to safely load/unload and more as time permits
2. We strongly recommend upgrading your Utah concealed firearms course to a Basic pistol training class that is going to provide you with an opportunity with an instructor on the gun range to show shooting proficiency with your firearm that involves a shooting and written test, (Utah course does not require shooting) and absolutely should. We can sign you up for a pistol course upgrade at your Utah class and in some cases can do all of it in one day.  If you have your gun and holster in class, we will recommend you come with us on your range appointment wearing your gun in your holster to the gun range to get used to things.
3. Practice wearing your gun (unloaded if necessary) on your hip in the privacy of your home so that you get used to it. Then when you feel comfortable after a while, then wear your gun in your house with a round in the chamber.
4. 30 Day Challenge for new shooters: Carry your gun in your holster loaded or unloaded with you everywhere you are allowed to legally carry for 30 days to develop a habit. After 30 days you will most likely feel comfortable carrying one in the chamber and taking that gun with you everywhere you go to make you the most prepared concealed carry citizen out there
5. Some places will not allow you to carry your gun; for example courts, mental health facilities, police stations, federal buildings, some schools and daycare  facilities and more. In these events you should secure your gun in the trunk of your car hidden (before) you arrive) to your destination so a car burglar doesn’t see you leaving your gun in your car. If at all possible, buy a portable gun safe and have it professionally installed in your vehicle out of view. We can order you a good car or home safe for under 150.00 and can have it installed in your vehicle for a reasonable fee.

We offer the above  30 day challenge for new CCW students to join in which they can participate to win a free pistol defense class. Ask us when you get here to class how to enter the contest.

Sign up for the Utah Concealed class here:

gunclassutah.com/schedule

Hope this helps, Stay safe and stay informed. 

Phil Snyder

Unified Police Officer (Retired)

NRA and BCI concealed firearms instructor.