Fully loaded or not?

nighthawk80 · 12-10-2007, 01:33 PM

Ok, To be all honest I have never really thought of it till talking with a respected gun owner. I conceal carry an older Charter Arms Detective in 38 special. It's a 5 shot pistol. I carry it fully loaded. I was informed while talking with the Respected gun owner and he said that I should carry on an empty chamber. Now my 38 has the safety bar and the fireing pin isn't isn't on the hammer (like his S&W which looks like mine, don't know the model), so I (sorry for the word) assumed that it is ok to carry fully loaded. Am I wrong with this thinking? Or is it Safer(?) to carry on an empty chamber?

Thanks in advance!!

jashoffa · 12-10-2007, 01:48 PM

I think the idea of carring on an empty chamber is something that effects older single action revolvers. I don't think it ever applied to double action revolvers and new single actinos have firing pin blocks and are safe to carry fully loaded.

Dale · 12-10-2007, 02:31 PM

I would check to see if the gun has a hammer block...if not...carry HOT!

If not then the call has to be yours and yours alone.

nathangdad · 12-10-2007, 04:31 PM

O.K. - here's the situation

If you have the transfer bar you have science, design, and engineering on the side of carrying fully loaded.

However, anything can happen in the real world so common sense says to keep an empty chamber in line with the hammer. Note, in a crisis you will really never get off over one or two rounds. Things just happen too fast. To get off four rounds in a crisis situation is just about statistically improbable.

Chris · 12-10-2007, 05:24 PM

Using the items mentioned above and carry hot in my opinion.

This is why it's crucial to never draw your weapon unless you are about to use it.

billy · 12-10-2007, 05:46 PM

the only ones that i dont carry full are my single action army revolvers.
it's the same design unchanged since 1873.
all my modern ones are full!

Bookman · 12-10-2007, 07:20 PM

Fully loaded.

If you're worried about the load under the hammer, do what I do with my "outdoors" .38 revolver. Put a .38 shot cartridge under the hammer. CCI/Speer sells them in packs of ten. CCI shotshells are as mild a .38 load as you will find.

You will still have your four full-power loads, and if you ever need to dispatch a snake or other small vermin you can just rotate back one chamber and use the shotshell.

CrazyIvan · 12-10-2007, 08:11 PM

Carry not fully loaded?

Do you start off by taking a road trip across country by filling your gas tank up only 1/2 way?

nighthawk80 · 12-11-2007, 07:16 AM

Thanks guys. I thought I was ok, It just got me thinking (which can be dangerous). I will probly put the fifth bullet back in.

Brampton Mike · 12-25-2007, 07:08 AM

Cocked and locked and ready to rock!

Windwalker · 12-25-2007, 08:19 AM

Carry fully loaded. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

Dale · 12-25-2007, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dale

I would check to see if the gun has a hammer block...if it has one...carry HOT!
If not then the call has to be yours and yours alone.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dale

I would check to see if the gun has a hammer block...if not...carry HOT!
If not then the call has to be yours and yours alone.

I meant to say if it had a hammer block then carry hot..oops.

BTW...there was no edit button option????????

12-10-2007, 01:33 PM	#1
nighthawk80 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Just south of Central Indiana Posts: 403	Fully loaded or not? Ok, To be all honest I have never really thought of it till talking with a respected gun owner. I conceal carry an older Charter Arms Detective in 38 special. It's a 5 shot pistol. I carry it fully loaded. I was informed while talking with the Respected gun owner and he said that I should carry on an empty chamber. Now my 38 has the safety bar and the fireing pin isn't isn't on the hammer (like his S&W which looks like mine, don't know the model), so I (sorry for the word) assumed that it is ok to carry fully loaded. Am I wrong with this thinking? Or is it Safer(?) to carry on an empty chamber? Thanks in advance!!

12-10-2007, 01:48 PM	#2
jashoffa Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Iowa Posts: 401	I think the idea of carring on an empty chamber is something that effects older single action revolvers. I don't think it ever applied to double action revolvers and new single actinos have firing pin blocks and are safe to carry fully loaded. __________________ "I don't go shooting without my guns and they don't go shooting without me!" Member NRA

12-10-2007, 02:31 PM	#3
Dale Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Too Dang Hot, Arizona Posts: 4,284	I would check to see if the gun has a hammer block...if not...carry HOT! If not then the call has to be yours and yours alone. __________________ "It confuses me how some people can vigorously go against the 2nd. Amendment and still call themselves patriotic"-me

12-10-2007, 04:31 PM	#4
nathangdad Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 2,433	Common Sense O.K. - here's the situation If you have the transfer bar you have science, design, and engineering on the side of carrying fully loaded. However, anything can happen in the real world so common sense says to keep an empty chamber in line with the hammer. Note, in a crisis you will really never get off over one or two rounds. Things just happen too fast. To get off four rounds in a crisis situation is just about statistically improbable.

12-10-2007, 05:24 PM	#5
Chris HMFIC Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 3,834,165 Images: 19 Blog Entries: 18	Using the items mentioned above and carry hot in my opinion. This is why it's crucial to never draw your weapon unless you are about to use it. __________________ Rules \| Contributing Members No one has the right to deny my personal safety Please be descriptive in your thread titles!

12-10-2007, 05:46 PM	#6
billy spiritual counselor Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: a secret lab on the shores of lake titicaca Posts: 11,926 Images: 9 Blog Entries: 145	the only ones that i dont carry full are my single action army revolvers. it's the same design unchanged since 1873. all my modern ones are full! __________________ internet yards and real yards are completely different units of measure.

12-10-2007, 07:20 PM	#7
Bookman Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: 10 paces south of Canada Posts: 738	Fully loaded. If you're worried about the load under the hammer, do what I do with my "outdoors" .38 revolver. Put a .38 shot cartridge under the hammer. CCI/Speer sells them in packs of ten. CCI shotshells are as mild a .38 load as you will find. You will still have your four full-power loads, and if you ever need to dispatch a snake or other small vermin you can just rotate back one chamber and use the shotshell.

12-10-2007, 08:11 PM	#8
CrazyIvan Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Englewood, CO Posts: 2,338	Carry not fully loaded? Do you start off by taking a road trip across country by filling your gas tank up only 1/2 way? __________________ "Minimum wage, minimum effort." "Never underestimate the power of stupidity." ~Me

12-11-2007, 07:16 AM	#9
nighthawk80 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Just south of Central Indiana Posts: 403	Thanks guys. I thought I was ok, It just got me thinking (which can be dangerous). I will probly put the fifth bullet back in.

12-25-2007, 07:08 AM	#10
Brampton Mike Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Brampton Ontario Canada Posts: 16	Cocked and locked and ready to rock!

12-25-2007, 08:19 AM	#11
Windwalker Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 3,533	Carry fully loaded. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.