I just bumped again on this subject matter in a forum somewhere. And what I see it is pretty much the same idea: “I feel safer carrying an empty chamber.”
Bull.
Modern sidearm technology has given us amazingly safe weapons that do not go bang unless you start screwing around with the trigger. That might be because you inserted your booger collecting appendage (finger) inside the trigger guard or something caught the trigger and made it move. Either way it is your fault.
When you say you feel safer carrying on an empty chamber, it is telling people you have had little or no training and practice with your firearm or (on a lesser extent) that you are carrying your pistol in such a manner that might not be safe to carry such a pocket pistol in a pocket with some foreign crap sharing the space or in a cheap holster that keeps folding on itself. And yes, negligent discharges have happened by these causes.
So, if you don’t have instruction, get some. Practice that instruction on the range with live ammo and at home with dry-fire. And please, don’t be carrying your $600 gun in a $20 nylon holster that you picked up at the bargain bin of your local Army Surplus store. With good Kydex holsters from reputable companies like Comp Tac going between $65 to $90 for a OWB and $40 to $90 for IWB, you have no excuse not to properly and safely carry a gun. Since I do not carry inside the pocket regularly, I can’t give you advice other than if you do not have a pocket holster, make damn sure the gun and only the gun is in the pocket.
I carry my 1911 the way JMB (all praise his name) intended. Round in the chamber, safety on, in a quality holster that covers the trigger.
I got rid of all the sausage sack holster that I ended up with and now I only own quality rigs. Of course a lot of those cheap ones were in boxes of misc. at gun auctions.
My current holster was made for me by a local here. He’s a regular at the gun shows and puts out a great product. I’d stack his work against any of the big name makers. He made me a FBI style pancake that’s starting to show a bit of wear after 2 years. Maybe this weekend I’ll treat myself to a new one.
These days I pocket carry more often than not. Even with a pocket holster, I still make sure that the gun and holster are the only things inside the pocket.
Back when I first started carrying IWB, I never liked the idea of carrying +1. I eventually bought a Springfield XD because the added grip safety provided a little extra comfort to having a round in the chamber.
When I started shooting USPSA and IDPA, the fear of carrying +1 completely went away. The XD has become a nightstand gun, replaced on my hip by a G19.
Yep I pocket carry both small revolvers and small autos and I always carry +1. That’s a HUGE thing for the small guns given that they don’t carry much ammo so one more is a big deal. Just like Walt says, carry in a good pocket holster, and the gun is the ONLY thing in that pocket. Good pocket holsters can be crazy inexpensive too.
Modern guns are just too safe to NOT carry with a pill in the chamber. And the video below shows WHY we do it. You can draw and fire with one hand, and you don’t need to worry about jamming the gun before you get at least one shot off.
I’m sure this guy would have loved one in the chamber:
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=086_1260862712
The holster thing is kinda like some Harley guys- they love to brag about how much the bike costs and when its time for tires they buy a $25 Chen shin tire..