Let's talk a little about carrying...

[buellbrewer]

ive always worked in places that were 'gun free zones". For years I wore an ankle holster with a 32 then a 380 or a belly band. both desantis brand. both comfortable. The bigger uniform clothes I wore kept the weapon covered good and was fairly easy to get to. I am in an office now and wear a crossbreed iwb with a sig 238. My clothes are cut more close than the uniforms but the iwb keeps it covered good. Im 6' 160. The only time I wear open carry is when Im out in the yard or woods walking.

 

[cskiles]

For sure! Depending on what I am wearing for the day, usually influences what gun I grab, and where I'm gonna put it.
I'll be honest, I was always taught to carry without one in the chamber, and to rack on the draw, but I think that I am gonna change that up.

I've watched a lot of videos about racking on the draw, some foreign military groups train that way. The thing that solidified my idea about it was this: I have a friend (ex-leo), he and I were discussing this subject while he was on one side of a counter and I was on the other, he quickly grabbed my right arm and pulled me to him (I carry at the 5 o'clock position on my right side - IWB) he said, "how are you going to draw and rack the slide"? Yes, I could have racked the slide on the counter top, yes I could have racked the slide on my hip or shoe, but the reality is that by the time I got the slide racked...it could have been too late. Since then, I always carry with a round chambered, and if I'm carrying a 1911 frame pistol I carry condition '1' - round chambered, hammer set, safety on.

I would love to carry "appendix" but I do not have the physique to do it. The 5 o'clock position seems to work well for me, I can drive with it and walk with it comfortably. I do not remove my pistol when I drive (unless I am going to be driving for hours) because I have a different pistol in a mount under my steering wheel...not paranoid, just prepared!

 

[Lowrecoil]

EDIT: most importantly, do y'all like to carry with one in the cooker, or leave her empty and lonely?

I have always used OWB holsters for comfort. I just was never comfortable with the IWB and I tried several. Im not knocking them in any way just not for me.

Your second question about one in the pipe. Hopefully youll never get into a situation that you need to pull but if you do drawing,racking,getting on target is a lot especially in a stressfull,tense moment when you might only have seconds.

 

[ExplicitBoricua]

I IWB and one in the cooker. I don't appendix due to my gut, however might give it a go if I lose it since I started the gym with the Mrs. I put it on when I leave the house and take it off when I return. I did find myself going to the bathroom to readjust and undershirt. However I finally got a carry belt at the last Expo show and I can click, click, click to that sweet spot. I usually do a 3 or 4 o clock.

 

[BHPSteel]

The underlying philosophy of carrying in Condition 3 (Israeli carry, 'none in the pipe') was promoted in print by Fairburn & Sykes in "Shooting to Live", but presumably predates that. And of course it was (and I think still is) observed by the IDF and as noted, a number of other militaries.

If you carry in Condition 3. you're certainly putting yourself at greater risk if you're having to react at speed to a threat to your person. Not just in terms of speed, but you have to have a way to rack that slide to begin defending yourself if you're carrying a semi.

The flip side of the argument is that it's a more forgiving way of carrying, particularly if your training isn't the best or you are concerned about your ability to handle your gun safely. One reason the Israelis adopted carrying this way was possibly because in 1947 they were being issued with a selection of janky milsurp stuff shipped to them by countries providing aid to the new nation. These firearms will sometimes have been used extensively in WW2 with sears and trigger packs that may not have been well looked after.

Most or all the advantages of carrying Condition 3 are therefore irrelevant. Most of us carry firearms that are modern, reliable and are likely to be well maintained. Many of us train a bit, if not a lot, and almost certainly have more experience than a young conscript. If you don't train, you should do something about it.

All of the disadvantages of carrying Condition 3 are still present, and for civilian defensive gun use are more important. The chances of you (dear reader) being involved in a defensive gun incident is far lower than for a military user in action, but it's very different in terms of the type of engagement and your preparedness.

FWIW, I was trained to carry in Condition 3, but abandoned that when I started carrying here in the US.

 

[ARCman47]

EDIT: most importantly, do y'all like to carry with one in the cooker, or leave her empty and lonely?

If you aint carrying one in the chamber you might as well not carry

 

[ARCman47]

I carry owb 99% of the time. I actually carry though, unlike alot of people who say they "carry"
case in point, I was with 2 guys one day and we were looking at a pistol. I had pulled my Glock out, and they were amazed and shocked it had scuffs on the slide and was full of lint lol! They claim to carry, so I said how long do you carry lets say, one day one the weekend? He's reply Oh I wore it to town for 40 mins then take it off in the car. I said I might have mine on me from 6am-8pm.. they looked dumbfounded.

 

[Red Squirrel 556]

Winter time is shoulder rig season.

 

[dcline9163]

I carry owb 99% of the time. I actually carry though, unlike alot of people who say they "carry"
case in point, I was with 2 guys one day and we were looking at a pistol. I had pulled my Glock out, and they were amazed and shocked it had scuffs on the slide and was full of lint lol! They claim to carry, so I said how long do you carry lets say, one day one the weekend? He's reply Oh I wore it to town for 40 mins then take it off in the car. I said I might have mine on me from 6am-8pm.. they looked dumbfounded.

Got to clean that bad boy or that’s another problem too.

 

[Torn]

I carry owb 99% of the time. I actually carry though, unlike alot of people who say they "carry"
case in point, I was with 2 guys one day and we were looking at a pistol. I had pulled my Glock out, and they were amazed and shocked it had scuffs on the slide and was full of lint lol! They claim to carry, so I said how long do you carry lets say, one day one the weekend? He's reply Oh I wore it to town for 40 mins then take it off in the car. I said I might have mine on me from 6am-8pm.. they looked dumbfounded.

Yep. I have to ”clean” my EDC every week especially in the summer which may be every couple of days. It ain’t purty but it’s ready.