I carry my XDm 9mm Compact with 13+1. I have heard that some folks recommend carrying the XDm with an empty chamber as an additional safety mechanism. Any opinions?
What if you are grabbed by the arm or already have an injury to an arm or hand before you can get to your pistol? The only safety you need is your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire. You may not have time or be able to operate your slide in an emergency.
The XD system has many safeties so there is absolutely no need to carry it with an empty chamber!!! Period!!! And like what was said above..what if you are in dire need to use that handgun when you present it on a close up encounter? Is the bad guy gonna wait for you to chamber a round? NO! Carry it condition one and don't worry about it..the best safety is in your head anyways..keeping the booger hook off the bang switch till needed.
I think the main reason we carry a weapon is to survive an unforeseen situation. I can think of numerous situations in which I would "NEED" a round already chambered and ready to fire. If you are concerned about safety... It may be that you are not yet comfortable or skilled with your gun. If that is the case, you should not be carrying until you are comfortable, skilled and trust your finger to stay off the trigger until necessary.
Quite simply, the gun was designed to be carried while loaded. It's a duty pistol; it has a plethora of passive safeties, including a striker pin safety that can only be disengaged by pulling the trigger. It's a paperweight without a round chambered. If you aren't comfortable carrying with a round in the pipe, then you shouldn't be carrying. Plain and simple. If I needed your help in a lethal force encounter, I certainly wouldn't want you showing up with a click instead of a bang...and a bad guy isn't going to give you time to rack the slide if you need to employ lethal force.
IF your "scared" to carry it LOADED with "no safety" buy a new gun with a manual safety that you feel comfortable to carry. IF your "scared" it will go off with out you making it then.... With a empty chamber but "cocked" toss it out the 2nd floor window into the yard and smack it around a bit. Besides a firm grip around the dovetail safety and pulling the trigger I assure you there is nothing you can do to make it "just go off" carry empty for 2-3 weeks and then look at the gun. It will still be "cocked" and not have "just went off"
Good discussion. I echo what ya'll have said. With the XD line of pistols, you have to pull the trigger to get it to go bang. You can drop it, kick it, throw it, bang on it with a hammer, and its not going to fire till you pull the trigger. So IMHO, load it up and carry with confidence.
I had just read some posts that suggested otherwise. My son was trained to use a manual safety and can't get his mind around a gun not having one. Based on that collection of information, I asked for opinions. I got them! Nice to see such a passionate and unanimous body of opinion. As a matter of fact, I do carry in condition one.
Practically every gun I owned before the advent of the striker fired pistol, had manual safeties. I too was leery of them and found it hard to get around it. But here I am..love the Glock and the XD series guns. But if they had a manual safety I certainly would use it..lol
Dont get me wrong. Theres a thing wrong with pistol with a manual saftey. My duty weapon for 20 years was a Colt Combat Commander. When you train with it and train with it, and train with it some more, the manual saftey becomes second nature, you manipulate that saftey without thinking about it. I guess what I'm trying to say is, that is a person has trained extensively with a pistol with a manual saftey, and doesnt feel comfortable with a pistol without one, then use a pistol with one. Just my 2 cents worth.
I always carry with one in the pipe. I do always make sure that I am not depressing the grip safety when reholstering tho.I saw a story somewhere about a guy that reholstered an XD and the trigger somehow caught on the top of the holster, grip safety depressed. Can you say "Negligent Discharge?"
This IS a good discussion. For those that have carried with a manual detent safety, I can certainly see the apprehension of not having a "button" to push. As stated above, one of the reasons that I even bought the XD is the passive safety system and the USA trigger. You CAN carry with one in the pipe without having to worry about an accidental discharge (even while drawing from a holster). As stated above, as long as you keep your "booger hook" off the trigger, there is NO chance of a discharge. AND, you only require one hand to discharge if you already have one in the pipe.
If you are carrying it in a proper holster, the "chambered round indicator" on the top of your XD should be UP. The grip and trigger safeties will do their job but make sure the ultimate safety (your brain) is doing it's job too. Negligent discharges are definitely not "optimal". (popular word lately) By the way, @yogiboobooranger, I love your colorful paraphrase of one of the four basic gun safety rules. (Keep the booger hook off the bang switch till needed) LOL Got any for the other three?
The current duty type weapons with no external safety were the replacement for a double action revolver. You just pull the trigger and boom. I understand that the triggers are probably going to be lighter on the semi auto, but the main safety is between the ears. Negligent discharges can be avoided...
excellent statement. Plus, it's far easier to teach someone the manual of arms for a non manual saftey/decocker/fill in the black added device. As much as i like the 1911 platform, i'd not carry one for a duty weapon. I might carry one concealed but i'd prefer a platform more along the xd/glock/mp for that...simple under stress...just point and shoot, and the trigger will be more forgiving to fingers amped up on adrenaline.
