TRAINING NOTES
Practical Guidance from the Director of Training
If you carry a concealed firearm, one of the most important questions you need to answer is whether you are carrying in a way that actually gives you a fighting chance if something goes wrong.
That is why the question of carrying with a round in the chamber matters. This is not about theory. It is about whether your firearm is ready when you need it.
If you need your gun, you want it ready. That means no unnecessary extra steps. Drawing, racking the slide, and then responding to a threat takes more time and more effort most people realize. Under stress, that matters. And it matters a lot. Under stress, people slow down, fumble, and make mistakes. If you think you’re going to run that sequence quickly and cleanly in a violent encounter, you’re probably fooling yourself.
I usually compare it to driving a car without your seat belt buckled and thinking you’ll have time to fasten it right before the crash. That’s not how life works. You don’t wait until the moment you need the safety step to do the safety step. If it matters, it needs to already be done.
That is why many experienced carriers choose to carry chambered. If the firearm is part of your defensive plan, it should be ready when needed.
Readiness mean you have the right set up. Proper training and a proper holster are absolutely critical. Not optional. Critical. A proper holster needs to cover the trigger guard, hold the gun securely, and keep the firearm exactly where it belongs. If it does not do that, then you do not have a proper carry setup. You have a problem.
That’s why we offer a course in holster techniques, and a custom holster service for whatever gun a student may carry because the quality of the equipment matters, and it has to support safe, consistent carry.
Some people are more comfortable carry un-chambered. I understand that. But comfort is not the standard. Readiness is.
If someone is uncomfortable carrying chambered, I’m not here to beat them up over it, but I am here to say that comfort and practicality are not always the same thing. Sometimes the answer is better training. Sometimes it’s better gear. Most of the time, it’s both. If the gun is there for protection, it should be set up for immediate use. For most people, with the right training and the right holster, that means carrying with a round in the chamber.
At the end of the day, concealed carry is about being prepare, not just feeling prepared. If you want your firearm to be part of your defensive plan, it needs to be ready before the moment comes.
Keep training and stay vigilant.
Elliott B. Gilchrist, PPS
Director of Training- Bill’s Gun Shop & Range
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