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Would a double action pistol be ideal for home defense?

3K views 26 replies 18 participants last post by  carver 
#1 ·
Instead of having a single action pistol with a round in the chamber, and the safety on, would it be better to have a DA pistol, with the mag loaded, but without a round chambered,and safety off?

handgun noobie here.
 
#2 · (Edited)
If you needed it in a hurry, not having a round in the chamber could take too long!! You need to practice dropping the safety lever and then put a round in the chamber and be quicker and safer. Lets say that you have your pistol on the bed next to you, someone enters your bedroom and comes at you. Are you going to have time to chamber a round and shoot in time to save your life or a loved ones life.
 
#3 ·
Every gun in my house (except one, but it's the exception because I'm still building it) is loaded with a round in the chamber. Only one of my handguns even has a mechanical safety lever. I don't like them.

I prefer the safety offered by keeping my finger off the trigger until I'm ready to fire.

So as far as DA vs SA vs DA/SA vs DAO, I don't care from a safety perspective. I like DA/SA, but that's just a preference.
 
#4 ·
Why would you NOT have a round chambered?

I can see, if you are a newby, your being afraid of the sight of the single action auto with the hammer cocked. There is nothing there to be afraid, but I can understand people that are.

But the whole purpose of a double action auto is so you can have the gun loaded, and the hammer is down (as Donald Hamilton put it in one book) safe as a slab of cheese. You just pick up the gun and pull the trigger.

Compared to single action autos, double action autos generally have a really crappy trigger. If you keep your double action auto with the chamber empty, and have to chamber a round before shooting, you have accepted the disadvantage of the crappy trigger without accepting the advantage of just pulling the trigger without having to do anything else.

What I find even more amazing than people that have a double action auto with an empty chamber, is the people that have a double action auto and keep the safety on.

Weird. :confused:
 
#6 ·
My gun stays condition 1 pretty much all the time. Its just a matter of training Alb. As long as you handle the weapon properly and keep it on your mind you and those around you will be fine.
 
#7 ·
Always condition 1. Always. Doesnt make any difference if its double or single action.
 
#9 ·
Always condition 1. Always. Doesnt make any difference if its double or single action.
I strongly agree and live by that.
Yep.

OP-
I suggest you seek professional training. It will help you far more than listening to us here. You'll find that the vast majority of people here agree on plus 1 all the time. But, what you need is some good instruction & some range time to help you overcome your fear & apprehension. :)

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#11 · (Edited)
IMHO a shot gun would be best
:thumbsup:

It's hard to beat a trusty Dbl barrel 12 or 20 gauge SG for HD; esp for a newbie. But, I refuse to agree with our POSVP and say a shotgun is the best option for HD. A sg is a good choice for HD. But, not in every situation you may face. (That's why I keep a HG, Benelli and an AR close by.) :AR15firing:

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#12 ·
This subject just came up between me and a friend when I unloaded and unchambered a round to show my new pistol to my buddy.He freacked out when I racked the slide tossed the chambered bullet out.He said why do you carry it like that and my answer is why wouldnt you? I then said what if one of your arms was injured and you needed to chamber one quickly.He said whats the chance of that happening.I said whats the chance you need your gun.Its remote but it does happen and if I need it now its there.
 
#13 ·
I have two Beretta 92's. one is a g model with decocker only, no safety,. My other one is a M-9 and it has a decoker safety meaning the lever stays down until you flip it back up. I flip it back up as soon as I decock which leaves it the same as the G model which is ready for a double action shot by just pulling the trigger. Don't want to forget to flip if i need quick and for sure do not want to have to chamber a round. Keep one in the chamber and treat it as a loaded gun and you will be safe.
 
#14 ·
To play the devils advocate. One reason you might not keep a round in the chamber ready to fire. Are the kids (if young couple) or grandkids. As us older parents know that no mater how well you hid things. The kids will slip a way and find them. I know someone will say "teach the kids respect for the gun" Even if you teach them to respect the gun. There is always the chance that they will fire the gun someway. Now with that said I do agree with keeping one in the chamber.
 
#16 ·
To play the devils advocate. One reason you might not keep a round in the chamber ready to fire. Are the kids (if young couple) or grandkids. As us older parents know that no mater how well you hid things. The kids will slip a way and find them. I know someone will say "teach the kids respect for the gun" Even if you teach them to respect the gun. There is always the chance that they will fire the gun someway. Now with that said I do agree with keeping one in the chamber.
Agree 100%.
If it's not on you, then put it away. Gun owners need to practice extra safety precautions when our grandchildren and children are present. I teach this to my grandson all the time, but I wouldn't want to chance the curiosity of a 6 year old
 
#17 · (Edited)
To play the devils advocate. One reason you might not keep a round in the chamber ready to fire. Are the kids (if young couple) or grandkids. As us older parents know that no mater how well you hid things. The kids will slip a way and find them. I know someone will say "teach the kids respect for the gun" Even if you teach them to respect the gun. There is always the chance that they will fire the gun someway. Now with that said I do agree with keeping one in the chamber.
That's why you also teach them how safely handle a firearm -AND- when it's to shoot a firearm. Teaching them to respect a gun is not enough. I taught both my kids to shoot when they were about six. I also taught them gun safety & handling. They went to the range while mom & I taught & instructed students. They also watched us as we did our RSO duties for years.

Today one is a teenager & the other is almost a teenager. Neither of them have any interest whatsoever in firearms right now; because there is NO mystery or curiosity left for them to uncover. :)

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#18 ·
That last line called it.

DEMYSTIFY the gun.

I know a man that took his kid into the bedroom, lifted up the corner of his mattress and said, "See that. That's my gun. Don't mess with it."

I, on the other hand, told my kids that any time they wanted to see a gun, all they had to do was ask. After about a week of constant, "Can I see the gun, can I see the gun, can I see the gun", they quit. It was no big deal any more. It was just a gun. I could leave my pistol lying on the coffee table and it held no more interest to them than did the coffee cup next to it.
 
#19 ·
I have two Beretta 92's. one is a g model with decocker only, no safety,. My other one is a M-9 and it has a decoker safety meaning the lever stays down until you flip it back up. I flip it back up as soon as I decock which leaves it the same as the G model which is ready for a double action shot by just pulling the trigger. Don't want to forget to flip if i need quick and for sure do not want to have to chamber a round. Keep one in the chamber and treat it as a loaded gun and you will be safe.
This would be known as condition 2 carry (hammer down, loaded chamber). It is a viable alternative to condition 1 (cocked and locked) carry and does bear a slightly better margin of safety against AD. Most striker fired designs like Glocks, XDs, S&W M&Ps, etc are technically Cond 2 carry when loaded because the striker is actually cocked as you pull the trigger, but most folks, myself included, refer to a round chambered generally as Cond 1, unless your sidearm is equipped with an external hammer, as your M9, then it would be referred to as Condition 2.

Condition 3 (Loaded magazine, empty chamber), is a no no IMO, and provides a false sense of safety to the user. The extra second or two for you to draw, rack, present the weapon and fire on the bad guy can get you or someone you intend to protect killed. Trust me, I used to be of the same school of thought. For the longest I just knew I could draw my weapon, rack, present and accurately fire just as quickly as anyone carrying condition 1 could, but I was VERY wrong.

I didn't realize it until I started training at VX. Cond 3 carry is AT LEAST a full second, sometimes 2, slower getting rounds on target than Cond 1 carry. Most of the guys that were cond 1 already had 2 aimed shots on target by the time I had mine chambered and ready to fire. Then theres the odd possibility that in the moment of panic when you draw your weapon and rack it, that it jams while chambering, it happens to all of us, luckily though it usually happens on the practice range. But suppose it happened when you most needed to use your handgun.. What to do now, not only have you given a bad guy or group thereof the extra second or 2 drop on you, but now you've got a jammed weapon that wont even fire. itll take you a minimum of .2 seconds to realize the problem and another 2-5 seconds to clear it. All for the sake of an extra margin of safety. Potentially worst case scenario you've given a bad guy or group thereof a full 3-7 seconds to kill you before you can react...

3 seconds is a long ass time when bullets are flying. Do you remember qualifying for your CHL? 2 rounds, 3 seconds, FIRE.. BOOM. . . BOOM. . . BOOM.

Now consider you had been carrying cond 1, your draw, you fire, first round strikes badguy high center mass, but your gun jammed, you immediately take the 2-5 seconds to clear the jam and get back on target to realize the bad guy is twitching in a pool of blood and his gun a 3 feet away because it came out of his had when your first round struck him in the sternum. You carried cond 1, and only got off 1 quick shot, but it was enough, even though your gun jammed.

think about it guys..

Sorry for the rant.
 
#20 ·
That's why you also teach them how safely handle a firearm -AND- when it's to shoot a firearm. Teaching them to respect a gun is not enough. I taught both my kids to shoot when they were about six. I also taught them gun safety & handling. They went to the range while mom & I taught & instructed students. They also watched us as we did our RSO duties for years.

Today one is a teenager & the other is almost a teenager. Neither of them have any interest whatsoever in firearms right now; because there is NO mystery or curiosity left for them to uncover. :)

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That last line called it.

DEMYSTIFY the gun.

I know a man that took his kid into the bedroom, lifted up the corner of his mattress and said, "See that. That's my gun. Don't mess with it."

I, on the other hand, told my kids that any time they wanted to see a gun, all they had to do was ask. After about a week of constant, "Can I see the gun, can I see the gun, can I see the gun", they quit. It was no big deal any more. It was just a gun. I could leave my pistol lying on the coffee table and it held no more interest to them than did the coffee cup next to it.
I too agree. you absolutely have to remove the pandoras box effect. My kids are the same way. they do not experience the intrigue about guns that most kids do. But its because its a large part of their everyday life what with me being a fairly popular gunsmith in my area and having my shop right next to the house. They are constantly exposed to weapons and ammo and they are constantly taught how to safely handle them. At night when my gun comes off my side for bed it is left in the holster and placed next to me on my night stand, still in Cond. 1.
 
#23 · (Edited)
That last line called it.

DEMYSTIFY the gun.

I know a man that took his kid into the bedroom, lifted up the corner of his mattress and said, "See that. That's my gun. Don't mess with it."

I, on the other hand, told my kids that any time they wanted to see a gun, all they had to do was ask. After about a week of constant, "Can I see the gun, can I see the gun, can I see the gun", they quit. It was no big deal any more. It was just a gun. I could leave my pistol lying on the coffee table and it held no more interest to them than did the coffee cup next to it.
Dead on! When my kids were little, and I don't mean 6, I mean 2, they were pulling the triggers on my guns, as I held them. My oldest sons first sentence was "Gun pow, daddy, gun pow". My guns were, and still are, as much a part of my life as my children were. We played together, we learned together. I was in the woods hunting on my own by age 9, and so were my kids. Condition 1 here at all times, and with all guns. When you really need a gun, remember that you have to get yours, from the holster, or form the night stand, the BG already has one in his hand!
 
#24 ·
Carver. My oldest grandbaby's fifth birthday. That's her at the corner of the table. The old fat guy with the pistol - well y'all can probably guess who that is. The blonde is the youngest grandbaby. She's fourteen months. Click it - it's a movie.

 
#25 ·
I carry a Ruger P95, round chambered, hammer down, safety off. Anyone who's ever shot one knows what I'm talking about. That first DA trigger pull is a bear, most people who have shot it thinks it's broken, it has to go back farther and harder than you'd think. Touch off that first round and it's SA from then on with a much lighter pull, which is exactly why I went to it. DA/SA with second strike capability and good capacity and reliability.
 
#26 ·
Carver. My oldest grandbaby's fifth birthday. That's her at the corner of the table. The old fat guy with the pistol - well y'all can probably guess who that is. The blonde is the youngest grandbaby. She's fourteen months. Click it - it's a movie.
I remember when you first posted that video, be proud Grandpaw! She's a doll! And this is exactly what I was talking about. My children stood on the hood of the car, out in the woods, shooting old wine, and beer bottles, off the branches of bushes. They got to see them explode when hit! No curiosity for them, they knew first hand what a gun was for, how it worked, and what it could do. They were taught that a gun is not a toy, and not to be played with. They understood that this was a tool that they did not have permission to use, unless I was present.
 
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