Semi auto pistol question?

Question

If you have a loaded clip in a semi auto pistol, but do not pull the slide to chamber a round, is there any way whatsoever that a round can go off?

I ask because I feel uncomfortable carrying a chambered pistol in concealed form. So for peace of mind I prefer to carry unchambered with a loaded clip. just double checking that it is impossible for a round to go off in this state

Answer 1

The way you intend to carry, called "Condition Three" by gun experts, precludes any accidental discharges, but it also renders the firearm a long way from being ready to serve its purpose.

Read this very interesting article on the subject, which describes the pros and cons of carry conditions three, two and one.....

Answer 2

I guess there is always a chance for anything, but it's very, very small than a round would go off in a magazine without being chambered. You are safe and probably doing the right thing. If you chamber a round, be sure to keep the gun on safety.

If you are really concerned or carrying a Glock with no safey, you might chose a good hard holster, where the pistol and trigger area are better protected if you decide to carry a chambered round as others have suggested.

Also, I am so tired of the clip vs. mag discussion. Clips, for example stripper clips, have no springs or working parts. Mags have springs and working parts. Yes, technically mag is the correct term for a semi-auto pistol. But really, who cares. In popular jargon both terms are used, so don't beat up on people who ask questions using the term clip. The point of these discussions should be to help newbies and even experienced people better understand how to chose and use the best firearms in a safe manner. We should not alienate people.

Good luck.

Answer 3

If you throw the gun into a fire, all of the rounds will go off. if you carry the gun with the slide in the back position, you could accidentally trip the slide, then the trigger. for the gun to fire in a traditional sense, there absolutely has to be a bullet in the chamber, aka the back of the barrel. As said above, you must check and double check that there was no bullet in the chamber before loading your magazine into the gun. If you put the gun down and it was out of your site for more than a second, check it again. I have seen people shoot "empty guns" and I've seen people nearly killed by these shots. Empty or unchambered guns do kill people and are dangerous in regards to how we need to think of guns. A gun is never completely safe and needs to be treated as such. It's great that you're concerned about safety.

Answer 4

Bound's hubby here:

There is no way that a round will go off accidently in the magazine or clip.

I am concerned that if you are hesitant to carry your pistol in condition 1 or condition 2, you may be increasing the danger that you may find yourself in. When you are carrying, you are carrying because you feel a threat. If a threat springs upon you, you probably will not have the time to draw and rack the slide. Carrying a pistol with an unchambered round is comparable to carrying an empty gun ... please ... re-think your options and type pistol you are considering carrying!

In all honesty, if you are afraid of a round going off, maybe carrying a handgun for self defense may not be the best course of action for you!

Good luck!

Answer 5

My semi auto pistol stores rounds in a magazine... but anyway to answer your question, without a round being chambered the only way rounds would go off is if the the rounds in the magazine became hot enough to cook off, so the firearm would have to be placed into an oven or in a fire. Ammunition is fairly versatile. It just doesn't go off.

Answer 6

Technically, no. But realize this. If there is a moment you need to draw your weapon in a self defense situation, you may not get a chance to rack the slide, and chamber a round.

I'm guessing you have a Glock. I have several and always carry w/ one in the chamber.
The action is the same as a Double Action Only revolver. The gun will not go off unless you pull the trigger.

Answer 7

In normal circumstances no. But there is a question of whether or not the gun was cleared. Did you double check to make sure you didn't have a round chambered from before?
There could be the odd chance that you had a dirty magazine and the all the stars, planets and moom aligned to put the perfect size piece of dirt right behind one of the primers and the right amount of impact caused that round to discharge.
The likely hood of that happening is so remote. If it did happen to you, you need to go buy a lottery ticket.

Answer 8

Nope. If the pistol is cleared (no round chambered) is as likey as the round going off in the bag while you walk to the car from the store where you just purchased them. BUT...If you happended to be hit by a car, while crossing the parking lot and the rounds spilled out and something hit the primer just right with enough force...then I guess anything is possible.

Answer 9

If there is no round in the "pipe" chambered, the weapon cannot go off through "AD" accidental discharge. If your carrying, the weapon may as well be unloaded, by the time you unholster and chamber a round, chances are you've already been shot. Because if you saw a need to use the weapon for whatever reason, that reason probably saw you going the the gyrations of drawing and loading.

Answer 10

Any mechanism can fail one way or another. While misfires when a cylinder isn't fully aligned on a revolver is rare, it can happen. Some people like myself have had thousands of rounds cycled through semi-auto pistols and have seen zero malfunctions. That is, unless the primer fails and the round fails to fire (happened to me on the range last week!) So it's six of one, half a dozen of the other.

Answer 11

I myself have a semi-auto there has to be a round in the fire chamber for the gun to go off, and if there is any doubt the safety should be on. I myself cannot see it going of even accidently without a bullet being chambered.