In this week’s Good Guy with a Gun, we shift focus from a single self-defense story to a lesson built on multiple real-world encounters — all captured on camera — that drive home one life-saving principle:
If you carry a firearm for self-defense, carry it with a round in the chamber.
It’s a controversial topic in the concealed carry community. Some prefer what's often referred to as Israeli carry — keeping the chamber empty and relying on manually racking the slide if the need arises. The reasoning usually centers around perceived safety or an added layer of hesitation before firing.
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Scenario 1: Off-Duty Officer, Child in Hand
The first video shows an off-duty Brazilian officer holding a child when he's suddenly faced with an armed robbery. With his support hand occupied, there is no chance to rack the slide. His ability to defend himself and the child relies entirely on his weapon being in a ready-to-fire condition.
If that gun wasn’t already chambered? He would’ve had no way to bring it into action.
Scenario 2: Hands-on Assault
In multiple clips, armed citizens or off-duty officers are attacked at close range. They're grappling, restraining attackers, or using their support hand to control a suspect — all while trying to draw their gun.
The recurring problem? Their second hand isn’t free.
In one case, a defender attempts to chamber a round during a chaotic scuffle, but fails. Either the slide isn’t racked all the way, or it malfunctions under pressure. It’s a terrifying reminder that mechanics fail — and your body may too — under the stress of a deadly force encounter.
Scenario 3: Chambering Failure in a Life-or-Death Moment
Perhaps the most heartbreaking footage involves a police officer who draws on an armed suspect, but fails to fire because his gun wasn’t ready. Whether due to a forgotten chamber or a malfunction, the result is the same: the attacker’s weapon works. The officer’s doesn’t. The outcome is fatal.
Why These Examples Matter
It’s easy to imagine that in a real encounter, you’ll have the time and space to draw your firearm, chamber a round, and take aim. But as these videos show, real life rarely plays out that cleanly. Assailants ambush. Fights get physical. Seconds disappear.
And in those moments, you don’t rise to your level of expectation — you fall to your level of training, readiness, and equipment.
Key Takeaways
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You May Only Have One Hand: Whether carrying groceries, shielding a loved one, or holding off an attacker, you might not have both hands free to chamber your weapon.
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Mechanical Failures Are Real: Under stress, short-stroking a slide or fumbling your grip is more likely — not less.
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Bad Guys Don’t Wait: A criminal armed with a weapon in ready condition has a decisive advantage over someone who needs to make theirs battle-ready in the moment.
Conclusion: Choose Readiness Over Hesitation
Carrying a firearm is a serious responsibility — and part of that responsibility is ensuring your weapon is ready for immediate use when your life (or someone else’s) depends on it. The compilation in this week’s video doesn’t condemn those who carry without a chambered round — but it does offer stark, sobering evidence of why it’s a risk you may not want to take.
As the narrator says plainly:
“When your life’s on the line, I don’t think I want to take those chances. And I wouldn’t recommend you do either.”
Stay Prepared with Purpose
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