Many holsters and mounts cover the trigger as a safety feature. This is especially true with holsters worn on your person, both outside the waistband (OWB) and of course inside the waistband (IWB) holsters have a trigger guard for safety.
However, the ATR mount was designed to allow individuals the option to carry without a round in the chamber and only chamber a round when needed.
A covered trigger wouldn’t allow this feature and it’s one of the main features of the ATR mount.
Why gun owners carry without a round in the chamber?
Carrying a weapon without a round in the chamber is simply the act of having a weapon with a loaded magazine and not yet pulling the slide back or making the weapon hot. There are instances when this is the best option for both law enforcement and citizens, and times when it’s best to have a round in the chamber.
For instance, some police departments have standard operating policies and procedures that allow qualified officers to carry an AR-15 and/or shotgun, and they do so without a round or shell chambered. Officers chamber a round or shell only when they grab the weapon to use in the line of duty, but while the weapon is in a mount in the front seat or in the trunk, the chamber is clear.
Of course there are always situations that may call for slight deviation in policy, however, in general most police departments AR-15 and shotgun policies are good examples when experts carry a weapon without a round chambered.
And both shotguns and AR-15s have been very effective in law enforcement despite those policies.
And as a side note, many AR-15 vehicle mounts don’t cover the trigger. Which is another major factor in keeping the chamber clear until in a situation when the weapon is needed and deployed.
Now, does law enforcement have rounds chambered in their handguns—absolutely—but they also are almost always more trained than the average citizen and more cognizant of weapon safety, de-escalation techniques, knowing when to engage and when not to, etc.
Everyone is in a different period in their life and in different situations. What’s neat about the ATR mount is it allows each individual to carry their weapon how they want and how they feel most comfortable.
Reasons to Carry Without A Round In The Chamber - Not Hot
Carrying a handgun without a round in the chamber is not for everyone, but it might be the best option for some at certain periods in their life or it could be how they prefer to carry throughout their life.
Some reasons to carry without a round chambered:
- Chambering a round just prior to discharging a weapon in a self-defense situation while in a vehicle or at home, could be beneficial in court (i.e., The round wasn’t chambered six months earlier. It was a conscious decision in a series of decisions).
- If this is how you’ve always trained and carried a weapon.
- If you have small children at home and want to keep a weapon mounted next to the bed.
- If you feel more comfortable without one in the chamber.
Again, what’s neat about the ATR mount is its flexibility. A tactical unit officer may carry a sidearm on their hip and have a second weapon mounted to their dash, both loaded with a round in the chamber, while an average citizen may want to carry without a round chambered because that’s how they have always carried.
Reasons to Carry With A Round In The Chamber - Hot
Carrying a handgun with a round in the chamber is the way many choose to carry, but also requires a little more awareness.
Some reasons to carry with a round chambered:
- If this is how you’ve always trained and carried.
- No lag time between needing to address a threat and addressing threat, because the round is already chambered.
- One less step to complete before addressing the threat.
- Less of a chance that you pull the trigger and nothing happens (i.e., forgetting a round isn’t chambered).
It comes down to how each individual practices and what they prefer. There is no right or wrong way to carry. The important part is practice and training the same way, so when confronted with a life or death situation, training and muscle memory kick in and you’re able to defend yourself, family, and friends.
At The Ready Mount Step-by-Step Instructions
Once the mount is mounted in a vehicle, bedroom, office, etc., it’s simple to use. If a round is in the chamber and the weapon is loaded, simply grab the weapon with the same grip you would use to shoot. If the weapon isn’t chambered, grab the weapon how you would normally hold the weapon to shoot and chamber a round before removing the weapon.
Always obey the Four Universal Gun Safety Rules [Link to other article here]:
- Treat all weapons as if they are loaded.
- Never point the weapon at anything you’re not willing to destroy.
- Keep your finger off the trigger until on target and you intend to fire.
- Be sure of your target and what’s behind your target.
ATR recommends clearing your weapon and placing the weapon in the mount prior to mounting, to ensure proper placement, then practicing using the mount while the weapon is clear.
Practice placing the weapon in the mount and removing it several times while unloaded before using the mount with a loaded weapon or a weapon with a loaded magazine.
ATR Mount In Vehicle
If using the mount in a vehicle, always maintain extreme caution when removing your weapon from a holster on your hip or bag (or however you normally carry), placing it in the ATR mount and vice versa.
Those that own and carry a weapon should do so with great responsibility, discipline, and awareness. Safety should always be at the forefront as a gun owner.
Never let your guard down or become complacent when completing routine daily tasks or movements that may seem insignificant—like placing a weapon in, and removing it from a holster/mount.
They are not. They’re significant and should be completed with great care and caution.
Removing The Weapon From Vehicle
ATR recommends individuals remove their weapon from the ATR mount prior to exiting their vehicle and take the weapon, or at the minimum, place it in a lock box.
Theft of guns from vehicles and homes is how many criminals obtain weapons and ATR wants to stress to gun owners to do their part in keeping guns out of the hands of those that wish to harm society.
The ATR mount should only be used while you’re sitting inside your vehicle.
Key Considerations For Successfully Using The ATR Mount
Maintain gun safety rules and practices, and don’t become complacent. Use care when placing your weapon in your ATR mount and removing it from the mount. Always practice drawing your weapon from the ATR mount with an unloaded weapon (and no magazine).
The ATR mount is flexible and allows individuals to carry a round in the chamber, as well as without a round in the chamber—do what’s best for you. There’s no right or wrong. Just remember, you practice how you play. When forced into a life or death situation, people revert back to muscle memory and how they trained so pick one way and go with it.
Remove your weapon with caution from the ATR mount prior to exiting your vehicle and take it with you or at the very least, place it in a lock box.
How to ensure you react the way you want in a life or death situation?
Train. Train and practice how you want to react in a real life situation. Going to the range and taking classes with skilled instructors is always beneficial, however, it’s not the only way to train.
Visualize scenarios in your head—robberies, car-jackings, etc.—and visualize how you want to react. Visualize grabbing your weapon and addressing the threat. Visualize alternatives and other options you may have available, like removing yourself from the situation, which is ideal but not always an option.
Practicing visualization and dry-firing are two great training options in addition to practicing at the range. For those with limited time, it’s a great alternative to the range compared to not practicing.
Our brains are powerful and do not know the difference between what we actually did and what we visualize. Training through visualization will help one's reaction and muscle memory without actually doing the steps in real life.
Of course visualization combined with real life practice is best, but don’t think real life practice is the only way to prepare.
Wrapping Up and My Experience With The ATR Mount
As a former Dallas Police Officer, robbery detective, and criminal investigator for the state of Texas, I’ve been around many victims of violent crime. Being prepared, knowing your surroundings, and not having a false sense of security in your vehicle, matters. Seconds matter and can be the difference between going home to your family or not.
I’ve personally used an ATR mount for almost a year now and feel more prepared because of it. Especially in the winter months when it’s even harder to get to my weapon on my hip, because of layers of clothing.
While I carry with one in the chamber, several ATR employees and citizens I’ve met over the last year do not and are grateful for the option to chamber a round as they remove their weapon from the ATR mount.
So, why is the ATR mount trigger exposed?
Flexibility and options. Carry with a round in the chamber or not, either way is available and both are far superior than no weapon at all.