# How to load handgun with +1



## JLR09

This may be a dumb question and may include putting one in the chamber then loading the magazine in. 
I have a S&W Sigma 9mm with the 16 round magazine. And have seen that it can hold an extra in the chamber. I am new to handguns and didn't know if I should pull the slide back and put a bullet in the chamber and then close the slide. Then load the magazine in after?
I haven't done this yet because with the gun unloaded and I try to put in a loaded magazine it doesn't go all the way in and click unless the slide is back. Is there something else I need to do? I tried searching but didn't get any results. Thanks in advance for this simple question.


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## Hiram25

JLR09 said:


> This may be a dumb question and may include putting one in the chamber then loading the magazine in.
> I have a S&W Sigma 9mm with the 16 round magazine. And have seen that it can hold an extra in the chamber. I am new to handguns and didn't know if I should pull the slide back and put a bullet in the chamber and then close the slide. Then load the magazine in after?
> I haven't done this yet because with the gun unloaded and I try to put in a loaded magazine it doesn't go all the way in and click unless the slide is back. Is there something else I need to do? I tried searching but didn't get any results. Thanks in advance for this simple question.


Load the magazine full, place in weapon and chamber a round. Drop magazine and replace the round that is now in the chamber and you have the +1.

IMPORTANT: DO NOT FORGET THE +1 WHEN YOU ARE UNLOADING THE WEAPON AS THERE WILL STILL BE ONE IN THE CHAMBER AFTER DROPPING THE MAG!!!!!!

NOTE: Empty your mags every once and awhile (or run a round short for a couple days) to keep from damaging the spring, if you carry the mag full all the time you could have a problem with the mag spring.

VERY IMPORTANT: NEVER LOAD A ROUND OTHER THAN FROM A MAGAZINE!!!!


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## bruce333

Hiram25 said:


> NOTE: Empty your mags every once and awhile (or run a round short for a couple days) to keep from damaging the spring, if you carry the mag full all the time you could have a problem with the mag spring.


It doesn't damage or weaken the spring to keep mags loaded all the time.


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## JLR09

Thanks. That was the second idea I had about doing this. I most likely won't be doing this normally, I just wanted to know how to do it when I want to do it or feel the need for the extra magazine. Or when I get a gun with a lower capacity of rounds.


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## Hiram25

bruce333 said:


> It doesn't damage or weaken the spring to keep mags loaded all the time.


I stand corrected, I'll put the other cartridges back in the mag.

Thanks!!!


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## greenjeans

Lock the slide back, insert magazine, release slide to load one in the chamber. Not a good idea to put a round in the chamber directly because the extractor will have to ride over the rim and could cause damage to the extractor. Don't know why you can't insert a full magazine with the slide closed. That is the only way to have a full magazine and one in the chamber. My 9VE will accept a full magazine with the slide closed.


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## SaltyDog

My Sigs and Glock will accept a magazine with the slide closed HOWEVER, depending on the magazine - usually a newer one - it can be difficult to push the fully loaded magazine into the locked position. Make sure the magazine is fully locked into the handgun or you will experience a no bang. Been there done that.


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## JLR09

Okay it accepted the full magazine with the slide closed. I guess I didn't push it in hard enough.


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## cougartex

Welcome to the forum from a fellow Jefferson County resident.


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## JLR09

Thanks cougartex.


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## Jiu-jitsu fighter

I have never heard not to load a round into the chamber then close the slide and insert the full mag. Thats how I have always done it, with no problems. I cant see any difference between it feeding from a mag or you just dropping it in the chamber.


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## Brydawg

Jiu-jitsu fighter said:


> I have never heard not to load a round into the chamber then close the slide and insert the full mag. Thats how I have always done it, with no problems. I cant see any difference between it feeding from a mag or you just dropping it in the chamber.


 I just went through this ( both ways) with my M&P. When I put one in the pipe manually, the slide stays open about 1/8 ". When I strip one from the mag, it works perfect. It must be a gun thing...


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## Bisley

Jiu-jitsu fighter said:


> I have never heard not to load a round into the chamber then close the slide and insert the full mag. Thats how I have always done it, with no problems. I cant see any difference between it feeding from a mag or you just dropping it in the chamber.


The difference is that your extractor is not built to operate this way, and will eventually break, from being 'jumped' over the cartridge rim. It may be strong enough to take it for a while, depending on the number of repetitions, but if you do it a lot, it will eventually break.

When the chamber is loaded from the magazine, the cartridge comes up from the bottom and fits the rim of the case up underneath the extractor claw, without bending it backwards or putting pressure in the wrong direction.

It will probably continue to work just fine for you, right up until the moment that it doesn't work at all.


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## TOF

Brydawg said:


> I just went through this ( both ways) with my M&P. When I put one in the pipe manually, the slide stays open about 1/8 ". When I strip one from the mag, it works perfect. It must be a gun thing...


With the slide open 1/8 inch it will not fire. That condition is called out of battery. You don't want it to be that way when you need to address a home invasion or similar event.

It is best to let the slide scoop a round out of the mag as it was designed to do.

tumbleweed


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## zhurdan

TOF said:


> With the slide open 1/8 inch it will not fire. That condition is called out of battery. You don't want it to be that way when you need to address a home invasion or similar event.
> 
> It is best to let the slide scoop a round out of the mag as it was designed to do.
> 
> tumbleweed


Indeed. It's not a "gun thing"(Brydawg), it's a design thing. As pointed out, the proper way to "fully load" your pistol with one in the pipe and a full mag is to insert magazine, rack slide, remove magazine and top it off with another round. I don't understand why people _don't_ do it, there's really no appreciable time savings in doing it by dropping a round in the pipe and ramming the ejector over the case rim.


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