I was at a variety store that sells ammo and holsters, among a million other products. I saw a holster I wanted to test-fit, and asked the clerk if I could try it out with my own gun. She said yes.
Only after I pulled my .45 semi-auto from its concealed holster and started to clear it did she say she misunderstood, thinking I only meant to try the holster's fit on myself. She called their security department to ask if I could do what I had intended to do.
A couple of minutes later a uniformed SLC police officer appeared. I had set my gun on the counter, minus the magazine, and he asked if it was safe. I said I'd need to empty the chamber, and he OK'd my doing so. I let the round fall onto the counter, then handed him the gun with the action open. He examined it, closed the slide, and handed it back to me to test-fit the holster.
In the course of all this, he said, "You can't have a round in the chamber with a concealed handgun."
This surprised me, as I had researched the law completely, including the quirky bit about open-carry with a round in the chamber. I questioned him on that point, and he reiterated: nothing in the chamber with concealed-carry.
I generally don't argue with cops, so I said I must have misunderstood. I reloaded my weapon and re-holstered it under my jacket. He didn't pay attention, but I left the chamber empty in case he asked. He returned to his office somewhere in the back of the store.
Still puzzling over this, as I waited in line to buy the holster, I used my phone to search for more information. All I could find was the specifics about a CFP holder not having to keep an empty chamber with open-carry. There wasn't a specific law about empty chamber with concealed-carry because ... that's not the law.
I asked to see the policeman again. I showed him what I'd found on my phone, but he stuck to his guns (so to speak): He was certain the chamber had to be empty for concealed-carry.
It only took five minutes of searching this forum to get the right answer. Still unsure if I should follow up with him, or with the SLCPD.
Only after I pulled my .45 semi-auto from its concealed holster and started to clear it did she say she misunderstood, thinking I only meant to try the holster's fit on myself. She called their security department to ask if I could do what I had intended to do.
A couple of minutes later a uniformed SLC police officer appeared. I had set my gun on the counter, minus the magazine, and he asked if it was safe. I said I'd need to empty the chamber, and he OK'd my doing so. I let the round fall onto the counter, then handed him the gun with the action open. He examined it, closed the slide, and handed it back to me to test-fit the holster.
In the course of all this, he said, "You can't have a round in the chamber with a concealed handgun."
This surprised me, as I had researched the law completely, including the quirky bit about open-carry with a round in the chamber. I questioned him on that point, and he reiterated: nothing in the chamber with concealed-carry.
I generally don't argue with cops, so I said I must have misunderstood. I reloaded my weapon and re-holstered it under my jacket. He didn't pay attention, but I left the chamber empty in case he asked. He returned to his office somewhere in the back of the store.
Still puzzling over this, as I waited in line to buy the holster, I used my phone to search for more information. All I could find was the specifics about a CFP holder not having to keep an empty chamber with open-carry. There wasn't a specific law about empty chamber with concealed-carry because ... that's not the law.
I asked to see the policeman again. I showed him what I'd found on my phone, but he stuck to his guns (so to speak): He was certain the chamber had to be empty for concealed-carry.
It only took five minutes of searching this forum to get the right answer. Still unsure if I should follow up with him, or with the SLCPD.