The cop who taught my intermediate weapons class said carry chambered. And keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
The wife’s P238 is carried chambered, cocked with the safety on.
My semis are striker fired and carried chambered
My Airweight, well if it’s loaded, it ready.
Now I’m talking everyday carry. There are other situations where I might not. As it is now, if I leave the house carrying, as I nearly always do, I’m chambered. Consistency is of absolute importance.
That's the overridingly correct answer! except that I would say, SAFE consistency"...
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Absolutely do not carry a piece that is not 100% ready to fire when drawn and placed on target. If the firearm is inherently unsafe -- at any time -- in that condition, or/and you are not absolutely trained and disciplined to make the transition from "carry" to "fire" SAFELY -- EVERY TIME -- then, you absolutely should not carry it.
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Disrupting your draw to ask yourself, "Is it ready?" "Do I need to chamber a round?" And, then -- either taking that (2-handed) action -- or completing your draw -- inescapably interrupts that absolutely mandatory and imperative smooth, controlled,"trained-in" SAFE transition from "carry" to "fire".
The delay can get you killed.
The disruption can easily lead to a Negligent Discharge -- which can put you in the hospital -- or -- in court/jail for shooting a bystander.
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If you are not willing to select a firearm that is SAFE with a chambered round until your front sight is on target, and to train/drill sufficiently that a SAFE transition from "carry" to "fire" is absolutely automatic, then, you should join ranks with our noob, Regal....