I was taught never to carry a weapon with a round chambered. Nor do I store one that way. That's how I interpret "ready to shoot". Chambering a round is not a crime. Possession may be!
Pull a pistol and chamber a round and you can be charged with brandishing.
Never pull a weapon unless you are going to shoot it.
I was taught never to carry a weapon with a round chambered. Nor do I store one that way. That's how I interpret "ready to shoot". Chambering a round is not a crime. Possession may be!
#1: A concealed weapon is a concealed weapon, with all the legal implications thereof, regardless of whether a round is chamnbered. (Check your local laws, as I am not admitted to practice in your state)
According to the most recent stats on shootings,
80% are at 20 feet or less. 55% are at 7 feet or less. Average number of shots fired is 5. Average number of bullets that hit is 1. AVERAGE TIME FROM START OF GUNFIGHT UNTIL END IS 3.4 SECONDS
Since the only justification to employ deadly physical force in most cases is the presence of opposing deadly or grievous physical force, and since it is going to be over in less than 4 seconds, you do not have time to chamber a round.
Additionally, chambering a round requires two hands. In a deadly confrontation, you may not have both hands available, or be able to get them into action. Example, you are on street, condition Yellow. Perp suddenly approaches you and begins to draw his knife or pistol. You are close enough to him that no retreat is possible. You grab his right (gun/knife) hand with your left hand, move it down and away, while you draw with your right hand.
Now, unless you let go of his gun/knife hand, how are you going to chamber a round?
Modern semi-automatic pistols are completely safe with a round chambered, safeties on. You may want to remove the round when storing the weapon, but never carry a weapon you are not ready to shoot in less time than it takes the perp to draw his weapon and shoot.... and remember, in most self-defense situations, the perp "gets the first move." In those situations, you cannot claim self-defense unless he performs some overt act.
Granted, there are time in Red, Orange and even some Yellow situations where you can have your hand on your weapon, but to display it means you are ready to kill the person involved if they continue their deadly or grievous actions against you... and in those situations, you do not have a tenth of a second to spare.
Yes, it's that serious.