My carry piece has one in the pipe, hammer down, safety on. Designed to be safe to carry that way, as are a lot of modern firearms.
A 1911 pattern is SUPPOSED to be carry “cocked and locked”.
Not sure what Z was carrying, but yeah... Without a round in the chamber, you are putting yourself at a serious disadvantage in a “OMFGINEEDITRIGHTNOW” situation.
I carry quite a bit myself and I usually do not have one “in the pipe”. However, I am also a fairly well trained martial artist ... so if a problem is so close that I would need one “in the pipe” I probably could handle it without the gun. A perps gun within my reach will become my gun in less than a second and sooner than they could pull the trigger
Cross-examining lawyer: You came at him?
Rooster Cogburn: I did.
Cross-examining lawyer: With revolver in hand?
Rooster Cogburn: Yes.
Cross-examining lawyer: Loaded and cocked?
Rooster Cogburn: Well if it ain’t loaded and cocked it don’t shoot.