[piytar]

My personal rule: Two actions must be required to fire the weapon.

If the firearm has an external safety (e.g, my Ruger), the two actions are (1) disengage the safety and (2) pull the trigger. I therefore keep a round in the chamber.

If the firearm does not have an external safety (e.g., my Sig and KetTec), the two actions are (1) rack a round and (2) pull the trigger. I therefore do NOT keep a round in the chamber.

PS I have practiced extensively using “snap caps” with all my firearms and also with live ammo at various ranges. The “two actions” take me about 1/2 a second. PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE matters!!!

[zeugma]

If the firearm does not have an external safety (e.g., my Sig and KetTec), the two actions are (1) rack a round and (2) pull the trigger. I therefore do NOT keep a round in the chamber. PS I have practiced extensively using “snap caps” with all my firearms and also with live ammo at various ranges. The “two actions” take me about 1/2 a second. PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE matters!!!

I'd agree with that. You have to be comfortable with unholstering and racking the slide in one smooth action. Gotta love snap caps for that. They are also great at demonstrating a flinch while shooting. Have a friend insert the snap cap in place of a random round. If you pull the trigger, and it falls on the snap-cap, and your hand moves, you need more practice.

[NorthMountain]

My personal rule: Two actions must be required to fire the weapon.

My personal rule: It must be deployable one-handed.

Therefore, I carry with a round in the chamber. Always.

[treetopsandroofs]

“If the firearm does not have an external safety (e.g., my Sig and KetTec), the two actions are (1) rack a round and (2) pull the trigger. I therefore do NOT keep a round in the chamber.”

I agreed to this on another post here a year or so ago and was well criticized by a few for owning an expensive club.

[Cobra64]

Get a da/sa Sig, and keep it hot.

[T-Bird45]

Then there are we “old-school dinosaurs” with revolvers that ready to go at all times without a single concern about such clap-trap. You might also notice your local PD is likely mostly armed with Glocks that don’t meet your standards. Do you turn and run every time you see one of them? Your final line is the solution to your apparent discomfort: PRACTICE!

[dware]

My personal rule: Two actions must be required to fire the weapon.

Wish we had a "like" button. Excellent point!

[JAKraig]

I carry a Kel-Tec and I carry with a round in the chamber. It is the same weapon model that killed Trayvon Martin with one shot. My weapon is double action only, in other words pulling the trigger “cocks” the gun or sets the hammer and then releases the hammer. The trigger requires substantial force to pull, 8 pounds. I will never have to worry about accidentally pulling the trigger but if I need it it is ready.

My wife carries a Ruger revolver, it is always ready, just pull the trigger. Hers is only 6 pound pull but still pretty safe, we have never come close to accidental firing.

It takes time to get a gun out, you don't have time to pull a concealed weapon and then rack it before being charged by a bad guy, once the gun is exposed start shooting.

[so_real]

I appreciate your approach and encouragement to practice. For all those who carry but do not "practice, practice, practice" ... my personal opinion is not to keep a round in the chamber. Practice builds muscle memory and offloads that effort from the brain. The people who don't practice have no muscle memory and rely exclusively on the brain for each action. That being the case, for safety as well as accuracy, I'd sacrifice a little draw speed for a little more thinking time. It's like taking a deep breath before getting into a fight. Am I wrong about that?

[Organic Panic]

And if your other hand is incapacitated?

[GingisK]

I use half cock.