[RogueIsland]

I don't think your information regarding NRA instruction is entirely accurate. Monday night I attended a handgun proficiency course at the local shooting range. The instructor was NRA certified, and I asked him this very question. He gave me the same answer you just gave above. Perhaps he was only speaking for himself, but he didn't say that the NRA position was any different.

It's possible they've revised the instructor curriculum. In the NRA Basic Pistol course I took, they taught hammer down on empty chamber for revolvers. I'd have to check if their companion textbook says the same thing. I figured they just kept the old method so that people who are not savy about such things as transfer bars wouldn't go putting a live round under the hammer of Grand-Dads Colt.

[RightWhale]

Five rounds is enough. If it takes more, the only thing needed in the empty chamber is a roll of $100s to pay for the burial.

Whatever happened to the Western movies?

[William Tell]

RogueIsland said: "In the NRA Basic Pistol course I took, they taught hammer down on empty chamber for revolvers."

One potential advantage to an empty chamber under the hammer is that a round can't "cook off" in a fire. My pre-treason S&W Model 66 stands guard night and day at my home. If the place burned, the round in under the hammer could fire and anything down range could get hurt. I store mine fully loaded, but I think about this now and again.