[Katsai]

Hammer back and safety on, the way God and John Browning intended. I can only throw an unloaded gun once.

[orangello]

I don't carry; if i did feel the need to carry, it would be with a loaded chamber.

I keep one on deck with a round chambered, XD45 in a drawer beside the bed. I'm torn on the pump shotty; i have gone with tube loaded, chamber empty, and safety off (don't trust the cats not to knock it over). The others are put away but have a loaded magazine or speed loader with them (mags loaded 1 short).

Originally Posted by winds-of-change

I also have a speed loader but I need to practice with it more.

Mine seem to work best for me when i hold the GP100 in my right hand almost normally but with the cylinder open and the trigger finger stuck through the cylinder's usual home, holding the fingertip against the cylinder to keep it steady while i insert the speed loader and twist to release the rounds.

It takes much longer to type it.

[mrm14]

Always one in the chamber. I usually have the shotgun in my bedroom which is loaded and ready to go with just the pull of the trigger, but for now, due to the grand kids and daughter living with me the last few months, I lock it up in the safe during the day and only have it out with me when I go to bed in my locked bedroom.

That darn 2 Y.O. grandson will get into anything especially things that you don't want him to find. So, I also have alot of other things than firearms put up or locked up to keep this littel bugger out of it.

[FT360]

Affirmative.

[hnealg]

Always, with all the defensive handguns around my house.

[hunter Joe]

Although, I keep a fully loaded magazine in the well, I never believed it necessary to keep on in the pipe when storing firearms at home. Grabbing a firearm and racking the slide has become second nature and I do this with all firearms with that type of action, pump or semi auto.

[raygun56]

+1 for cocked and locked

[hnealg]

Although it takes only a few seconds longer to rack a shell into the chamber, from my casual studies of home invasions, etc. --I feel every second counts! I personally do not wish to waste a microsecond if someone is entering my house, as the law in GA reads, "in a tumultous manner"

[FreedomFighter69]

In Battery and Ready to Fire !

[EdwardH]

Seems like most of you keep a round chambered and ready to go, which I've started doing. Until earlier this year, I had fired a gun only once since I left Viet Nam in 1970 and that was about 72 or 73, a long gun I fired only once. But things change over time and I was put out to pasture on disability several years ago because of a bad back. I'm very limited in what I can do and I have to walk with the aid of a cane. That and the fact that I'm not a young pup any longer have made me more of a target for the bad guys in my mind. To solidify that idea, I was assaulted a couple years ago by some young punks out to prove they could pound and old man. I have a very nice hardwood cane and that probably saved my bacon, because I got in a couple of good whacks and the bad boys ran away.

I was fighting the VA for a full disability at the time and couldn't afford a handgun, but thankfully things changed (after a 6 year fight) and I bought my first handgun, a 9mm Springfield XD 5" Tactical in February of this year. The older I get, the less I do things in moderation and I've added another 7 handguns to my collection since: An XDm 3.8 .40 Cal; an XD .40 Sub-Compact; a Springfield EMP 9mm; an EMP .40 Cal; a Beretta 9mm PX4 Storm; an FNP 9mm and a Sig Sauer Mosquito. (I live alone, no dependents other than my 4 rescued cats, so what the hell).

At first, since I was re-learning my weapons skills (I was a damn good shot back in the day) I was a little leery of keeping a round in the chamber. But as I've spent a lot of time at the range and continue to hone my skills again (I'm still a pretty good shot and getting better), I've become more comfortable handling each pistol and now I keep 3 of them chambered and ready in separate locations around my place. And I'm having so much fun shooting them all, it's great. I can't wait to add more.