I've seen this sort of question too many times.
First, carrying a semi-auto pistol with a full mag and and empty chamber sounds like a safe thing to do, but it is actually very dangerous. If you ever had to pull your pistol for defense, you think you have the wits and smooth skills to rack the slide in a split second, but under such a stressful situation you are more likely to fumble with the slide. Even if you do manage to rack the slide under stress, where is your trigger finger? Is it on the side of the receiver, resting on the trigger, or did you instinctively pull the trigger all the way back during the racking and now you are pressing with all your might as your assailant lunges at you with a knife and the pistol won't fire because the trigger is already fully depressed? Or did you rack the slide, your finger hit the trigger as the slide slammed forward and the muzzle was accidentally pointing at little Janey, the 9 year old girl who was standing well behind and to the side of your assailant?
Second, repeatedly loading and unloading a round can push the bullet deeper into the casing, this can lead to dangerously high chamber pressure when the round is fired.
Third, a defensive pistol with an empty chamber at home is just as bad as carrying a pistol with an empty chamber. If you have children at home or perhaps there is a state or local law that requires firearms to be inaccessible to anyone but you, I suggest keeping the pistol in a locked box. Make sure the box is easy for you to open in a stressful situation, but not easy for a child to open.
First, carrying a semi-auto pistol with a full mag and and empty chamber sounds like a safe thing to do, but it is actually very dangerous. If you ever had to pull your pistol for defense, you think you have the wits and smooth skills to rack the slide in a split second, but under such a stressful situation you are more likely to fumble with the slide. Even if you do manage to rack the slide under stress, where is your trigger finger? Is it on the side of the receiver, resting on the trigger, or did you instinctively pull the trigger all the way back during the racking and now you are pressing with all your might as your assailant lunges at you with a knife and the pistol won't fire because the trigger is already fully depressed? Or did you rack the slide, your finger hit the trigger as the slide slammed forward and the muzzle was accidentally pointing at little Janey, the 9 year old girl who was standing well behind and to the side of your assailant?
Second, repeatedly loading and unloading a round can push the bullet deeper into the casing, this can lead to dangerously high chamber pressure when the round is fired.
Third, a defensive pistol with an empty chamber at home is just as bad as carrying a pistol with an empty chamber. If you have children at home or perhaps there is a state or local law that requires firearms to be inaccessible to anyone but you, I suggest keeping the pistol in a locked box. Make sure the box is easy for you to open in a stressful situation, but not easy for a child to open.
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