I too carry one in the chamber, but I feel (At this point) better with the safety on. I know it would slow my reaction time down.
It's not useless, except for most situations in which you'd have to use it. Maybe if the BGs are totally deaf, or their fame precedes them 10 seconds before they show up, or they're using flintlock pistols that require a time-consuming reload procedure, then racking the slide wouldn't be a problem.Say what you want....I'd rather have a handgun with 10 in the magazine than a rock....not saying this is my prefered method of carry but really... it doesn't render the weapon completly useless.....
It's not useless, except for most situations in which you'd have to use it. Maybe if the BGs are totally deaf, or their fame precedes them 10 seconds before they show up, or they're using flintlock pistols that require a time-consuming reload procedure, then racking the slide wouldn't be a problem.
In some situations, you might actually get stabbed before you'd have a chance to shoot back. That would put a new twist on an old phrase.
I understand your reasoning, but based on what happens in crime situations, I can't foresee a likely situation in which you'd have time to rack the slide. At best, it would alert the criminals to the fact that someone nearby is armed. They're not going to think before shooting at you; they'll just do it, and worry about the consequences later. That's what got them where they are.It's all about risk management. My point is..I would never look down my nose at someone who was not completly comfortable carrying a handgun with one in the tube. It's a very personal decision , maybe that person hasn't had adequate training and is smart enough to realize that he may be safer on a daily basis by being forced to rack the slide. Maybe the guy is a statistics freak and figures that chambering and unchambering a round every day for years and years presents a greater risk to himself then the chance that he may find himself in a self defense situation with no time to rack the slide. Who the heck knows! I think everyone agrees that not having to rack the slide puts you in the game quicker, but for people to say you might as well not carry if you don't put one in the tube is nuts!