TexasCHLforum.com

Probably everyone on this forum has gone through a similar progression in deciding on what to carry and how to carry. My several-year progression was military - 1911 (the model, not the year), occasional firing range practice with S&W .357 revolver, CHL, re-introduction to semi-automatics, carry, 1-in-the-chamber. Although I chose to not go back to 1911 (the year or the model), I discovered that I wanted to see the hammer - hence no Glocks. The model that I eventually settled on is a DA/SA with a decocker that also acts as a safety. When the safety is "on", the trigger is disengaged. It is a very natural action to place the safety in the "off" position if the need to draw from the holster occurs. Some of these attributes I discovered after its purchase. The initial decision to purchase it was that it had a visible hammer, it was an acceptable caliber, it had a decently high capacity, it fit my hand very well, and I could hit my (paper) target wih it.

For me, the key aspect of the decision to carry chambered or not has more to do with your own degree of confidence in yourself coupled with the features of the firearm. (Does anyone advocate carrying a revolver cocked and with a round under the firing pin?) Regadless of the model chosen, it is vital to practice with it in order to create consistent patterns and to generate muscle-memory. I am an advocate of "one model, all the time", as opposed to the "model-of-the day" approach to carrying.

Establishing muscle memory is important. To use driving a car as an example, I own 2 vehicles. One, which I drive the majority of the time, has its windshield wiper controls on a stem on the left side of the steering column. The other car has its controls on the right side of the column. Recently, while driving the 2nd car, I needed to quickly clear the windshield. In accomplishing that task, in short order I managed to give left- and right-turn signals, turn the headlights off and on, put my lights on bright, and spray the windshield with washer fluid before I finally got the wipers going.

But maybe that's just me.