imported post
I carry one of two guns, depending on OC or CC. OC = HiPoint 45, CC = Kel-Tec 9.
I carry both with one in the chamber. The HP is single action, so it is always cocked and locked internally, with the safety on. It's also drop test safe and has a mag safety as well, so say someone attempted a gun grab, I could drop the mag out of the HP and the gun would do them no good, it just won't fire. I don't worry about having one in the chamber as I have never heard of a ND with a Hi Point due to any mechanical issue, and that time I would spend chambering a round is precious to me in any SD situation.
The Kel-Tec is DAO, with no safety, but I am usually carrying that concealed. The only thing I worry about with that configuration is the trigger snagging on clothing or something similar, but it hasn't happened yet, and you would have to pull quite hard to cause a ND. You would notice the problem before then. Since it's DAO I have no need to worry about sear failure or anything like that.
So I carry with one in the pipe on both my handguns. If they aren't ready when you need them, they won't do you much good. I've never tried racking a slide under extreme stress, and I hope I don't ever need to. If I can draw and get rounds on target before they do on me, I'll be doing good already. I don't need the added stress of either pulling the trigger and hearing click and then trying to rack the slide, all while dodging incoming fire. Your gun is most likely designed to have one in the pipe while being carried, and has been tested to make sure it's safe when doing so. Carry it the most tactically sound way, and the way the manufacturer intended.