That's a start & far better than carrying nothing. Keep in mind today's bad guys are getting smarter. They do their very best to close as much distance before they attack. Distance = response time & they know that.
They also know as law abiding citizens we can only use defensive force AFTER an attack has begun! Often the distances are at arms length or closer. You cannot always run or evade and while situational awareness is important, you cannot start the fight you can only respond to it! Having both hands tied up even for a second in close quarters combat is a HUGE handicap!
If you must carry without a round chambered - I would seriously consider carrying a revolver as it (in this scenario) has some advantages. It can be operated with one hand by simply pulling the trigger. It can also be fired from the inside of a jacket pocket repeatedly, if need be. In short when fractions of seconds matter, try to remove as many delaying factors as possible.
ETA - one of the bigger advantages of OC is speed of draw, coupled with deterrence. Why reduce it?
