i leave my sig in a safe next to my bed with a mag in it but nothing in the chamber. if were you i would just leave the mag in it with out one in the chamber especially if there is somebody else living with you just to be on the safe side

Yea, this is what I'm leaning towards. It's just me and the wife since the kiddo married off, and I'm slowly getting her comfortable with handling it and also shooting at the range. Thanks

My recommendation.

If you have children in the house that roam freely, keep the chamber empty and the gun where they will not find it. Or with a loaded chamber and in a gun safe.
If there are no kids. Loaded and on the night stand. If kids come over. Put the gun in a drawer and lock the bed room door.

This is how I do it and it works fine

MAG in the gun, one in the chamber at all time. Two kids in the house mean the gun on me or in the safe or lock box.

I used to keep a loaded mag and an empty chamber. But I thought long and hard about why I was doing that, and didn't have a valid answer. Now I keep them fully loaded and fully available. I move the guns when kids come over so they don't blow their tiny little heads off.

Cocked and locked if anyone can possibly get that close. I have it to where I know when some one or thing gets close I know it.I don't like suprise visitors coming up to the house.

I hear a familiar theme here; little ones around the house or not. They are a real game changer, as well they should be!

Mag loaded never anything in the chamber. Gun is either on me or next to me while sleeping.

Full magazine, with one in the tube. A gun that's not ready to be used is a brick.

I have no kids, but my gun is never out of arms reach if it's not on my hip.

Mag in, round chambered, on nightstand at night, no kids.

Weapon is always has a loaded mag and one in the pipe. My weapon is on me unless I'm in bed or the shower. I have a safe place for it when I'm in bed and it's over my medicine cabinet when bathing. I have kids in the house but not all the time.

My primary carry gun is ALWAYS chambered and ready to go. While I sleep its in the night stand.

The digital gun-safe allows me to keep it "cocked and locked"
I don't want to get shot with my own weapon.
The gun-safe is fast and I have practiced enough that I don't fumble around with it. There's also a loaded Remington 870 in a "Piece Keeper" wall mount. The paddle key is, of course, in the gun safe.

The dog is our first line of defense. the weapons are just to put them out of their misery.

rw

1911 condition one ANY time it is not being cleaned. On me or in arms reach during the evening, on the nightstand at night.

I always keep my pistol loaded and ready to go. All I have to do is flip the safety. In your case, I would still keep a round chambered even without a manual safety. While under intense stress or pressure, your fine motor skills go bye bye. You might not be able to chamber a round. This, as well as time, are the reasons why I keep one in the chamber. You may have to modify your surroundings to accomodate handling your gun responsibly. There are many options for storage when it is not attached to your hip.

I have the M&P 45 with thumb safety. I have the mag in mine, but not chambered with the safety on and locked in a drawer safe in the night stand.

Originally Posted by zhurdan

Full magazine, with one in the tube. A gun that's not ready to be used is a brick.

+1 on that Zhur...the handgun is my secondary home defense at night time though. It's primary during daylight hours, but, after dark the primary is my 12 ga Mossberg (with the handgun REAL close by).

Originally Posted by supra001

For the semi-auto guys and gals, do you keep your pistol with the clip in and one chambered for HD, and in a nightstand for instance? So what's your preference?

Like you, my HD weapon is an M&P 9FS with a TLR-3 attached (no thumb safety). I keep it bedside in a modified $7 Crosman Airsoft holster attached to an Ultimate Bed Holster. Magazine "in" and one chambered.

I would post a picture to show you but I can't figure out how to do it on this forum.

Originally Posted by supra001

In my instance, I have the S&W M&P 9mm without a thumb safety, so my dilemma is how far do I take my "readiness"; clipped and chambered, clipped only, or simply the pistol with clip nearby. I can't fully get past not having a thumb safety(yet). It has what's considered a passive safety, only released with the travel of the trigger during shooting, but still it seems a bit odd to me, partially because this is my first semi-auto and I've been used to the revolvers,

This is my exact dilemma,,, other than I have a S&W M&P .40. I just bought my M&P a week ago and I simply find it very odd that it doesn't have a thumb safety, or any other type of safety, other than the "Passive Safety". This is my 1st semi-auto handgun also. I don't want to be one of those guys that shoots his own tools off because I had a round chambered while having the gun in my pants while bending over and incidentally pulling the trigger.

My SA XD40SC is chambered and ready to go at all times, on night stand next to bed every night. My children all know how to shoot and handle a weapon safely, that's the safest way to handle that situation.

I keep mine loaded, one in the chamber, with the light on it. Sitting on the nightstand next to my other flashlight and spare mag. If I am in a dead sleep it is once the come through the door and step in the foyer it is only about 10ft and you are at our bedroom (hate the way this house is laid out). If someone comes in I dont want to have to worry about chambering a round.

Another reason. My wife isnt real comfortable with it. I have her confident in being able to hit what she shoots (which in all honesty she is a pretty good shot). But the whole chambering a round thing she still is uncomfortable.

I dont have kids so I dont have to worry about that.

Revolvers....always ready! Semis.....magazine in....nothing in chamber...it only takes a second to rack the slide and be ready....my 90lb. Weim will notify me very quickly of any danger in the house!!

Full mag & chambered. Whole family is trained to shoot.

Full mag, in, nothin in the chamber since I have no thumb safety with it being a G26 and all. Baby girl on the way so for now it lays beside me when I sleep. When kids or other people are over, mag is out and the gun is in the box and put away.

*EDIT* - Everyone can operate a firearm in my house except my fiance cause she hates guns lol. Getting a place of my own soon though then I'll be the only trained one in the house.