I carry with a loaded chamber anytime I'm actively hunting (expect to see an animal at any time). It's not a matter of swing and shoot, as I'm very careful about that, but noise. But while I do keep the safety on, and am practiced at flicking it off as quietly as possible, I don't count on that for safety.
Muzzle control and safe handling are ultimately what I rely on. I wouldn't mind chamber empty if with a good group that felt safer that way, but I would find myself wondering if that might cause them to sometimes miss muzzle control and other safe handling due to relying on their empty chamber. I guess this can go both ways. Ultimately some people rely on never muzzling others, other people rely on an empty chamber. Just different approaches.
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