To each, his own.... Loaded magazine in the gun, but not chambered. Again, that one bit of added protection. For me, my vision of need is the bump in the night, dogs barking, alarm sounding....time to think and react. Someone bursting through my doors would have the upper hand, but wouldn't they with no safe and chambered weapons at the ready? I know I'm disoriented when startled from sleep. Again, to each, his own. I'm not here to convince anyone of doing something different. I like to know that my guns are secure from little hands of both my children and of their friends. I like to know that protection is a keystroke away. I like to know that if a child was able to access one of the safes through dumb luck, problem solving or finding the stash of keys (they all have a back-up key....locked away of course), they will have to consciously rack the slide to fire. I'm good with it that way. It works for me.