Negligent Discharge of a weapon is a very serious crime in Arizona. Many people falsely believe that since it was just an accident, that they will not be prosecuted. Negligent discharge of a firearm is a mandatory prison offense in Arizona if you are convicted. For this reason, I recommend that you do not leave a round chambered in your weapon.
I concede that by doing this, it could leave you with a slight tactical disadvantage to have to chamber a round in an emergency situation. I recognize that there could be a situation where not having a round chambered might place you in a bad predicament. I am aware of this slight disadvantage.
I am weighing this, though, against the other and more likely event that you have an accidental discharge of your firearm. Because this is something I see all of the time. Therefore, because the chances are much greater that you could have an accidental discharge with a round being chambered, I am suggesting you not chamber a round in your firearm.
In most all of these cases, the person will tell the police, it was an accident, they did not mean to discharge their weapon, and I am sure it was, but it does not matter. What most people don't understand, is that even though it was an accident, you are still going to be charged criminally. In Arizona, this is a very serious mandatory prison offense.
So, weighing the likelihood of an accidental discharge against the slight tactical disadvantage you may have by not keeping a round chambered in your weapon, I feel the better choice is to not chamber a round.
Attorney Marc J. Victor is a former United States Marine and combat veteran who served in Desert Storm. He is the only attorney authorized to speak at the Crossroads of the West Gun Show in Phoenix. He has represented well over 1000 clients in gun-related matters in his 25 years as a criminal defense attorney.
▶️ DTube
▶️ IPFS