I have carried cold as a compromise dictated by conditions but never have considered it optimum. Conditions that lead me to do it were carrying a striker fired weapon (glock) without a holster. Before I get chastised about carrying a glock without a holster you can save your breath, sometimes you do what you have to do and I would not recommend it to anyone.
Other than some very specific exceptions I carry hot. I have done my part to train to rack weapons or clear malfunctions one handed but they are slower than a standard manual of arms. IMHE needing a sidearm usually involves bad breath distances and I would rather have my other hand available to create distance, assist with retention or anything other than racking a slide.
Hunt hard, kill clean, waste nothing and offer no apologies.
"In rifle work, group size is of some interest...but it is well to remember that a rifleman does not shoot groups, he shoots shots." Jeff Cooper
