5 or 6 seems to pop up almost as often as "brass or steel". If I'm out shooting target practice, I usually load 6. If I'm carrying, I always load 5 - that's what I was taught years ago by several "old timers" who were experience revolver shooters - both civilian and LE - and I'm talking fellas who were born in the late 1880's & 90's who shot and carried wheel guns their entire lives. But . . that's what they had been taught as well. I'm not "preaching" one way or the other though - I guess it boils down to what you're comfortable with. I have a number of older SA and DA as well as some newer ones like the New Vaquero, etc. that have the cross bar safety. Even then, unless I'm target shooting, if I carry the Vaquero, I carry with just 5 - what can I say other than I'm an "old fart" and "old habits" are hard to break? If I had been a cavalry trooper in the Civil War, I'd have probably carried with 6 - but that would have been for combat conditions. You can argue the same if you're carrying CCW for self defense - that's why I have a semi-auto with greater magazine capacity though. Regardless of what I do or how I've been taught to do, I really don't care if someone carries a wheel gun with 5 or 6 or evin 1 - as long as they use COMMON SENSE and CARRY IT SAFELY so as to not injure themselves or a bystander. That's really what it is all about - BEING SAFE.
