What should be empty in a handgun's revolver?

In a handgun's revolver, it is essential that one of the chambers is empty to ensure safety when handling and operating the firearm. The most common practice is to leave the top chamber empty, which provides an additional measure of safety when the revolver is being loaded or when it's being holstered.

The reasoning behind keeping the top chamber empty is to prevent accidental discharge when drawing the weapon out or during handling. If the top chamber is not occupied, and the revolver is dropped or fumbled, the risk of firing is significantly reduced. This practice is a part of safe gun handling protocols and is especially important when the revolver is not in active use.

All chambers being empty, while safe, would obviously prevent the revolver from being loaded and ready for use. The firing pin does not need to be empty as it is an integral part of the firing mechanism. Keeping the bottom chamber empty is less common and provides no additional benefits compared to keeping the top chamber empty, which is a widely accepted practice.