The 1930s manuals tend to lean towards a loaded pistol with a round in the chamber. This also corresponds with the text (repeated often) that the pistol always has to be carried with the safety applied.
But the manuals don't state 'the pistol must be loaded', they just point out the loading procedure, i.e. inserting the magazine, pulling the toggle back, chambering a round and applying the safety.
I have also examined some dig finds that had a round in the chamber and the safety applied.
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