Carrying a Glock at work without a round in the chamber.

[pilazinool]

I am a cashier/stocker at a retail business, and I work the graveyard shift most of the time. I have tried to carry a full-sized hammer-fired semiautomic .40 S&W pistol at work over my groin, but it was very uncomfortable despite continuing to carry it on a consistent basis for at least a couple of weeks. I carried it with a round in the chamber and the hammer decocked. I felt comfortable with carrying a round in the chamber because I knew that the trigger had to be pulled double action in order for the hammer to strike the firing pin. Because I am not allowed to have a weapon on company property (which probably includes the pepper spray I always carry), the consequences of an accidental or neglegent discharge would necessarily include losing my job. However, the risk of robbery in which the assailant is on drugs or too afraid to keep his/her finger off the trigger seems too great to not carry a handgun. I have since purchased a Glock 27 to carry and an ankle holster. I understand that an ankle holster is not the ideal location for carry in terms of the ease and speed of access, but this seems to be the most concealable location available on my body given the uniform I must wear at work. I am not extremely comfortable carrying a striker-fired gun with a round in the chamber despite the fact that Glocks are supposed to be virtually incapable of an unintentional discharge (UD) even if dropped. I have decided that while at work I will carry the G27 with a full magazine, but not rounds in the chamber. This essentially eliminates the possibility of the internal safeties failing to cause a UD. This will require somewhere around an extra second to rack the slide to chamber a round, but it seems to be the best middleground between being completely prepared for an armed robber (with the gun openly carried on my hip with a round chambered) while still making it all but impossible for my gun to "just go off" and for it to be detected by my employer. Tell me what you think?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[mlr1m]

I would not carry a weapon if I could not trust it to preform as designed. The Glock was designed to carry fully loaded. If you do not trust it then might I suggest that you find a design you do trust?
Many options out there, even revolvers.

Michael

[pappou68]

I agree. If you don't trust, don't carry it. Remember that a revolver always has the hammer on a chambered round unless you leave it on an empty cylinder.

[Bark'n]

As a store clerk facing an armed robber, you are going to find it extremely difficult, if not suicidal to try not only draw from an ankle holster, but also chamber a round.

Ankle holsters as well as carrying with an empty chamber are for times when you have the time and situation which allows for a surreptitious draw. For example, if you were in the back of the store or in the cooler when you noticed a robbery taking place with another cashier and you were afforded the opportunity to bend down, retrieve your gun from your ankle and then rack a round in the chamber.

Retail store hold-ups are notorious for having the bad guy(s) rush in and suddenly (without warning) shove a gun in your face. The odds are pretty good that as a store clerk, you will be drawing against someone who already has their gun out. After watching literally hundreds of closed circuit store surveillance video of hold-ups, there is usually at least some point during the robbery which an opportunity to draw and fire presents itself for the clerk. Robbers are jumpy, trying to control the situation and constantly looking around and trying to control other patrons in the store.

Those windows of opportunity which provide the clerk the chance to draw and fire are short and quick. Almost certainly you won't have time to chamber a round. And if you did, the odds of short stroking the slide, or having your hand slip off the slide and causing a jamb on the gun is extremely high. And it is highly unlikely he's going to allow you to drop down behind the counter and give you time to draw from an ankle rig without blasting you as soon as you come up.

In my opinion, your best bet is to carry a snub nose revolver, or a semi-automatic which is loaded and a round chambered. As for where to carry the gun, it would either be in a Smart Carry holster, or an IWB holster. Maybe even in one of the pockets of your smock, if that's part of your uniform. However you carry, it's going to have to be carefully worked out, and I would avoid ankle carry if at all possible. You might just have to get used to being a little uncomfortable with the position of the gun, at least while you're at work in order to keep it where you can realistically make a good solid draw.

Good luck. Stay armed, stay safe buddy.

[gasmitty]

A couple of thoughts:
- How concealed is that ankle holster if you're stocking the lower shelves and your pants ride up?

- An ankle holster is about the slowest carry mode from which to draw, and it takes some practice to do it right. (And a surprising number of people using ankle holsters don't even mount them in the right place!) So you're starting with a disadvantage of a slow draw, AND you're going to have to charge the gun before it's ready to use? That's a double handicap.

My suggestions: Get some more experience carrying the gun loaded. Take some time to learn how the Glock trigger system works and understand why it won't go off by itself even with a round in the chamber. Then give some thought to carrying a lightweight snub .38 in a proper pocket holster. With proper slacks your concealment will be assured and the draw will be substantially faster than with the ankle rig. Five reliable shots right now beats stoop-grab trou - draw - rack slide - shoot by a country mile.

[Extas]

You'd be better off complying with the bad guy than trying to draw from your ankle and chamber a round. Get a good iwb holster that covers the trigger and keep the gun loaded. I recommend a comp-tac mtac or a remora clipless holster (awesome and only about 30 bucks) www.remoraholsters.com.

Your current rig would only be of use if you get the drop on the bg. Watch this video and imagine the clerk trying to draw from an ankle holster and chamber a round.

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=NZrdbSJVSVM

Not chastising you only hoping to help.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk

[msgt/ret]

Here we go yet again.

[Bark'n]

don't forget the

But seriously, msgt, he's a new member. I have no problem helping new people out.

[Extas]

Just wanna say I started my comment before bark'n had replied but had to do something for a min before I finished. Wasn't trying to beat a dead horse. I think he said it well.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk

[QKShooter]

Find some time to get some qualified professional hands on firearm self-defense training in your area.
That's always a plus that helps you go home alive.

And for now buy yourself a lightweight alloy snub nose revolver and there are other better ways to carry it highly concealed than an ankle rig.

[chiefjason]

I'm not a huge fan of the tiny .380's. But when I really need to keep it concealed, that's what I go with. BTW, I've carried a G19 with one in the pipe for a couple years now and it's not gone off. Something smaller than you prefer in a front or back pocket might be a better plan.

[dukalmighty]

Keltec PF9 9mm can be carried very concealed in a pocket or IWB holster,as long as the holster has a trigger guard you won't lose the ability to reproduce.A lot of ND's Negligent Discharges occur from repetitious holstering,if something gets inside the trigger guard as you insert the gun in the holster it can force the trigger back,holstering right in front where you can see it eliminates that potential.

[MinistrMalic]

If you're only comfortable carrying it unchambered then, frankly, I wouldn't risk carrying it at all. The threat of being fired is high, and the probability of effectively using it from an ankle holster, plus having to chamber it to use it in a gunfight, is incredibly small as well. There are literally millions of hours of carrying Glocks with a round in the chamber without it spontaneously going bang. If that's not enough to convince you, then I would find another means of SD.

[Woodsman]

When I am in a situation that my carry ABSOLUTELY can't be detected, I carry a S&W 642 in my right front pocket, with a Desantis pocket holster.Try out different pants so that you can decide which are most concealable.

I am not a big fan of ankle holsters at all. To tough to get to, to tough on the gun over time.

No way would I carry with an empty chamber. Did that as a Military Policeman....way to slow to get your handgun up and running, especially under stress.

[WD54241]

Get a quality IWB keep the ankle holster for bowling or some other situation. Avoid getting the cheap holsters.