# Round in the chamber? G19



## chieninhouston

I am new to the Glock. It only took about 14 months and 6 other guns for me to settle on the G19 Gen4 last week. It's going to be a change for sure. Now planning on carrying this G19 with me. One question to Glock gurus here. My others all have the ability to de-cock the pistol with decoker when I carry with a round in the chamber. 

If I have a round in the chamber, my understanding is the G19 will be ready to go with just a trigger pull. The beauty of this is I don't have to deal with the manual safety etc. Will this status putting any stress on springs or parts in a long run? I know, some say that you should not carry a gun with a live round in the chamber. But I would prefer this option, because, if it came to the point that I have to protect myself, I don't think I would have the time or opportunity to present the gun and rack the slide before pulling the triggle. But certainly don't want to wear the gun down in the long run to cause some sort of malfunction when you need it the most. You know, per Murphy's law. 

Thank you. 
James Chien


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## recoilguy

A round in the chamber is in my opinion theonly way to carry your weapon. The G19 will not fire unless you pull the trigger.....keep your finger away from the trigger until you want to fire it. Practice drawing it empty with your finger away until it is second nature. Stress on the springs or parts .....no thats how the gun is made to be used. You ar egood!

RCG


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## tekhead1219

Without one in the chamber, I consider it empty. You really think the BG will give you time to jack one into the chamber when you need it? My wife has carried her G19 with one in the chamber for 2 years. The only time it's empty is when I clean it. It goes bang every time.


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## zhurdan

Also keep in mind that springs and other parts are consumable parts. They are designed to last a certain amount of time and then be replaced. Maintenance is just as important as shooting skills. Glock parts are easy to find and easy to replace. That being said, I'd bet that for most people, parts will outlast their owners. Most people don't shoot enough to even come close to wearing out springs, transfer bars, sears, magazines, etc.


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## jakeleinen1

Idk if I would carry a Glock with one in the chamber... I mean how likely is it your going to be going into a gunfight? Are you a cop or in law enforcement? Even so I still think keeping one in the chamber with a glock is not the best idea.

I think if you enter certain areas where you believe there may be higher chances of danger then it would be okay to rack the slide and put it back in your holster for a short period of time..

Idk just my 2 cents


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## denner

chieninhouston said:


> I know, some say that you should not carry a gun with a live round in the chamber.


 Confucious say: he who does not carry gun with live round in chamber ma:numbchuck:y himself be carried by six. In all seriousness and for all those who can attest if something happens every second counts unless you know or have time to rack one in the chamber, but in a deadly defense encounter one too many seconds may be too late.


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## TedDeBearFrmHell

your pistol, without a chambered round, is just very poor bludgeon.


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## jakeleinen1

Haha

I can't believe theres so many saying to keep one in the chamber I had thought itd be at least 50/50... If you do it, at least make sure you have a NICE NICE NICE holster keeps that trigger covered and untouched


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## denner

jakeleinen1 said:


> Idk if I would carry a Glock with one in the chamber... I mean how likely is it your going to be going into a gunfight? Are you a cop or in law enforcement? Even so I still think keeping one in the chamber with a glock is not the best idea.
> 
> I think if you enter certain areas where you believe there may be higher chances of danger then it would be okay to rack the slide and put it back in your holster for a short period of time..
> 
> Idk just my 2 cents


I think I'll retract on my earlier statement, I own a DA/SA pistol and have shot a Glock a number of times very well, but have never actually owned one, or carried one, so I'm disqualified for this thread. Almost bought a Gen 4 19, but when I went back to buy it they jacked up the price, so I settled for a PX4 Compact. Both are great, but with different operating systems. But when you have the barrel of the pistol resting over your femoral artery( i carry at 10:00) it does give one second thoughts of what if?


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## recoilguy

If you rack the slide you are carrying with one in the chamber. If you will do it for a short time, why not just do it all the time. Time is not going to make the gun accidentally fire. If you carry a gun and don't put one in the chamber because, hey will there really be a chance for a gun fight....no not really. Then why carry a gun if there is no chance for a gun fight. I am as surprised that anyone would advocate to carry without a chambered round as you appear to be that is might be 50 / 50. Taking your gun out and racking a round when you enter a "questionable area" may be a real bad idea. Once your gun is holstered I really don't think you should unholster it unless you plan to fire it or put it away.

Thats my 2 cents

RCG


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## SMann

jakeleinen1 said:


> Idk if I would carry a Glock with one in the chamber... I mean how likely is it your going to be going into a gunfight? Are you a cop or in law enforcement? Even so I still think keeping one in the chamber with a glock is not the best idea.
> 
> I think if you enter certain areas where you believe there may be higher chances of danger then it would be okay to rack the slide and put it back in your holster for a short period of time..
> 
> Idk just my 2 cents


I must respectfully disagree with everything said here except for the 2 cents part. First, if it is likely that a person will be in a gunfight and that person brings a pistol, they're a dumbass. Second, why is it a bad idea to carry a Glock chambered? There are multiple mechanisms in a Glock to keep it from firing until the trigger is pulled. If a person doesn't trust themselves to keep their finger off the trigger until they are ready to fire I suggest they don't carry a firearm. Third, waiting until somebody is entering a high danger area to ready their weapon? Really? That is ridiculous for more than one reason.

The bottom line is if you don't trust yourself or your weapon, you shouldn't allow yourself to carry your weapon.


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## chieninhouston

Thank you guys. As long as there is no noticeable wears on the parts of the gun. I will carry my G19 chambered. Training will be a little different though. Will go the the range tomorrow try the new baby to see if it would be my carry. Currently carry a 9mm 24/7 pro with round in the chamber, decoded, and safety on. With G19, one less thing to worry about. Thanks again.


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## Packard

I am going to reference the 1911 because it is good for illustration purposes, but the ideas will apply to all weapons.

The 1911 Government Model .45 allows carry in three ways:

1. Cocked and locked.

2. Hammer down on a live round

3. Hammer down with nothing in the chamber.

Cocked and locked is the quickest to get into actions. With three safeties on a modern .45 this is a perfectly safe way to carry in my opinion. The three safeties are: Hammer block (or inertia firing pin), grip safety and toggle safety.

Hammer down over a live round is fine if you have a modern weapon with either the inertia firing pin or hammer block safety. It takes one hand to bring into action.

Hammer down over an empty chamber is a fool's carry method. It requires two hands to bring it into action (and you might not have two available). The two hand motion is recognizable for what it is and does not allow you to discretely get the gun into battery. In stressful situations it would be easy to short stroke the slide and end up with a weapon that is not ready to fire.

In any event, I would not carry in any manner that required two hands to make ready to fire.


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## Peaches

I can't imagine not carrying with one in the chamber. If you have to rack the slide before you can defend yourself then what is the point of having it unless you are going to use it as a club or throw it at them. Or are you going to tell the BG to hang on a second while you rack the slide? And just like pretty much everyone else has said, if you aren't comfortable carrying with one in the chamber then you shouldn't be carrying.


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## spanish073187

Packard said:


> I am going to reference the 1911 because it is good for illustration purposes, but the ideas will apply to all weapons.
> 
> The 1911 Government Model .45 allows carry in three ways:
> 
> 1. Cocked and locked.
> 
> 2. Hammer down on a live round
> 
> 3. Hammer down with nothing in the chamber.
> 
> Cocked and locked is the quickest to get into actions. With three safeties on a modern .45 this is a perfectly safe way to carry in my opinion. The three safeties are: Hammer block (or inertia firing pin), grip safety and toggle safety.
> 
> Hammer down over a live round is fine if you have a modern weapon with either the inertia firing pin or hammer block safety. It takes one hand to bring into action.
> 
> Hammer down over an empty chamber is a fool's carry method. It requires two hands to bring it into action (and you might not have two available). The two hand motion is recognizable for what it is and does not allow you to discretely get the gun into battery. In stressful situations it would be easy to short stroke the slide and end up with a weapon that is not ready to fire.
> 
> In any event, I would not carry in any manner that required two hands to make ready to fire.


+1 Nice analysis.


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## DJ Niner

chieninhouston said:


> I am new to the Glock. It only took about 14 months and 6 other guns for me to settle on the G19 Gen4 last week. It's going to be a change for sure. Now planning on carrying this G19 with me. One question to Glock gurus here. My others all have the ability to de-cock the pistol with decoker when I carry with a round in the chamber.
> 
> If I have a round in the chamber, my understanding is the G19 will be ready to go with just a trigger pull. The beauty of this is I don't have to deal with the manual safety etc. Will this status putting any stress on springs or parts in a long run? I know, some say that you should not carry a gun with a live round in the chamber. But I would prefer this option, because, if it came to the point that I have to protect myself, I don't think I would have the time or opportunity to present the gun and rack the slide before pulling the triggle. But certainly don't want to wear the gun down in the long run to cause some sort of malfunction when you need it the most. You know, per Murphy's law.
> 
> Thank you.
> James Chien


If it will help put your mind at ease, I'll explain a major difference in the trigger action of a Glock versus most other semiauto handguns: the trigger does not just release stored spring pressure in the firing mechanism, like other designs. When you pull the trigger on a Glock, you are actually compressing the striker spring the rest of the way, just prior to releasing it. Glocks are not fully cocked when the slide is cycled; they are partially cocked, and the trigger finishes the cocking action just before firing. That's why Glocks are separated from the otherwise very similar Springfield XD models in most competition categories -- the Springfields are fully cocked when the action is cycled (you can see the end of the striker at the rear of the slide, waiting to be released), so they are categorized as single-action autos. Glocks must have the cocking completed by pressure on the trigger, so they usually end up lumped-in with the double-action or double-action-only autoloaders.

As long as you carry your Glock in a properly-fitting holster which includes a fully covered trigger guard, and absolutely practice keeping your finger off the trigger until the sights are on target (both of which are preached as critical rules for ANY handgun user), then you'll be fine carrying with a loaded chamber.


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## denner

DJ Niner said:


> If it will help put your mind at ease, I'll explain a major difference in the trigger action of a Glock versus most other semiauto handguns: the trigger does not just release stored spring pressure in the firing mechanism, like other designs. When you pull the trigger on a Glock, you are actually compressing the striker spring the rest of the way, just prior to releasing it. Glocks are not fully cocked when the slide is cycled; they are partially cocked, and the trigger finishes the cocking action just before firing. That's why Glocks are separated from the otherwise very similar Springfield XD models in most competition categories -- the Springfields are fully cocked when the action is cycled (you can see the end of the striker at the rear of the slide, waiting to be released), so they are categorized as single-action autos. Glocks must have the cocking completed by pressure on the trigger, so they usually end up lumped-in with the double-action or double-action-only autoloaders.
> 
> As long as you carry your Glock in a properly-fitting holster which includes a fully covered trigger guard, and absolutely practice keeping your finger off the trigger until the sights are on target (both of which are preached as critical rules for ANY handgun user), then you'll be fine carrying with a loaded chamber.


Good learn, if you really think about just how many Glocks are carried by law enforcement and citizens on a daily basis with one in the chamber and having no issues. I would imagine hundreds of thousands at least.


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## chieninhouston

Yes, DJ Niner, That's what I like to know. Thank you for taking time to easy my mind. Got a chance to put around 250 rounds of 115gr through the new one yesterday. Man, I like it, now will be my CCW, and of course, one in the chamber...... Feeling good. Now I may have to start figuring out how to sell those other guns. LOL. BIg Thanks.


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## sgms

Don't mean to be rude but, if you will not trust your carry gun fully loaded (i.e. round in the chamber) get rid of it and go and to something you are comfortable with. It may very well save your life. When T.S.H.T.F. you don't need to give the bad guy a break because you gun isn't ready to fire.


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## billinmiss

chieninhouston,
If you want to get a little confidence with carrying your chamber loaded, try this.

Carry for a few days with the mag loaded, chamber empty, but the striker in its normal trigger forward(partially cocked) mode. If you have it in a holster you can go about your business and at the end of each day check to see if the gun snapped while you were doing whatever.

This should convince you that your glock is safe to carry chamber loaded and you won't have to worry about blowing your 'nads off.

Good luck!!!!!!!!


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## zhurdan

billinmiss said:


> chieninhouston,
> If you want to get a little confidence with carrying your chamber loaded, try this.
> 
> Carry for a few days with the mag loaded, chamber empty, but the striker in its normal trigger forward(partially cocked) mode. If you have it in a holster you can go about your business and at the end of each day check to see if the gun snapped while you were doing whatever.
> 
> This should convince you that your glock is safe to carry chamber loaded and you won't have to worry about blowing your 'nads off.
> 
> Good luck!!!!!!!!


Smart test. Good advice. You need to be confident.


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## dondavis3

I always carry with one in the chamber.

:smt1099


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## Peaches

billinmiss said:


> chieninhouston,
> If you want to get a little confidence with carrying your chamber loaded, try this.
> 
> Carry for a few days with the mag loaded, chamber empty, but the striker in its normal trigger forward(partially cocked) mode. If you have it in a holster you can go about your business and at the end of each day check to see if the gun snapped while you were doing whatever.
> 
> This should convince you that your glock is safe to carry chamber loaded and you won't have to worry about blowing your 'nads off.
> 
> Good luck!!!!!!!!


Excellent advice!!


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## bearone2

always one in the chamber for hd/sd.


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## denner

I don't have one in the chamber for HD and would advise anyone that does and has children, guests, or the like to be absolutely sure it it's in a very secured place. I'll take my chances of having time to rack the slide or chamber a shell in my shotgun to confront the situation. I make sure I lock my doors and windows however. One mistake with a loaded handgun can bring tradgedy in an instant. Just remember we are human and humans have been known to become complacent, fatiqued and make mistakes.


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## Russ

Police have one in the chamber and I bet their backup gun have one in the chamber. I never take a bullet out of the chamber. Instead I have a Gun vault on my night stand that I store my firearm when not in my pocket and of course in a holster that covers the trigger and nothing else goes in the pocket including my hand.


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## Packard

I was not in the military so someone that was will have to answer this:

When do the soldiers have a round in the chamber?


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## Cat

Always one in the chamber, The evil :smt074 people have one in there's. 
:smtmoe


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## Packard

Cat said:


> Always one in the chamber, The evil :smt074 people have one in there's.
> :smtmoe


I did some Google research after I posed the question. And the answer I found was "it varies". The most concise answer I found was this:

*"That's a decision made by the commander based on the operation's rules of engagement (ROE), the mission and risk factors."*

So the commander decides whether the risk (to the soldiers) is greater with everyone walking around with a chambered round and ready for a fire fight, or is it safer for the guys to be near-ready with an empty chamber.


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## Tuefelhunden

Good point about the military. In combat chambered with safety on. Outside of combat even in armed security roles loaded mag in and empty chamber was my experience. Commanders discretion makes sense as well. We had 1911's and got pretty good at sling shotting the slide at speed. Dumb tactic though. Never been a fan of training to the lowest common denominator.

Chambered is the way to go and is safe providing the holster is appropriate to the model and the handler doesn't become complacent and make an error. The most dangerous time with a striker fired weapon and no manual safety like a Glock isn't carrying or even drawing but rather reholstering. Finger off the bang switch and slow and deliberate with each and every reholster. Try appendix IWB carry around the house with an empty chamber and you'll get the point.


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