Press check caught an empty chamber

[GlockenHammer]

My gun is never unloaded unless I'm doing administrative functions like cleaning. I thought press checks were a dumb idea. But I read about so many people that thought they were valuable that I worked them into my routine. Despite the boredom, I saw the round in the chamber every night before the gun went into the safe and again every morning when it came out. No big deal.

But the other night, I went to put it away and found the dreaded empty chamber. No telling how long I might have carried that gun thinking it was primed for action until needed, only to find out at the most critical moment when it failed to fire.

How did it happen? Well, after a local shooting match, I went to load back up my carry rounds. After racking one into the chamber, I did the obligatory press check only I showed a little too much brass and the round popped out. Being embarassed at my poor gunhandling in the presence of my fellow shooters, I dropped the mag and holstered the gun while I put the loose round on top and slipped the mag back into my pistol. The only problem was that I'd ejected the chambered round, but didn't git the slide far enough back to chamber a fresh round and I didn't do another press check just to be sure.

So, did the press check cause the problem or solve it? I don't know. But I still check my pistol every time it goes into the safe for the night and in the morning before it goes on. When "it" is on, I want my pistol to go bang.

What do you think about press checks?

[MoJo]

Press check - - - don't leave home without it!

[Charles L. Cotton]

A systems check should be part of everyone's routine with a self-defense firearm. The systems check stressed at Thunder Ranch requires checking the chamber and verifying the magazine is loaded and fully seated. It's a very good habit to develop.

Now, let me tell a story on myself. My youngest son carries a customized Series 80 Colt Commander I gave him as a present. Several years ago, he came to our home for a visit and pointed out significant over-travel in the trigger. I adjusted it for him, made sure the hammer would fall when I pulled the trigger and handed it back.

About 3 or 4 months later, he and I were at the range and his pistol wouldn't fire; no primer strikes at all. I had mistakenly believed that the Series 80 firing pin lock was disengaged early in the ignition sequence; i.e. before the sear was disengaged and the hammer fell.

This mistake could have had deadly consequences. My son had carried an inoperative pistol for 3 months, simply because I didn't take 5 seconds to do the pencil test. Had I done it, I would have caught the mistake before he left the house.

The thing that really bothers me is that I'm a pilot and would not even think of starting the engine without doing the pre-start checklist, take off without doing the take-off checklist, or land without doing the pre-landing checklist. What in the world possessed me to forgo a 5 second pencil test on a gun my son might have to use to save his life? As they say on Massada, never again!

Regards,
Chas.

[Baytown]

I bet I press check my pistol five times a night, not counting when I take my gun out of a gun locker. Not only do I visually inspect it, I physically inspect it as well by actually putting my finger on the round in the chamber. In low-light situations, the gun can still be checked, but you don't have to change your routine to do it.

Once I made an arrest off-duty where I had to point my gun at the guy. I took him to jail, booked him in and got my gun out of the gun locker. I pressed checked it and guess what? No round.

The loudest noise during a qualification course is not the gun fire, but the sound of a striker landing on an empty chamber, it's deafening.

Glenn

[Lindy]

Like Glenn, I press check my pistol by feel, because it works in total darkness, and I do it every time I pick it up. If you haven't checked the status of a gun which has been out of your hands, you don't know whether it's loaded or not. Don't let the last sound you ever hear be "click."

[Bubba]

Good thread guys. Thanks for the reminders ! I must admit that I've become lax the last few years and will strive to change my evil ways :)

On the up side, I cycle out magazines the first of every month, but have never discovered the dreaded empty chamber.

[dws1117]

If you haven't checked the status of a gun which has been out of your hands, you don't know whether it's loaded or not.

A good example of this is in the movie U.S. Marshalls. Towards the end when Tommy Lee Jones character asked to see Robert Downy Jr's glock then unloaded the gun and replaced magazine with an unloaded one. When RDJ tried to kill Wesley Snipes, oops no bullets.

Disclaimer: I know that is a movie and not real life, but enything can happen.

[Braden]

Pardon my ignorance, but what is a press check? My Glock has a little loaded chamber indicator that sticks out when a round is chambered. Every morning when I holster my gun I check to be sure that it's sticking out the way it's supposed to. I haven't heard of a "press check" though. :(

[MoJo]

A press check is the procedure where the slide of a semi auto is withdrawn slightly so the presence of a round can be visually or manualy checked. Loaded chamber indicators are not reliable because, like all things mechanical, they were designed by Murphy.

[HighVelocity]

I normally just brush my hand over the slide. If I feel the extractor sticking up then I know there is a round in the chamber. This works on Glocks and the Springfield XD. I still press check the 1911 though.

[MoJo]

I normally just brush my hand over the slide. If I feel the extractor sticking up then I know there is a round in the chamber. This works on Glocks and the Springfield XD. I still press check the 1911 though.

After being burned by a stuck loaded chamber indicator (remember Murphy,s law) during an IDPA match I visually check all firearms to assure myself a round was picked up. It takes only a couple of seconds and could save your life. When going forth on todays mean streets check, double check, and check again isn't always enough.

[Baytown]

I think press checking is like yawning, its contagious (sp?). I read this latest post while I'm on an extra job and had to run off to the employee only area and press check my gun.

Glenn

[GlockenHammer]

I press check anytime I have available light (almost always), even though I have the glock chamber loaded indicator (aka extractor). However, last night was one exception. While shooting a non-IDPA match at an indoor range, we are allowed to "stay hot". When you come to the line, you are allowed to check your weapon before beginning. Well, we had a low light (virtually no light) scenario. So, I used the chamber loaded indicator in the dark. It is possible to pull the slide back far enough to feel the round in the chamber, but I've never practiced that and didn't want to pop out the round and embarass myself again.

By the way, night sights are awesome for shooting in the dark. Could just make out the target silhouettes, but when I first brought up the pistol, it was just a dark blob in my hand. My eyes quickly focused in on the glowing night sights and I had better accuracy than I do in the daylight because I actually used my sights for a change! ;)

And Glenn, you got me--had to press check sitting here at the computer.... Who's going to get the press-check-yawn next?

[Baytown]

Me! I need to quit checking this post. Now I have to check my gun and yawn.

Glenn

[Braden]

You guys have got me press checking now...and I have NEVER done that before reading this post.