Finger shortener.

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TunnelRat

New member
Not sure why you went on a rant there at the end but okay.

I "know" the status of every firearm in the safe(s). At the same time I regularly do dryfire practice with a number of them. When I do dry fire I remove the magazine, lock the slide to the rear, and check both visually and by feel that the chamber is empty and there is no round being held by the extractor. When I go to holster the pistols I "know" are armed I do a press check to confirm that they do in fact have a round chambered. Doing this, once again, doesn't involve my finger on the trigger or the muzzle being pointed at anyone. I have a set backstop I use to do this so that were the firearm to discharge no one else can be hurt.

In the situation you describe I wouldn't have a firearm in the desk. It would be on me and chambered and the press check would have been performed before the firearm was holstered for the day. Some people will go to extremes and do them all the time. I do it when the firearm is put on for the day. Were my firearm in the desk I'd chamber a round before I left the building. A cruiser ready shotgun, IIRC, often doesn't have a round chambered, so what you describe there isn't particularly unusual.

You seem to be basing this off of the premise that press checks are for forgetful or unskilled shooters. If you would like look up the SIG Sauer Academy. Literally every instructor there will teach or show a press check. These are law enforcement officers with typically decades of experience on SWAT and many former military servicemen, including Green Berets and other members of special operations. Most are still active duty. I'm not sure if they got all of this from TV. For the record I'm not calling them the ultimate source of information. This is simply an example of professional firearm users doing press checks.

In the two dozen defensive firearm courses I've done I've seen multiple people with a "dead man's gun". Gun comes up and click and no bang. Many of these people "knew" their firearms were loaded. This has happened to me and it was me running the 100 yards to the gong to further reinforce the consequences of my mistske. When there's an option to do a press check and prevent that from happening when it really matters out in the real world, why not? Can it be done poorly and cause injury? Sure, but that's firearm usage in a nut shell.

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Lohman446

New member
I have had two "surprises" that I am aware of.

One time at a gun show before the safety indicators were common and required a seller cleared a firearm and handed it to me. I cleared it again and then showed the seller. He removed the jammed empty case from the chamber - IIRC he used a small screwdriver. He said I was not the first person to handle that gun that day and was overly apologetic.

On the second day of a duck hunting trip I removed my shotgun from its case, loaded two roads in the magazine, and pumped the action only to have a live round come out. Apparently I had put it away with a round chambered.

Every gun is loaded all the time until proven otherwise and even then it is loaded. If I a vital piece of the gun is not removed (the slide assembly on a semi-auto or the bolt in my bolt action rifles) or the action locked in a position that will not fire such as safety straps at a show that gun is loaded in my mind. However every defensive gun is checked anyways to verify it is chambered before being put in my holster.
 
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tangolima

New member
One can't possibly lose a finger tip unless he put it in front of the muzzle and pull the trigger. This has nothing to do with either press check or front serrations. The pistol can't fire once the slide is pulled back.

George lost a digit because he shot it off.

-TL

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TBM900

New member
I've never found the need for a "press check"
If in a situation where I wanted to confirm (absurdly rare) I simply ran the slide
Today there are so many pistols with visual or tactile LCI's that its largely unnecessary
 
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Brit

New member
A buddy of mine, a bunch of years ago, worked in 41 Div. for Metro Toronto Police Dept. I was picking him up, to go for breakfast, Charlie a native Indian.
A good friend of mine for the last 50 years (He is long retired)
He had this minute office. His Glock Mod. 22 40. calibre. Was in the drawer, of his grey steel desk. He was back to the wall. So he stood up, pointed his Glock at my tummy! Racked the slide, and holstered that big black gun.


If I had a dollar for every time a Police Officer swept me? I would be rich.

Trained LEO/Security/Military for 25 years. In Ontario. Canada.
The best tool I had, for sight alignment, a S&W Mod 10 4" barreled revolver. That spit lead, so I threw the cylinder and yoke away.

You could still fire the mechanism, double action, CLICK. I would put the safe revolver in the students' hands, "Aim at the centre chest of that target" then I would stand in front of this non-fireable Revolver, move the rear sight in front of their master eye, then lift the front sight up, till it filled in the gap of that rear sight. Press two shots, double action, watch the movement of the neutered revolver. I had officers fire to point of aim for the first time in 20 years! I also had trainers refuse to teach that system.
 
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TunnelRat

New member
Negligent gun handling is indeed a thing and if we want to expand this conversation to include any and all negligent firearm handling (and proper sight alignment as well) we can certainly go that route (though we may never get home). Whether that means press checks are bound to result in shooting yourself or someone else is another question, imo.

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Sevens

New member
Is the SIG Sauer Academy the next to last training facility? Note to self: if using a 25-cent word, see if they’ll make change. ;)

I believe a press check butts heads with rule #1. If rule #1 or the four rules isn’t something that matters to someone, then we aren’t likely to agree on a press check either. All good. There’s probably a lot that we do agree on, not that it matters either way.
 
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TunnelRat

New member
I think you'll see where I explicitly said I wasn't calling them the ultimate source (it's also far from the only place or organization that will cover press checks). Or you can do what you did, make a little joke to misdirect and then ignore all the other points that were made. That's definitely the more intellectually honest choice ;).

We've gone over rule 1. If you want to belabor the point we can do that too.

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FireForged

New member
Press (chamber) checks ARE necessary
Click to expand...

whatever bro.. its largely a shtick. If a person needs to perform a press check as a matter of routine, I suspect there is some sort of problem.

Personally, I consider it to be a television, movie induced fad. That's just me.
 
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TunnelRat

New member
It seems to me that the people that don't do it are more bothered by people that do than vice versa. The "TV/movie watching" and other comments come out regardless of the backgrounds of the people doing it or the explanations given.

It's something that's totally user choice. Just because front serrations or rear serrations are there doesn't mean you have to use them for press checks. If you've never done it and see no reason to do so then keep doing you. It doesn't mean people that do choose to do it are all dangerous, lazy, inexperienced, or have watched John Wick too many times.

There's a lot in firearms that seems to become dogmatic for really no reason, imo.

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FireForged

New member
Just because front serrations or rear serrations are there doesn't mean you have to use them for press checks
Click to expand...

I agree... they are cocking serrations not "press check serrations".

It doesn't mean people that do choose to do it are all dangerous, lazy, inexperienced, or have watched John Wick too many times.
Click to expand...

I disagree.. I think it can easily be indicative of inexperience or a lack of confidence. It doesn't mean that everyone who performs a press check is a novice but it is the impression that I am often left with. Especially if I notice someone do it as a matter of routine.

I do not recall ever meeting anyone who was "trained" to perform a press check. I have asked numerous people over the years and they nearly always admit that they are merely emulating someone they think is tacti-cool( usually from the internet, comp vids or television).

I wont say that "press checks" are useless or never should be performed. I will simply say that I generally consider it to be some manner of training scar, tactical fad, or dance move. I cant think of a single legitimate reason that would compel me to perform a press-check. Thats just how I feel as someone who carries a gun for self defense and not gun-games.
 
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TunnelRat

New member
I have been trained to do it, as were the dozens of people that were in those courses with me so my perspective is I imagine different. In my experience it isn't those things. I also carry a firearm for defense and not games, as was true of the instructors.

I can't and am not trying to discount your experience, my comment is I don't think doing it or not should result in an automatic assumption. Obviously I'm not everyone and they can do as they please.

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TunnelRat

New member
Would you like their names or is SIG Sauer Academy enough? I can look up the names of the instructors from my records as well as dates.

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FireForged

New member
Thank you for the list. I want to make sure I understand what you are both saying.

You are saying that as an integral part of your routine gun handling.. you were trained to perform press checks?

If you answer in the affirmative, I will certainly take you at your word. I am rather mystified though.
 
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TunnelRat

New member
Define "routine" (and that's not me being snarky that's an honest question).

Do I do it every time I handle/holster a firearm? No. A crude rule of thumb would be every time I load the firearm. However it's also situational. Would I do it during an emergency reload? No.
 
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Sharkbite

New member
I do it everytime i handle a gun that has been out of my control.
I do it after loading to ENSURE a round in the chamber. I dont/wont trust a loaded chamber indicator. I will see (or feel) that round in the chamber.
I do it after unloading

I dont do it whenever i draw my pistol
I dont do it after a reload (tac or emergency)
I dont do it just because

I do it whenever i need to ensure the condition of my pistol/Rifle is what i want it to be at the time.
 
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