Poll: Poll - Press Check

[ATCclears]

Shooters press check by slightly retracting the slide of their semi-automatic pistol. Retract the slide far enough to visually inspect the chamber and determine if a round sits in the chamber. The slide should not be retracted far enough to eject the brass.

Should I Press Check My Guns?

We look at what a press check is, why you might want to do one, and other handy ways to see if your gun is loaded.

www.pewpewtactical.com

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[Knobgoblin]

Not sure if accurate.

Full dark conditions necessitate an old school press check. Support hand "presses " slide back while one of the fingertips confirms the presence of loaded round through ejection port.
Mall ninja behavior, unless you're a real tier 1 operator.

Anecdotal information from the late 80s early 90s

 

[nammac]

Many modern pistols have some sort of view port or loaded chamber indicator. I personally do not press check my auto loader, I know whether or not the chamber has been loaded. I don't let folks touch my gat! Nor do I leave it unlocked and/or out of my control. It even showers with me, albeit in a Ziplok bag...

 

[po18guy]

Shooters press check by slightly retracting the slide of their semi-automatic pistol. Retract the slide far enough to visually inspect the chamber and determine if a round sits in the chamber. The slide should not be retracted far enough to eject the brass.

Should I Press Check My Guns?

We look at what a press check is, why you might want to do one, and other handy ways to see if your gun is loaded.

www.pewpewtactical.com

How do you press check a revolver? S&W, Ruger***, Taurus goes forward. DW goes down in front of the cylinder. Colt comes back.

Screw it. I'll just carry the Combat Commander. Oh, wait a minute...

***In an act of complete overlookingness stemming from increasing curmudgeonliness, and a failure of ownership, I mistakenly noted that Ruger cylinder releases go forward. It has been pointed out that they go inward. Not if you are holding the gun sideways, I says.

 

[Ridge Walker]

3 reasons why I don't.

1. My pistols are always loaded or are locked up.

2. My current SA pistols are CZs and have a small half slot where you can see a glimmer of brass if loaded.

3. The CZs have a half cock position (actually more like 1/4 cocked). Unless they are empty and locked up, they are always in HC. If dropped they will not fire in the HC condition. Technically they are still in DA (condition 2). This HC position is the recommended carry condition and a visual/tactile cue to me that the pistol has a round chambered.

The setup on my P-09 CZ with the decocker is my preferred setup. The 75B has a safety for condition 1 carry (cocked and locked). I don't carry it this way.

Obviously I have no need to 'Press Check'. So I don't.

 

[American123]

You don't need to press check if you just look at the mag you just loaded from. For example, Glock 17, it had 17 in it before, after letting the slide go, check the mag, it has 16 now, then obviously that round is in the chamber.

Also, Glock, I can look at side of the chamber and visibly see brass in it, obviously a round made it in.

So on one hand, I don't do press checks, but I still make sure chamber is loaded.

 

[Member 53328]

I press check every morning before heading out the door.

 

[1Z3OS]

Press checks are free

 

[American123]

I press check every morning before heading out the door.

Did it go somewhere from the previous day?

 

[CRBMoA]

Is there a reason why I shouldn't?

I only press check to confirm my gun is chambered and ready to fire. As in, did I actually charge it or just insert the mag and drop the slide?

I NEVER press check to see if it is empty.

 

[Member 53328]

Did it go somewhere from the previous day?

Nope. But I don't assume anything. Every morning I draw my gun, press check, check the mag, ensure the mag is seated properly, insert the pistol into the holster and begin my day. Being detail oriented is kind of a thing for me. I don't need anyone to validate my actions.

 

[po18guy]

Press checks are free

And highly endorsed by his Eminence Emeritus Col. Jeff Cooper. The kids may not know who he was, but they enjoy the benefits of his pistolcraft.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

I dont really load and unload all that often. If a loaded mag is in the gun, its chambered.
I of course do final unload chamber checks to avoid ND's.. but a press check to me doesn't seem necessary as I only insert a loaded mag if Im going to chamber a round. And I always check the chamber for a round when about to dry fire (unless Ive already confirmed its unloaded).

If you watch "Tenet" the scene where he is waiting for the ship to pick him up, all alone in the ocean windmill silo.. I was laughing because he kept press checking.. he was all by himself.. there was no point.. but it looks cool I guess?

 

[American123]

Nope. But I don't assume anything. Every morning I draw my gun, press check, check the mag, ensure the mag is seated properly, insert the pistol into the holster and begin my day. Being detail oriented is kind of a thing for me. I don't need anyone to validate my actions.

Got it, makes sense to have a routine, mine stays in the holster 24/7, the way I left it, and any gun out of the safe is chambered, so having my own system in that way, keeps things consistent.

 

[albin25]

Double action; If the mag is in, and safety on = chambered
Single action, if mag is in, cocked 'n' locked = chambered
otherwise... it's in storage mode...mag out, flag in chamber

If it gets to the point where I can no longer remember if I have a chambered round, or can't tell if a stored gun is empty... I'll find new homes for my guns.

exceptions; (never say never?)
bedside gun... cocked and locked and I tip the barrel up when I get up, down when I turn in (Beretta 86). Easy to see (or feel) if it has round in it.

At the range sometimes I will, if I lose track of how many rounds I fired ...like if I get distracted/bugged in some way, or have a jam or some such...but that's rare

 

[Triton900]

Yes, often and always be it daily carry or training or competition. I want to know the condition of my weapon at all times, it LITERALLY takes 2 seconds and sure, I have PLENTY of firearms that you can see the "glimmer" or a button pops up or there is a window etc etc.... bubblegum that, I want to manually see for myself and again, it requires almost no effort so why not?

 

[Member 34319]

I'm not John Wick.

 

[E4mafia]

I do this each morning with my wiener.

 

[OldTengu]

No. I mostly carry a glock. Trigger is forward, and I can see nickel plating through the edge of the chamber, as someone else mentioned.

 

[Triton900]

I do this each morning with my wiener.

Ummmm please see my account pic...thats the face of an old wiener dog being press checked....