Jay Cunningham
06-01-2011, 09:56 PM
Get into the habit of performing loaded chamber verifications (LCVs) whenever you administratively load your firearms.
You can press-check an AR, but I don't recommend it under most circumstances, as it's too easy to eject the round or create a malfunction. For ARs, note the top round on the magazine and whether it's on the left or right. Insert the magazine, release the bolt and then remove the magazine. If the top round is now on the opposite side of the magazine, you can be reasonably sure there's a round in the chamber. This is called a "crossover check" since you are checking to see if the topmost round crossed over... :o
Kalashnikovs OTOH are perfectly designed for press-checks… rack the charging handle and place the weapon on safe. Pull the charging handle back as far as it will go, and then perform a visual and tactile check ensuring a round is chambered. The design prevents you from pulling back too far - you literally cannot pull the charging handle back far enough to eject the round or cause a malfunction. Cleanly release the charging handle and give it a tap forward to ensure it's in battery.
Have either one lowest common denominator foolproof technique that works in daylight and darkness, or practice two discrete methods and be sure you can do both when the situation calls for it. When you can't see, a tactile check is required.
For ANY of the above methods, ENSURE YOUR FINGER IS IN A STRONG REGISTER POSITION! Your finger must be very positively off of the trigger!
An LCV only takes a couple of seconds and is that extra little bit of insurance that you can stake your life (or the lives of your family) on. If you are participating in a training class, perform admin checks *before* you step off the line. If you are obsessively press-checking stuff before you step up to shoot a drill, it's a little late and kind of defeats the purpose.
You can press-check an AR, but I don't recommend it under most circumstances, as it's too easy to eject the round or create a malfunction. For ARs, note the top round on the magazine and whether it's on the left or right. Insert the magazine, release the bolt and then remove the magazine. If the top round is now on the opposite side of the magazine, you can be reasonably sure there's a round in the chamber. This is called a "crossover check" since you are checking to see if the topmost round crossed over... :o
Kalashnikovs OTOH are perfectly designed for press-checks… rack the charging handle and place the weapon on safe. Pull the charging handle back as far as it will go, and then perform a visual and tactile check ensuring a round is chambered. The design prevents you from pulling back too far - you literally cannot pull the charging handle back far enough to eject the round or cause a malfunction. Cleanly release the charging handle and give it a tap forward to ensure it's in battery.
Have either one lowest common denominator foolproof technique that works in daylight and darkness, or practice two discrete methods and be sure you can do both when the situation calls for it. When you can't see, a tactile check is required.
For ANY of the above methods, ENSURE YOUR FINGER IS IN A STRONG REGISTER POSITION! Your finger must be very positively off of the trigger!
An LCV only takes a couple of seconds and is that extra little bit of insurance that you can stake your life (or the lives of your family) on. If you are participating in a training class, perform admin checks *before* you step off the line. If you are obsessively press-checking stuff before you step up to shoot a drill, it's a little late and kind of defeats the purpose.