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Thread: Best Way to Conduct a Safe Chamber Check?

  1. #1
    Chasing the Horizon RJ's Avatar
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    Jan 2014

    Best Way to Conduct a Safe Chamber Check?

    Back to basics: I did a quick search on administrative gun handling, and if this was covered I missed it.

    Assuming a modern semi-automatic pistol, what is current best practice to safely conduct a loaded chamber check?

    I picked up my G43X at the range the other day. The slide was closed. I mean, I knew it was loaded, and of course I *always* treat it as if it were anyway. But it occurred to me, that I’d never contemplated the ‘how’ to examine my firearm, to verify there was, or was not, a round in the chamber.

    So: how do you do this? Is there a single method that is taught in .mil or .leo training classes?

    Sorry if this is a dumb question. I just don’t know how to do this.

    About the only thing I have as a reference is this scene from Heat, and I’ve always wondered about it.

    https://youtu.be/PGym1iVaWoY

    TIA.

  2. #2
    Site Supporter PNWTO's Avatar
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    If applicable, I always look at the extractor first.

    Then most of the time, I use my other strong hand to go under the dust cover and pull the slide back.
    "Do nothing which is of no use." -Musashi

    What would TR do? TRCP BHA

  3. #3
    Grab the slide the same way you would chamber a round.
    Likes pretty much everything in every caliber.

  4. #4
    Site Supporter Cool Breeze's Avatar
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    Same way I chamber I round with muzzle pointing downrange or down to the ground. Not my pic - got it from google.

    Name:  Tactical_Pistol_Photos_004.80113323-660x495.jpg
Views: 934
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    John Wick style looks pretty cool though - Just kidding

    https://www.quora.com/What-is-John-W...rds-of-Santino
    Last edited by Cool Breeze; 01-09-2020 at 07:14 PM.

  5. #5
    Member TGS's Avatar
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    If by "safe chamber check" you mean to ensure the chamber is empty (such as prior to disassembly), the accepted method is to remove the ammunition source, lock the slide open, and visually/physically inspect. Doing a "brass check" as a means of ensuring the gun is clear is generally not acceptable.

    If you're talking about a "brass check" to make sure your gun is ready to fire, there's a ton of different ways and anything is acceptable as long as you observe the safety rules.

    Personally, for a chamber check, I rotate my firing hand so that the beavertail is still sitting in the web of my hand, but my fingers are across the top of the slide and I "pinch" the slide open by closing my grip (which pulls the slide rearward slightly against the web of my hand holding the frame stationary). I find this more controllable than doing it the same way I would rack the gun, and it's how we were taught by Weapons Training Battalion at Quantico when I was in the USMC.

    Let me know if that is confusing and I'll do a picture.
    "Are you ready? Okay. Let's roll."- Last words of Todd Beamer

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by TGS View Post
    If by "safe chamber check" you mean to ensure the chamber is empty (such as prior to disassembly), the accepted method is to remove the ammunition source, lock the slide open, and visually/physically inspect. Doing a "brass check" as a means of ensuring the gun is clear is generally not acceptable.

    If you're talking about a "brass check" to make sure your gun is ready to fire, there's a ton of different ways and anything is acceptable as long as you observe the safety rules.

    Personally, for a chamber check, I rotate my firing hand so that the beavertail is still sitting in the web of my hand, but my fingers are across the top of the slide and I "pinch" the slide open by closing my grip (which pulls the slide rearward slightly against the web of my hand holding the frame stationary). I find this more controllable than doing it the same way I would rack the gun, and it's how we were taught by Weapons Training Battalion at Quantico when I was in the USMC.

    Let me know if that is confusing and I'll do a picture.
    Same here.

  7. #7
    Site Supporter Totem Polar's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GJM View Post
    Grab the slide the same way you would chamber a round.
    I may be embarrassing myself beyond the point of return by saying this, but I’ve actually spazzed out and ejected a round from a G42 doing it that way. Little bastards are hard to keep a grip on.

    @RJ, I use a 2-hand "armorer’s pinch/armorer’s grip" and lever the action open a hair using my LH forefinger on the rear sight to scissor against the LH thumb on the beavertail/grip frame. Super-easy on a Glock, and the dominant/RH hand can completely control the muzzle direction with a normal grip.

    Pretty much what the last two posters said, only not as cool looking, and two-handed.
    Last edited by Totem Polar; 01-09-2020 at 07:30 PM.
    ”But in the end all of these ideas just manufacture new criminals when the problem isn't a lack of criminals.” -JRB

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by TGS View Post
    If by "safe chamber check" you mean to ensure the chamber is empty (such as prior to disassembly), the accepted method is to remove the ammunition source, lock the slide open, and visually/physically inspect. Doing a "brass check" as a means of ensuring the gun is clear is generally not acceptable.

    If you're talking about a "brass check" to make sure your gun is ready to fire, there's a ton of different ways and anything is acceptable as long as you observe the safety rules.

    Personally, for a chamber check, I rotate my firing hand so that the beavertail is still sitting in the web of my hand, but my fingers are across the top of the slide and I "pinch" the slide open by closing my grip (which pulls the slide rearward slightly against the web of my hand holding the frame stationary). I find this more controllable than doing it the same way I would rack the gun, and it's how we were taught by Weapons Training Battalion at Quantico when I was in the USMC.

    Let me know if that is confusing and I'll do a picture.
    I use this with the added caution...I don't advise doing it one handed...I prefer to use both hands to maintain control of the weapon.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sidheshooter View Post
    I may be embarrassing myself beyond the point of return by saying this, but I’ve actually spazzed out and ejected a round from a G42 doing it that way. Little bastards are hard to keep a grip on.

    @RJ, I use a 2-hand "armorer’s pinch" and lever the action open a hair using my LH forefinger on the rear sight to scissor against the thumb on the beavertail/grip frame. Super-easy on a Glock, and the dominant hand can completely control the muzzle direction with a normal grip.
    Good one too, I'd forgotten that one.

  10. #10
    Site Supporter gringop's Avatar
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    Keep strong hand in a firing grip with the finger out of the trigger guard.

    Retract firing hand until your wrist touches your trunk, keeping the muzzle in a safe direction. Doing this at chest level gives me the best leverage.

    With your support hand, grasp the slide in a manner that leaves your little finger free to do the chamber check.

    Retract the slide enough to allow your little finger to physically check the chamber for a loaded round.

    Force the slide forward and ensure its back in battery.

    Drive on.

    I find that placing my hand so that my forefinger is against the front of the rear sight helps me retract the slide dexterously. After a little practice, you don't have to look at the gun, which is the whole purpose.

    This works in the dark, in the rain, on guns with and without LCIs, I can barely do it with my LCP but it does work.

    Gringop
    Play that song about the Irish chiropodist. Irish chiropodist? "My Fate Is In Your Hands."

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