Presscheck: Is this a 1911 thing?

[MLH]

I see on tv where people presscheck their gun to see if it's loaded. WEEELLL, there is no way I can presscheck my S & W 4013TSW or my Beretta 9000sf or even my Bersa .380 without breaking my thumb! And to take one of these guns out of battery by pressing into someones ribs would be nigh on to impossible. I believe you'd break their ribs first. So, is this a 1911 thing or what?

 

[Snake Eyes]

I press check every gun before I put it on and before I put it away. Mostly just to make sure I haven't brainfarted somewhere along the line.

I've never had a problem press checking any auto, including SIGs, Berettas, Makarovs and Colts.

 

[The Drew]

Can someone please describe this technique, as I am unfamiliar...

 

[TaxPhd]

For a right handed shooter:

Hold gun in right hand, without a finger in the trigger guard. Insert left thumb into trigger guard, pressing thumb against the FRONT of the trigger guard, NOT against the trigger. Place left index finger over the recoil spring plug just under the muzzle. Gently squeeze left thumb and index finger towards each other. This will cause the slide to retract, allowing you to easily see if a round is chambered.

If the gun has a full length guide rod, the technique will need to be slightly modified. Everything previously described remains the same, except for the left index finger placement. Place left index and middle fingers on top of the slide, putting pressure down on the slide, and press, or squeeze, as described above.

For anyone lacking a reasonable amount of manual dexterity, this technique is probably not for you.




Scott

 

[Snake Eyes]

Essentially, you move the slide to the rear just enough to determine if there is a round in the chamber.

This can be done by pinching the slide with the off hand, pushing on the business end with your thumb (not my favorite), or wrapping the fingers of your gun hand over the top of the slide, while your thumb is gripping normally, and applying a slight rearward pressure (my preference).

I'm sure there are other ways to accomplish this as well, and clearer ways to describe it, too.

In reference to the original question, it crosses my mind that many less inspired, over-engineered pistol designs (ie. non-1911's) have external extractors that serve as loaded chamber indicators, negating the need for a press check.

I do it anyway on my non-1911's.

 

[Shorts]

or wrapping the fingers of your gun hand over the top of the slide, while your thumb is gripping normally, and applying a slight rearward pressure (my preference).

That's the way I do it as well. Although it's much harder to do on the Commander than the GI.

 

[Bravo11]

I always thought press checking was placing your hand on top of your cover garment to check if your carry gun was in place.

 

[TaxPhd]

"It's a good way to shoot off your finger."

I guess if you put your finger in front of the muzzle and pulled the trigger, that might happen. But it certainly won't happen in a properly executed press check.



Scott

 

[orangeninja]

I press check everytime I put a gun on that I have left unattended for a while.

 

[pauli]

i'm failing to see what conceivable reason there is to follow the above procedure, rather than partially retracting the slide while holding the *back* end.

one involves intentionally placing fingers inside the trigger guard and on the business end of a firearm at the same time, while the other... doesn't.

can someone explain what i'm apparently missing?

 

[mpthole]

I definitely do not do a press check like TaxPhd describes it. No way do I want anything _inside_ the trigger guard during this, period.

First, while holding the gun in my right hand with my index finger alongside the frame. Then, with my left hand, palm up and underneath the gun behind the muzzle, I place my thumb on the left-hand side of the slide and my index finger on the right-hand side of the frame. Then pinch the slide and press it to the rear. This keeps my fingers out of the trigger guard and far enough away from the muzzle to be safe(r).

 

[mpthole]

rather than partially retracting the slide while holding the *back* end.

The reason I do it as I describe above is so that I don't get things confused. Whenever I grab the back of the slide, I'm chambering a round - pulling it all of the way back and letting it fly. (I like the whole hand method, over the top of the slide - rather than pinching the slide between my thumb and index finger for this.) When I need to clear a jam, I use essentially the same manuever - I don't want to confuse my muscle memory with what I'm trying to accomplish.

 

[Graystar]

can someone explain what i'm apparently missing?

What you're missing is that the pressure used to retract the slide can be applied with more control so that you can pull the slide back the 1 or 2 eighths of an inch needed to see if there's a round in the chamber. When you pull the slide back in the normal fashion, every once in a while you go too far and end up extracting or jamming a round.

 

[mpthole]

MLH - to answer your original question... My H&K's give me a harder time than my 1911's when the hammer is down. All my H&K's are variant 1's, with the DA/SA trigger. Occasionally I'll have the hammer down for a double-action first shot. That hammer provides a lot of resistance on the press-check.

 

[MICHAEL T]

The only time any of my 1911's doesn't have a round in the chamber is if I have shot to empty or I am cleaning. and if I am cleaning others will remain loaded till their turn. This way I know my weapons are ready to go and no need for checking.

 

[Black Majik]

Hold gun in right hand, without a finger in the trigger guard. Insert left thumb into trigger guard, pressing thumb against the FRONT of the trigger guard, NOT against the trigger. Place left index finger over the recoil spring plug just under the muzzle. Gently squeeze left thumb and index finger towards each other. This will cause the slide to retract, allowing you to easily see if a round is chambered.

This can be done by pinching the slide with the off hand, pushing on the business end with your thumb

Some people been watching too many steven seagal movies.

I dont like that method either, I use my off hand over the front slide to press check. None of my fingers gonna go in front of the muzzle. Safe or not, no need to point the gun at any part of me.

 

[Mulliga]

Keep in mind that it's bad practice to press check and actually look at the chamber to see if a round is there. In a gunfight, I doubt you want to be looking at your gun all the time to make sure it's loaded, especially if it's dark. You need to get in the habit of physically feeling for the round with your hand.

 

[Blackhawk 6]

In a gunfight, I doubt you want to be looking at your gun all the time to make sure it's loaded, especially if it's dark.

In a gunfight, I should not be wondering if my gun is loaded. A press-check is an administrative function, like loading or unloading your pistol. It is used to verify the status of a weapon. There is no reason to be performing a press-check in a fight.

 

[Dreamer]

IMHO, if you don't know your weapon is loaded or unloaded, maybe you shouldn't be carrying it . Checking someone else's weapon is a different story.

 

[wally]

i'm failing to see what conceivable reason there is to follow the above procedure, rather than partially retracting the slide while holding the *back* end.

one involves intentionally placing fingers inside the trigger guard and on the business end of a firearm at the same time, while the other... doesn't.

can someone explain what i'm apparently missing?

You're missing Mall Ninja Coolness and not handling your weapons as shown in the Movies and on TV. Clearly if it involves guns and is on TV it must be true.

--wally.

 

[JohnKSa]

On most any gun with an external extractor, you can tell by looking or by feeling the extractor if a round is chambered.

 

[Snake Eyes]

I know my weapons are ready to go and no need for checking.

if you don't know your weapon is loaded or unloaded, maybe you shouldn't be carrying it

It must be nice to be infallible. I, myself, have never attained that status.

"Trust, but verify"--Ronald Reagan


.

 

[Harlie]

The worst sound imaginable would be a "click", instead of "bang", the next sound after, is "gotcha". Got to ask, when you drop your slide to load, if you don't check, just how do you "Know" it's loaded. Verify, no alibi. Makes no difference how, must be done. Mostly I press check, or drop mag' into hand to visual the round count and top. How many have done a dumb and shot themselves or some one else, thinking it's not loaded. Verify, no alibi. In years past, articals in paper was, "He shot himself while cleaning his gun", never figured out how you can clean a loaded gun, been trying for 55 years, still don't know.

 

[Black Majik]

On most any gun with an external extractor, you can tell by looking or by feeling the extractor if a round is chambered.

Hi John,

While external extractors do sometimes prove useful, would you pull the trigger of your gun if the extractor is smooth instead of sticking out without checking the chamber?

For me, I always like to visibly check as well as physically check (by feel)

 

[Sactown]

I dont', but this is also easily done with the CZ75s, so not a 1911 thing.