# Finger to check for round in the chamber?



## tvphotog (Feb 24, 2016)

I can see perfectly well to see that there is no round in the chamber and that there is no magazine in the mag well. With a 16 lb spring returning the slide, why does my manual suggest putting a finger into the ejection port, where there is danger of accidental release of the slide stop and finger damage?

How does this fit with "Never put your hand in front of the muzzle" and "Always point the gun downrange" and any other safety advise?


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## hillman (Jul 27, 2014)

You can see in the dark?


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

I never put my finger into the breech, in the way of the slide, to check for a cartridge.
Doing that is dangerous!

Instead, I look down the barrel from the muzzle end.



(Yeah, I'm joking. :smt033 :smt083)


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## tvphotog (Feb 24, 2016)

hillman said:


> You can see in the dark?


I'm not in the dark at the range or in my home. I agree that I would check manually if there was no way to see well.


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## win231 (Aug 5, 2015)

I'm not putting my finger in the ejection port. It's not necessary. I suppose that advice may be OK if you're in dim light & you can't clearly see the chamber & mag well. In that case, I'd rather use a flashlight - less painful.


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## win231 (Aug 5, 2015)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> I never put my finger into the breech, in the way of the slide, to check for a cartridge.
> Doing that is dangerous!
> 
> Instead, I look down the barrel from the muzzle end.
> ...


Actually, there is a safe way to look from the muzzle end. Point the gun and a flashlight at a mirror & move the beam until it illuminates the barrel. If the flashlight has decent power, you'll clearly see the chambered round (or an empty chamber).


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## boatdoc173 (Mar 15, 2014)

win231 said:


> Actually, there is a safe way to look from the muzzle end. Point the gun and a flashlight at a mirror & move the beam until it illuminates the barrel. If the flashlight has decent power, you'll clearly see the chambered round (or an empty chamber).


or ask a "friend" to check it for you


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## SteamboatWillie (Jan 24, 2013)

I check it visually and physically each time I inspect for "clear. Personally, I don't see any contradiction wih safety rules.

I don' t need to decide if there is enough light to see into the chamber, and I want to be absolutely sure the firearm is clear. And, I always ask another person present to confirm it's clear. But that's just me.


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## Bobshouse (Jul 6, 2015)

win231 said:


> Actually, there is a safe way to look from the muzzle end. Point the gun and a flashlight at a mirror & move the beam until it illuminates the barrel. If the flashlight has decent power, you'll clearly see the chambered round (or an empty chamber).


Yeah, but then I look up and see a guy pointing a gun at me. At that point I panic. Who is this guy in the mirror and why is he pointing his gun at me, I didn't do anything to him.

Maybe ya'll have seen him too, a rather good looking man for his age I must admit.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

*Bobshouse*: :anim_lol: :anim_lol: :anim_lol: :yawinkle:


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## win231 (Aug 5, 2015)

Bobshouse said:


> Yeah, but then I look up and see a guy pointing a gun at me. At that point I panic. Who is this guy in the mirror and why is he pointing his gun at me, I didn't do anything to him.
> 
> Maybe ya'll have seen him too, a rather good looking man for his age I must admit.


Yeah, I've seen him few times, too. You're right....he's kinda cute but he's startin' to look old.


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## hillman (Jul 27, 2014)

Part of the field-strip procedure for the Ruger SR40 requires that the ejector be moved forward. The manual suggests that you hold the slide release in place while moving the ejector with a finger. I have highlighted a significant phrase.


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

When my Glocks are loaded, the loaded chamber test is simple. Just look at or if in the dark, feel for, the loaded chamber indicator. I wish more semi-autos had this feature (yes I know that a number of them do). When I am preparing to clean my guns, a careful visual check is sufficient as far as I'm concerned. My cleaning table is in the basement where there is no TV or radio to disturb me so my full attention is on what I am doing. When handing a gun to someone to examine, I do use the "put the finger in the chamber" method in their close presence. When they receive the gun, I encourage them to confirm its condition themselves.

Pretty basic stuff.


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## CW (Mar 20, 2015)

I suspect the finger in the breach inspection is more useful in shotguns, especially where a 20ga gets mixed in with 12ga.

Yet even with a PCR with an LCI device [small post on top], visual inspection is habitual and frequent,

and if the need to stick fingers in the breach is there, I do a quick takedown instead.


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## OldManMontgomery (Nov 2, 2013)

*I'm a bit puzzled...*

Putting one's finger into the chamber area to feel for a chambered round is a technique of long standing. Typically - in my experience - the practice has been done with rifles. Most pistols are fairly easy to see the chamber area and revolvers - especially with swing out cylinders - lend themselves to visual inspection well.

However, I am obliged to ask, how does one release the slide stop on a semi-automatic pistol - or rifle - when physically examining a chamber?

I have a Garand rifle and a number of semi-automatic pistols. The Garand requires a serious pressure and intent to release the bolt forward. Most of the other 'hold open' semi-automatic designs can be released by moving the slide or bolt to the rear, releasing the 'hold open' catch. However, this is easily avoided - at least by your humble correspondent.

May I suggest some examination of the mechanism to determine what to avoid? Finally, one is responsible for ascertaining the safety of any firearm one handles. It is the handler's responsibility. Please do what is needed to ensure safety, and as a secondary concern, what it prudent to avoid damage to one's self.


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## win231 (Aug 5, 2015)

OldManMontgomery said:


> Putting one's finger into the chamber area to feel for a chambered round is a technique of long standing. Typically - in my experience - the practice has been done with rifles. Most pistols are fairly easy to see the chamber area and revolvers - especially with swing out cylinders - lend themselves to visual inspection well.
> 
> However, I am obliged to ask, how does one release the slide stop on a semi-automatic pistol - or rifle - when physically examining a chamber?
> 
> ...


The slide stop can be released unintentionally due to a worn, rounded or shallow notch in the slide, a rounded edge on the slide stop itself, or slight movement of the slide during handling which may release the slide stop. When I hand a pistol to someone, I learned not to leave the slide locked open after someone previously handed me a pistol & the second I touched it, the slide closed on my palm taking a chunk of skin with it. I never touched the slide stop.


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## BigCityChief (Jan 2, 2013)

The "safety" portion of many of the owner's manuals out there is written by company attorneys - enough said.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Kennydale (Jun 10, 2013)

Just don't use your trigger finger !


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## BZimm (Feb 29, 2016)

I'm fairly new to pistols with a slide, but I use my left smallest finger to check. Every time I'm checking. 48 years ago an old man taught me that and he lived to be 100. I'll stick with him. Thanks.


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## BZimm (Feb 29, 2016)

Earlier this morning, as part of my morning meditation, I was dry firing my SD handgun. I have five targets around the house that I use, including one six inch bullseye that is 7 yards from a cover position. Anyway, as I prepared the weapon, I checked the chamber with my left smallest finger. Without thinking. Then I stared at the situation wondering how I would go about releasing the slide...... Sorry to beat up on this post, but I just don't see an issue. If you wanna be dumb, be dumb.


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## MoMan (Dec 27, 2010)

Visual inspection for this guy. Been doing it that way for almost 50 years, and it hasn't failed me. If I were in a "dark" situation, I would use a flashlight. No way I'm getting my fingers anywhere inside. As for the Ruger take down procedure, I use a pencil with an eraser to depress the ejector.
Hey this is still America, and you can do it anyway you'd like (at least for now!!).


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