Press Checks: Do you or don't you?

Beth Alcazar explains how to do a press check in this Pacifiers & Peacemakers video:

Do you do press checks?

  • Yes
  • No
  • Depends on the circumstances

0 voters

If you said yes or depends on the circumstances:

When do you do a press check?

5 Likes

Yes, ma’am!
Everytime I’m reholestering it’s a must for me.

Like you said, “Know the status of your firearm at all times.”

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Depends on circumstances & weapon… I prefer my handguns to have visible & tangible round indicators. Only 1 of my handguns doesn’t have one so in the right situation (or wrong), I would do it. :v:t5:

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If it is a gun with a chamber view port I just look for the brass.

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Every time I load and anytime the gun has been out of my sight.

Cheers,

Craig6

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YES.

  • everytime I pull out the firearm from the box / safe
  • when magazine inserted and I don’t remember if I loaded to the chamber
  • everytime I change the firearm’s location (holster, safe, box, drawer)
  • on the Range almost every few minutes, whenever I’m not sure about chamber condition and the firearm is out of my hands for more than 5 seconds… (I talk to RSOs all the time :smirk:)
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No. My carry gun has a Loaded Chamber peep hole.

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Nope. From a cleared firearm I load a mag, chamber one, drop the mag, top it off, replace the mag. I know my firearm’s status. No need to press check and have a chance of it not being in battery after.

To quote my coach:
Chief: “Did you load your firearm correctly?”
Class: “Yes Sir!”
Chief: “Are you going to do a press check?”
Class: “Negative!”

32 Likes

My sig has a “window” that I can see if the round is in there. In reality though, my carry guns are always loaded. I dont check on any regular basis.

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Depends on the firearm, some have a loaded chamber indicator some don’t. My traditional .45 doesn’t so I check. Nancy’s .32 has a tip up barrel so I check. If it’s a revolver I turn the cylinder.
Better safe then Oooo S**T. Check, Check and Recheck.

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At the beginning of each day just before I put the weapon on my body.

I will not do it again that day unless I remove the weapon from my body and give up positive control or, if I am at the range and using my carry weapon I will do it again just before I holster the weapon to leave the firing line.

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My carry gun is literally with me 24/7 but if I have been asleep (bedside mount) or I have had to enter a gun free zone (Dr. office) I always reconfirm that

  1. Gun is loaded with round in chamber.
  2. Magazine is firmly seated.

About 3 weeks ago in process of removing holster at Dr.s I must have hit magazine release, but caught it when I went to put it back on.

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Me too, I know the condition of my firearms. Why I always check to see if they’re unloaded. Always consider a firearm to be loaded until you check and clear.

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Curious about how you do that… I always unload before locking in my car on account of state vehicle storage / transport laws in some of the states I’m in. Are you able to store it loaded in your vehicle?

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It has to be securely stored and I have a safe securely attached to car. But now I am worried so I will have to go look it up. Nope, I was right. Just has to be secured in a lockable part of car or a container of it’s affixed to car.

Now non CCPH have to empty gun and store gun and ammo apart from each other and where it can not be reached by driver or passenger.

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Could not say it better myself! :ok_hand:

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As I keep my 1911 always locked and loaded and within a foot of me when I’m not wearing my shoulder rig, about the only time i press check is after the 3 weeks carrying and i drop clean it. So I’ll press check after i load it before it goes back into my holster

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Amen on the cocked and locked 1911! There are no bullet fairies! It’s chambered until it’s not!

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Exactly, I’m of the opinion that if you carry, then your pistol should be in battery and ready to fire. That short time it takes to cock it could be the difference between life and death. In a situation, God forbid, you need to draw and fire, you might not think to rack the slide.

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What’s a traditional .45? Do you mean a 1911?

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