I was looking at the Sig Sauer web page (shocking, I know!) and they have a picture of someone doing a press check:
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I found it very interesting that was pictured…
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I actually look at the term “press check” with a more inclusive view than most. And there are two different purposes for press checks that should be handled differently: Checking to see if you’re loaded, and then checking to see if you’re unloaded.
I consider any method of determining the status of the chamber generically as a "press check’. On my Glocks and some other guns, the extractor sticks out slightly to let you know there is a round in the chamber. So, sliding my trigger finger up to the extractor to feel the “bump” is a press check to me. Some guns have other types of loaded indicators, such as pins sticking out the back of the slide, so checking that is also a “press check” in my book. A few, especially the pocket pistols, have a chamber view port. Can’t do those by feel, but if you have the visibility to look in there and see the brass, then you’ve “press checked”. In short, any method you use to verify that the chamber is loaded is good.
When it comes to unloading, the ONLY proper method is to physically open the action halfway and look/feel the chamber to ensure the gun is not loaded. I frequently get on students who will “verify” the chamber is unloaded from a slide fully open position, then release the bolt or slide to a closed position and then think they have a clear weapon. Nope. You have to follow that up with a “half-rack” to do the “press check”.
Nearly every Negligent Discharge (ND) I’ve witnessed or have solid 2nd-hand knowledge about happened when the shooter cleared the gun from an action fully open position, verified the chamber was clear, then released the action and pulled the trigger to “decock” the gun. In these cases, while the chamber was clear, the magazine was not, so they loaded the gun when they released the action. This is actually very easy to do with a pump action shotgun, but it can be done with detachable magazine weapons as well. In every case, if the shooter had followed up by doing a “half-rack press check”, they would have discovered that they just loaded the gun and would have avoided the ND.
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The way we teach to clear a firearm is to drop the magazine first, rack the slide a few times, then lock the slide open. Look down the magazine well (you should be able to see completely through it) then look into the barrel, using a finger to check if needed, to ensure there isn’t a round in the barrel. You can then leave the firearm slide locked open or release the slide since there is no magazine in the firearm. There’s no need for a press check.
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UNLOADING: In my location Instructors force the safety rule : “VISUALLY and PHYSICALLY inspect your firearm” which means that “press check” doesn’t fit this rule.
However “press check” is ok with me on the range (few situations, when I might not remember chamber status).
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I’ll disagree with this statement all day. Press Checks are free: An ND will cost you your job and perhaps much more. Since I work with an armed security group, I come from a place where an ND, any in-the-field ND (excluding on a live fire training range), is immediate grounds for termination. It takes exactly one second to double check with a press check, even though you’re already 100% sure you unloaded the gun.
And like I said, I’ve personally watched people have an ND on a training range when they failed to follow the magazine clearing step at the beginning of the unloading process. On two occasions, I’ve watched students clearing a Remington 870 fail to ensure the magazine was empty, but verified the chamber was empty with the action fully to the rear, close the action (loading a fresh shell from the magazine) and then pull the trigger to “decock”, only to get that Earth-shattering Kaboom. Fortunately, we also drill the 4 safety rules in very hard, so all of these NDs are with the muzzle pointed downrange. But it’s a real eye-opener for people to have a gun that they “knew was unloaded” go boom when they pull the trigger. A press-check was all that was needed to catch the problem.
And yes, I’ve witnessed this happen with an AR rifle when a student was distracted and actually reinserted a magazine after verifying the gun was clear, with the bolt still locked open. He then returned his focus to the gun, hit the bolt release (loading the gun), pointed at the safe backstop and pulled the trigger to “decock” the “unloaded” gun. Kaboom. Again, a press check would have caught the mistake made earlier in the process.
I’ve not witnessed, but have heard of two other cases where a similar thing happened with a handgun. In both cases, it was a distracted person, but they ended up re-loading their “empty” Glocks, skipped the press check, and proceeded to verify that the Clearing Barrel actually works. I understand that a Glock makes a fairly loud noise in an office setting. These folks are no longer employed at this company. Press checks are free.
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I’m not saying you can’t do a press check, @Scott1, but if you’re following the basic safety rules, there’s no need for a press check.
The people you’re talking about had negligent discharges - adding one more step to clearing a gun doesn’t mean they’re not still going to have negligent discharges. They were distractedly handling a firearm.
The way we clear a firearm means there’s no need for a press check. That’s why we teach it the way we do.
Each person needs to find the process that they will continually do to ensure they are safely handling a firearm. I’m glad your process works for you.
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This thread reminds me joke about never-ending problem: Which Holiday is more important: Christmas or Easter?
I think both sides are correct -> if “press check” is not safe for me, I don’t do it. However when I feel, I have to know chamber condition, I’m gonna do it.
“Press check” is definitely not as danger as decocking the hammer without having decocker on firearm 
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I always press check.
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My position on this evolved a bit from this thread due to advice from @Zee and @Dawn. I installed a safe next to bed so I eliminated the morning press check.
Now I only press check at range, and if I have not had positive physical control. Such as going to Dr. Office.
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I think, as with so many topics in the gun community, that it’s very situational for me. There are times when I do and times where I know I don’t need to. The main thing for me is working to know how to distinguish between those times and make sure I do everything efficiently and safely.
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I’ve only been shooting for about three years now. I formed a habit of checking the chamber and mag slot every time I take the gun out of, or put it back in the holster or range bag. I primarily use revolvers, so I open and spin the cylinder, making sure all the chambers are empty. But, I believe that’s called “clearing” a weapon, not press-checking, as shown in the video. When I bring the semi-auto to the range, I bring about ten loaded magazines along with it. (I got a good price on some factory mags so I’m flush with them.) I drop the spent mag and insert the new one. Then I try to figure out where I was in the set of five targets and which one I should aim at next. By that time I’m not sure if I actually chambered a round, so I do a press-check to make sure.
When I press-check, I do more than look into the chamber. If the chamber is empty, I take a look at the angle of the top 22LR round in the mag. If it appears to be angled too far up, I press it down to avoid a failure-to-feed event, about the only problem I’ve ever had with my Ruger SR22.
This all reminds me of a story I read about a cafeteria setting, midway through a classroom session at a police station. One cop hands his new revolver to another for a look. He opens the cylinder and spin-checks it, closes the cylinder and accidentally puts a round into the ceiling. He saw it was loaded but pulled the trigger anyway! These guys were experienced shooters and none of them was irresponsible. It just shows how easy it is to believe a gun is empty even when you know it isn’t - just the opposite of the rule.
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A good habit to have, when in doubt, press check it out.
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True!
I’ve been so worried before bed that I would check once, read a book, then have to check again even though I know it is.
I’ve been doing good so far not press checking.
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The reason I said “no” is my carry weapon has a “loaded chamber indicator” that I can feel with my finger, and also see visually. I still verify before taking my hand off the weapon, but I don’t crack open the slide and take a peek. 
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FYI… Glock LCI
Chambered round…
Empty chamber…
***Always treat a firearm as chambered. This is assuming Centerfire ammo. Not sure about Rimfire ammo.
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Yeah, I would not go by the LCI!
It would scare me half to death!
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This is why I love the M&P chamber hole.
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I press check one time…in the morning before I go out the door. That is all…
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Actually, it’s “Always treat a gun as if it is loaded.” That applies to centerfire, rimfire, BB guns and even the colored rubber guns they passed out to us during class! The instructor was making a point, but getting into the mindset that there are exceptions to such rules can be dangerous.
Alex
Handle a gun like your life depends on it - it does.
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