https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/trust-but-verify-function-checking-your-guns/
How many of us ascribe to this advice?
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Every new acquisition is tested at point of sale with the salesperson, then on a range within 24 hours, if not right then and there at their range! If it doesn’t function they way it’s supposed to on the range, I don’t care about the sales guidelines, I return to fix any issues!
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Yes, always. With one exception (kind of). I don’t have a prescribed function check I do with every firearm I own. Every firearm I have (Ruger, S&W, Sig) explains the proper functions check in their manual, and that’s what I follow for each. They’re slightly different.
Exceptions: My rifles were used and didn’t come with manuals, but I was able to find the military manuals for them, and I followed those. My -15 I didn’t bother looking up because I can tear it down and put it back together blindfolded with a drill sergeant screaming in my ear, but in retrospect I should have read the manual first.
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Great thread. I like to take things apart and see how they work. When I acquire a new gun I always take it apart to clean all the machining oil and packing oil off. I usually inspect it to see how it works. Put a small amount of grease or oil and put them back together. My hand guns don’t have manual safeties but I pull the slide back a little to make sure the firing pin blocks safety works and if I think of it I will check the trigger safety. When ever I hand someone a gun or someone hands me a gun I always drop the mag and check the chamber. I learned the hard way to never hand someone a loaded gun so if you want to shoot you have to know how to do it yourself. I know the four safety rules and make sure someone else knows them before handing them a gun.
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Every new firearm I ahev taken home, gone through the manual, field stripped, performed a basic cleaning on, re-assembled, tested all the basics, and only then take it to the range for live fire testing.
I never thought to drop a pencil down the barrel though 
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Is that before or after you have read the manual and performed a function check?
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I hate manuals… for me these are not clear enough… but that’s me
Anyway, every handgun works the same way, no magic here.
My every new purchase goes through the same procedure - complete disassembly and 1 hr submergence in isopropyl. Then function check and test fire.
If I’m going to trust my firearm, I have to be sure it is clean from manufacturer’s grease, fitted properly and functions as expected.
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I skim the manual first to see if there is anything other than typical and then consult it later if I have a specific question.
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If I’m not familiar with the breakdown of the firearm I will read thru the manual. I’ll do a quick clean up and lube prior to shooting it. I’m amazed that some manuals don’t list the fact that there guns are not +P rated. Ie: Springfield Hellcat. I’m sure people have put +P ammunition thru them without issue but when I called Springfield about it they said it wasn’t, and could cause cycling problems. An additional note here is I check my carry ammo for irregularities and not properly seated primers.
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I do function checks after cleanings and any meaningful maintenance that could effect function. I will consult the manual when it is new but not much after that.
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I have read the manuals on my Ruger’s because I did not deal with them throughout my career in ownership of firearms. But when it comes to my M&Ps and my only Glock in my collection I read the manuals once long ago and they function all the same. I definitely function checked my Rugers when I purchased them for the first time and read the manuals. It doesn’t hurt to go through the manual because it just refreshes your memory.
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I always verify then trust. Disassemble, wipe down and lube the new firearm, per the manual. Then function test before taking it to the range. Fire a bunch of practice rounds and at least 100 of my chosen self defense rounds. If it does all that without a single hiccup then I feel confident that it is good to go.
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I do , I rack, unload, check ammo and for fuzz in the barrel. Reload and ready for business, Dont for get a drop of oil once in a while 
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I take any new purchase home, wipe the bore, clean any excess grease from the piece, lightly lube and then shoot the piece. Nothing is even considered for a carry or so purpose until it has seen several hundred (typically 2-3 target round and 200 of whatever serious ammo I’m expecting to carry. ANY failures start the process over. Any additional failures and it time to dump. Learned this lesson the hard way with a Kimber Solo many moons ago. Loved the way it felt in the hand and the way it shot. Darn thing refused to cycle two mags straight without a malfunction. Spent a fortune on different ammo trying to find anything that pos would consistently run. (This was AFTER following the “break in” requirement noted in the owners manual). After a return to the mfgr only to still have the SAME issues (and expending Another 200 rounds of various types). I finally ace up and dumped that junker. Never, ever, again. If it doesn’t work, right, fresh out of the box, I don’t need OR want it.
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When I used to carry Kimber, I kept it wet, until I was done with it. I wet it, fire it, clean it, wet it, put it up. I have an Ultra Carry II and it’s finicky. I don’t do finicky. So, it just goes to range ever so often, and it looks good.
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I do a full function test including the pencil test every time a firearm is disassembled and reassembled.
On a 1911 the trigger is pulled with the thumb safety off, but the grip safety is not held down. Then the trigger is pulled with the thumb safety on, but the grip safety is held down. If it does not release the hammer in the those two scenarios, then a pencil goes down the barrel and with both safeties disengaged, the trigger is pulled to ensure the pencil “shoots” out of the barrel. The 10mm puts the pencil pretty far down range 
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