Press checks are dumb?

[Vyadmirer]

...change my mind.

If I admin reload a pistol and hit the bolt release why would a round not go in the chamber? And why would I pull it back 1/2 inch to then let go, then have to hit slide to make sure it went back into battery? Why would I give myself the chance to “short stroke” it? You hear instructors constantly talk about sending the slide all the way home but then advocate doing the exact opposite to press check a pistol they just loaded! Do you press check after every shot to make sure there’s one in because your life depends on it? What’s the difference?

I can see press checking a carry pistol I pick up out of the safe to make sure it has one in because it’s been a while.

Am I dumb? (Which is entirely possible) I’ve never understood the logic.

[Dace]

I dont think you are dumb. But I have press checked probably tens of thousands of times all kinds of firearms mainly because I can and its a last step for me if I didnt just immediately load a gun. Never had an issue with it.

Now if I just loaded a fresh magazine and am about to shoot I dont press check.

[Bullzaye]

^^^^^This^^^^^

[mtptwo]

I press check verifies that they slide picked up a round from the magazine.

Every time I pick up my carry gun, I verify there is a round in the chamber before I walk out the door.

[xerts1191]

+2 with Dace

[Elk34]

I only press check a gun I get from someone else. I load my mags to the limit. There are no (hot) guns in my gun room or safe. When I pick a gun for the day I firmly load a mag and drop the slide. I never had a pistol not strip one out of the mag and chamber. Now if I pick a gun off someone that I don't know I will chamber check this one time. I've been around a lot of instructors that love press checking weapons. It's a good way to shoot yourself in the hand. I have heard of it happening to 3 or 4 people

[Doc Holliday]

Never liked to do press checks, not a big believer in getting closer to the business end than necessary.

[tdog90yj]

Every time I pick up my carry gun, I verify there is a round in the chamber before I walk out the door.

This. If the gun has been out of my control. Otherwise it is just range theatrics that looks cool in a Steven Segal movie of the 80’s

The idea of the press check is actually pretty interesting if you look into the history of the schools that initially brought it to special operations (CAG/Devgru) and the whys(1911).

Vickers has an interesting video on the “old” school method of press check as well.

[effjaybay]

Call me weird but I only tend to do it with my guns that have front serrations and not with the ones that don't.

[shooter444]

I don't find anything "dumb" about wanting to confirm, one in the chamber.

jmo


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[Az desert rat 1]

X 2, shooter444.

[shooter444]

Call me weird but I only tend to do it with my guns that have front serrations and not with the ones that don't.

Hmmm, I wouldn't say weird,... but, I never touch the front sides of the slide, to press check, blocks my view of the muzzle.

I hook my left hand thumb in the trigger guard, and hook my left hand index finger over the lower front portion of the front end of the slide, below the muzzle, and squeeze,...while holding the hammer back with my right hand thumb.

Was taught this as a teenager, when I got my first surplus 1911.

Maybe I do it weird!

[Pscipio03]

It's become such a habit with me that I check every time I load a new mag or am about to shoot.
Magazines can fail; extractors can fail; and you can fail (ever let the bolt close on a mag not fully inserted?). Press check shows me in less than .5 seconds I have a loaded chamber and it's ready.
For AR's, I'll visually check what side the first round is on, let the bolt go forward and drop the mag to inspect and make sure that the round showing is on the opposite side. Again, less than about a second and it assures me I'm ready to go.

[Bigfoot]

I don't un-holster my guns when they go into the safe. I am the only one that has control of the safe. So if I remove a gun from the safe, inside the holster, I don't press check them.

[desertcop204]

I do press checks out of habit, which is kinda silly as all my handguns remain loaded continuously, but yeah I still do them.