Guy shot himself in hand with Glock 40

I don't stick my appendages in places that have sharp corners, that could hurt. That is why God created pen lights, or bore lights. Not to be confused with a boring dimwit.:uhoh:

With a 1911 (or, for that matter, an XD), if one locks the slide back, one can simply point the barrel at a light source, and look, from behind the slide, down the barrel through the gap between the slide and frame. This is my preferred way of checking the bore.

If your gun does not lock the slide back, mark a pencil for that specific gun. The pencil can then be put in the barrel for depth. If pencil will not reach it's mark, it is loaded. To be sure pull slide back slightly and the eraser of the pencil will be visible if gun is unloaded.

Usually that is the method to tell if a muzzle loader is loaded. By inserting the ram rod and checking depth.

OC for ME said:

Recommend adding the blue text to your list.

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You're right. I did have some second lieutenants who were dense enough to have left their finger in as the slide slammed shut!

@Marshaul: I was trained to both look and to check with my little finger. Redundant perhaps, but, knock on wood, I've never had a ND while clearing one of my pistols.

SFCRetired said:

@Marshaul: I was trained to both look and to check with my little finger. Redundant perhaps, but, knock on wood, I've never had a ND while clearing one of my pistols.

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My check is an equivalent level of redundancy to the pinkie method, because it assumes that the operator first performs a normal inspection of the chamber through the ejection port.

Actually, it's better. The pinkie test wouldn't have saved Brandon Lee's life, but my check would have.

It's different from the normal chamber inspection because you're looking down the bore, and if you can see the light source illuminating the rifling, you can be absolutely certain that the bore and the chamber are clear. Neither the pinkie check nor inspecting the chamber through the ejection port can accomplish this.

Doesn't work with all pistols, though.

Crappy photos to demonstrate:






This 1911 is clear.

marshaul said:

My check is an equivalent level of redundancy to the pinkie method, because it assumes that the operator first performs a normal inspection of the chamber through the ejection port.

Actually, it's better. The pinkie test wouldn't have saved Brandon Lee's life, but my check would have.

It's different from the normal chamber inspection because you're looking down the bore, and if you can see the light source illuminating the rifling, you can be absolutely certain that the bore and the chamber are clear. Neither the pinkie check nor inspecting the chamber through the ejection port can accomplish this.

Doesn't work with all pistols, though.

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I don't check the chamber visually or phisically, I just rack the slide stick my pinky in muzzle and dry fire...:banana:

This photo was good for showing my son what could happen if you don't follow all the safety rules.

Jamesm760 said:

I don't check the chamber visually or phisically, I just rack the slide stick my pinky in muzzle and dry fire...:banana:

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The Lee Paige school of firearms safety?

Similar event last month happened to my neighbor. Fortunately I got home seconds after it happened and was able to help control the bleeding and get him to the hospital.

Yup, cleaning and the trigger solution to the mag being out.