Open-carry proponents take a stroll through Minocqua; video included

imported post

insane.kangaroo wrote:

N00blet45 wrote:

In the video Harry puts his pinky into the chamber area to check that the weapon is cleared of any ammunition. I've always heard that is a very bad idea because if the slide closes your finger will be in between two pieces of metal rapidly closing together.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Correct. Very bad idea. Very bad habit to get into. Correct training has you check for clearance by opening the action, visually checking, andputting a pen or rod through the barrel downthrough the chamber.

In any firearm training course, you'll be taught to place your pinky in the chamber on pistols, shotguns, and rifles. The point is to make sure the chamber is cleared.

Hundreds of firearms instructors can't be wrong.

Click to expand...

Not in *any* course; just the ones that don't know any better. Any instructor that teaches that method IS wrong, and deserves the injury lawsuits they getfrom people maiming or losing fingers due to negligent instruction.

imported post

Here take my strong hand!:what:

imported post

I have been through three fire arms courses and have always been taught to visually check the chamber for rounds. There should not be any reason why you would not visually see a round in the chamber.

The finger option is a personal preference.

All in All a very nice story and video Ms. Hernandez

imported post

I'm not certain but have a feeling the "sticking the finger in" is so you don't have to turn the weapon. Less time staring at the weapon, more time looking at your surroundings.

imported post

DanM wrote:

Not in *any* course; just the ones that don't know any better. Any instructor that teaches that method IS wrong, and deserves the injury lawsuits they getfrom people maiming or losing fingers due to negligent instruction.

Click to expand...

Having accidentally dropped the slide lock on a Glock while checking the chamber with my pinky, I can tell you that 1. The accident does happen, 2. It does hurt, 3. The injury is incredibly minor; not even anywhere close to being as bad as slamming your fingers in a door, for example.

imported post

grishnav,

same here... I always do a press check. I've put my sweat and blood in to my firearm!

You learn, get used to it, and injuries won't happen.

imported post

J.Gleason wrote:

I have been through three fire arms courses and have always been taught to visually check the chamber for rounds. There should not be any reason why you would not visually see a round in the chamber.

The finger option is a personal preference.

All in All a very nice story and video Ms. Hernandez

Click to expand...

I've always heard of the visual inspection too, never about digit insertion. That's why it seems to foreign to me. Maybe it's because my training came from military instructors and they are used to training the lowest common denominator.

imported post

I also was taught to check the chamber with my little finger. The rationale given me was to build procedural memory in case of needing to clear the sidearm in low/no light conditions. We were also encouraged to learn to clear, field strip, check for function, reassemble our sidearm and mags as well as unload and load our mags blindfolded (all using snap caps of course for safety).

Being that one of my primary sidearms is an XD which requires that the trigger is pulled to field strip the weapon, I do use the finger sweep technique as I figure that one more double check before pulling that trigger can't hurt, especially in case of low light conditions. I do have at least one sidearm that lacks a frame slide lock with which I suffice with a visual verification, however, the field strip design makes an accidental discharge even if a round was stuck in the chamber very unlikely especially compared to the XD with which an ND would be assured.

imported post

N00blet45 wrote:

Here comes the criticism! It's constructive though so bare with me.

I put a comment on the youtube video. In the video Harry puts his pinky into the chamber area to check that the weapon is cleared of any ammunition. I've always heard that is a very bad idea because if the slide closes your finger will be in between two pieces of metal rapidly closing together.

Good job on the walk and the coverage. It's good to see that objective journalism still exists.

Click to expand...

Just my 2-cents.

I will have to agree. I did this on 3 different occasions. Once with a SKS to the thumb and a M1 Carbine to a finger. And a friends Sten gun to the skin between the index finger and the thumb. Although these were old arms it can still happen with newer guns of all types. Save yourself from extreme pain and don't stick any body part inside a chamber of a gun. Moving parts and appendages are not a good combo.

Good Artical though. Very Informative and insightful.