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How to tell if an XD is loaded *without* removing from holster

SomeGuyInCali

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Jun 21, 2009
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Modesto, CA, California, USA
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On the Springfield Armory XD's there's a pin that protrudes slightly from the back of the slide when it is cocked. There are many other makes and models of pistols that are the same.

If you release the firing pin prior to holstering your weapon there is no way that it can have a bullet in the chamber without re-cocking the gun. If the mag well is empty and thee pin is NOT showing then it's proves the gun is NOT loaded. There is no way to have a round in the chamber and not have the pin showing.

Now here's the question for discussion... Would this be enough for an officer to determine the guns unloaded status? One would hope to believe that an officer knows enough about firearms and is smart enough to determine this without even having to handle the firearm.

What do you think?
 

bigtoe416

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bad_ace actually had a Sheriff forego an (e) check after showing the loaded indicator on his sidearm. So it's not entirely impossible for the indicator to be enough for some LEOs.
 

dirtykoala

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Jan 27, 2009
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not a bad idea maybe... especially on standard issue weapons like the glock, if the glock is loaded the external extractor protrudes from the slide a bit. cops could verrify this on their own weapon if they werent already aware.

"can i inspect your weapon to ensure that it is unloaded?"

"sure, you dont even have to remove it from the holster..."
 

demnogis

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I'm not sure about other pistols, but mine has the load indicator on the top. It would have to be pulled from the holster to check, but the slide would not need to be racked.
 

marshaul

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Aug 13, 2007
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demnogis wrote:
I'm not sure about other pistols, but mine has the load indicator on the top. It would have to be pulled from the holster to check, but the slide would not need to be racked.
My XD has a loaded chamber indicator just like this also. I thought they all did?
 

mjones

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Jul 15, 2008
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Prescott, AZ
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marshaul wrote:
demnogis wrote:
I'm not sure about other pistols, but mine has the load indicator on the top. It would have to be pulled from the holster to check, but the slide would not need to be racked.
My XD has a loaded chamber indicator just like this also. I thought they all did?
No, this is a recent addition to the 'not unsafe handgun roster'

The roster doesn't apply to pistols owned before the roster existed are exempt.

Pistolspersonally importedinto CA are exempt from the roster.

Pistols on the roster but before the LCI was added are exempt as long as they stay on the roster.

Purchases made via Private Part Transfer are exempt from the roster.

So, by shear numbers, I would guesstimate that Pistols WITH a loaded chamber indicator are actually quite rare.
 

marshaul

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I don't believe you're correct in that. Are you certain? Where did you hear that?

The XD is grandfathered with regard to the magazine safety requirement (it doesn't have one; this is why the XDm isn't available in California). It should also be grandfathered with regard to the LCI requirement, or else it would need both.

Plus, every photo I've seen of an XD has a LCI. Every review mentions it also.
 

PincheOgro1

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Perris, Ca., California, USA
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mjones wrote:
marshaul wrote:
demnogis wrote:
I'm not sure about other pistols, but mine has the load indicator on the top. It would have to be pulled from the holster to check, but the slide would not need to be racked.
My XD has a loaded chamber indicator just like this also. I thought they all did?
No, this is a recent addition to the 'not unsafe handgun roster'

The roster doesn't apply to pistols owned before the roster existed are exempt.

Pistolspersonally importedinto CA are exempt from the roster.

Pistols on the roster but before the LCI was added are exempt as long as they stay on the roster.

Purchases made via Private Part Transfer are exempt from the roster.

So, by shear numbers, I would guesstimate that Pistols WITH a loaded chamber indicator are actually quite rare.
My "loaded chamber" indicator is just a hole (S&W .40). An LEO would still have to pull it out of the holster to inspect.
 

mjones

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marshaul wrote:
I don't believe you're correct in that. Are you certain? Where did you hear that?

The XD is grandfathered with regard to the magazine safety requirement (it doesn't have one; this is why the XDm isn't available in California). It should also be grandfathered with regard to the LCI requirement, or else it would need both.

Plus, every photo I've seen of an XD has a LCI. Every review mentions it also.

I think I just misunderstood you Marshaul...

Demno was talking about pistols in general and you moved to talking about XDs only and I thought you were still talking about pistols generically.

I personally have no clue whatsoever about the evolvement of XDs in CA. But at least in theory, an XD could exist without an LCI and still be legally brought into the state and resold private party via an FFL.

For exampley the SIG P250...the CA Roster Approved version of this gun has both a magazine disco and a LCI (or some variation thereof). The same model is available outside CA with neither of these 'features'.
 

marshaul

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Aug 13, 2007
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Location
Fairfax County, Virginia
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mjones wrote:
marshaul wrote:
I don't believe you're correct in that. Are you certain? Where did you hear that?

The XD is grandfathered with regard to the magazine safety requirement (it doesn't have one; this is why the XDm isn't available in California). It should also be grandfathered with regard to the LCI requirement, or else it would need both.

Plus, every photo I've seen of an XD has a LCI. Every review mentions it also.

I think I just misunderstood you Marshaul...

Demno was talking about pistols in general and you moved to talking about XDs only and I thought you were still talking about pistols generically.

I personally have no clue whatsoever about the evolvement of XDs in CA. But at least in theory, an XD could exist without an LCI and still be legally brought into the state and resold private party via an FFL.

For exampley the SIG P250...the CA Roster Approved version of this gun has both a magazine disco and a LCI (or some variation thereof). The same model is available outside CA with neither of these 'features'.
Yeah, I can see how my post might have seemed like a non sequitur.

The reason I made it as I did, without being more clear, is this thread is actually *about* XDs; it hadn't occurred to me that the discussion had become broad enough to obfuscate that fact. My question "I thought they all did?" was in reference to the OP's question -- how to tell if an XD is loaded.
 
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