As we prepare for the day, we always put on our handguns. However, before you head out the door, it is essential to ensure the gun has a round in the chamber. While we may have put the magazine in and racked the slide, there is always an outside chance that the round did not chamber. Today, we are going to look at how to press check your handgun.

Every Time Your Head Out You Need To Press Check Your Handgun

There are multiple ways to press check your handgun and confirm that a round is in the chamber. While many modern guns have a loaded chamber indicator, I am a fan of always visually confirming this. Before we begin, there is a warning. Please always be conscious of where your hand is in relation to the muzzle. Do not let your hand drift out in front of the muzzle at any time. Unfortunately, many people have shot themselves when they become careless with this.

The first technique involves an underhand grip on the slide. Reach underneath and grip the slide groves with your fingers. Pull the slide slightly to the rear while simultaneously pressing forward on the grip. Only open the action enough to look inside and confirm that you see a round in the chamber. Once you confirm this, firmly put the slide back into the battery.

The second technique involves using an overhand grip on the back of the slide. Once again, place your fingers into the slide cuts and perform a push-pull motion. Look inside and confirm that you do indeed see brass. This technique is good if you do not have the finger strength to do the first method. Always press check your handgun to ensure safety.

There are Multiple Ways to Press Check Your Handgun

Our third method is called a slingshot. For this, we will use our index finger and thumb to grab the back of the slide. This is similar to our second method but may be easier for some people. It is not optimal, however, because you have minimal physical contact with the slide. However, it is okay if this is the only way you can accomplish the check.

The last method is an extreme situation press check your handgun. This is done if you only have one hand and must press check. For this, we slightly bounce our gun and bring our four fingers to the rear top of the slide, with the thumb remaining high in the backstrap. We now press back with our fingers as we push forward with our thumb. The action will be slightly open, and we can check the chamber. Once it is confirmed, you reverse the motion and regain your grip. This movement is very challenging and should only be done in extreme situations. The chance of fumbling the gun is high, and you run the chance of dropping it.

Press Check Your Handgun

The press check should become second nature to you any time you are picking up a gun. It is essential that we know the condition of the gun before we do anything with it. This is especially true when we prepare to head out for the day. Ensure you always press check your handgun, so it is ready to roll before you walk out the door.