Close call, check those chambers!

[norcalAF]

I've seen an accidental discharge in the army while on deployment for the same reason. The soldier was a higher rank than I, going thru the motions but failed to pay attention to detail.

Every clearing barrel I've seen in the service has been surrounded by pockmarks.

[Jimi Jah]

This wasn't that White House looking place in St. Louis, was it?

[EricT71]

Checking the chamber should be a habit. It's twofold. Make sure it's empty for safety reasons. Make sure it's full when you need it to be.

[boopiejones]

This is why I, and I've seen many others do it too, repeatedly rack the slide / bolt / action multiple times to ensure there's nothing at all - ammo or otherwise - stuck in the action.

I've just always done it because I'm OCD, but of all the places to check, check, check, re-check and.....yeah hold on lemme check again....... guns are a pretty darn good thing to be OCD with.

[A-J]

When I hand a semiauto pistol to someone I remove the magazine and lock the slide open. Then it is easy for them to verify the chamber is empty.

You mean not everyone does this?

[FightYouRightNow]

You mean not everyone does this?

right?

[IVC]

You mean not everyone does this?

It's a courtesy, but not a requirement.

It's on the person who receives the gun to unload and confirm it's unloaded, just like the OP did. Sometimes it can get handed to you loaded, sometimes it's assumed unloaded but it's really loaded (like in the OP), sometimes it's with the slide locked back and easy to confirm quickly (which is what you suggest), sometimes it's with an empty magazine and slide locked, which is good enough to confirm unloaded, but is an incorrect gun "condition."

We have the rule #1, "treat every gun as if it's loaded" precisely so we don't handle it any differently regardless of the condition it is initially in.

[joepamjohn]

The old never point it at anyone is still the best rule.

[HKAllTheThings]

'Don't worry, it's not loaded'

[igs]

[DrjonesUSA]

'Don't worry, it's not loaded'

Did you know that 100% of unintentional shootings happened with unloaded guns?

Crazy!

[DrjonesUSA]

That's really tragic.

Just literally took a life and threw it in the toilet.

For what?

To look cool?

Too lazy / tired / cool to follow the safety rules?

I'd really love to know exactly what was going on in that guys head at the time he was cleaning his gun and pulled the trigger.

I hope he got locked up for a very long time.

Someone like that does not deserve to own firearms & should have their 2A rights stripped, that's for darn sure.


EDIT: I clicked the link in the YouTube description:

https://elnuevodiario.com.do/video-hombre-mata-accidentalmente-a-su-amigo-al-manipular-pistola-en-santiago/

and it appears that this happened in Mexico.

So.....not surprising in light of that revelation.....

It's no less tragic & a sad waste of a life, but it makes sense now.

[DrjonesUSA]

I guess I should be more specific;

I'd have to upload a video of exactly what I do, but I quickly, repeatedly rack the slide, check the chamber each time. Do this anywhere from 3-6 times, until my OCD is satisfied.

I don't just close my eyes, rack the slide & hope for the best.

So I'm working the action & visually inspecting the chamber + magwell multiple times.

[ZirconJohn]

Good point - good post - thank you

[Milsurp Collector]

You mean not everyone does this?

The woman who handed the OP her pistol didn't do it.