Do You Do A Final "Unloaded' Check by Pulling the Trigger?

[walleye]

Just wondering, how many do a an "unloaded check" of their semi-autos with a final one of pointing the weapon in a safe direction and pulling the trigger, the ultimate test of whether a gun is empty.

I don't but thought maybe I should start the practice. Now I check visually after I drop the mag and eject the chambered round, and stick my pinkie into the barrel opening as a second check. And that's it.

How about you?

Thanks

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[DefensiveCarry.com]

[msgt/ret]

New one on me, I only pull the trigger to drop the hammer on an EMPTY chamber, as verified before dropping the hammer and storing the weapon.

[discoboxer]

I don't do it to verify the gun is unloaded via "unload check".

I do however consider it as releasing the pin, thus to add an extra safety measure, the slide has to be racked again when intending to load and shoot. Maybe it's just semantics or a difference in intention.

[tacman605]

After unloading, mag and chamber, I do pull the trigger or decock to lower the hammer not as a final check to see if it is loaded or not, it would be kind of late in the game at that point.

I have witnessed several military members have ND at the clearing barrels after forgetting to drop the mag, they pull back the slide ejecting the chambered round with the official last step being to pull the trigger to lower the hammer. Thankfully they were at the clearing barrel at the time.

[Gene83]

I just rack the slide, visually check the chamber, and hit the decocker on all of mine, except the 1911. With it, I'll pull the trigger to release the hammer.

[RoadRunner71]

In the process of unloading, the trigger doesn't get pulled unless I am already certain the gun is empty. Thst is, I have already performed, both, a visual and physical chamber and magwell check.

[Crowman]

You could always try this proven method..........

eric_bana_gun+to+head.jpg

[noway2]

I don't pull the trigger as an empty check either, but use the method described by the OP. The only time I deliberately pull the trigger on the empty gun is when field stripping my Glocks, which require this process to remove the slide.

[ericb327]

I unload every time I pull from holster. I always lock the slide open when I hand the gun to someone else. Even if I see someone unload a firearm, I check it again when the hand it to me. Before I leave the house or put on a holstered pistol I pull the slide to make sure a round is in the chamber. Even if I know the firearm is empty, it is pointed in a safe direction when I dry fire.

Without question, every time!

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk 2

[SIGguy229]

Nope....after I unload, I decock (SIG P229).

IMO, pulling the trigger to "check" if it is unloaded could be an expensive lesson learned.

[acepilot]

How does one "decock" an SR9c? The only way I can think of is to pull the trigger after removing the mag and emptying it, reinsert empty mag, pull the slide back a bit and visual and feel that chamber is empty, release slide and pull the trigger.

[CanuckQue]

No, never as a 'check'. If I'm showing someone something, and confirming that the gun is empty, I'll do it. i.e., visual check, finger check, "click", and then show them what I was going to show them. So, it's for the benefit of others.

[darbo]

I'm not sure if this relates to your question but in IDPA and USPSA matches part of the exercise when you are done with the course of fire is that you release the mag, rack the slide to eject the round and show the SO the chamber is empty, hammer down (pull trigger, not decock) and finally holster firearm.

[kelcarry]

I always thought it "relaxed" the trigger mechanism and is mandatory if you want to get slide off and on the firearm. Certainly cannot hurt overall safety as long as you release trigger away from anything (duh). All plusses no minusses as far as I understand.

[QKShooter]

If you have a glass of water on the table in front of you and you pick the glass up and drink the whole glass of water...it is not necessary to turn the glass upside down just to be absolutely certain that the glass is empty.