Chamber Checks
Safety and peace of mind alike are reasons pistol owners frequentlycheck the firing chamber.
When we want it to be unloaded, is itcompletelyunloaded?
First, a jargon alert: the term press-check is often misapplied.
This, of course, puts that weak hand index finger directly under the gun muzzle!
When done with a loaded pistol, the danger is obvious.
It is wise to keep the fingers away from the business end of the gun.
Its popular today to put grasping grooves on the front as well as the rear of the slide.
Your writer is not a big fan of this.
Front grooves are not needed on a pistol without a frame-attached scope.
Unfortunately, my friend is standing on the other side of the room.
A live round in the chamber had been overlooked.
He kept the severed digit in a jar of Formalin as a warning to others.
There is a reasonJohn Moses Browningput those grasping grooves on the BACK of the 1911s slide.
yo pay homage to the designer and work the slide from there.
After sixty years with 1911s, that is still my own ingrained habit.
However, thats not the only way.
In a recent discussion thread there, a great many professionals endorsed this particular ready grasp of the 1911.
Each approach has pros and cons.
This wont be true if the thumb isunderthe lever.
Thus, the most common ready grasp is the finger straight along the frame.
Now, when the first shot is fired, the pistol can lock up.
We have to do this a few times a year with students 1911s on the firing line.
It is not something wed care to have to do when under fire.
Now it cant move the part.
By the way, that armorers grasp is another method Ive seen used for chamber checking.
I dont like it for that: it weakens the grasp unnecessarily and is somewhat fumble-prone.
The armorers grasp is most useful, as its name implies, forfield-stripping and reassembling the 1911.
The above suggestions are offered in hopes of making life with the 1911 a little bit easier and safer.
Go to forum thread
1911Series
