Did you just buy a gun? Did you just disassemble and/or clean your gun? How do you know it is functions correctly? One way to find out is to make a trip to the range to fire the gun, but do you want to discover a gun malfunction while firing live ammunition?
The recommended way to determine if your gun is functional is to execute a Gun Function/Safety check. This is a way to manually check all the functions of your pistol before you live fire it.
Your gun’s owner manual should include a function check procedure. Your should follow the procedure in your owner’s manual as it is designed for the specifics of your firearm. If you do not have your owner’s manual, most gun manufacturers make their manuals available for download from their website. If you cannot find it on the website, call the manufacturers support line, they are happy to send you one in the mail.
The following general function check can be used if nothing else is available.
Function Check Steps
1. Make sure the pistol is unloaded.
2. Remove all live ammunition and loaded magazines from the area.
3. Determine a safe direction and point your pistol in the safe direction for the duration of the function check.
4. Rack the slide to cock the hammer/striker.
4. Rack the slide to cock the hammer/striker.
If your pistol has a Manual Safety
5. Position the safety lever, if equipped, to the engaged position.
6. Press the trigger to verify the hammer/striker does not fall.
7. Position the safety lever to the disengaged position.
8. Press the trigger to verify the gun operates in single action mode.
If your pistol is a DA/SA
9. Press the trigger to verify the gun operates in double action mode.
10. Press and hold the trigger to the rear while racking the slide to verify the sear engages and holds the hammer/striker.
11. Press on the rear of the hammer to verify it does not drop.
12. Release trigger, retract slide approximately 1/4-inch, press trigger and verify hammer/striker does not drop.
13. Release slide and verify it locks into battery.
14. Insert an empty magazine into the magazine well, retract the slide and verify the magazine actuates the slide lock to lock open the slide.
15. Remove the empty magazine, retract the locked-open slide, verify the slide lock disengages and ease the slide forward.
If you have snap caps available
16. Load 2-3 snap caps in an empty magazine.
17. Insert the magazine.
18. Rack the slide, loading a snap cap into the chamber.
19. Pull the trigger and listen for the firing pin string the snap cap.
20. Rack the slide and make sure the snap cap ejects and the slide returns to battery.
If you perform a function check after every pistol cleaning or disassembly, you can have confidence that you pistol is safe to shoot and will shoot when you intend to fire the pistol.
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