View Full Version : Press checking my Sig 229 ?
Sig Fellas,
Got a 229 and have been very impressed. However, I'm a newbie with Sigs and want to be assured that if I want to do a press check, the hammer won't drop with an accidental discharge. Better to embarrass myself here than in the park. On my HK's I can see the chamber indicator and I'm more comfortable overall regardless of the trigger configuration. Same with MNP's.
Any tips on doing a press check on 229? Does anyone pull the hammer back to make pulling the slide easier? Any tips or tricks, Ole Pappabear is up for some edgumacation!
PB
Linebacker
06-04-16, 17:06
This is a decent llustration.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGAFqUIhGrk
MountainRaven
06-04-16, 17:06
With any traditional DA/SA, I cock the hammer, perform the press check, and then decock. Never had a problem doing it with H&Ks, SiGs, Berettas, &c.
Main reason I cock the hammer is because I've found that if the hammer is decocked, once I put enough strength into the slide to overcome the main spring and retract it far enough to observe the chamber, I generally end up running the slide all the way to the rear, ejecting the round in the chamber (if any), and then I have to chamber a fresh cartridge. Which makes it not so much a press check.
I cock the hammer, press check, then decock.
I carried a 220 for many years. I cocked the hammer with support hand thumb, slid support hand forward, placed trigger finger on inside corner of ejection port near extractor. Pull back with index finger, support hand. This keeps trigger finger away from trigger and is much easier than running slide back with uncocked gun. Also positions finger to check for chambered round if it is dark
The hammer on the Sig won't go all the way forward unless the trigger is pulled. Try it, with an unloaded gun of course.
Push on the back of the hammer with your thumb and note where it mechanically stops. Now, dry fire the gun and keep the trigger fully depressed (ie, don't reset the trigger). Now push on the back of the hammer. You'll notice it moves much further forward than before. If you release the trigger and try again, you'll note it stops well short of the firing pin again.
All that being said, I agree with the others. Cock the hammer, perform press check, decock, and holster.
Yup. Cock, press check, decock. Standard for any hammer fired gun.
I got good at holding the hammer while press checking a DAO Beretta.
Thanks guys, I was pretty sure you couldn't drop the hammer and make it fire without pulling the trigger, but Like I said. Didn't want to find out the hard way.
Shoot straight!
PB
jackblack73
06-05-16, 14:07
Like everyone else said, I always cock the hammer before press checking my P228. And if it makes you feel better about it, I attended Front Sight this weekend and they told those with DA/SA guns to do the same.
Good video for safety's sake. I might use the RIGHT hand with the thumb under the beavertail and fingers over the slide rear to move the slide only as far as I need to check it - I think this is safer and avoids racking the slide too far and ejecting the round - which is the opposite of what you are trying to do.
Of course if you have a newer SIG SP 2022, you have a LCI, and don't need all this.
Good video for safety's sake. I might use the RIGHT hand with the thumb under the beavertail and fingers over the slide rear to move the slide only as far as I need to check it - I think this is safer and avoids racking the slide too far and ejecting the round - which is the opposite of what you are trying to do.
Of course if you have a newer SIG SP 2022, you have a LCI, and don't need all this.
I've seen people do that and it is easier from a mechanical standpoint, but I have a hard time trying to look through my fingers when I do that. Especially in low light. I prefer to have a wide open view of the ejection port.
I have a DA/SA P229 and do press checks as "m4brian" stated above WITHOUT cocking the hammer.
I've seen people do that and it is easier from a mechanical standpoint, but I have a hard time trying to look through my fingers when I do that. Especially in low light. I prefer to have a wide open view of the ejection port.
I hear ya - use only 2-3 fingers in front of the sight. The SIG slide is long enough unless you have monster hands.
sevenhelmet
06-06-16, 16:49
Good thread, I just got a 226 and hadn't considered the press check. Sounds like there's a standard for a reason.
I took my gun to range and DECOCKed the gun, then pulled hammer partly back, let it go, pulled further , let it go and so forth. And as suggested, the gun didn't go off.
But it totally locked up my gun and it totally shit canned the gun. Symptoms:
Made is very difficult to pull slide back.
Trigger completely locked up
It would work then not work. Re lock up
Totally trashed the gun. Not very impressive. I know this is not typical usage. But I did nothing that should make the gun in operable. I now have to send back to Sig.
Not very impressed.
PB
Something definitely not right. I'm sitting here with a MK25 and I did what you described about ten times and nothing wrong.
With my sig 227 and other guns the extractor is pushed out of flush with the slide enough for me to tell/ have good guess that gun is still loaded.
I press check and or use finger at night
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Thumb cock, press check with an overhand grip in front of ejection port, decock(with DECOCK lever) and go to work. Nearly 10years of carrying Sigs without an issue.
In a related story, I did witness a veteran officer ND by thumb decocking(lowering with thumb on hammer by pulling trigger like a revolver). This overrides the safety and will discharge a round of the hammer is released. DO NOT THUMB DECOCK!
Thumb cock, press check with an overhand grip in front of ejection port, decock(with DECOCK lever) and go to work. Nearly 10years of carrying Sigs without an issue.
In a related story, I did witness a veteran officer ND by thumb decocking(lowering with thumb on hammer by pulling trigger like a revolver). This overrides the safety and will discharge a round of the hammer is released. DO NOT THUMB DECOCK!
Shit like that is why I'm skittish around 'veteran' LE and mil guys. They're usually untrainable.
Why press check? Just load the gun, place it in a holster and keep it that way, all the time. Way safer than press-checking.
Why press check? Just load the gun, place it in a holster and keep it that way, all the time. Way safer than press-checking.
Setting aside that not everyone has the same needs so this suggestion won't work for all circumstances, how is press checking in any way dangerous? I don't think there is one example I've heard of where press checking caused a ND. In the example above, the ND came from the veteran officer pulling the trigger when there was no desire for the weapon to fire. Pulling the slide back to confirm a round is chambered is not in and of itself dangerous.
Why press check? Just load the gun, place it in a holster and keep it that way, all the time. Way safer than press-checking.
That's just retarded.
Why press check? Just load the gun, place it in a holster and keep it that way, all the time. Way safer than press-checking.
Because chamber checking correctly is way better than walking around with a "Dead Man's gun".
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