Do you like "loaded chamber indicators" on your pistols?

you want to rely on a loaded chamber indicator? go ahead. just don't mess with my weapon cause you may just get hurt relying on my lci. (hint: it's disconnected.)

all weapons are loaded all the time.

maybe we should add an additional check to the sticky for inspecting a used firearm. CHECK THE FUNCTION OF THE LCI.

how long do you think it will take for the lci warning sign to show up on all new firearms?

murf

I don't care for the chamber indicators. Nothing easier than a quick check by cracking the slide. I especially don't like the ones on Ruger that stick up so far. It's crazy. On my glock that little numb on the ejector isn't too obtrusive.

I don't know if anti's had an influence for this, to me it seems to be a common sense feature for the shooter and good business sense for manufacturer. I really like the top indicators on the SR Rugers its not in my way at all. I'm sure the guns would function just fine without it though, but why not have it? If you sell to the general public its a big deal on any product. In this case a safety feature thats really not obtrusive to the looks/function of the gun don't really bother me.

the hidden agenda

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned this. From what I can see, the more recent, ugly LCI additions to firearms (like the LC9) are the result of manufacturers trying to make one that satisfies those states that have more draconian firearms laws so they might not be shut out of those markets. In particular, the California DOJ making LCI's a requirement for all new design guns (past 2006, I think?) that want to be marketed in California. The problem was their new law was never clear as to exactly what would pass muster and satisfy the requirement, it is up to a committee. As incredible as it seems, even the LC9 didn't pass. This effectively bans new design guns being sold there.
What does seem clear is the recent emphasis on LCI's is yet another effort by anti gun forces.
As we enjoy improved freedoms regarding firearms in the present, remember that the other side never stopped working just as hard as they always did to take those freedoms away.

I keep my pistols loaded I don't use . Even pistols that have never think about them Just 1 more relie on gimmick Rather than relie on you brain.

I have a question for all here. If you have a pistol with a loaded chamber indicator and it indicates that the chamber is empty would you be willing to put the barrel in your mouth and pull the trigger?

I sure as heck wouldn't.

To me that means that complicated loaded chamber indicators are not needed and completely useless. The new requirements in some states for new pistols to possess such things are merely an attempt to prohibit as many new guns as possible. Back door gun control!

I dunno I've got two or three pistols that have loaded chamber indicators and a few with cocked indicators. As long as its not obtrusive I don't mind them. Its always nice to have extra features especially if you're trying to sell the gun to someone.

I don't consider it an option that makes you a retard who can't manage a press check like some seem to, I just see it as a nice feature if somebody breaks in at 3 in the morning and you can't see to press check.

how long do you think it will take for the lci warning sign to show up on all new firearms?

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Haha, that's good. On the other side of the coin, my Cougar has THIS stamped onto the frame:

"RETRACT SLIDE TO SEE IF LOADED. WILL FIRE WITHOUT MAGAZINE."

Personally I'm wondering when they are going to put an arrow on the muzzle, along with "WARNING. BULLETS COME OUT OF THIS HOLE."

My XD is the only gun I own that has one. It has always worked just fine but I really don't care if I have one or not. It only takes a second to peek. If it is a gun I'm carrying I don't need to look I know it is loaded.

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Pretty much covers it for me.

I would not rely on a LCI to prove to me a gun is loaded, because as we all know guns are always loaded.

Other than that, I don't really care. As long as it does not negatively affect the functionality of the gun its no matter to me.

As long as they aren't on the top of the slide like the Sig Pro I have shot before...gets in the way of the sight picture. Some terrible engineering there IMO

As long as it does not negatively affect the functionality of the gun its no matter to me.

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+1. Two of my handguns have LCI. Both handguns are reliable, I don't rely on the LCI, I use chamber check.

Two of my handguns have LCI. Both handguns are reliable, I don't rely on the LCI, I use chamber check.

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I half wonder if a LCI would be a serious liability. For if the LCI fails and indicates an empty chamber when it is in fact loaded, and the gun is ND'd......In this age of overlawyered guns it almost defies the logic for its intended purpose.

I have a question for all here. If you have a pistol with a loaded chamber indicator and it indicates that the chamber is empty would you be willing to put the barrel in your mouth and pull the trigger?

I sure as heck wouldn't.

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That breaks all 4 gun safety rules. So the answer is no. No one should be willing to do that even if they clear the gun themselves.

Use an LCI for 2 things. To tell you the gun is not going to go "click" when getting ready to put some holes on paper. Or to reassure yourself the gun is STILL loaded after you've racked in a round and/or done a chamber check. That's is all. And that is enough to be useful, as long as it's a good design.

The best is on my Walther PPK. It sticks out the back of the slide. You can feel it with your thumb.
But, I never use it, because I like to check the chamber anyway.

Guys, "all guns are always loaded" is a suggested safe practice handling guideline, not a statement of fact.

When I holster a pistol for carry or competition, it does, in fact, actually have to be loaded or it will not fire.

I like the Glock solution, and I look at it every time I load up for a stage; it is easier AND in my opinion more reliable than dropping the mag and looking for brass glint or lack thereof in the #11 hole, because as mentioned this can be subject to error from lighting conditions, to include normal shadows on a bright sunny day.

However it is not an important enough factor to be any kind of key decision maker for me in overall judgement of the performance criteria of a pistol.

My carry gun, I never unload, so I don't need to keep checking it. In my very early days of carry I used to "press check" all the time, but then luckily I noticed this was leading to bad bullet setback on the chambered round, so I stopped doing it. My ammo stays in shape virtually indefinitely as a result.

I don't use LCIs, but I don't care whether they're ON the pistol or not, I guess.

For all you Glock haters out there:

That's another reason to use the double action or safe action semi. Carry it with a round in the chamber, ALWAYS. You don't need an indicator that you can sometimes see or sometimes feel or sometimes works. It is always ready and the carrying condition is always the same. And it is safe, unless you aren't. Less is better.

We have a lot of non gun people who work with us. NO problems, ever. Even our lawyers seem to like it. What a trick.

My carry gun, I never unload, so I don't need to keep checking it. In my very early days of carry I used to "press check" all the time, but then luckily I noticed this was leading to bad bullet setback on the chambered round, so I stopped doing it. My ammo stays in shape virtually indefinitely as a result.

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I always shoot that first round with every trip to shoot. That allows me to sloooooowly cycle through my defensive ammo. I like my press checks as they are infallible. I see brass or I don't.

My carry gun, I never unload, so I don't need to keep checking it.

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Same here, but I still feel the need to check. I shoot it weekly or bi weekly so I get worried that between shooting, switching ammo or cleaning that I just might have forgotten to chamber a round. I make a point to always slap in the carry mag with defensive ammo, chamber a round and top the mag off before I leave my shooting spot. I also realize that I can make mistakes or forget, so I like to check. I guess I'm paranoid about mistakenly carrying without a round racked.

I have a Glock. I know when there is a round in the chamber because I put it there. I know when its empty because I cleared it properly. I dont need an indicator to "show me" what I should already know or check for the second that gun in in my hand.

Schroedinger's gun

If we were to apply quantum mechanics to a firearm:

With the chamber sealed, the gun is neither loaded nor unloaded. It's in a state of probability in between the two. Only while being observed does the gun enter one state or the other.

When you open the chamber and look, the gun will be either loaded or unloaded. But once you close the slide, it will return to a state of probability.

When an LCI is added, the gun leaves the state of probability and becomes either loaded or unloaded.

Of course quantum mechanics doesn't apply to a gun. Or does it?

When an LCI is added, the gun leaves the state of probability and becomes either loaded or unloaded.

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How do we account for false positives as in post #2?

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=7317947&postcount=2

For me it depends on how its done. A cut out one is fine but it doesn't work in the dark. I would like the one on my xDM, which is a pop-up lever that you can feel, but it gets debris under it and doesn't ever really retract, so I can't use it as intended.

I don't care for the Ruger ones that are way too obtrusive.

In general, I just give the slide a little tug and peak in there before holstering.

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agreed. as long as it's unobtrusive and adds no extra parts, like m&p's/glocks/SA 1911's etc, i really don't care.

however, when you add extra parts, or have a giant tab protruding, as with xd's, or rugers, it's less appealing to me.

How do we account for false positives as in post #2?

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Shoddy design? At least the XD can't have a false negative!

Don't need no stinkin indicator.

People screw up then don't want to face the responsibility. So, they say:

"I didn't know it was loaded!" "I accidentally pulled the trigger!" "I dropped the gun and it went off!"

Then, the gun grabbers beat us over the head with these people's words.