Watch
Step through the slides. The trainer's words are under each one.
Loading and unloading
Handgun, lesson 3 of 8: doing it safely, every time
Sipho knows the parts now. Today he learns to load and unload a revolver and a pistol, with dummy rounds first, until the order becomes a habit. The unit standard asks you to do this safely in a way that suits your handgun's mechanism.
Every time you load or unload
Whatever the handgun, four habits come with every load and unload. Muzzle in a safe direction. Finger off the trigger. Slow, and in the same order every time, so it becomes automatic. And when you check that it's empty, check twice: look into the chamber, and feel it with a finger, because in poor light your eyes can miss a round.
Unloading a pistol
- 11. Muzzle safe, finger offBefore anything else
- 22. Magazine outPress the release and remove it
- 33. Slide back and lockThe round in the chamber is thrown out
- 44. Look and feelChamber and magazine well are empty
Unloading a pistol is four steps, in this order. One: muzzle in a safe direction, finger off the trigger. Two: press the magazine release and remove the magazine. Three: pull the slide back to throw out the round in the chamber, and lock it open with the slide stop. Four: look and feel. Look into the chamber and the magazine well, and put a finger into the chamber to feel that it is empty. Only then is the pistol unloaded.
Why the magazine comes out first
- Working the slide with the magazine in loads a new round
- The pistol is loaded again, though you meant to unload it
- Removing the magazine does not empty the chamber
The order matters. If you pull the slide back while the magazine is still in, the slide throws out one round and loads the next one. You think you are unloading, but the pistol is loaded again. The opposite mistake is just as dangerous: removing the magazine does not empty the chamber, and most pistols will still fire a round that is in the chamber. Magazine out first, then the slide, then check.
Unloading a revolver
- 11. Muzzle safe, finger offBefore anything else
- 22. Open the cylinderPress the release and swing it out
- 33. EjectMuzzle up, push the ejector rod
- 44. Check every chamberLook at each one: all empty
A revolver is simpler. One: muzzle safe, finger off. Two: press the cylinder release and swing the cylinder out. Three: point the muzzle up and push the ejector rod firmly, so the cartridges and cases fall clear. Four: look at every chamber and make sure all of them are empty. With the cylinder open, the revolver cannot fire.
Loading, step by step
| Step | Pistol | Revolver |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muzzle safe, finger off | Muzzle safe, finger off |
| 2 | Load the magazine with the right cartridges | Open the cylinder |
| 3 | Insert the magazine firmly until it clicks | Load the chambers with the right cartridges |
| 4 | Work the slide to chamber a round, only when ready | Close the cylinder gently by hand |
Loading is the same idea in reverse. Muzzle safe and finger off, always. For a pistol, load the magazine with the right cartridges, insert it firmly until it clicks and is properly seated, and work the slide to put a round in the chamber only when you are ready to use it. For a revolver, open the cylinder, load the chambers with the right cartridges, and close the cylinder gently with your hand. Don't flick it shut; that can damage it. Load only where you mean to use it, such as on the firing line.
Showing clear
How you prove it's empty to someone else
| Check | Pistol | Revolver |
|---|---|---|
| Magazine or cylinder | Magazine out | Cylinder open |
| Action | Slide locked back | Every chamber visible |
| Let them check | Turn it so they can see the chamber | Turn it so they can see each chamber |
On the range, and whenever you hand a handgun to someone, you show clear. For a pistol, the magazine is out and the slide is locked back, and you turn it so the other person can see into the chamber. For a revolver, the cylinder is open and you turn it so they can see every chamber. Then they check it themselves too.
Sipho's mix-up
Practising with dummy rounds, Sipho racks the slide before dropping the magazine. A dummy round goes into the chamber. Anel stops him calmly and they start again.
Practising with dummy rounds, Sipho is in a hurry and racks the slide before he drops the magazine. A dummy round goes straight into the chamber. Anel stops him calmly, he points the pistol downrange, and they start again from step one. That is why you practise with dummy rounds, under supervision, until the order is automatic.
Your turn
Before lesson 4
- Do the exercise: Which step is it?
- Answer four quick questions on this lesson
- Apply: practise unloading with an empty handgun, under supervision
Your turn. Put the steps of unloading in order. Answer four quick questions. Then, with an unloaded handgun and under your trainer's supervision, practise the unloading sequence until it is automatic. Next lesson: carrying, transporting and storing your handgun.
Do: Which step is it?
Each action is one step of unloading. Say which step it is: step 1, 2, 3 or 4.
Check
Four quick questions. The reason shows as soon as you answer.
Apply
Where this shows up in your own life.
With an unloaded handgun and under your trainer's supervision, practise the unloading sequence until it is automatic.
Ridgeview Firearms Academy and its people are fictional. This is study material written from the Firearms Control Act and the SAQA unit standards. It isn't an accredited course or legal advice; your accredited training provider runs the official tests.