"A firearm is a tool of last resort. Respect it accordingly."
Loading, Unloading, and Clearing Procedures
Instructor Sele: Loading and unloading a firearm safely and consistently is a fundamental skill. Done wrong, it is where most accidents happen. Done right, every time, it becomes the first line of safety in your hands.
Section 1 — Signing Out Your Weapon
Before going on duty, every armed guard must: present themselves at the armoury with their firearms licence and duty authorisation; sign the armoury log (weapon serial number, your name, date, time); receive the unloaded, inspected firearm from the armourer; load the weapon according to the approved procedure; conduct a function check before holstering.
Section 2 — Loading a Semi-Automatic Pistol
Keep the weapon pointed in a safe direction throughout. Insert a loaded magazine firmly until it clicks into place. Rack the slide fully rearward and release — this chambers the first round. If required by post orders, engage the safety. Holster with your finger outside the trigger guard.
Section 3 — Unloading a Semi-Automatic Pistol
Point the weapon in a safe direction. Remove the magazine (press the magazine release — catch the magazine, do not let it drop). Rack the slide rearward to eject any chambered round. Lock the slide open. Visually AND physically inspect the chamber — look in, insert a finger to confirm empty. Only then is the weapon confirmed clear.
Section 4 — Handing Over a Firearm
Before handing any firearm to another person: unload it completely (follow the unloading procedure above); lock the slide open (semi-auto) or open the cylinder (revolver); visually and physically inspect the chamber; hand it over muzzle-down with the action open. The receiving person must also inspect it themselves before accepting.
Section 5 — Clearing Malfunctions
The most common malfunction is a failure to fire (misfire): keep the muzzle pointed downrange / in a safe direction; wait 30 seconds — a hangfire (delayed ignition) can occur; a round may fire late. After 30 seconds, keep the muzzle pointed safely and carefully extract the round using the slide or ejector. Inspect the round and the chamber before reloading.
- •Sign out your weapon through the armoury every time — no informal handoffs
- •Always remove the magazine AND rack the slide to clear — a magazine-removed weapon can still have a round chambered
- •Both visual AND physical chamber inspection are required to confirm clear
- •Wait 30 seconds before clearing a misfire — hangfire is real
- •The receiving person must conduct their own chamber inspection when accepting any firearm
"'I removed the magazine' is the most dangerous sentence in firearms safety. Every negligent discharge I have ever investigated involved someone who removed the magazine and thought the gun was empty — while a round sat in the chamber. Remove the magazine. Rack the slide. Look. Feel. Every single time."
What is the correct procedure for clearing a firearm before handing it to another person?