[mrerick]

I also teach an obsessive and repetitive chamber check of a handgun every time I pick one up. The muscle memory eventually takes over.

A few years ago, I was with a large group of collectors for breakfast. One brought in a boxed M1910 Mauser pocket pistol, and the group started to hand it around - without checking it... The first handlers were casually crossing me and others with the muzzle of the gun.

I was instantly uncomfortable, and then (out of sequence) interrupted the group, reached over our food, took the gun and checked it.

It was loaded with striker cocked and rounds in the chamber and magazine. While the body language initially read as the others being offended by my out of sequence dominant move, they were all quite relieved that we didn't end up in the newspapers and worse that afternoon.

Absolutely, relentlessly, obsessively check every firearm you handle when you first pick it up. Do the courtesy of showing an empty chamber before handing the gun to someone else.