Trust A Process

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Trust the process. We hear that phrase a lot. Do we have processes when it comes to our firearms? We previously addressed this issue and how it related to one’s handgun. For police officers and lawfully armed citizens, that route is frequently traveled.

What about a less frequently employed weapon, like a carbine? Even in organizations where the carbine has taken over as the long gun of choice, not every officer is deploying it daily.

Whether the patrol rifle (a synonym for the carbine) is carried in an electronic rack or cased in the trunk, most likely, there is no round in the chamber. That means you will need to be sure a round is chambered before you can engage any threat. A lot more than we would care to admit, officers have deployed their carbine without having a round in the chamber.

Caveat – if you need the rifle immediately, run the charging handle and engage the threat. Otherwise ….

Safety

A right-hand shooter manipulates the safety with the thumb of their shooting hand.

Ensure the carbine’s safety is on. There have been enough instances of negligent discharges resulting in death or injury that this is non-negotiable.

Magazine

When seating the magazine, push it all the way into the magazine well. Once you believe you have seated it, then pull down on it.

Remove the magazine from the magazine well in the lower receiver. Feel (or look) for the top round. With nearly every magazine currently in use, if there are an even number of rounds in it, the top round will be on the right-hand side and pointing forward. If it was loaded with an odd number, that round would be on the left-hand side.

Before and after chambering a round, feel for the top round. If it on the other side after working the action, then there is a round in the chamber.

Then, you will return the magazine to the mag well and insert it until it seats. After you’ve ensured it is seated, usually with the sound of a click, pull down on it. Too often, the shooter only inserts the magazine with the click and pull. That can easily lead to the magazine departing the lower receiver a short time later.

Chambering

Next, you will need to chamber that round. There are two ways to accomplish that when you send the bolt carrier group (BCG) forward. One involves depressing the bolt catch on the left-hand side of the receiver, above the backside of the magazine release. Push the button on top inward, and the BCG will go forward. This can be done with the thumb or palm of the left hand. If you use the palm, be sure it is flat rather than cupped. Cupping the palm can lead to you failing to contact the catch. If you are a left-handed shooter, you may be able to release it with the tip of your trigger finger.

After seating the magazine, you can chamber a round by pressing the bolt catch to send the BCG forward.

However, if you are concerned about it being dirty or want the BCG to move forward with more force, you can pull the charging handle all the way to the rear.

Magazine Check

After the BCG has gone forward, which will feed and chamber the round, remove the magazine. Once it is clear of the receiver, you can feel for (or see) the top round now being on the other side of the magazine. With that as confirmation that you have chambered a round, re-seat the magazine with the push-pull.

After chambering the round, ensure the bolt carrier group is forward and in-battery. This can be done by touching the front of the BCG.

Reaching towards the front of the ejection port with your support hand, you can feel for the BCG and ensure it is all the way forward.

Now, the ejection port cover can be closed to keep out any debris.

Optics

While optics like Aimpoints are always “on,” you might need to turn others on by pushing a button or turning a knob.

One of the ways a left-hander can manipulate that safety is with the base of their trigger finger.

You have now made ready with the carbine, and you have ensured it is ready for use.

Fire

Should you need to shoot it, the safety (selector) will have to be moved to the FIRE position. That comes after you have decided to shoot, and the muzzle is coming onto the threat or target. If you are a right-handed shooter, your thumb should already be on the safety. Then, it is just a matter of pushing down on it. If you are left-handed, you can also use your shooting thumb – just keep it on the outside – or you can use the base of your trigger finger. Regardless of which, push down and forward on the back of the lever.

After the shooting is over and any assessment has been completed, put your carbine back on safe. The right-hand thumb pulls the lever back and up. With the left hand, move the thumb or base of the index finger under the lever before rotating it up and to the rear.

Unload

Now, to unload the carbine.

Whatever event caused you to deploy the carbine has ended. Now, it needs to be unloaded and returned to its carry or storage condition.

Since it should already be on Safe, your first task is to remove the magazine and store it.

The Unload process starts with removing the magazine and putting it away.

Then, pull the charging handle to the rear, which should eject the round from the chamber. After doing that, lock the BCG to the rear by depressing the bottom of the bolt catch once the charging handle has been pulled all the way back.

After having removed the magazine, Pete – a police captain – is pulling the charging handle all the way to the way – ejecting the chambered round.

After the BCG is locked back, push the charging handle back into its locked position.

Look and Check

Now, you can physically and visually check the chamber and the magazine well. Rather than looking for ammunition, you are looking for anything in those spaces.

After locking the BCG to the rear, visually and physically clear the chamber and the magazine well.

If you are going to return the carbine to cruiser-ready, allow the BCG to go back forward. Then, close the ejection port cover. Finally, close the ejection port cover to keep any dust, crud, and crap out of the interior.