On Safety - Tags?

A YouTube video that I watched recently showed Jerry Miculek advocating the use of a plastic tie in making the gun safe while heading downrange to check a target.  He essentially placed one end of the tie down the barrel from the breach end.  I have never seen this done before at the range I use but think it's a good idea even when shooting alone.  It's cheap and simple and might be especially effective if a bright colored tie is used.  What are your opinions on this?

ECI, empty chamber indicator.  They are used ALWAYS at every match I have been to.  I'm surprised that you have been shooting somewhere that they aren't used.

http://www.champchoice.com/store/Main.aspx?p=ItemDetailOptions&item=CC100

A very high % of us use plastic weed trimmer line in bright red or orange as our ECI and it is very cheap.  They are required at every match I've ever attended.  I use them when I practice too, out of habit and it's a good practice.


- Dave

SMBeyer wrote:ECI, empty chamber indicator.  They are used ALWAYS at every match I have been to.  I'm surprised that you have been shooting somewhere that they aren't used.

http://www.champchoice.com/store/Main.aspx?p=ItemDetailOptions&item=CC100

I'm now surprised too that there's this type of disconnect.  I had no idea that ECIs were in such common and accepted use.  I will use them from this time forward.

You can easily make one from two zip ties.

A yellow zip tie goes into every chamber as the gun goes into the safe.
If it isn't tagged, it's assumed hot.
But that's just me

Per the Conventional Pistol rules. Empty Chamber Indicators required at matches. Commands in rule book include "insert empty chamber indicators".

NRA rule book, an endless source of information and questions. Everyone should have one.

STEVE SAMELAK wrote:A yellow zip tie goes into every chamber as the gun goes into the safe.
If it isn't tagged, it's assumed hot.
But that's just me

I was just thinking about that last night and thought it would be a good idea.  Thanks!  I'll do that too.

BTW, is there an ECI for revolvers?  I can't see a zip tie working in that situation unless the cylinder is propped open.

Cylinder open, place in forcing cone.

I like the double flex tie idea!

I put a rubber band across the front of the cylinder & hammer

Weed Wacker line with a large yellow wire nut at the chamber end.

I have no long history in Pistol but in 1987 we were all issued red, plastic, MTM chamber flags at Perry for Rifle and required to use them (even the guys shooting AR's, the flags did not fit in the bore but they could be cut down to fit the chamber). Most of us had not ever used them and I joked that we would not be allowed to use them next year. Sure enough, in 1988 we were issued the 'same' flag but now in yellow and the red ones were no longer acceptable on the firing line. They are required by my club now, a firearm must either be cased or have a chamber flag in place. They are pretty much universal for competition but the cops that I shoot with (qualifying) have no idea what or why they are exist so......

STEVE SAMELAK wrote:A yellow zip tie goes into every chamber as the gun goes into the safe.
If it isn't tagged, it's assumed hot.
But that's just me

No zip ties in the safe for me. I just figure that until cleared again every gun in it is loaded. Safer that way for me. That's just my opinion.

Len

Zip ties and weed whacker line do work.  They are better than nothing and for quite a while I used a zip tie with a 28ga shotgun shell cut off and attached to the zip tie for an ECI.  I now use the flag I posted the link to because someone pointed out to me how much easier they are to see.  Often being a match director/ range officer/ line caller, etc. it is much easier on the guy checking each shooting point if you have the big yellow flag.  They can be seen from much further away and just make it a bit easier on the guy checking the line.  Remember, the guy calling the line is volunteering his time there so you can have fun.  If the few bucks spent on a high vis chamber flag makes it easier it's money well spent.  I do keep a package of neon zip ties in the bag for those that forget, loose, don't have theirs.

Scott

james r chapman wrote:Cylinder open, place in forcing cone.

I like the double flex tie idea!

3.21 Empty Chamber Indicator (ECI) - An ECI is required
in all NRA Sanctioned Pistol competitions to indicate the slide is
open and the chamber is empty. The ECI, when inserted into the
revolver or pistol must extend into the empty chamber or cylinder
and must be externally visible.

Note that, per the rule book, the ECI does not go in the forcing cone...

Ooooooh,k.

I guess you can leave a few rounds loaded and the cylinder closed with the eci in place not preventing it from being fired then?

No, you can't have rounds in the cylinder because the commands per the rule book included "unload" and "cylinders open".

NRA Conventional Pistol Rule Book. Don't leave home without it.

james r chapman wrote:Ooooooh,k.

I guess you can leave a few rounds loaded and the cylinder closed with the eci in place not preventing it from being fired then?

None of my double action revolvers will allow the cylinder to close with an ECI in place. I suppose one could do that with a partially loaded single action revolver.

Bruce

I take a piece of the bright colored trimmer line, then use a piece of orange duct tape to make a flag end on it, very visible and cheap to make

DavidR wrote:I take a piece of the bright colored trimmer line, then use a piece of orange duct tape to make a flag end on it, very visible and cheap to make

I like the duct tape flag idea, simple.

- Dave

DavidR wrote:I take a piece of the bright colored trimmer line, then use a piece of orange duct tape to make a flag end on it, very visible and cheap to make

+1

I conned my wife into making a big ol' stack of these, keep them handy on match day for folks that don't have an ECI. Over the past year we've about used them all up, time to start talking nice to my wife again...

Clay

here is what you need, duck brand bright orange tape, 3.95 at Walmart, trimmer line.

Ok, I can see that would work real good. Really economical. But then there is classy.

http://www.amazon.com/Empty-Chamber-Indicator-Saftey-Yellow/dp/B009NK3046/ref=sr_1_52?ie=UTF8&qid=1422996353&sr=8-52&keywords=chamber+flags

I can make 10 cheaper than the shipping on those, and you can write anything you want on them

DavidR wrote:I can make 10 cheaper than the shipping on those, and you can write anything you want on them

Or buy a rubber stamp and stamp 'em.  If you have a Junior program at your club it might be a good way for them to promote safety and make a little money.

- Dave