Patent ID: 7383655

Claim:
A pistol with loaded chamber indicator comprising: a barrel-receiver assembly having an exterior surface and defining a longitudinal axis therethrough and chamber that receives a cartridge having rim; and an indicating element mounted to the barrel-receiver assembly about a pivot and pivotably movable to contact the rim of the cartridge, the indicating element including a sensor portion to contact the cartridge rim and a signal portion to communicate a loaded chamber condition to a pistol user, the signal portion being located at a distance farther from the pivot on the element than the sensor portion to maximize visual and tactile perception of a loaded chamber condition by the user, the signal portion being displaceable with respect to the sensor portion in response to application of an external force on the signal portion directed towards the chamber; wherein the indicating element is pivotably moveable from a first position wherein the cartridge rim does not contact the indicating element to a second position wherein the indicating element contacts the cartridge rim and the signal portion simultaneously protrudes outwards from the exterior surface of the pistol to indicate a loaded chamber condition.