Chamber flags…am I overthinking this?

[Jtm35a2]

So my first match of any kind was the ohio smag match in 2024 (missed 2025, but made april 2026). My RO in the first match was good with me removing the mag, showing him empty chamber, and letting the bolt down.
This time we kinda took turns being RO
( mainly my duty on day two ), it was brought to my attention that I really needed to use and enforce on others the chamber flag.
I have always worried that a plastic/polymer chamber flag would possibly melt a little and leave residue in the chamber and barrel.
I shoot ALOT at these matches. On stage 1 I was shooting 284 rounds in under 2 minutes. Not because it was needed, but because I love shooting drums, lol. So my gun gets really hot.
Am I overthinking the plastic melting? What’s a good solution?
I have been bouncing ideas around in my head. Maybe a flag with an aluminum insert or a flag that enters the ejection port and goes down the magwell instead of the chamber, etc…..

 

[hacker]

You are not over thinking the plastic melting, I have seen it happen when using zip ties as a chamber flag. And zip ties are frequently supplied for people who need chamber flags at matches.

What we do here is stick it in the ejection chamber and down into the mag well. Then lower the bolt gently on it.

It is just an indicator that it has been checked to be unloaded. The club runs a brass rod down the barrel after the run to verify nothing in the chamber or barrel before inserting the flag.

 

[nklf]

If you are worried about plastic melting get a piece of a copper braided grounding strap and use that as your chamber flag.

 

[skoda]

I had a chamber flag melt in the barrel once. It's a real concern. The mag well is better.

I also had a short factory round (9mm ammo with a case about as long as a 380 - factory mistake) get stuck in the chamber and before I could get it out it cooked off.

 

[A&S Conversions]

I have also seen a 3/8" diameter wooden dowel painted bright orange. As others have suggested, after the RO has checked that there is nothing in the chamber, pull the bolt back, insert the wooden dowel through the ejection port downward into the magwell. Slowly release the bolt to bare on the the dowel. I think that the copper grounding strap would be good. I would worry about loosing it.

Scott

 

[Deerhurst]

I feel like the obvious is being overlooked.


Put the chamber flash down the magwell and close the bolt on it. It is not only more secure than a chamber flag in the barrel with the bolt open but also won't (shouldn't ) melt.

That's exactly what I do when running stuff hard. My chamber flags don't fit down 5.45 bores so I have no other choice.


That club stuffing things down my barrel would be a hell no to me. That's where I would be packing up and leaving immediately. If you can't trust people and your RSOs cannot trust themselves enough to declare a firearm clear I don't need to deal with that group. wouldn't be the first time I've told a RSO to go get my bag so I can put my firearm in it and was leaving due to BS like that.

 

[Jtm35a2]

I feel like the obvious is being overlooked.


Put the chamber flash down the magwell and close the bolt on it. It is not only more secure than a chamber flag in the barrel with the bolt open but also won't (shouldn't ) melt.

That's exactly what I do when running stuff hard. My chamber flags don't fit down 5.45 bores so I have no other choice.


That club stuffing things down my barrel would be a hell no to me. That's where I would be packing up and leaving immediately. If you can't trust people and your RSOs cannot trust themselves enough to declare a firearm clear I don't need to deal with that group. wouldn't be the first time I've told a RSO to go get my bag so I can put my firearm in it and was leaving due to BS like that.

Just to be clear, there was no ill will intended or taken in my situation. It was very friendly guidance. I want, as we all should, to operate in a manner that’s safe and makes the people around me feel safe.

 

[A&S Conversions]

There are also specifics of what the insurance company that is covering a special event requires. Most matches that I have been a participant requires either something in the mechanism so a round cannot be chambered and fired, or the firearm is checked and placed inside a case.

Scott

 

[Jtm35a2]

There are also specifics of what the insurance company that is covering a special event requires. Most matches that I have been a participant requires either something in the mechanism so a round cannot be chambered and fired, or the firearm is checked and placed inside a case.

Scott

I like the wooden dowel idea. It’s not going to melt/mar/stick to anything

 

[slimshady]

A wooden dowel you could get the 3/8 to fit a 9 mm chamber and then drill a 90° hole at the rear and glue in like a 1/8" orange rod into it. Easy to take out and put in and visible color. Or if you've got one of those aluminum snap caps just drill a hole in the back and glue in like a piece of fluorescent weed trimmer string.

 

[Jtm35a2]

A wooden dowel you could get the 3/8 to fit a 9 mm chamber and then drill a 90° hole at the rear and glue in like a 1/8" orange rod into it. Easy to take out and put in and visible color. Or if you've got one of those aluminum snap caps just drill a hole in the back and glue in like a piece of fluorescent weed trimmer string.

I’m definitely studying on some great ideas in this thread. One thing I did notice is that some flag shapes are better than others for handling during the stage. The larger u & L shaped seemed to be easier. Shooter could tuck one leg into a pocket and retrieve it easier. The little ones seemed more aggravating.

 

[K2]

Hi Jtm35a2,

We started using chamber flags in our subgun matches about 20 years ago. We did some testing on the melting issue as the Club requested they be inserted in the chamber. The Sinclair International chamber flag had significantly better heat resistance than other generic flags. The flags will fit 22RF thru 45.

There were a few guns that could melt flags. Many of the MAC series have thin barrels and high cyclic as well as the MP5-SD with the thin, ported barrel could melt a flag following a target rich stage. The solution was clearing the firearm and placing it on a safe table while the next competitor runs the course. After 3-5 minutes of resting on the safe table, the firearm can be safely flagged and removed from the bay.

Enjoy,

K2

 

[Jmacken37]

Good post K2! Thanks for the insight. I'd imagine, polymer tech has gotten significantly better during the last 30 years, too.

 

[Offmarksman]

Hornady rapid rack is an aluminum (for .223) chamber flag, but it would work with other rounds as well. Just an idea…

 

[Jtm35a2]

Hornady rapid rack is an aluminum (for .223) chamber flag, but it would work with other rounds as well. Just an idea…

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!!!!!
That checks all the boxes

 

[Slowmo]

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!!!!!
That checks all the boxes

If you get one, let us know if it fits. Looks pretty long to fit through the ejection port, but it would be easy enough to cut shorter.

 

[Jtm35a2]

Yeah, I figured cutting it down until fit. I ordered three.

 

[Offmarksman]

I fitted one to a max31 tonight. Took about 3/4 inch off the front, and chamfered the end. Worked great. Still works in the lage 5.56 upper too. If you want to use one of these in ar9 upper, you will want to remove the rim on the back.

 

[Jtm35a2]

I fitted one to a max31 tonight. Took about 3/4 inch off the front, and chamfered the end. Worked great. Still works in the lage 5.56 upper too. If you want to use one of these in ar9 upper, you will want to remove the rim on the back.

Great to hear. I can’t wait for mine to get here. It’s the solution that I have been looking for.

 

[ScubaLoser]

Not sure if it’s allowed where you’re at but Ive used brass spent casing as my chamber flag / block