Striker Status indicator on a Springfield XD-45 showing it's in the ready to fire position (thanks Cliff)
Springfield Loaded Chamber Indicator showing a round is in the chamber
What’s it supposed to do? Encourage people to think “Well, it’s okay if I point this thing at Cletus over there because the loaded chamber indicator says it’s empty…“?
Exactly. You should be treating all guns as if they are loaded all the time. Relying on a mechanical “safety” of any sort is risky. Your #1 safety should be your brain.
Hat Tip: View From The Porch Blog
UPDATE: I had incorrectly labeled the picture as being a “loaded chamber indicator” when it is in fact a Striker Status Indicator (thanks Cliff). There is also a Loaded chamber indicator on the XD-45, and I found a proper picture of it (see above).