Here is my dilemma, new to guns would like extra protection against the mishap but being a self defense type gun and being left handed I am thinking no safety as it is on the wrong side of the gun.

I don't disagree. I am a lefty and while practicing I find I can disengage the safety with my thumb as I am grabbing the pistol. Don't know if I can do that under life and death stress however.

You can always just leave it off.

It's really up to you. I went with no safety while my wife went with the safety. Both of us are right handed. The tiny safety button is kind of hard for me to work with. I can imagine it would only be worse for a lefty. My advice would be to get a safety version in your hands and see if you can be 100% in dealing with the safety.

IMO, there's really no need for a safety on a striker fired gun. Keep your finger off the trigger until you're ready to fire and it's about as safe as you can get. Again, this is my opinion and there are folks out there that feel a mechanical safety is absolutely necessary so in the end it's completely up to each individual.

I agree. I do not see any reason for not opting for a safety. If you leave it off all of the time, it is like not having a safety. If for whatever reason having a safety would be beneficial, it is there to be used.
Example: I always have one in the chamber. When someone wants to checkout my Shield, I make them aware of the round in the chamber and then I make sure the safety is engaged. Without that safety, I would not hand someone my gun unless I fully unloaded it. I really hate re-loading a round that was already in the chamber. For this reason, a safety would work for a lefty.

I dont disagree with this poster, I was raised in a military family, I also have a glock and frankly I never felt safe with one in the pipe on it. It just gave me the willies. When I found a banging deal on a shield with a safety, I jumped on it. when I carry now, there is one in the pipe and safety is on. I have heard all the , " it takes too much time to disengage and will take my chances with it. I feel much more confident now than with the glock, it is household defense now.

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Regards from THE Old Fart

no safety on this type of pistol.

use the safety in between your ears instead.

I put one of these on my Glock 19:

Lone Wolf Distributors - Product Detail - LWD Siderlock Trigger Safety - $49.95

Best $50 I ever spent, 20 min to install and as simple as it comes! Many MANY will disagree and get nasty about this Glock safety.. but it works for me. Being a 1911 and a revolver guy the no safety Glock gave me the willies like you...

Oh and to xcutter... I never hand anyone a loaded gun safety or not, I always unload first even if it is for a 30 second hand off to just hold the gun, actually I should say "especially if " I am handing the gun to someone unfamiliar with the gun to just "check it out" (unless at the range and the gun is pointed down range). Just how I was trained.

Anyway, if I get a Shield in the future (thinking of one for my wife), it will have the safety.. like already posted... you can just leave it off and ignore it.

I have been carrying Glocks for 22 years professionally. I'm like them a lot, but personally I rather a safety if one can be had. Although I have trained heavily with Glocks (12 years as a SWAT Operator), and carrying them daily for 22 years, 32 years carrying firearms daily, I still have absolutely no trouble flicking the safety of my Shields or 1911's that I occasionally carry off duty.

Further, the safety on the Shields is a positive click safety. If you choose not to use it, there's not much chance of it accidently "bumping on". I carry mine on safe, and have never found it accidently bumped off.

Of course if you never intend on carrying on safe, then the only advantage of the safety would be to have a safety to use when chambering/unchambering.

I'm left handed too. I like safeties on guns that must have them. Otherwise modern guns don't go off unless the trigger is pulled

My vote is no safety. One less thing to think about in a SD situation.

I would think that's a pretty important question to get an answer to

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Retired Career Security Guard

I posted this a few weeks ago in a similar thread

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Retired Career Security Guard

All of my guns have a manual safety on them and I never carry mine with a round in the chamber. Call me old school or whatever you like, but I have never heard of a firearm discharging accidently with nothing in the chamber!! I was always taught "Safety First" when handling a firearm.

I also train a lot drawing the gun from the holster, charging a round into the chamber and releasing the safety as I point it at something I wish to destroy! If you do this consistently in your training you will develop muscle memory for when it counts. Most times I don't even realize I am doing it. You can also do this drill while dry fire training at home.

I know everyone has their own opinions and I respect each of them, this is just my opinion!

I have both versions, both run just fine. I find it almost impossible to believe that the safety can accidentally engage itself without the handler intentionally (or negligently) flicking it on. It is very positive and unobtrusive. Before the no-safety model came to be I carried my Shield daily in a variety of holsters, used it, abused it and never once did the safety just suddenly find its way on. It's one of the only handguns I own with a manual safety that I would not worry about just leaving it off.

Got the one without a safety.

It's pretty hard to accidently engage the safety on a Shield. Especially if it's in a good holster. For pocket or appendix carry the safety is a practical option.

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Loyalty Above All.. but Honor

You have options with a safety.

I engage the safety on my Shield when I load or unload the firearm at home, when I carry the Shield in a pocket holster and occasionally at the range when working with a new shooter. I carry with the safety disengaged if I'm carrying the Shield in a belt holster.

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Retired Career Security Guard

I have a shield 9mm with no safety. I am left handed, if the safety was ambi I would've got one with the safety. leaving it on/off then becomes a situational decision.
So because I don't have that option....chambered it is.

IMO if you are going to carry a concealed weapon without a round in the chamber you are better off carrying a baton or a hammer. #1; The video posted by Smoke clearly shows it is unlikely you will have time to rack a slide. #2; What if you need your off hand to push a loved one out of the line of fire? #3; Or to fend of an attacker? #4; Or what if one of your hands is incapacitated during the altercation... how will you rack your slide?

These are all scenarios that should be considered and weighed against the possibility of AD with a chambered round. Proper training & practice along with a proper holster will greatly lesson the probability of an AD. No amount of training or practice will buy you more time or free up an injured or occupied hand when the SHTF.

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Life Member B.A.S.S., NAFC

My recommendations:
- Carry with no hardware safety and ready to fire
- Practice draw and fire (or dry fire) until you have a muscle memory.
- Learn to move and get under cover to reduce exposure. Don't just stand there presenting a static target.

Finally, the most important aspect of carrying..... IMHO.....
- That catchy phrase "situational awareness" is really your best friend. Don't get ambushed with surprise

I bought mine when the only option came with a safety.

If I could do it all over again, I'd buy the no-safety version.

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-Mike-

I am left handed and I am quite happy with my no safety shield.

Most defensive trainers recommend no extra safeties on defensive pistols. Here is an article from Rob Pincus where he discusses choosing a pistol. If you search through the article he recommends no extra safeties. Note that this recommendation is for all shooters. As a left handed shooter, I consider any firearm with a right hand only safety to be a second choice.

I would recommend the no safety shield for all shooters. But for a left handed shooter I would specifically not recommend any pistol with a right hand only safety.

To each his own. I have an early Shield with the safety. I've trained on drawing and disengaging the safety so much that it's become second nature to me. If it was an issue then I would just leave it off. I am comfortable with or without a safety. If I was buying a Shield today I would probably buy it without, though.

I wanted the PC Shield so I don't have a choice about having a safety but I''m ok with it as I have been training myself to click it while drawing. I will leave it off after I'm completely used to the gun, I just got it yesterday so I need a little time with it.

I agree with ShieldUser - my choice was no safety.

I carry a shield 40 with no safety and one in the pipe. I have never heard of a pistol going off without the trigger being pulled. That's just my preference. I think those second do matter. And besides that if you have a fear that that pistol my just go off than you should really think about the pistol you are carrying.

I bought my Shield 9mm used, so no choice it has a safety. I can click it off pretty easily and quickly with the side of my thumb knuckle. It doesn't get in the way at all. I don't mind it at all and I kind of like the option being there.

Took it to the range today and I was mighty impressed. Very accurate and easy to shoot. Very happy with this purchase.

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101st Airborne

Both my 9 and my 40 have safeties. I never engage them, but they are there in case I should feel the need to. No biggie one way or the other.

Its just one of those things. Rather have it and not need it. Than need it and not have it.