Safety No-Safety question

[Wagonmaster]

Considering buying a Shield 9mm but still undecided on the safety question. I've read several posts on this but still can't understand why a safety wouldn't be a no-contest item since a person could use it or not, but still have it just in case it was wanted. Am I missing something? Can the safety be accidentally activated? Does it move that easily? What would be the disadvantage of a safety? Currently own a different brand of 9mm striker fired CC without a safety and have never had any problem but that model didn't even offer a safety.
Thanks.

 

[ChiefStealth]

I got the Shield with safety. I wanted the choice. That's my only reason. Choice. The safety lever does not move easily. My holster covers the safety lever, and the lever does not rub leather, so going in and out of holster won't flip the lever. My thumb does not naturally bump the lever, so my thumb won't accidentally change it. I have to think of activating the lever, and make a deliberate action. That may be the disadvantage. Flipping the lever is not a natural movement. I think that training and practice will take care of that. YMMV

 

[OKFC05]

Can the safety be accidentally activated?

Yes. If you choose to have a safety, your manual of arms should include pushing the safety off each time you draw to shoot.
Murphys Law: if you have a thumb safety, someday you will draw and somehow it will be on..

The thumb safety on an M&P is not an integral part of the action, but merely locks the trigger. The gun passes all safety tests, including drop test, without the external thumb safety, so it is an option. Some designs, like the 1911, have the external thumb safety as an integral part, and it is not optional, but required.

Why have an optional thumb safety at all? Some departments require it on all pistols, and some individuals want it.

For your private use, your choice. I recommend you go with whatever you are trained to use. Being an old revolver shooter, I don't want a safety on any defense gun I carry: draw and fire. Many 1911 shooters want one, because that's how they trained.

 

[Edknn123]

Is the trigger pull too short and light to prevent an accidental discharge without a thumb safety.? I'm a revolver guy so a long, heavy pull is normal. I don't worry with my SD9VE as it's longer and heavier. I can see where not worrying about taking off the safety is a big plus in a defense situation. Looking to purchase soon, and any thoughts are greatly welcome.

 

[Big1]

I don't think that it will be an issue but for me I have a lot of Glocks so my safety is in my head, keep finger off until ready to destroy. Some guys use them because a lot of the guys have the 1911 so they are use to having them but for me I have without.

Most that I have heard that have them said that you have to force to take it off or put it on.

 

[Mountain Walker]

Today, I saw a Shield with new Apex trigger installed and it was sweet. It was light too. The owner was glad he had the safety and pointed out the the Shield safety was so low profile it would be very unlikely that it would be activated by accident. He plans to start using and practicing with the safety.

 

[Muss Muggins]

Considering buying a Shield 9mm but still undecided on the safety question. I've read several posts on this but still can't understand why a safety wouldn't be a no-contest item since a person could use it or not, but still have it just in case it was wanted. Am I missing something? Can the safety be accidentally activated? Does it move that easily? What would be the disadvantage of a safety? Currently own a different brand of 9mm striker fired CC without a safety and have never had any problem but that model didn't even offer a safety.
Thanks.

You mean an external manually operated safety switch in addition to the three safeties already present?

 

[fbcmrjrtykr]

Mine has the safety. There were no other options when I purchased. However, I personally would have opted for the safety as I like knowing there is next to no chance of AD while holstered or in my pocket. Therefore, as others have said, that's the way I train. But like many have said, it's an extremely personal choice and there is no right or wrong for the masses; it's about what is right or wrong for you. Btw, my safety has never been accidentally manipulated ... on or off.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[RacinbobSW]

Good answers so far. Personally, I like a WELL designed manual safety. The Shield is well designed. I recently toured a manufacturing plant of a model that offered both, with and without a safety. The design of their safety was, well, simply put, horrible. Pretty nice pistol without the safety though.

 

[Llando88]

Agree it depends on your background, training and preference.

As a new shooter last year, I rented and shot an M&P with a thumb safety for several months.

Twice during that time I presented the gun to fire, and all I felt was a muffled 'click' when I squeezed the trigger.

I decided, for me, the simpler the better, so the FS9 I eventually bought does not have a safety.

 

[Norm66]

I have a Shield with safety and it's never been activated unless I wanted it to. I very rarely use it though I did when I first started carrying IWB until I got comfortable holstering. I'd holster and turn the safety off afterward.

My opinion is that the safety on a Shield is not meant to be used like the safety on a 1911; flipped off during the draw stroke. It's simply too low profile and firm to reliably function as such. I believe the designers thought the gun would be dropped in a bag or pocket so they put a difficult to actuate safety on it.

So get one without or get one without and mostly ignore it. It's a great gun either way.

 

[Lycan]

Mine has a safety and I have absolutely no problem engaging and disengaging it when needed. It is well placed and part of my training. Individual preferences will vary...as you can tell.

 

[RobzGuns]

A new week, a new Safety vs No Safety thread.
Viewing this last thread ( Shield Safety-yes or no 11/10/14) will answer your questions and some of the replies in this thread look like they were Cut and Pasted from the last thread.

 

[Arik]

Safety only blocks the trigger. In other words it has the same effect as not putting your finger on the trigger. Not having it is one less thing that can go wrong. Things can break or accidentally get activated.

 

[Bozz10mm]

I have a Shield with the safety. I practice drawing and dry firing daily. It has become muscle memory to sweep off the safety. So much so, that I find myself doing it on my Xdm when I practice with it.

I have owned the Shield for nearly a year and the safety has never activated itself. The safety gives me the added security of knowing that the trigger is not going to be activated when re-holstering by getting caught on my shirt tail or some other piece of clothing.

You can use it or not use it, your choice, but I don't subscribe to the theory that a manual safety is a deadly flaw. Plenty of 1911's out there and they all have a thumb safety.

 

[rcp1936]

You mean an external manually operated safety switch in addition to the three safeties already present?

Completely different reason and function

 

[Muss Muggins]

Completely different reason and function

Getting an external manually operated safety on a striker fired pistol is like putting one on a revolver.

 

[Jayhawkokie]

I posted a similar thread on this issue before I ordered my Shield this week, after going back and forth on the issue I ordered mine without, when I carry my Wife's .380 Bodyguard I leave the safety disengaged. i'm hqppy with my decision.

 

[RobzGuns]

Going back to Wagonmaster's original post...
Can the safety be accidentally activated? While there have been a couple reports of it inadvertently activating on 'active' days, it turns out that those were due to an improperly fitting holster rubbing it on, rather than the safety simply easily slipping to the on position.

Does it move that easily? Most will tell you that it's easier to Disengage the safety than it is to engage it.

What would be the disadvantage of a safety? On a Shield... Not much... Just a personal Preference.

If you currently own a different brand of 9mm striker fired CC without a safety and have never had any problem with that model, I'd simply get the NTS version. If there had been an option to choose NTS when they 1st came out, that's what I would have bought, BUT... after 2.5 years of flawless performance and NOT having the Thumb Safety inadvertently engaging on its own, I'm not about to sell my TS version (at a loss) just to get a NTS version.

 

[Neumann]

Absence of a thumb safety was noted in the Zimmerman trial. It was not an option in Zimmerman's pistol, but if it were, the prosecution (or plaintiffs) would probably seize on that fact.

In Zimmerman's case, the firearms expert was quick to point out that it was not necessary, and that most police weapons (notably Glock) do not have nor require a thumb safety if the pistol is certified without one.