Model 3914 carry safe?

[shawn mccarver]

Originally posted by LittleChickie:
I've carried a S&W Model 3914 with a round in the chamber, full mag, and decocked with safety off. Long DA first shot then SA. Is this a safe carry?

Yes. The firing pin safety prevents the gun from firing if dropped. The second and third gen guns have firing pin safeties. First gen autos were not drop safe unless the thumb safety (dingus) was in the safe position (down).

Remember the advice of Jeff Cooper as regards this type of DA auto with thumb safety/decocker: "Don't get caught with your dingus down."

 

[AKAOV1MAN]

Almost all military and LE agencies require the use of the safety if the weapon has one. There is good reason for this; in case of a gun grab that safety will give you a little extra time to deploy a BUG or recover yours, or just open the range(get the hell out of there). I carry my 3914 with the safety on, with a round chambered, always.
My usual cary battery is a BHP and a 940, I carry the BHP with a round chambered, hammer cocked safety on, just like the 1911. When I think I might be in a gun grab situation or a crowd I put the BHP on half cock with the safety on. I can deploy it almost as fast as the 3914 or cocked and locked, but I figure that by the time a gun grabber might figure out how to get the BHP to go bang, he will have absorbed an attention getting number of rounds (all of them) from the 940.
I know that a citizen CCW does not have the same risk of a gun grab as a LEO, mainly because his presentation should be a really big suprise to the BG, but you can't be too careful. And remember if you are Joe CCW you do not have the back up of a cop, or the weapon retention or recovery trainiing an LEO usually gets(or should get). And you probably do not have a BUG. I therefore think that CCW folks should give consideration to carry with the safety on, it takes almost no time to flick it off during drawing the weapon, or you can keep it in the safe position till you need to fire. BTW, the magazine disconnect can be useful if you are going to lose your gun in a struggle, you can drop the mag, leaving the BG with a lightweight club.

 

[kbm6893]

Originally posted by WR Moore:
The magzine safety can be a useful tool, the gunshop commando worries about an inability to fire without a magazine in place are without foundation.
.

I agree. I know 2 cops who had the tine to drop the mag before being overpowered and having their gun taken who are still here today due to the mag safety. I don't care if you're a black belt or an Ultimate Fighting Champ, when someone with their adrenaline up rushes you (not to mention more then one attacker), you're gonna lose that gun. While there is data to support the benefits of mag safeties (and I'm not even counting the ND's prevented while field stripping or a child getting hold of a weapon when he shouldn't), I have yet to see one instance of a person needing that one bullet while the magazine was out. I wish ALL semi auto's had one. I really see no downside to them, other then the mall ninjas who are convinced they need that one round.

 

[18DAI]

"I really see no downside to them, other then the mall ninjas who are convinced they need that one round."

Well said! Besides, anyone who knows anything about S&W 3rd generation pistols with mag safeties, knows how to use the round in the tube with the mag out anyway. Regards 18DAI.

 

[LittleChickie]

Now I'm a "Mall Ninja"? In my own defense let me say I hate shopping in malls! AND my preferences regarding the mechanisms on my CC weapons in general is to keep things as simple as possible. Zap the flag and lock on a new S&W revolver? You bet. KISS forever.

 

[LittleChickie]

A Mall Ninja AND a Gunshop Commando? Boy, I sure do get around. And I still respectfully decline to agree with you both. Let's just drop it unless there's more involved in a reply than opinion, of which we all have one.

 

[kbm6893]

Not just my opinion. I have already stated real world examples of the mag safety being an asset. I have yet to hear one where the mag safety was a liability.