Safety or no safety?

[fallhunter]

Just as the title says, do you prefer a thumb safety or no thumb safety?

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[berudd]

It's really almost a boxers or briefs decision. Which do you prefer? If you've never worked with a gun that has a thumb safety you will need to dedicate some time and effort to learning it. Those that have feel that it becomes second nature.

 

[Philadelphia Patriot]

...No safety

 

[Radco]

On a Striker fired not needed.. I have the Safty on my 9mm Shield and Ruger SR9E why? Because it makes me feel better knowing I have one! Do I use it? only when shooting with my Grandson when at the range !

 

[RV4driver]

I don't need a safety. I do recommend that those of my students that have children at home, they may want to consider a safety, as that inserts another "safety" between someone picking up a gun and firing said gun. As all firearms instructors know, when a newbie picks up a gun, the trigger finger goes onto the bang switch, so a safety is a "break" in the "pick the gun up fire the gun" scenario.

 

[Amp]

Nope.
My carry is a revolver and home is semi without.

 

[LAA]

I don't need a safety. I do recommend that those of my students that have children at home, they may want to consider a safety, as that inserts another "safety" between someone picking up a gun and firing said gun. As all firearms instructors know, when a newbie picks up a gun, the trigger finger goes onto the bang switch, so a safety is a "break" in the "pick the gun up fire the gun" scenario.

With grandchildren here, living in the same house, as well as those who visit...................the "safety" is definitely one additional block, should the trigger be pulled. Even though I keep all guns in a safe, except for what goes with me during the day, or by the bed at night; there is always that chance. IMO, the chance is probably greater than a self defense encounter. Never the less, some of my guns have safety's and some don't. I don't make it a point of insisting on a pistol without a safety, as some do. The possibility of an un-planned trigger pull is always there. It's a fact.

Other than that, the "safety" question has come up at least three times in the last week. Three different threads. Always the same conclusions.

 

[fallhunter]

I have my kids part of the time, but I still choose no safety. It's how I have always trained.

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[Comrad]

I don't mind a safety and it's my choice to use it or not. A decocker and a good long hard DA pull is it's own safety.

 

[kilyung]

I like all my pistols with safety for consistency of training

 

[mrmike7189]

No safeties!

no safeties on my defensive pistols....just like a revolver

 

[5Wire]

On a Striker fired not needed...

So how do you know if the striker is cocked?

 

[Mister X]

No safety. My revolvers don't need them nor do my autoloaders. If I felt a particular gun needed a manual safety, that trigger is too light for a defensive handgun IMO.

 

[5Wire]

No safety. My revolvers don't need them nor do my autoloaders. If I felt a particular gun needed a manual safety, that trigger is too light for a defensive handgun IMO.

There goes over 100 years of 1911s and almost the same for Browning Hi-Powers. Who knew.

 

[GB]

I suspect that it has something to do with my age/generation. Visuals make a difference to me. I can usually tell, just by looking, if a revolver is ready to go. Pretty much the same with any visible hammer auto. Striker fired autos intimidate me a little. I know that safe handling rules always apply but especially in low light conditions it can be hard to tell if my M&P 40 is ready to fire. I like my M&P but if I was going to buy it again, I would opt for the safety equipped version and I would send the one I own in to have it retrofitted. (which I have been told that they won't do)

 

[Mister X]

​

There goes over 100 years of 1911s and almost the same for Browning Hi-Powers. Who knew.

Context. The M1911 is an antiquated combat pistol. The qualities that make for a suitable military sidearm are very different from those of a good civilian concealed carry personal defense weapon.

 

[5Wire]

The only striker fired pistols without a safeties I have are HK P7s. Once the cocking lever is released, the pistol is decocked and cannot be fired.

Well, I do have a couple decocking Walther P99s.

 

[5Wire]

Context. The M1911 is an antiquated combat pistol. The qualities that make for a suitable military sidearm are very different from those of a good civilian concealed carry personal defense weapon.

Still in use for self defense and military. Still manufactured by any number of manufacturers. Suitable for some, maybe not for you.

There is no cogent argument against safeties for striker-fired pistols. Matter of choice, training, familiarity. TINORW ("there is no one right way").

 

[Mister X]

Still in use for self defense and military. Still manufactured by any number of manufacturers. Suitable for some, maybe not for you.

There is no cogent argument against safeties for striker-fired pistols. Matter of choice, training, familiarity. TINORW ("there is no one right way").

The 1911's use in military and law enforcement dwindle every year. Militaries are slow to make changes due to logistics and cost. I can't imagine there are any modern militaries that would select a 1911 as their pistol of choice today, but honestly none of that really matters to me all that much since my focus is civilian self-defense.

And yes, I do think valid arguments can be made against manual safeties on personal defense handguns. There may be no issues at the range or even in proactive engagements, but in reactive close-quarter/ECQ defense scenarios, I think they can definately present problems. This has been seen time and time again in FOF/Force on Force scenarios where even experienced 1911's users failed to get the safety disengaged. Having to quickly draw a concealed handgun and fire off shots while getting off the X or fending off a contact distance attack is an extremely different dynamic from static stand and deliver shooting.

 

[zymurgeist]

Comparing single action hammer fired and striker fired guns is deceptive. The thumb safety on a John Browning design pistol is there because a cocked hammer can disengage from the sear without pulling the trigger if the gun is dropped. On a striker fired gun there is a striker block that performs that function. If you're going to pull the trigger when you don't mean to you've probably already disengaged the thumb safety anyway regardless of the design of the gun. Better to keep your finger of the trigger until you're ready to shoot.