Safety vs No Safety

[cluznar]

I have 2 carry weapons, if I carry my Bersa Thunder .380 I carry with round in chamber, decocked and safety off, long triger pull acts a safety.

If I carry my Ruger SR9c I carry round in chamber, safety ON, can easily swipe off the safety as I draw.

 

[MP22]

I carry safety on. Don't know of any situation where I may have to outdraw anyone....just don't seem likely....jmo.

 

[Donn]

Neither my FS or 9c M&P's are equipped with thumb safeties. The Shield is, but it's a redundant component IMHO. On the odd occasion I'm carrying a 1911, thumb safety's on. With my snubby it's academic, DA, hammerless, long trigger pull acts as a safety. Carry all the auto pistols in C1. Revolver always is. Allow me another HO. I feel safer carrying my M&P in C1 without safeties than my 1911 that has 3.

 

[bigshep85]

This thread should have a poll

I prefer to have my semi autos with a safety.

Revolvers without

 

[JumpinJack]

Safety always off, sent the 3914 back to have it converted to de-cock only.

 

[bp231986]

Its been proven the more steps you make a human go through the odds of us messing up increases greatly. True story

 

[Arik]

Only guns that i own that have safeties are my 2 1911s. If i like a gun but it has a safety im ok with it as long as its small and doesnt get in the way. I wont use it. If there is a version of the same gun without the safety i'll buy that one.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

[AKAOV1MAN]

Not mentioned is the possibility of a gun grab. If you have a safety on and someone gets your weapon the safety may delay his shooting you with your own weapon just long enough for you to react effectively(BUG or regaining weapon control). Remember that folks who grab guns are not necessarily gun smart, they will try the natural thing-pull the trigger. Given that many of them are frequently drug/alcohol impaired, the presence of a safety may be a life saver-literally.
Another part of this issue is are you going to shoot someone who is trying to get control of your weapon? Particularly if they are unarmed, ask Mr. Zimmerman down FL way about that, he may have an opinion right about now.
The gun grab imlications are there for both the armed citizen and the LEO. Where a safety fits into your personal or agency mandated plan might become a real issue some day. I just acquired a M&P .357 and .45 ACP compact, got the safety on both of them.

 

[SSGT Pride]

I have a Ruger SR9C and a MP40 with Safety on while carrying....I just bought an MP45 with no safety but never carry it daily. I mainly plink with the 45 for fun anyway so its never loaded until the range. I dont even keep the mags for the MP45 loaded at home.

If I were to carry it I'd have it in the closed type holster (Blackhawk) with the retention lock.

 

[Badkarma 1]

Depends on which pistol I'm carrying, but in the case of those with safeties, no I don't on 3rd gen Smiths, yes I do on 1911s and my new too me FN 57.
My only striker fired pistol is a SW99 in .40 and it's decocker and on DA mode. Dale

 

[ccalda]

Excluding adverse and extraordinary conditions being placed on a firearm, every firearm mentioned on this page must have the trigger pulled in order for it to fire yet it seems like almost every responder who owns or carries a 1911 would never carry one with the safety off even though the gun will not fire unless the trigger is pulled.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with this practice but it was interesting to find this as the general consensus.

 

[ViperGeek]

Excluding adverse and extraordinary conditions being placed on a firearm, every firearm mentioned on this page must have the trigger pulled in order for it to fire yet it seems like almost every responder who owns or carries a 1911 would never carry one with the safety off even though the gun will not fire unless the trigger is pulled.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with this practice but it was interesting to find this as the general consensus.

Keen observation. As a recent fan of the SW1911, the recurring theme I picked up was to have it "cocked and locked with a round in the chamber." Given it's gorgeously smooth and relatively light single action trigger, I suspect it wouldn't take much to make a mess of the floorboards you're standing on if it were cocked and unlocked, especially if you caught the trigger on the way out of the holster.

Conversely, I wonder if uncocked and unlocked is a reasonably alternative? I s'pose it depends on which you can do faster: pull back the hammer or flip the safety. In my few minutes of handling a 1911, I'm thinking the earlier posters are correct: cocked and unlocked is best.

- Dave

 

[sbeduckman]

I carry a 6906 safety off. I carried 1911's for years, so the safety on these goes the wrong way for my brain. After 1911's, I carried Glocks for a while...obviously no safety there. I feel safe with the hammer down and the safety off. I cover the hammer while holstering the gun just in case something were to get into the trigger guard. The bobbed hammer gives me some sense of protection from something banging the hammer hard enough to depress the firing pin. Everyone needs to carry how they feel comfortable; this is what works for me.

 

[Hunterfz6]

6+1 in holster no safety.

 

[ViperGeek]

In an attempt to keep all this great information in one place, I'd like to resurrect this Safety thread.

I picked up an SW1911 Pro a couple weeks ago and became a huge fan. My previous (for two weeks) CCW was a 4567, and based on this thread have decided to carry that Gen 3 decocked and locked. Also based on this thread, I've been carrying my SW1911 around the house "cocked and locked." So far, so good.

Twice now in just a few days, as I shopped for holsters, I've seen stern warnings about carrying 1911s cocked and locked. They don't state that it's a bad idea, but rather that it requires advanced or specific 1911 training to be safe. Can anyone enlighten me about what specifically I should be concerned with when carrying a 1911 cocked and locked?

Thanks!

- Dave

 

[ViperGeek]

Twice now in just a few days, as I shopped for holsters, I've seen stern warnings about carrying 1911s cocked and locked. They don't state that it's a bad idea, but rather that it requires advanced or specific 1911 training to be safe. Can anyone enlighten me about what specifically I should be concerned with when carrying a 1911 cocked and locked?

For future historians, I'll answer my own question.

Other than the perceived visual implication of a cocked 'n locked SA pistol, there is no safer way to carry a 1911. I found an article and a long thread on this subject, included below for your reading pleasure:

Cocked and Locked by Robert H. Boatman

cocked and locked 1911: dangerous?

- Dave
Cocked & Locked

 

[cluznar]

Carry my Bersa with a round in the chamber and decocked, long trigger pull is enough.

Carry my Ruger SR9c with a round in the chamber and safety ON, can flip it off easy as I draw, I practice.