Safety vs No Safety

[ccalda]

Speaking directly in regards to a firearm that is used for everyday carry and on the person in the fully loaded condition, does the reader prefer to have a thumb safety on, off, or is the preference not to have a thumb safety at all?

For anyone who responds, thank you for your time an input.

 

[mscampbell2734]

As a working police officer I carried both Beretta 92s and Smith 3rd Gen autos. I always carried with the safety/decocker OFF. I felt the long heavy DA first shot was safety enough.

Now I carry a Glock. I carry the Glock with a round in the chamber but NEVER carry without a holster. I admit with the Smith and Beretta sometimes for a short trip out of the house I would waistband carry without a holster but safety down. Like I said this was for SHORT trips only, and never for duty carry.

 

[18DAI]

On duty, safety off - pistol is a 4566 decock only. Off duty, 4513TSW with IWB holster, safety on.

I've trained to sweep the safety off on the draw for many years. Even with the decock only 4566 my thumb still sweeps for the paddle - thats already up.

I like pistols with a safety/decocker. I have no use for striker fired tupperware. Regards 18DAI

 

[crofoot629]

I prefer the frame mounted safety of a 1911.

However I was issued a Glock at work. Though retired I have three Glocks. I'd prefer them to be S&W, M&P's with frame mounted safety's. For me it's too late to switch hourses mid stream.

With training the frame mounted safety of a 1911 doesn't slow a shooter down, and adds, well, safety. Just look to IPSC.

Emory

 

[beradon]

Any Interesting Question

I think carrying a gun with the safety off is dangerous and more likely to discharge if dropped which is why I only own guns without manual safeties. I am a Glock Armorer and own several along with 3 M&PC s, none of which have thumb or mag safeties.

 

[sniper47]

My daily CCW is a SW99-40 (sorry 18DAI) no safety except the decocker. When I carry any of my 2/3rd gens or Berettas, if it's in a OWB, safety on, IWB safety off.

 

[Natsmith77]

I carry a Glock because if bad becomes worse and i have to use my pistol I want to point and pull, that's it.

 

[Neumann]

If it has a thumb safety, I use it. On some pistols, the thumb safety also drops the hammer. On some of those, the safety/decocker also blocks the hammer and/or the firing pin. It is unsafe to carry these weapons with the hammer down and safety off because the pistol may discharge if dropped or the hammer is subjected to a sharp blow.

I do not feel unsafe carrying a SIG, which has no thumb safety. There is a positive hammer block, firing pin block, and a long, fairly heavy trigger pull. On SA/DA models, there is a decocker, but not on SAO, DAO or DAK pistols.

Nor do I feel unsafe carrying a 1911, cocked and locked with a round in the chamber, with the grip and thumb safety engaged. I'm not particularly comfortable with a Glock. The latch on the trigger is a joke (easily snagged in holstering), and the trigger pull is short and fairly light. At very least, I'd install the "New York" trigger, which is 9.5#, and avoid floppy holsters, holsters with open trigger guards, or Serpa holsters of any sort.

 

[JJEH]

I like to have a thumb safety...

 

[vista461]

When I carry my 4003, it's with the hammer down, safety off.The weight of the first double action shot is heavier than Glocks I have had and the M&P's I have now. So it's at least as safe as they are. I would prefer mine was decock only, maybe someday.

 

[Kudumaned]

I carry M&P9C with manual safety on in iwb holster. I carry 4013TSW with hammer decocked safety on. I figure theres more of a chance of an accidental discharge with safety off than i need to use the gun for self defense. If i have to be fastdraw, safety off ready to go and accurate i'm probably in trouble anyway. I dont understand the comment that if the gun is dropped with manual safety off its more likely to discharge than if dropped without a manual safety. Can anyone elaborate?

 

[Glenn H]

Discharge on drop

Way back in the day revolvers didn't have the hammer safety that prevented discharge when the hammer was struck. It was possible to have a discharge if the hammer was hit a sharp blow.

That is why so many old timers would carry a revolver with an empty under the hammer. (sorry if this is familiar to you)

It appears that some feel that this can also happen with a modern autoloader.

IIRC the firing pin block acts in the same way, it will not allow the hammer to go fully forward into the firing pin unless the trigger is fully pulled back.

That being said, all mechanical devices are subject to failure but I'd be willing to bet you could put a modern semi-auto into a paint mixer and you'd not get a discharge.

If I carried a piece I'd carry with the manual safety engaged. When I carried a M19 I carried it with all six loaded in the cylinder.

 

[TAKJR]

This is a personal preference for the owner to decide (obviously). Remember that when the feces hit the fan though, it will most likely be by surprise, and unless you are well trained (ingrained) to swipe off that safety each and every time you draw (no matter what) I prefer the safety to be off. Modern guns are drop safe (or can be modified to be drop safe with titanium firing pins and heavier firing pin springs such as in the 1911; Ruger did that with their SR1911 and Springfield Armory does that with their 1911s). Other guns have firing pin safties and yes, mechanical devices fail, but rarely.

I once saw a video on a cable TV show "It happedned to me," or "Citizens Under Attack" (I can't remember the exact title of the show) where a jewelry store owner survived a robbery; he was shot in the process however. This store owner gave a taped interview about his encounter afterwards and he swore up and down that he could not figure out at the time why his gun didn't fire. You can see on the video the criminal drawing his weapon and the store owner drawing his, then the store owner went down, and the criminal left unscathed. Later in the clip, the store owner showed his actual carry gun he had on his person. It was a Walther PPK . He later discovered (after the shooting and after he healed) that he left the safety on that day To make matters a little worse, it is worthy of note that the PPK's safety must be pushed up, rather than down like most guns. I don't know what type of gun he carries now, but that's hard proof that it can happen.

In ending, whatever you carry, mentally leave your residence prepared to fight to the death if one ever encounters death in the face, but remember that you may be with your family, girlfriend, whomever which may distract you from the task at hand a second or so (getting them out of the line of fire first and formost) and in doing so, you may forget that extra step. You need to be up and running, not down and out.

Just something to think about........

TAKJR

 

[Lost Lake]

Now that thugs are grouping up and attacking in mobs, I've taken to carrying a stick of dynamite, fuse lit.

 

[railinsp]

Old school safety on

 

[Neumann]

I carry M&P9C with manual safety on in iwb holster. I carry 4013TSW with hammer decocked safety on. I figure theres more of a chance of an accidental discharge with safety off than i need to use the gun for self defense. If i have to be fastdraw, safety off ready to go and accurate i'm probably in trouble anyway. I dont understand the comment that if the gun is dropped with manual safety off its more likely to discharge than if dropped without a manual safety. Can anyone elaborate?

There are some weapons, notably the Walther P38 and some S&W pistols, in which the hammer rests on the firing pin when the safety/decocker is off. Like the 1873 Colt Army, this can lead to a discharge if something strikes the hammer. There is a related disability, called the "Cowboy Limp", which you can look up on the web.

 

[Arizona5906]

Now that thugs are grouping up and attacking in mobs, I've taken to carrying a stick of dynamite, fuse lit.

So that's safety off right?

 

[Arizona5906]

I carry with the safety off but only in a holster that totally covers the trigger. All my carry guns are carried in double action condition 2, hammer down safety off. I always handle and holster with the safety on and then after holstering move the safety to off. I prefer the normal 3rd gen hammer drop safety like my 3913. Drawing the weapon ready to fire double action is best for me.

 

[boingboing]

On duty, safety off - pistol is a 4566 decock only. Off duty, 4513TSW with IWB holster, safety on.

I've trained to sweep the safety off on the draw for many years. Even with the decock only 4566 my thumb still sweeps for the paddle - thats already up.

I like pistols with a safety/decocker. I have no use for striker fired tupperware. Regards 18DAI

What he said. Ditched my M&P and went back to my 4566TSW. Only difference is I carry it with the safety on.

 

[PA Guns & Ammo]

For me it depends on the type of pistol. If it is striker fired then no safety, if it is hammer fired, cocked and safety on.

James