You can always just leave it off.
It's really up to you. I went with no safety while my wife went with the safety. Both of us are right handed. The tiny safety button is kind of hard for me to work with. I can imagine it would only be worse for a lefty. My advice would be to get a safety version in your hands and see if you can be 100% in dealing with the safety.
IMO, there's really no need for a safety on a striker fired gun. Keep your finger off the trigger until you're ready to fire and it's about as safe as you can get. Again, this is my opinion and there are folks out there that feel a mechanical safety is absolutely necessary so in the end it's completely up to each individual.
I dont disagree with this poster, I was raised in a military family, I also have a glock and frankly I never felt safe with one in the pipe on it. It just gave me the willies. When I found a banging deal on a shield with a safety, I jumped on it. when I carry now, there is one in the pipe and safety is on. I have heard all the , " it takes to much time to disengage and will take my chances with it. I feel much more confident now than with the glock, it is household defense now.
I don't disagree. I am a lefty and while practicing I find I can disengage the safety with my thumb as I am grabbing the pistol. Don't know if I can do that under life and death stress however.
When I was researching the Shield I watched a video on YouTube in which the videographer inadvertently engaged the safety on his Shield while he was showing it at different angles and didn't realize it.
I don't think that only happens in YouTube videos. A safety is a mechanical device and mechanical devices malfunction .
I've had to draw a gun exactly one time in self defense in my life and that one time was enough to convince me that I don't want to have to add any unnecessary steps (AKA opportunities to screw up) to the process.
It's your life and your choice. You make the decision and you live with the consequences
All of my guns have a manual safety on them and I never carry mine with a round in the chamber. Call me old school or whatever you like, but I have never heard of a firearm discharging accidently with nothing in the chamber!! I was always taught "Safety First" when handling a firearm.
I also train a lot drawing the gun from the holster, charging a round into the chamber and releasing the safety as I point it at something I wish to destroy! If you do this consistently in your training you will develop muscle memory for when it counts. Most times I don't even realize I am doing it. You can also do this drill while dry fire training at home.
I know everyone has their own opinions and I respect each of them, this is just my opinion!