Shield, safety W/or WO?

[quicksilver]

I prefer the model WITH a safety. It is flipped on whenever the pistol is being handled (loading/unloading) and flipped off as soon as the pistol is comfortably holstered.

 

[Muss Muggins]

I have been reading quite a few postings around the net sighting were a safety on a HG that will often be predominately carried IWB and occasionaly as a deep concealment HG is a serious safety consideration, especially if like me you STRONGLY prefer carrying IWB in front of your hip over your kidney area where your HGs barrel could end up pointed at your three best friends, especially while drawing or holstering.

On the surface this makes sense to me at least in theory, but would like to hear from others as well. As I'm a seasoned hunter with 40 years of chasing Deer, elk, turkeys as well as other critters under my belt, safeties on my firearms have always been there and use of them became pure muscle memory for me decades ago.

Does anyone think that even with proper training a thumb safety on a Shield would still be a idea with more cons than pros?

The proper choice is the one that soothes your mental state. Nothing wrong with either one, and if one of those choices makes you feel better, even if others tell you that you feel better for the wrong reason, do it . . . .

 

[Sheepdogged]

I have been reading quite a few postings around the net sighting were a safety on a HG that will often be predominately carried IWB and occasionaly as a deep concealment HG is a serious safety consideration, especially if like me you STRONGLY prefer carrying IWB in front of your hip over your kidney area where your HGs barrel could end up pointed at your three best friends, especially while drawing or holstering.

On the surface this makes sense to me at least in theory, but would like to hear from others as well. As I'm a seasoned hunter with 40 years of chasing Deer, elk, turkeys as well as other critters under my belt, safeties on my firearms have always been there and use of them became pure muscle memory for me decades ago.

Does anyone think that even with proper training a thumb safety on a Shield would still be a idea with more cons than pros?

I sold my Shield w/o a safety. It's a great gun, it's just one of those things when you're juggling guns and trading for new ones. I exclusively carried striker fired pistols for a decade WITHOUT safeties, but if I buy another Shield it will have one.

It has a proven design after so many being in circulation over the last four years, and the overwhelming consensus is that the safety does not get in the way. But like I said, it gives you an option.

Let's say you're out somewhere unexpected and you can't bring your firearm in with you and you're wearing a pancake style holster; throw on the safety and lock it in your glove compartment. When you reach in there to retrieve it, or god forbid someone else has to, the safety is engaged. If the wife or girlfriend shares pistols with you, she can throw it in a purse (though I don't recommend off body carry personally).

I have a safety on my FN FNS 9 Compact. It works great and I have never accidently engaged it. I think the Shield safety is even better (other than it not being ambi). If you're carrying appendix or have clothing to negotiate, I like activating the safety, holstering the gun and making sure nothing like a drawstring is caught, then deactivating it so it's good to go should you need it. If people can't remember that, maybe they shouldn't be driving.

That said, other safeties on pistols are not so good to go in my opinion, and they should be used by people who train to swipe the safety on/off all their firearms upon holstering/drawing.

The safeties that have a lot of surface area could inadvertently get activated for sure. Even if it happens once in a blue moon, however, like when you get an inexplicable stovepipe or something that might occur every few thousand rounds, it's nothing to worry about. Just spend a little time calculating and compounding all the odds involved and you'll quickly realize people take things way too far sometimes in their opinions about this or that. Personally, I err on the side of options, and I also thoroughly get to know a firearm before I decide to keep it. That's my advice, anyway. Good luck.

 

[Targets Guy]

I own a Shield 9mm.

I love it

I am left handed

My Shield has a safety

The only time the safety is off is when the gun is pointed down range and I am ready to fire.

 

[kraynky]

Started out on 1911s. They have safeties. So all my autos have safeties. They all operate the same way. Simpler that way.

My thoughts exactly! First gun I ever fired (handgun) was a 1911 of my Dad's. Trained and ingrained to sweep with my thumb. I do not own a pistol without a safety. However, as my revolvers do not have them of course, I was, still am, frustrated with the first revolver I bought that had a safety, a Heritage 22. It still bothers me when I handle it, but that's another story.

PS: My Shield has a safety and I use it.

 

[Ceapea]

I only carry DA/SA revolvers, DAO revolvers, Glocks, Sigs or SCCY CPX2. So, I have no need for (read: I don't want one) a safety on my carry guns. I do have guns with safeties, including a Sig P220 Match SAO and a few 1911's. But they are used for competition shooting only.
I am now looking for a Shield in 9mm, w/o the safety.

 

[mfholmes]

One important piece of advise from one who's getting up there already. Muscle memory and age go together. If you've been hunting over 40 years as you say, you're either there or getting there. The more you age the more you want to make muscle memory your friend. Don't change up now.

 

[LenC]

My EDC these days is my Shield 9mm. I have a Springfield XDm 3.8 9mm Compact but the Shield is 10 oz lighter than the XDm so it has become my preference. (The XDm does not have a thumb operated safety.)

My Shield came with the safety but I don't use it. For one thing, I also have a Ruger SR22P that has a safety, but it moves in the opposite direction of the Shield when taking it off safety. (Note that the SR22P would not be my carry weapon.)

Having two semi-automatics with safeties that work in opposite directions makes for a problem in remembering which one I am using. When you encounter that moment you hope never comes, your brain is going to largely go to lunch! That is no time to have to remember to take off a safety of rack a slide. Of course when the gun is resting securely in the home and there are non-shooters or kids around, the safety can be valuable. But the question presumes that the weapon is being carried for defensive purposes.

I also carry all of my handguns in a hybrid IWB holster and I have no reason to think that it is going to self-discharge while in the holster.

Also consider the vast number of Glocks and Springfield XD and XDm's in use every day (they do not have thumb safeties) and the lack of reports of those weapons discharging in the holster on their own. The only concern I would have would be the drawing of the weapon and the possibility of pulling the trigger before you are on your BG target. BUT, if you can train yourself to sweep the safety off, you can also train yourself to keep you finger off of the trigger until you are on your BG target - and that works consistently with all weapons you might carry for defense, pistol or revolver.

YouTube videos of LEO training clearly demonstrate that an assailant with a knife/weapon can cross 20+ feet before the LEO can get the weapon out of the holster and get a shot off. Adding a portion of a second to flip off a safety (again think of the brain going to lunch at that point) or to rack the slide to that time increases the BG's odds of doing you damage.

Your mileage may vary . . .

 

[Dvan34]

According to news items either the Los Angelse PD or Sheriffs Department has been having AD problems with their new Shields. Does anyone have any experience or more information as to the problems. Possibly just not spending enough time in handling and familiarzation?

 

[amcline82]

If you don't trust your gun enough to not go off when carrying it then you should consider a new gun.

 

[mustangman]

When I got mine I was new to CC and the safety just gave me a little piece of mind, plus there wasn't a choice back then. For 2 years I've practiced and carried with the safety on at all times, and have just got accustomed to it being there.
That said, within the last month, I happened into a Glock G27, and have started carrying it regularly and have never given a thought about not having a manual safety on it. So now when carried, the Shield safety is off, and I doesn't seem as much of an issue in my mind as it used to be.
To each his own, and what ever makes you comfortable.

 

[MARSHALDILLIONDODGECITY]

Sounds like you need to buy one with the safety. Then you can choose to carry with it either on or off.

Does a revolver have a safety ? NO .. There is no need for a safety
in the hands of a good shooter who knows his weapon.

 

[Targets Guy]

I agree. There is no issue about having a safety. None whatsoever.

 

[Deftone]

In Cali, I could only buy a Shield with a safety.

None of my other pistols have a safety (SIG's LCP, revolvers...) but the Shield's safety is very small and easy to use. I don't mind it at all and I actually kind of like it as an option.

 

[Rastoff]

In Cali, I could only buy a Shield with a safety.

None of my other pistols have a safety (SIG's LCP, revolvers...) but the Shield's safety is very small and easy to use. I don't mind it at all and I actually kind of like it as an option.

There is almost no difference functionally between a Shield with and without the thumb safety. So, if you wanted one without the thumb safety, just leave it in the off position.

 

[bigsteve113]

I don't think anybody is worried about their Shield just spontaneously going off in their holsters. It's all the activity between point A and point B where a safety comes in handy. I'd still carry a Shield even if they had no safety option. I carry Glock .40's all day long at work, have been for the past 22 years. They have no safety.

That being said, my Shields 9 and .40 both have safeties. I like the safety, and I use the safety!

 

[memphisjim1]

I specifically bought the Shield because of the safety. It's my first IWB appendix-style carry piece and I just feel better about it being in "safe" mode when holstered. To me it's much the same as being in the "cocked and locked" mode with a 1911. I find I can do the draw stroke, move the safety during presentation and put rounds on target to my satisfaction...just like with a hip mounted OWB 1911. I rate it as all a matter of personal preference...no more, no less. And, given my druthers, I'd just as soon not put it to the test until...

 

[DartonJager]

Thanks a great deal to all who took the time to share with me their perspectives on thumb safeties. After reading all the responses and I am quite impressed with the large number of them, it occurred to me that the basis for my concern over weather or not my Shield should have a thumb safety was almost certainly rooted in the fact that virtually every other firearm I own and have used with regularity has some form of a mechanical safety. Granted one should NEVER rely on a mechanical safety as replacement for proper safe firearm handling, but a mechanical safety does add a additional level of safety. The only difference in this instance is all the other firearms I have ever used were not purposely designed for use as a personal defensive firearm, as without question the Shield is.

I will go with a thumb safety.

Again, thanks for all the replies, they were honestly very educational.
Arthur.

 

[fireshot]

I purchased my Shield before it was offered without safety. I am left handed and it is not convenient to operate. After reading about unintentional discharges from coat cords & other items causing trigger pulls when holstering, I have developed the routing of always setting the safety on whenever holstering the gun. Once secured, I manually switch off safety as a preference. When training, I now use my index finger to confirm safety off as I start to grip and draw.

 

[patchdoc]

Anatomy lesson

I have been reading quite a few postings around the net sighting were a safety on a HG that will often be predominately carried IWB and occasionaly as a deep concealment HG is a serious safety consideration, especially if like me you STRONGLY prefer carrying IWB in front of your hip over your kidney area where your HGs barrel could end up pointed at your three best friends, especially while drawing or holstering.

On the surface this makes sense to me at least in theory, but would like to hear from others as well. As I'm a seasoned hunter with 40 years of chasing Deer, elk, turkeys as well as other critters under my belt, safeties on my firearms have always been there and use of them became pure muscle memory for me decades ago.

Does anyone think that even with proper training a thumb safety on a Shield would still be a idea with more cons than pros?

I used to carry the shield over the hip iwb, but now prefer owb carry behind the hip "JUST BELOW THE KIDNEY AREA" [yes, kidneys are located on the back side of the abdomen]. I usually leave the safety on. This is to prevent accidental discharge in case something such as a shirttail or a draw-string barrel toggle gets inside the trigger guard.