Safety or no safety?

[strokin7.3]

https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/safeties-yay-nay/?id=facebook&sid=fanpage_article_4-28-14

 

[EdC]

Nice article on the pros and cons. I prefer no external safety, and a modern striker fired pistol for self defense. Second place would be DAO or DA/SA or pistols, carried without the external safety (if any) engaged.

I all but abandoned the idea of carrying my 1911's or CZ 75B (in SA mode) after taking a force on force class. Too many things going on for me in such a situation, so I decided to simplify. Sure, motor memory in self defense is essential regardless the type of firearm, but for me, the fewer movements I need to become to condition myself to, the better.

I recommend taking a force on force class to help anyone to decide what's best for them. If you find yourself standing there with your eyes wide open, jaw dropped, absorbing the simunition from the bad guy like a sponge (like I did) it may influence your carry decisions.

Draw, point, pull the trigger, and that's about all I like to have to worry about as far as operating a firearm in a stress situation.

 

[88E30M50]

The article seemed to be well balanced. I've been back and forth on that issue over the years and now am somewhere in the middle. I mostly carry a 1911 and all of my 1911s have an extended thumb safety that is very easy to reach. When I carry a CZ, I carry with the hammer at the half cock notch and the safety off due to the CZ safety being harder for me to reach than it is on the 1911. Carried like that, the CZ has a very similar trigger pull on the first shot to a Glock first shot. I do sometimes carry a Glock and still sweep a non-existent safety when I draw.

 

[GNRPowdeR]

My typical EDC has been a 1911, however I've found myself grabbing a striker fired more frequently the last few months. The added capacity is my primary reason, though... I prefer throwing ashtrays, but 9mm has it's place in my inventory.

 

[ModernGunner]

Much as I like shooting 1911's, don't have one any more. All handguns I own are 'draw & fire'.

 

[armedindy]

i dont own one, but i kinda liked the DA sig with the de-cocker....its not on safe, its just on "longer trigger pull" mode, for the first shot (or cock the hammer..it my favorite kinda in-between.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Da/Sa with no safety is my preference. No extra steps and I can keep my thumb over the hammer when holstering, so no Glock leg.

 

[ModernGunner]

Da/Sa with no safety is my preference. No extra steps and I can keep my thumb over the hammer when holstering, so no Glock leg.

"Glock leg"?

You mean some people not knowing how to keep their %*&$^#@ finger off the %*&$^#@ when holstering? Is this common?

Sorry, just haven't heard the term.

 

[9mmfan]

My first EDC was a Beretta 92FS and I practiced clicking the safety off while I was drawing. It got to be second nature. But in all the practice I did with it, I just never really liked the long first trigger pull. Quite honestly, several times I had to pull it,(thankfully, never had to use i) the hammer was cocked too. Yes, it was dangerous but I really wanted to go home at the end of the night.

My almost exclusive carry gun now is a Glock 19. Round chambered; just pull and shoot. No extra steps required. And I like the consistent trigger pull.

 

[darinb]

If you have different action types that you rotate for carry then you have to train on all of them. Im sticking with the 1911 and the manual safety issue is moot with me. Force on force showed me that getting to the gun is the hardest part since I carry concealed. The manual safety is taken off when on the drawstroke. Ive practiced everyday for a few months since switching to the 1911 and I picked up my glock and I found myself having to grip the glock unsecurely to swipe the nonexistent safety off which caused me some issues getting a good grip before firing the first shot with the glock. I think you need to pick what you want to carry and train with that system. In the end you may not make it anyway but you need to get every advantage you can.

 

[Scouse]

I have only lived in the US for ten years. I had a FCCL when I arrived, got an out of State one 20 years ago.

Not sure how legal that is now? But now as a US Citizen I am as legal as you can be.

IMHO the Glock 19 is the best carry concealed pistol in the world, loads of rounds, 16 ready to go. With a G17 spare (more for malfunctions than extra ammunition, even though I have never had a malfunction!)

The one I carry (at this moment in time) is the RTF with the receiver suitably dremeled to bits, to suite my personal ideas. Suitably encased in a Glock combat Holster. Cut down to allow a straight up and down draw.

And magazine changes when holstered. You can also feel the extractor when holstered, proof of chamber loaded.
(IE One in the spout.)

 

[Paul30]

i dont own one, but i kinda liked the DA sig with the de-cocker....its not on safe, its just on "longer trigger pull" mode, for the first shot (or cock the hammer..it my favorite kinda in-between.

That is my favorite too. If I could keep only one handgun for self defense, the Sig would be it. You can't even forget and leave the safety on like the Beretta. I like my Beretta, but you have to cycle the safety or it does nothing when the trigger is pulled if you forget and leave the decocker / safety down. The sig has a long double action so there will be no accidents, reliable, accurate, and carries fine. I wish they made the same pistol in a smaller version about the size of the Smith and Wesson shield. The 380 they make is a single action, not the same.

 

[Paul30]

"Glock leg"?

You mean some people not knowing how to keep their %*&$^#@ finger off the %*&$^#@ when holstering? Is this common?

Sorry, just haven't heard the term.

Yes it is. I have heard of more "Glocksidental Discharges" than I care to count. Once at a gun show an off duty cop put a 10mm through his femur, ouch. Sometimes the trigger hangs on a holster, etc.

 

[strokin7.3]

i dont own one, but i kinda liked the DA sig with the de-cocker....its not on safe, its just on "longer trigger pull" mode, for the first shot (or cock the hammer..it my favorite kinda in-between.

I thought I wanted a da/sa SIG but then I got my grubby little paws on their new striker fired pistol. Wish I hadn't cause now I'm probably going to have to buy both.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

"Glock leg"?

You mean some people not knowing how to keep their %*&$^#@ finger off the %*&$^#@ when holstering? Is this common?

Sorry, just haven't heard the term.

Its not real common, but it does happen, and not always from the finger on the trigger.

I'm just...traditional, I guess, barely above the Amish. I don't like Kydex holsters, and I like wearing a sports coat or suit jacket. As such, I feel more comfortable with something that's forgiving of a collapsing leather holster, cover garment getting caught up in the trigger housing, etc. I'm a lot less likely to keep shoving hard enough to touch off my revolver or Sig P220 than I am a Glock, especially with my thumb on the hammer.

 

[tbhausen]

i dont own one, but i kinda liked the DA sig with the de-cocker....its not on safe, its just on "longer trigger pull" mode, for the first shot (or cock the hammer..it my favorite kinda in-between.

Couldn't agree more with you and BBI... SA/DA with decocker all the way for me. Sig, CZ, Walther P99 etc.

 

[WestSider]

IMHO the Glock 19 is the best carry concealed pistol in the world, loads of rounds, 16 ready to go. With a G17 spare (more for malfunctions than extra ammunition, even though I have never had a malfunction!)

I agree! Love my Glock 19. Simple, reliable, consistent trigger on every shot. What more could you want.

 

[EricG]

Ive carried a 1911 for years. However as of late, Ive grown attached to pistols without external safeties.

 

[cosermann]

"Glock leg"? ...

Maybe we could have Tex Grebner give a guest lecture on "1911 leg."

People have been managing to shoot them selves with just about ANY firearm for a long time, "safeties," or not.

 

[TheSpark]

I carry an XDs 9mm. It has a grip safety and that is it. I'd actually prefer it didn't even have that however it does not bother me. I prefer no safety.