Slushee Question for August: Manual Safety or No?

[Urse]

No Manual Safety for Me.

[Guest DEIMOS]

No manual safety.

[Guest ETS_Inc]

My primary carry gun (Para C7/45 LDA) has a manual safety. My secondary gun (S&W 686) doesn't.

Long guns, yes, I'll take one, thanks. Like others, however, my HD shotguns sit unloaded, safety disengaged. My rifles, being M-16/AR family members, are so instinctive to me that it doesn't take much to disengage.

[Guest crytes]

I like the multiple safties and the auto disengagement system in my XD. Tho short of an acidental discharge caused by mechanical failure I believe the only safety device necisary is the interlink between brain and finger and those whithout one installed don't need a gun in the first place because no device will make them safe.

Crytes

[Guest jcoyle6]

No manual safety. I am most familiar with a DA/SA firearm and choose to practice good trigger discipline going from double to single action.

But, go with what you are most familiar and as a Friendly Firearms Insrtuctor once said, "Pick a system and stick to it."

[Marswolf]

I'd say more find a good system and stick with it.

[molonlabetn]

I'd say more find a good system and stick with it.

Yes.

Some DA-to-SA transitions are vary widely... Beretta and Sig seem to have some of the best, but there are a number of TDA pistols which have a very long, hard, or rough DA pull and then very light SA-pull... enough of a difference to cause a flyer or un-intended double, under stress.

[Marswolf]

The DA trigger action on the H&K USP could definitely be better. That my only complaint about the handgun. But it did smooth out over time. The SA trigger is excellent and it is easy enough to carry the handgun more safely un-cocked and just cock the pistol when things look like they might get hot. If you get caught unaware (you shouldn't) then it works fine in DA mode. With typical trigger pulls of around 50# when the adrenalin starts flowing, you might not notice much difference.

The DA trigger is much better on my Beretta 92SB.

[Guest xd45]

For personal defense carry,my answer is NO safety.A safety can be bumped to the safe position in a scuffle. For a long gun ALWAYS give me a safety!

[Guest clownsdd]

I prefer no external safety. The weapon is on safe when it's in the holster.

[GhostDog]

Handguns should be carried in a holster that covers the trigger guard. It's hard to do this w/ a long gun, thus the need for a safety on the long gun.

As far as handguns go, it's up to the user. Mars will tell you that I like Glocks but I have also carried 1911s. As long as the user is up to speed, I don't think it matters.

[Guest Phantom6]

You dance with what ya brung so ya better learn the moves well if ya want to win the competition.

A Glock sub-gun?

[musicman]

1911 condition 1, or Revolver. I don't have a 1911 of my own yet, but have lots of practice with friends' guns, so i would fell comfortable with one. At this point I am carrying revolvers all the time and am happy with them....

Food for thought: Who needs a safety when the 4 rules of gun handling are in place?

[The Rabbi]

1911 condition 1, or Revolver. I don't have a 1911 of my own yet, but have lots of practice with friends' guns, so i would fell comfortable with one. At this point I am carrying revolvers all the time and am happy with them....

Food for thought: Who needs a safety when the 4 rules of gun handling are in place?

Try carrying a 1911 without a safety. I know you can do it but it sure makes it tough.

As for carrying them, I have owned them and shot them. One time I decided I might want to carry one. So I took a shop gun out to shoot an IDPA match. Out of four stages I failed to click off the safety every time when the buzzer went off. While I could practice to overcome that I decided it wasnt worth it.

[Guest DonRickles]

No Safety.......just another thing to go wrong.

[Marswolf]

Try carrying a 1911 without a safety. I know you can do it but it sure makes it tough.

I don't understand. Isn't this essentially the same as carrying a Glock or XD?

[molonlabetn]

I don't understand. Isn't this essentially the same as carrying a Glock or XD?

It's the same as carrying an XD (with a lighter trigger, of course), but the Glock has no grip-safety...

Glock + trigger-pull = boom

XD + proper grip + trigger pull = boom

1911 + proper grip + disengage safety + trigger pull = boom

I'd have no issue with carrying a 1911 with no manual safety, but not if it had a 4# trigger pull. It's a trade-off either way.

[The Rabbi]

I don't understand. Isn't this essentially the same as carrying a Glock or XD?

No, it isn't.

[Marswolf]

No, it isn't.

Well, thank you for explaining it.

[The Rabbi]

Some things just dont need an explanation.

[DaveTN]

I don't understand. Isn't this essentially the same as carrying a Glock or XD?

No, You can flip a 1911 around and roof your house with it. You can’t do that with a Glock or an XD. The Glock will shoot you and the XD will never work again.

But on the other hand… you can freeze a Glock in a pail of water and drag it on a rope behind your car and it will still fire (at least that's what they say); you can’t do that with a 1911.

[Marswolf]

I'd have no issue with carrying a 1911 with no manual safety, but not if it had a 4# trigger pull.

But a Glock with a 5.5# pull is OK?

I don't have a problem with carrying a 1911 cocked and unlocked either. My concern is that I can draw the weapon and fire it without having to do something extra before I fire. While I would never panic.......someone else might and forget to disengage the safety.

So I don't like a safety on a carry weapon and will propose legislation that outlaws safeties on such handguns. It's for the safety of our children.

[GhostDog]

A Glock w/ 5.5# pull is not OK... it's most excellent!

[GhostDog]

I couldn't resist.

[Guest DonRickles]

How many times can you guys possibly turn a thread into a Glock bashing. Doesn't it get old? Why don't we just talk about something important like 9mm vs. .45? Open vs. Concealed? You know some things you don't usually talk about.