Safety or Not to Safety

[Michaelc748]

So I've come across this is some instructional videos and in a recent CCP class. When they talk about different guns and they talk about ones that have manual thumb safeties, they say to make sure you train to accommodate that safety... that you will get used to it as you train. My concealed carry gun has a manual safety but I don't use it. I treat it like it is not there, just as a Glock for example, doesn't have a manual thumb safety. Is there something wrong with this or do these instructors just say this to cover there rear ends? Do all of you with thumb safeties use them?

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

When holstering, yes safety on. Before I go out, safety off.

 

[95and05]

1911 for my carry... always have chambered and cocked safety on. Range training adds habit to thumb position during draw just as trigger finger has the muscle memory so does the thumb.

 

[wolf_fire]

It is inadvisable to equate a firearm with a thumb safety to a Glock. The trigger pull on a Glock is greater than the trigger pull on most weapons that have a thumb safety while it is in condition 1. You have to remember when you pull back the hammer, the trigger pull becomes lightened, making it much easier to bump the trigger and go off. The other difference is that the Glock has a trigger safety. Even if the trigger was bumped from the side with some force it won't go off because there is a trigger safety in the middle of the trigger that also has to be pressed.

If your particular firearm has a thumb safety, use it. Carry that firearm in condition one: racked, one in the chamber, hammer back, safety on. Practice often, until it is habit of unholstering while clicking the safety off. Of course that practice should be performed with an unloaded weapon.

 

[jcreek]

When I carry a 1911 it's always cocked and locked. The instructors are right that you get used to turning it off. I carry my 1911s in a SERPA and when I draw, the safety comes off the same time I press the release button on the holster.

 

[ezkl2230]

This is why I invest in firearms that do not have a thumb safety (and actually, those that have thumb safeties are in the minority these days). One less thing to worry about. There is a reason that most police departments have regulations against using firearms with thumb safeties; it is one more thing to think about and train for. They want to be able to deploy their firearm without having to worry about thumb safeties. One of the reasons I like the combination of the backstrap safety and safety trigger in the XD line.

 

[Cypher]

Before we can really answer this we need to know what kind of gun you are carrying. I carry a decocked third gen S&W with the safety off but I’d never do it with a cocked 1911

 

[NavyLCDR]

Has anyone's opinions changed in the 10 days since the last post here?:

http://www.usacarry.com/forums/concealed-carry-discussion/39130-da-sa-pistol-safety-off.html

Good grief.

But, to end this post on a positive note; at least it wasn't a fourth thread started this week about carrying with a round in the chamber or not...

 

[Cypher]

Has anyone's opinions changed in the 10 days since the last post here?:

http://www.usacarry.com/forums/concealed-carry-discussion/39130-da-sa-pistol-safety-off.html

Good grief.

The OP is brand new give him a break

 

[ragtown]

As said by others, I carry Glocks for this reason. When I do carry a 1911, which is very seldom, the safety is on. And I practice several days before hand.

 

[RJT CCW]

When I carry a 1911 it's always cocked and locked. The instructors are right that you get used to turning it off. I carry my 1911s in a SERPA and when I draw, the safety comes off the same time I press the release button on the holster.

And that sir is a great way to end up shooting yourself in the leg. Please look up Tex Grebner's YouTube video where you see him shooting himself in the leg using a 1911 where he bumped the safety to the off position while using a Serpa holster under the stress of close quarters training.

If a person has a self-defense gun with an external safety I recommend always using the safety and never taking it off until the decision has been made to fire the gun.

One other point. Please be sure that the safety can be manipulated easily without changing your grip. If you have to change your grip on the gun to take the safety off or on you are wasting time and you are not efficient.

 

[dtec]

I carry both a Glock and XDs which do not have a thumb safety. My wife carries a Taurus with a thumb safety and has practiced with it so that switching off the safety is now second nature, but she does keep the safety on while holstered.

 

[bjonsson75]

Before we can really answer this we need to know what kind of gun you are carrying. I carry a decocked third gen S&W with the safety off but I’d never do it with a cocked 1911

I completely agree. I carry a Ruger SR9c - has both a trigger safety and a thumb safety. When I carry, I carry with one in the chamber, safety off. Most of the time, the thumb safety is there for a reason, however, I think Ruger went overkill adding both the trigger safety and thumb safety on a striker fire DAO pistol.

 

[AgentSmith5150]

I agree with trainers that say keep the safety on if that is the type of handgun you choose to carry. Too many accidents can happen when you least expect it. Get your body/mind trained when to release the safety at the proper time.

 

[Deanimator]

So I've come across this is some instructional videos and in a recent CCP class. When they talk about different guns and they talk about ones that have manual thumb safeties, they say to make sure you train to accommodate that safety... that you will get used to it as you train. My concealed carry gun has a manual safety but I don't use it. I treat it like it is not there, just as a Glock for example, doesn't have a manual thumb safety. Is there something wrong with this or do these instructors just say this to cover there rear ends? Do all of you with thumb safeties use them?

You don't say what kind of pistol it is.

If it's something you carry with the hammer cocked, like an M1911 or a Browning Hi Power, I'd definitely use the safety.

If on the other hand, it's something like a Beretta 92, or a S&W DA/SA type, I wouldn't use it. They're usually awkwardly positioned, and not necessary in the first place, given the double action and hammer block.

Personally, I don't like conventional DA autos, either DA/SA or DAO. That leaves only Glocks, M1911s and Browning Hi Powers for me. The Glocks don't HAVE manual safeties. I always carry the M1911s and Brownings cocked and locked.

 

[streetfools]

I am known to carry a RUGER SR22. This gun has a manual thumb safety as well as a first pull double action trigger. I have thought recently about carrying with safety off (once holstered) seeing how the first trigger pull is quite stout. On the other hand I carry a Colt 1911A1 and I will carry that in the 3rd Condition, safety off. I have drilled to rack a round as I am drawing. In one fluid motion I am able to draw, rack, and acquire the target. I suppose after a certain amount of time I may switch to condition 1 carry; once my comfort level with this weapon increases. Whichever condition you choose to carry just practice, practice, practice, and it won't really matter in the end. You're talking milliseconds of difference when you've trained.

 

[Jesus Armas Jr.]

I have a 1911 for my everyday.... always chambered and cocked...... thumb safety on.

 

[jcismo1]

Before we can really answer this we need to know what kind of gun you are carrying. I carry a decocked third gen S&W with the safety off but I’d never do it with a cocked 1911

THIS is the question that has to be answered, before we can give a correct answer the original question. Of course if it is in fact a 1911 style gun, you would most definitely engage the thumb safety upon loading the chamber. But with a double action-single action, like The older metal framed S&W, Sig's, Berettas etc. you would want to de-cock, then push the safety back up/off for carry, once the chamber is loaded.

 

[phillip69]

And that sir is a great way to end up shooting yourself in the leg. Please look up Tex Grebner's YouTube video where you see him shooting himself in the leg using a 1911 where he bumped the safety to the off position while using a Serpa holster under the stress of close quarters training.

If a person has a self-defense gun with an external safety I recommend always using the safety and never taking it off until the decision has been made to fire the gun.

One other point. Please be sure that the safety can be manipulated easily without changing your grip. If you have to change your grip on the gun to take the safety off or on you are wasting time and you are not efficient.

Michael, OP,

There is even a THIRD choice that is VERY unpopular with a lot of the Glock folks: add a safety...

I would have nothing but a Glock for EDC (21,gen4 - waiting on my 30s to show up & send off for added safety), but it must have a Caminolli thumb safety added. As various posters have stated, practice drawing and firing with your safety and it is muscle memory, second nature, and NOT a detriment, but only another safety to keep fatigue, complacency, mistakes, etc, from potentially causing a ND.

To consider NOT having the thumb safety on with one in the chamber of my 1911 would be to me suicide - that 2# trigger moves almost by itself.

My S&W 380 bodyguard went back to have its thumb safety loosened up so it was easily usable; it has such a hard trigger pull it may not need it, but why not make use of it and simply make it muscle memory so it is added safety? None of these safety's need add any time to defending yourself if you practice weekly with them.

 

[Warrior1256]

This is why I invest in firearms that do not have a thumb safety (and actually, those that have thumb safeties are in the minority these days). One less thing to worry about. There is a reason that most police departments have regulations against using firearms with thumb safeties; it is one more thing to think about and train for. They want to be able to deploy their firearm without having to worry about thumb safeties. One of the reasons I like the combination of the backstrap safety and safety trigger in the XD line.

Lack of a safety is also why I like my Glock 21. It was also my last duty weapon before I retired from law enforcement.