Except for a SW .380 Bodyguard I seldom carry, each of my striker fired pistols is without a safety. I carry always and carefully in good quality, fitted to the gun, holsters. Glocks, 365, shields (all owned since before safeties were offered). I have gone back and forth on the no-safety and mental comfort of AIWB carry (when an AD in that position can be worse than embarrassing) but still carry that way these days when not OWB. I like the safety on a 1911, a BHP. I am from that era and like the P series Sigs with hammer down carry, but they are too large for me. On most striker fired guns I find the safeties small, hard to use (designed to make the gun thin) and would likely leave them in the off position if my carry gun had one. Some shooters like their striker fired guns with safeties and some don’t. Would appreciate hearing whether your SF guns have safeties, and how you feel about using or not using safeties.
Safeties on striker fired pistols
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Lola1
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I used to have the grip safety (trigger block) on my 1911's pinned. I only relied on the thumb safety (sear block). A few times in matches I would inadvertently hit the thumb safety up. I tried many ambi versions (I'm a lefty) of thumb safeties (different profiles). Decided to switch to a G21 and never looked back. If an external safety on a SF pistol makes you more comfortable - great. Just not for me.
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I don't use external safeties on any center fire pistols. For me, their use would be limited to SAO, which would be open or limited guns. Production rules don't allow defeat/removal of safeties, but they don't have to be used from a rules or objective standpoint, so they can be swapped with approved flat safeties.
Adding a slide safety to a striker pistol is unnecessary, and IMO defeats a significant part of its utility.
The only reason for a slide safety is that the trigger is too light for the gun to be handled safely without another layer of resistance to discharge other than the force required to operate the trigger. That would be from something other than the shooter's finger.
It's imperative for all shooters to be able to do all their gun handling without any unintended influence on the trigger. If you can't do that, you shouldn't be handling guns. And properly operational guns don't discharge by themselves.
Adding a slide safety to a striker pistol is unnecessary, and IMO defeats a significant part of its utility.
The only reason for a slide safety is that the trigger is too light for the gun to be handled safely without another layer of resistance to discharge other than the force required to operate the trigger. That would be from something other than the shooter's finger.
It's imperative for all shooters to be able to do all their gun handling without any unintended influence on the trigger. If you can't do that, you shouldn't be handling guns. And properly operational guns don't discharge by themselves.
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You will handle your firearm more administratively than in self-defense, so if a safety fits for you that is fine. But a safety does not delete all of the general rules of safe firearm handling, just like wearing a seatbelt does not obviate safe driving.
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I prefer my SF guns to have a usable thumb safety. I carry my P 365 XL in lieu of my Shield Plus because I can’t reliably disengage the safety on the Shield. I would prefer an even larger thumb safety on the SIG and would gladly purchase one if it were available.
My preference has become SA/DA because that gives me the margin of safety I am looking for without adding an extra step.
Everyone must figure out what works best for themselves and it’s best not to get carried away with ego.
My preference has become SA/DA because that gives me the margin of safety I am looking for without adding an extra step.
Everyone must figure out what works best for themselves and it’s best not to get carried away with ego.
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Most striker fired pistols (plastic fantastics) are single-action. Glock is not, Kahr is not. But most are. (Striker is fully cocked after each reset.)
I began carrying with a Glock 34 and it's factory minus connector as a fresh newbie right out of the gate at the 4:00 position, only having even owned a gun for under 6 months prior to carrying concealed daily. I have continued to carry and train in dynamic environments with Glocks for the last decade, going on 5 years strictly from AIWB. Because of my path, I never developed a psychological reliance on external safties but know exactly what and who is responsible to keep the gun from going off unintentionally. However due to mechanical design differences, I feel carrying with safety engaged on SA pistols, rifles or shotguns is prudent and only disengaging it during the shot process is a must. So it is important to be proficient at working the saftey both off and on as automatic actions when I'm working with these other platforms.
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A decocker on a striker puts you back into the revolver, Da/Sa First pull rank.
Without the thought of disengaging a safety.
Once your gun has a safety, you've added a necessary move,,, whether you keep it off/on ,,you will still have to swipe it every time.
Without the thought of disengaging a safety.
Once your gun has a safety, you've added a necessary move,,, whether you keep it off/on ,,you will still have to swipe it every time.
Glock has three safeties drop safety, firing pin block safety and trigger safety. How many more do we need? They are just passive safeties not active one like 1911. You don't think twice about seat belt pretensioners, airbags antilock brakes in your car do you? Same here. Now can all those safeties fail and gun AD while in holster sure they can, in a cosmic probability sense if we are talking glocks, but so can a 1911 safety, AR safety, High power safety etc. My issue with active safeties is that I shoot so many different guns recreationally, decockers flipped flopped safety levers etc etc ec, that my muscle memory safety operation wise is for crap. In an SD situation god forbid glock doesn't care if I swipe "safety" down berretta might.
And let's be very clear you inadvertently pressing a trigger is not an AD it's an ND. Four rules come first foremost and always. The only modern service mass production gun that is having documented AD problems at the moment is Sig. Some one offs ADs were reported with certain 1911s when they were dropped glocks, M&Ps XDms haven't seen one confirmed report of an AD. Plenty of NDs though.
And let's be very clear you inadvertently pressing a trigger is not an AD it's an ND. Four rules come first foremost and always. The only modern service mass production gun that is having documented AD problems at the moment is Sig. Some one offs ADs were reported with certain 1911s when they were dropped glocks, M&Ps XDms haven't seen one confirmed report of an AD. Plenty of NDs though.
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I do like for my striker fired pistols to also have a thumb safety; just personal preference. I learned to shoot using rifles and they had manual safeties. I can easily and naturally swipe the pistol safety off with the side of my thumb. (No, my revolvers don't have them, but they all have long heavy trigger pulls in DA. All my striker fired pistols have much lighter trigger pulls. And with a round in the chamber, they are almost fully cocked, although not technically SA. I'm aware there are internal safeties.)
Using a thumb safety of course does not exempt one from following all the usual firearm safety rules. I don't know anyone who thinks it does.
But to each his own; I understand the reasons why some people don't want them and that's fine with me. My sons like their Glocks and also their 1911 and M&P. People have different preferences and having options is a good thing.
If my pistols are loaded, they have a round in the chamber and are also in a good holster. The thumb safety is just another level of protection against something other than my finger snagging the trigger when the pistol comes out or goes into the holster. That doesn't mean pistols without one cannot ever be carried safely too.
As OP mentioned, the exception is my tiny BG .380, because its thumb safety is so very firm that I cannot quickly swipe it off and it is also DAO hammer fired with a long heavy trigger pull. I leave its safety off. I pocket carry it in a holster with a round in the chamber just as I would one of my .38s.
I don't understand the insults some like to throw at those of us who like thumb safeties. People can disagree without disparaging those with a different preference. Y'all do what you like and extend the same courtesy to the rest of us, please.
Using a thumb safety of course does not exempt one from following all the usual firearm safety rules. I don't know anyone who thinks it does.
But to each his own; I understand the reasons why some people don't want them and that's fine with me. My sons like their Glocks and also their 1911 and M&P. People have different preferences and having options is a good thing.
If my pistols are loaded, they have a round in the chamber and are also in a good holster. The thumb safety is just another level of protection against something other than my finger snagging the trigger when the pistol comes out or goes into the holster. That doesn't mean pistols without one cannot ever be carried safely too.
As OP mentioned, the exception is my tiny BG .380, because its thumb safety is so very firm that I cannot quickly swipe it off and it is also DAO hammer fired with a long heavy trigger pull. I leave its safety off. I pocket carry it in a holster with a round in the chamber just as I would one of my .38s.
I don't understand the insults some like to throw at those of us who like thumb safeties. People can disagree without disparaging those with a different preference. Y'all do what you like and extend the same courtesy to the rest of us, please.
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It isn’t BS, but you’re welcome to believe that.
One purchases a gun with an auxiliary thumb-operated safety because they believe it will add a layer of safety.
That layer of safety is unnecessary if one is competent/confident and safe in their handling skills.
Therefore, the user is lacking in either competence/confidence or safety in their handling skills. They are aware of that, whether consciously or not, and that is why they choose the manual safety version of the firearm.
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Back when I was carrying my S&W 5906 or 3913 (briefly), I was carrying it with the safety "off". As a matter of fact, I only used the "safety" on them as the "de-cocker". Then I started carrying Glocks (and similar guns) with no manual safety.
Over the years I think I have taken about 10 defensive handgun courses, but I have never taken a gun with manual safety to any of those courses. So, I still do NOT want a "manual safety" on my carry guns, particularly on my Glocks and the old LCPs, because they are safe to carry as long as I use holsters of good quality made of kydex or leather.
That bring said, I am now using the SCD on my G42 and G43s because I started carrying them AIWB a few years ago. The SCD is NOT really a "safety" that you need to physically "release/disengage" before you fire your Glock; but it is more like a "kinetic safety alarm" that you can take advantage of ONLY IF/WHEN you want to do so by placing your thumb on it while holstering slowly. It may not be for every Glock owner; but I still have no reason to remove them from my G42 and G43s based on my own tests and given no perceivable ill-effects, dysfunctions or even inconvenience so far.
Over the years I think I have taken about 10 defensive handgun courses, but I have never taken a gun with manual safety to any of those courses. So, I still do NOT want a "manual safety" on my carry guns, particularly on my Glocks and the old LCPs, because they are safe to carry as long as I use holsters of good quality made of kydex or leather.
That bring said, I am now using the SCD on my G42 and G43s because I started carrying them AIWB a few years ago. The SCD is NOT really a "safety" that you need to physically "release/disengage" before you fire your Glock; but it is more like a "kinetic safety alarm" that you can take advantage of ONLY IF/WHEN you want to do so by placing your thumb on it while holstering slowly. It may not be for every Glock owner; but I still have no reason to remove them from my G42 and G43s based on my own tests and given no perceivable ill-effects, dysfunctions or even inconvenience so far.
I have three Glocks all without external safeties. In the beginning I thought an external safety should be a required feature but as I have trained and have come to be very aware that my gun does not have an external safety I am now OK with it. I have very good high-quality holsters that completely cover the trigger guard, my trigger finger when the gun is out of the holster is very disciplined and I am very aware that the gun does not have an external safety. I always carry with a round in the chamber.
As some folks have previously said the safety is between your ears and I truly believe that. Also in a self-defense situation when you are probably scared to death you may forget that the external safety is on and you will also lose valuable time turning it off before you can shoot. Just my thoughts.
As some folks have previously said the safety is between your ears and I truly believe that. Also in a self-defense situation when you are probably scared to death you may forget that the external safety is on and you will also lose valuable time turning it off before you can shoot. Just my thoughts.
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It’s still a safety that needs to be released before the gun can be fired
A sa/da revolver is OK, but I am not comfortable sleeping with it under my pillow. It's OK on my dresser or next to my bed.
A Walther ppk has a nice firm safety on the slide which blocks the firing pin. Down is safe, up is fire (opposite the 1911). I feel comfortable sleeping with it under my pillow. If I somehow pull the DA trigger during a dream, it won't go bang.
A Smith and Wesson DA/SA 39/59 has a firm safety on the slide which both decocks the hammer and stays put blocking the firing pin. Down is safe, up is fire like the ppk. I feel comfortable sleeping with it under my pillow.
A 1911 I stored unchambered. Never felt chambered with safety on was good even on a dresser, and certainly not in bed. Theoretically its OK on a dresser, but I just felt so much better with ppk or 39/59.
I never seriously considered the Sig because the decocker only decocks. No safety on it. Yes, its as safe as revolver when decocked. But I prefer the PPK or 39/59 method better.
My first handgun was a 59, and I compare all others to the 59. Except for the ppk, all others in comparison seem unsafe.
I feel that in many ways the world no longer has any common sense. But common sense is based on one's experiences.
P.S. years when I was married or years I had a gf, there was no gun in the bed.
A Walther ppk has a nice firm safety on the slide which blocks the firing pin. Down is safe, up is fire (opposite the 1911). I feel comfortable sleeping with it under my pillow. If I somehow pull the DA trigger during a dream, it won't go bang.
A Smith and Wesson DA/SA 39/59 has a firm safety on the slide which both decocks the hammer and stays put blocking the firing pin. Down is safe, up is fire like the ppk. I feel comfortable sleeping with it under my pillow.
A 1911 I stored unchambered. Never felt chambered with safety on was good even on a dresser, and certainly not in bed. Theoretically its OK on a dresser, but I just felt so much better with ppk or 39/59.
I never seriously considered the Sig because the decocker only decocks. No safety on it. Yes, its as safe as revolver when decocked. But I prefer the PPK or 39/59 method better.
My first handgun was a 59, and I compare all others to the 59. Except for the ppk, all others in comparison seem unsafe.
I feel that in many ways the world no longer has any common sense. But common sense is based on one's experiences.
P.S. years when I was married or years I had a gf, there was no gun in the bed.
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I'm not really strong enough, and certainly not very well trained, to carry an axe, so I'm sure that's not allowed, either. I may be up the creek without a paddle.
I guess I should just accept the fact that if attacked I should rely on hitting the attacker(s) with my purse, small as it is. Guess I could get a heavier purse?
Thankfully, the 2A and the State of Georgia are on my side, LOL, at least for now.
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The only gun i have with a manual safety is my Taurus TX22. When i bought it they all came with a safety. Now its also available without one. No big deal though.
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