[Flashpoint]

A lot of people seem to have a dislike for a slide mounted safety. For all you people out there that don't care for them, why not? I have not found a safety system that I can say I don't like, it's been just a matter of getting accustomed to it.

[WhoKnowsWho]

I don't like that I have to use my weak hand to switch it on or off, and actually, don't really like most safeties anyways, except for the Hi Power and 1911 type that should use them for cocked and locked carry. i.e. Millenium from Taurus doesn't need one but has one. And if one hand is busy with something else, I don't want to have to adjust my grip to try and reach the slide mounted safety.

[braindead0]

I find slide mounted safeties a bit too high, they make grasping the slide a bit 'odd' as well....

I don't hate them really...

[Spackler]

It doesn't bother me at all. I have to shift my grip to decock a Smith autoloader, but I also have to shift my grip to decock a Sig, or use my left hand. I can flip the safety off with the thumb of my shooting hand with no problem.

Another reason people tend to dislike them is that they are "backward", ie; up is off and down is on, opposite of the way a 1911 or Hi-Power safety works.

[tac17]

My only gripe would be that with a Beretta I have a huge amount of trouble when I clear malfuntions. Tap, Rack, Bangs usually turn into Tap, Rack, oops. I don't shoot them a lot so I seem to forget about the safety being there so I engage when I clear a malfunction.

[Handgun]

I like the slide mounted safety and safety decockers better than most frame mounted levers (1911 and High power being the exceptions). I find it easier to manipulate a S&W slide mounted lever than the Sig decockers, especially the P230 which seems too far forward for me. For me the slide mounted levers are also less likely to be accidentally engaged when firing or maneuvering since they are out of the way. I also feel that having them on the slide makes the slide easier to retract since you have something a little extra to hold on to. And, it is very easy for me to flick the S&W slide mounted safety off with the thumb of the shooting hand as my hand reaches down to unholster the firearm.

To me "up is off" makes sense for slide mounted safety levers and seems to be a more natural motion given the height of the lever.

It is all a matter of your own personal taste and ergonomic needs.

I wish the frame mounted lever on the Browning BDM worked in the opposite direction (like the HP and 1911). The BDM might just be the ideal pistol for me if that were the case. What was Browning thinking?

[10-Ring]

The frame munted safety is just more ergonomic while the slide mounted requires a slight shift in grip to manipulate. I prefer the frame mounted safeties personally, but one of my favorite handguns has a slide mounted safety so it's all just a matter of getting use to a particular system.

[blue86buick]

I don't mind them so far. I've got my first HG with a slide safety, a Bersa Thunder .380, and i'm starting to be OK with it. At first, the safety was VERY stiff...but after ~100 rounds, and turning on/off the safety a lot, it's getting better. At this point, I am able to disengage it by pushing it foward with my thumb, and re-engaging by shifting my grip a little to pull it back with my thumb.

Another reason people tend to dislike them is that they are "backward", ie; up is off and down is on, opposite of the way a 1911 or Hi-Power safety works.
As you said...it's backwards from a 1911, but it's not necessarily "backwards" for the way they're positioned. On a 1911, you squeeze down (an easy motion) to unlock it. On a slide safety, I've found that sliding your thumb foward to push it off works best to unlock it...which IMO, is an easy motion.

[Berg01]

I have not found a safety system that I can say I don't like, it's been just a matter of getting accustomed to it.

I agree wholeheartedly with that statement; I probably prefer the decocker on my Sig P228, to the manual safety on my new CZ 75B .40S&W, but at least I can "C&L" carry the CZ, which is a real plus, so I'm sure I'll get used to it.

[firestar]

blue86buick,
The slide mounted safety on your Bersa is one of the best designed safeties out there, that is why you don't find it a problem. It is flat and can be engaged with the thumb because it is closer to your hand than most slide mounted safeties.

I don't like safeties at all on carry handguns. I think SIG has it right on the money with the de-cock only lever and no safety. My Beretta 92 has a safety/de-cock and I think it is a pain. If you rack the slide, it can engage the safety and then you have a gun that won't fire unless you realise that the engaged the safety. You might need to rack the slde in a hurry and not notice that the safety went on and when you pull the trigger....click! You may get killed over a stupid thing like that!

It is very unlikely that your Bersa will have these problems but the larger guns with larger safeties tend to.

[Skunkabilly]

The Beretta ergos suck for a lot of people so I can see why. I have pretty nimble fingers from years of model airplanes and pianos, so I can get around it.

I'm not a fan of ALL frame mounted safeties either, that decock on the USP is just...well wrong for me.

[keithernTN]

I think some of the preference depends on the type autoloader you first learned to shoot with. I learned on a slide mounted smith and have no problems operating it with one hand, in saying that I have no preference on what type safety a handgun has unless it for CCW, then I prefer no safety.

[Smoke]

Its not a problem for me, but as others have said it falls back on training.

If you find a platform you like; buy multiple copies and stick with it. IF all your guns have a 1911 style safety, odds are you will not likely forget to take it off under stress.

In the event I ever have to pick up my downed partners Glock to continue to return fire, I won't lose any time as I thumb off the "invisible" slide safety. :neener:

[Spackler]

I have pretty nimble fingers from years of model airplanes and pianos, so I can get around it.

Wow, you'd really need to have nimble fingers to build a model piano. Those little keys must be really hard to handle.

[WonderNine]

I like the slide mounted safety on the Beretta 92 alot. For me it's very easy to manipulate. Alot of people seem to have trouble and say they use their weak hand, but I can reach it fairly easy with my shooting hand thumb. Alot of people must have short thumbs. :uhoh:

I like the frame mounted safeties of the 1911/Hi-Power variants as well. But there are alot of frame mounted safeties that just seem to 'get in the way' more than anything else. Like the Browning BDM safety for example.

[El Tejon]

Flash, are you calling the dingus a safety??? The dingus is a hammerdropper. Can be used as a safety I suppose, but I wouldn't do it.

It is dangerous as it interferes with mal drills and can be activated unintentionally. Tap, Rack, No Bang.:uhoh:

[Ian11]

Someone invited me to try their Beretta Cougar in .357 SIG. I was excited to try out the rotating bolt handgun chambered in the screaming .357 SIG. I racked a round into the chamber and squeezed the trigger. Nothing. The owner pointed out to me the safety/decocker was engaged. Sheepishly, I grinned, flicked off the safety and blasted away. Again, I was reminded why I have an aversion to handguns with safeties for defense.

1. This is a training issue that applies to ME. If you are well versed and commited to your 1911 or Beretta 92FS IT IS A NON-ISSUE. I'm used to shooting Glocks, SIGs, and DA revolvers that don't have manual safeties. I chose to either stick with handguns with "safeties" or ones without. I try to incorporate the K.I.S.S. principle as much as I can to my defense guns.

2. Anyone who has an auto with a manual safety (1911, BHP, CZ75B/97, Berettas, S&W's, etc, etc ); flicking the safety off should become as automatic as keeping your finger off the trigger before getting ready to shoot. Do this everytime you bring your gun up to the target at the range. Simply inserting a fresh mag, sling-shot/releasing the slide, and blazing away will not instill that automatic response you need in a crisis situation. (You won't have time for second guessing. Is it off? Gosh I surely hope so. :uhoh: ) Esp. those people who have hid their Beretta 92 somewhere in their home with a round in the chamber with the safety engaged. Know your weapon.

3. If your hands are not big enough to engage/disengage the slide mounted safety without shifting your grip too much maybe consider a gun that fits their hand better. For instance, with my medium hands I can easily manipulate the safety/decocker on compact S&W autos, Beretta Cougars (the decocker on my SIGs) much easier than something like a S&W 4506, CZ97, or Beretta 92FS. If you have small hands, searching for that safety or decocker under stress may not be an easy thing to do.

[faustulus]

What Tac17 said.

[Flashpoint]

Flash, are you calling the dingus a safety??? The dingus is a hammerdropper. Can be used as a safety I suppose, but I wouldn't do it.

Either or, I have a P89 with a safety/decocker, I've messed with the Bersa Thunder, which is real similar. I really like the way the cock and lock system on the CZs work. From what I can gather you almost have to be able to palm a basketball (which I can) to be comfortable with a slide mounted safety. Am I wrong?

[Jeff OTMG]

Few of my full size guns have slide mounted safeties. Even my Beretta has a frame mounted safety and the H&K P9S is a range only pistol. When I had a S&W auto, it was DAO. I have a bunch of SIG's that are either decockers or SA. The Steyr GB is a decocker. I do have a Walther P88C and it is probably my least favorite pistol. I use to carry a Walther PPK, but when I got my Kahr MK9 the Walter got retired. The Walther TPH, PP, and PPK are the only pistols with a slide mounted hammer drop safties. I never noticed this until you mentioned it.

[dude]

ah, yet another joy of P7 ownership.................no saftey/decock issues

[El Tejon]

Flash, the original intent of the dingus is to drop the hammer so the pistol can be "safe" (eez not safe, eez gon). The dingus is then flipped back up so that "all you have to do" is pull the trigger.

Some police departments started to carry with their dingus down, because of concerns about cops with guns (if they aren't going to train them, why give them weapons at all?), carry their weapons like that and live with the dangers that dinguses create. I prefer not to, but I have a choice in the matter.:)

[Island Beretta]

Ian11,

..the very reason why you were unable to fire the gun is the very reason why the safety can save your live in a gun grab!!

Whether frame mounted or slide mounted it's how you make your grip..
I learnt to shoot first with a BHP with a frame safety. You release your safety with the downward sweep of your thumb as you form your grip. When the grip is completed your thumb is on top of the safety.

With the slide mounted safety as per my Beretta 92 you release your safety as you come down on the gun handle with your hands, with your thumb up it pushes up the safety. When the grip is formed your thumb is below the safety. This is sometimes difficult for people with smaller hands however esp. if the safety is hard to release and /or it is not spring loaded.

In both cases you come with your thumb out, but you release the slide safety earlier in the grip formation than for the frame safety.

Hope I was able to explain this correctly but nothing beats a demonstration!!

[Ian11]

Island Beretta,

No need for a demonstration. The manual safety on autos have saved many LEO's from perps who mananged to wrestle their guns away from them. Of course this too requires training and the ability to stay on your toes under intense stress.

In those moments the manual safety on autos is definately a plus.

[centermass]

I think a lot of how well a frame-mounted decocking lever feels also depends on which handgun. For me, the location of the decocker on a SIG is in the wrong place, requiring me to alter my grip a little too much. Don't get me wrong, I still love SIGS. I however, own and use a CZ75 BD (decocker model) which I am surprised no one has mentioned yet (unless I skimmed too quickly!). I have what I consider average sized hands, and manipulating the decocker does not require a severe change of grip for me. I think it is very well placed and easy to use. Like the SIGs, there is no option of cocked and locked carry, as the decocker does not also act as a safety, but if that is something you may be looking for try out the Taurus P- series of full-size metal frames (PT92, PT945 etc, not the "Millenium" polymer frames). They have a frame-mounted safety/decocking lever (up is safe, down is off, and press down fully for decock) Very similar to the HK USP Var. 1, but I have found them to be more comfortable and easier to manipulate. Just a thought. Eventually I decided I didn't want the option of C&L on a double action pistol.

Good luck, Steve