Who carries a gun with safety/ and without...Why?

[cookekdjr]

I do not buy guns with safeties. I like simplicty. If the gun is loaded, it will go bang when I pull the trigger. End of story. Lots of folks like 1911's, that's cool for them, I understand they are great and why.
For me, though, I prefer either:

1. Striker-fired actions like a Glock's;
2. SA/DA's with decocker but no safety, like SIG's; or
3. Double Action revolvers, like a S&W 637 or even a DAO like the 642.

Maybe when I can practice more I'll go the "cocked and locked" route.
Until then I'll have a Glock, SIG, or revolver nearby.
-David

 

[Geno]

Depends

Depends. If I carry the G17, XD or P3AT, they're cocked and no safety--always carried externally, on the side or in a shoulder rig. If I carry the 1911 or BHP, they're cocked and locked same positions or sometimes IWB.

I prefer the striker for a no hesitation reaction, but face it, that external safety also gives one a sense of safety if carrying IWB upfront, if you know what I mean. Don't ever wanna be called--"Stumpy".

Doc2005

 

[Lonestar]

I have both. Regardless if I'm using a revolver, a semi auto with/or without a safety or even my cordless drill, my thumb automaticly sweeps as if to turn off the safety. For those just starting to shoot and don't have this ingrained in you get a revolver or a semi-auto without a safety. You don't want to get in a bad situation pulling on the trigger and wondering what your gun in not going BANG.

 

[gandog56]

Frigging Nazis in Illinois won't let me carry!

 

[possum]

Thanks to everyone so far, i apprecite all the info, and learned alot about the way other people think about the issue. Thanks again, ya'll are awesome!

 

[enfield]

My preferred carry guns are a Sig 239 and a Smith 638. Not a safety among them and none needed, other than the trigger.

 

[el44vaquero]

cocked, locked, and ready to rock!

 

[Flopsy]

I carry mine with the safety on. I really don't buy the "I don't want to have to think about a safety in an emergency" thing, although I hear it all the time. What, seriously, HOW HARD is it to think of a safety? And yeah, I've heard "well in a panic emergency confusing situation it's an added step to think about..." Well sure, but in an emergency situation I'm not going to suddenly turn into a blithering idiot and forget that I have a safety to switch off.

And if you're really going to say that in a panic, remembering to hit the safety in a confusing situation might be difficult, couldn't that emergency panic mode make you more likely to hit the trigger as well? I would think that would be a much more likely mistake in a panic than forgetting or fumbling the safety...after all, there's a reason why it's called a "safety."

 

[Big Gay Al]

I would think, as long as you practice your draw technique, and as long as that practice INCLUDES taking the safety off, it should almost become an automatic reflex.

Practice, practice, practice.

 

[kokapelli]

There used to be video going around from the security camera in a jewelry store.

A BG enters and pulls a gun.

The jewelry salesman does a really fast draw of his auto pistol and tries to fire it, but nothing happens!

The BG shoots a number of times at point blank range, hitting the Jewelry store guy a number of times.

Luckily for the clerk, the BG only has a 22cal and the good guy survives the shooting.

It turns out that the clerk forgot to disengage the safety on his pistol!

Judging from the speed of the clerks draw, I would guess that he has done some practicing, but under pressure, still forgot to knock the safety off!

People don't always react the way they think they will when TSHTF!

 

[Big Gay Al]

I've seen the video. It wasn't a clerk, it was the owner. And I've seen people draw that fast without practice. In either event, I'd guess he didn't practice taking the safety off.

You have to practice ALL aspects of the draw. Pulling the pistol out, extending, aiming, pushing off the safety, and firing.

Dry fire practice is a good idea, as long as you can do it safely.

Needing to keep things simple is another reason I prefer to pick pistols with safeties that all work the same way. My one exception has been the Bersa Thunder .380. But since it's a BUG, and kept completely hidden, I usually carry it with the safety off.

 

[kokapelli]

I agree about keeping it simple and of all the pistols I have and even though I can shoot the single actions best,, I like the DAO triggers in my XD, Kahr K9 and my P-3ATs.

 

[Blacklabman]

For Self Defense and USPSA/IPSC.
I hate any and all pistols with a manual safety.
Glocks and the standard DA/SA Sigs for me.

 

[Big Gay Al]

Simple is one thing, no safety is something else again. Don't ask me why, I can't fully explain it. But I prefer my automatic pistols to have manual safeties. For the same reason, I also perfer cocked and locked over DA/SA. And I don't like DAO.

Fortunately, many firearms are made that can be carried C&L, like the Taurus PT92 series, and the EAA Witness, and some others.

 

[kokapelli]

The Springfield XDs have a grip safety and also have an excellent DAO trigger.

 

[Autolycus]

Seems like a lot of the safeties are redundant in my eyes. But thats just me. I read "shooting to live" and they were talking about keeping the safety off on a 1911. I like my HK P2000 just fine. I have the LEM trigger. Reminds me of a good revolver. But to each their own. Just practice with it and you will be fine.

 

[Srigs]

I only carry DAO guns. Just draw, point and pull the trigger and it goes bang. You can use different types of guns that ways but they all act the same with nothing special to remember.