Manual safetys on semi pistols - yes or no?

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Guns I do or might carry have no safety or a "down for bang" safety located where my right thumb sweeps down.

Don't care with range toys.

I'm not too bright, and I spent way too much time ingraining that drawstroke with thumb wiping safety off into muscle memory.
I think that switching around how the major disabling/enabling feature of your sidearm works day-to-day is foolish.
 
Yes for me.

I certainly like the safety on my Glock 19.

Easy to switch off and just makes carrying it feel better.
 
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If you look at the progression of the battery of arms (in semi autos) from say 1911 to the most modern the latest has more than one safety built into it and typically three. None of which require a manual switch.
 
For carry handguns I think a manual safety is a good thing. now I'm picky about what kind (down to off safe, up to put on safe). I like them as another level of defense against a gun grab attempt. If you practice to off safe on the draw, you will be able to do it without thinking about it. Massad Ayoob has some good write ups on this.
 
Under stress I want it as KISS as possible, hence no manual safety for me to remember/find/manipulate when the clock is running (YMMV). All my carry pistols are DA/SA or DAO to obviate the need for a manual safety.
Tomac
 
IMO, anything that may be carried cocked (SA) needs to be carried cocked & LOCKED.

Otherwise, if it can be carried DA hammer down, a passive automatic/ internal firing pin block or other firing pin safety should be adequate.

So... 1911s, HPs, CZs, etc (and some HKs) really NEED a manual safety (downward sweeping) IMO.
Sigs need none (and have none); I wouldn't consider them necessary on an M9/ Beretta 92 either.
 
For a light short single action trigger, yes.

For long double action triggers, no. I prefer no manual safety on a carry gun, just draw and fire.
 
The only autos I carry are carried cocked and locked. I don't have an issue with manual safeties.
 
We'll it depends on which gun we are talking about.

1911- I would carry cocked and locked with no concerns.
Striker Fired-no need for it.
DA/SA- locked in SA preferred or decocked in DA
DAO- like striker fired, no need.

Even at the range the only time I use a manual safety is for the 1911's since they have no decocker.
 
"needs to be carried cocked & LOCKED"

also my basic reason.
PLUS I'm an old-fashioned guy - like my pistols with a manual safety, and my girls without any silicone :)

CA R
 
I love my Glock 26. As they say, if you don't want it to go *BaNg!* keep yer finger off the trigger. Right? I'm cool with that *but* when I pass my CCW and start carrying I'll be very, very nervous about that.

There are folks who make mistakes. I'm not usually one of them but I have seen/heard of folks who got a holster fold over part stuck on the trigger and sat down and blew a hole in the floor of the car. Guys who stressed out and holstered the weapon with a finger still in the guard. Not me - not you, I know. But some guys have made mistakes. I plan to carry AIWB and I'm already practicing. A lot. I habitually have my finger off the trigger until I intend to shoot. I have always (been shooting for many many years...) made certain my finger is off the trigger when holstering.

I'll probably carry my Beretta Px4 SC for a long time before I get the nerve to put a gun with no manual safety in a holster pointed at my junk and my femoral artery. It's just that much safer, I'm never gonna forget to flick the lever, it takes no time to flick it as I draw and present the weapon. Flick it again and it's completely safe before it goes in the holster.

I love my Glock but I'll probably carry my Px4 until I'm more comfortable with the lack of an "inert" switch.. I love manual safeties. Others maybe not so much but they are not obsolete for me.

VooDoo
 
I like the fact that my SIGs don't have manual safety. However I recently bought an HK and have come to like the safety on it and also the decocker. Personally I would never own a DA/SA pistol that did not have a decocker. With my HK I can leave the safety off or use it cocked and locked or on even with the hammer down. If cocked and locked I can easily decock it if I no longer want to leave it in that mode.
 
I know how to use both...and trust myself.

I don't mind having a manual safety that much. I can hand my SR45 to my 9yo son with it on or off safety. I can hand him my shield with it on or off safety. I prefer him hand them back with the safety engaged.

My 642 and 229 don't have a manual safety....big woop, I wish I could get excited about the safety v none argument.
 
I like them all.... but have to admit to feeling safer while holstering my manual safety carry guns IWB.
 
I don't have an external manual safety on my revolvers, why would I need them on my semis? No thank you. Finger stays off trigger until I'm ready to shoot.
 
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No manual safeties for me. I'm of the keep it simple mindset with any pistol whose main purpose is defense. A carry gun which if ever used would undoubtedly be in a oh ____ moment, or a bedside piece that would likely be needed in the fog of a rudely awakened adrenalin rush. Ever been woken up by one of your kids screaming in the middle of the night? It's tough to get it together that quick. I've owned and carried autos with no manual safety long enough now that I don't really think about it anymore.
 
I'm ok with them as long as you train with it. Train with the one you carry and it will be second nature. That being said my carry is a Kahr P9 which has none.
 
Depends. On a carry pistol like a Glock, I think with a good holster the gun is perfectly safe.
However, most of my work year requires me to holster and unholster as I go in and out of people's houses. I do not like a Glock for that.

At those times of the year I carry a double action revolver or a pistol with a safety.

For a bedside auto, I like a safety. I like being able to engage it once a bump in the night gets the all clear. I can safely unchamber the round with less sleepy fingers in the morning.
 
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