I think the popularity of Sigs and Glocks for carry has a lot to do with the fact there is no manual safety. I've never been a fan of safeties. I've hunted my share and used them in the field tho. They're fine for those situations where the firearm has to be ready (round chambered) in anticipation of immediate use, but for any other condition I don't like them. I don't use them at the range and I don't want to mess with them in a SD situation. Just one more thing to have to train for. If I can avoid them I will. Easy enough for carry and range work which is all I do anymore.
I do believe this is true. For one thing, you have to train people to remember to take the safety off, which they might forget, in a stressful situation. I am of the opinion the reason the P7 went away was due to the squeeze cocker mechanism.
I have handled P7’s, and it is a really innovative design, fixed barrel, chamber flutes, delayed blowback (gas venting) firearm. What put it in the ash heap of history was the squeeze cocker mechanism. It was easy to get the sequence confused. Having played with a squeeze cocker, what you are supposed to do is, squeeze the front strap, pull the trigger. Easy, eh? Well, lets say, you only meant to squeeze the front strap, but not pull the trigger. Ought to be fool proof. But, this pistol will let you pull the trigger, and then squeeze the front strap, upon which the pistol will then fire! Lets, see, pat head, rub belly, or pat belly, rub head. Easy to get out of sequence.
The current 1911 configuration developed after decades of combat games. Which initially started with the Leatherslap competitions of the 1950’s. Which was heavily influenced by the Colt SAA walk and draw games. I have only read the magazines, saw the films, (still love the spaghetti westerns) and watched the TV shows, but the belief system in that period was the fastest man with the gun always won the gunfight. There were whole movies about who was the fastest man. An hour and a half later, the climax was, two men in the middle of a street,
take that you varmint!, slapping leather. Boom!, Program over. You can see that combat doctrine in practice in any 1950’s Cowboy TV series. The first man to clear leather is always going to win over his slower opponent. Combat starts off with taunts , manly displays, finally both characters go for their holstered guns (take that you varmint!) , and the fastest man wins. TV program over till next week when the whole thing starts over again, different opponents, same end
That also makes for fun games. I shot a lot of IPSC, loved the game, maybe it helped in building confidence and surely helped in watching the front sight and all. But you know, after reading enough and watching enough Utube video’s, I think the quick draw emphasis is gamesmanship. If you don’t have your gun in hand, and your opponent does, you are at a real tactical and strategic disadvantage. Anyone who gets in a gunfight with a holstered firearm, against an opponent who has a gun in their hand, is probably going to get a couple of holes in them before their gun clears leather. This scenario does not make for a fun speed competition so, what people practice, is a modern version of walk and draw. But with semi auto’s. Hence the 1911 extended safeties, the extended magazine releases, etc.
I think the number of Cops killed in traffic stops is due to the bad guy having the initiative. The Cop walks up to the car, and the driver/passenger has already decided to kill the Cop, has a gun in their hand, pulls out his/her gun into vision and shoots the Cop. The bad guys had the initiative, and the Cop had his/her gun in the holster. And based on the historical evidence, most Western gunfighters were a bunch of bushwackers. John Hardin was shot in the back as he gambled. Happened to Hickcock, happened to Pat Garrick. It is much safer to shoot something in the back, especially when you know the opponent is armed.
I have seen one Top Gun episode where the shooter, might have been a Delta Force guy, bumped the safety on the 1911 he was shooting. The gun stopped going bang, ruined his time and his score. And that was just a game, being played by a highly trained individual. I prefer a system without flippers and levers, but, that’s just me. Carry whatever you have confidence in.