External safety for Glock?

[Trope]

I think a good holster works well as a safety for a glock.

 

[hillbilly in MI]

Thanks for the input everyone. I thought this question was opening a can of worms but I hadn't seen anyone else address it. I did know about the heavier trigger option. It just didn't seem to be as good for me as a manual safety did - there's a reason 1911's are so popular (not wanting to turn this into a 1911 vs. Glock thread). I happen to like everything about the Glocks except for the lack of a manual safety and even this only for CCW use. LEO's and military (the originally intended users Glock was designed for) don't have to move clothing out of the way to holster/ draw their sidearms like concealed carry does. I'm used to the idea of turning a safety off as the firearm comes on target (hunting, 1911's) so this doesn't seem as inconvenient as an extra heavy trigger does. I don't think the lack of a thumb safety would bother me at all if I was looking at a pistol for home defense, but carrying it around that close to my body and under clothing, I would like the extra reassurance of a safety.

Thanks again to all those who gave their opinions and especially to the ones who have used or installed this kit.

 

[fogdor]

I always thought Glocks had a manually activated external safety. It's right there on the trigger.

We all know what you're trying to say, but I must point out that little flappy thing on the glock trigger is not a manually activated safety. Depending on your point of view, it's either an automatic passive safety device (like a firing pin block) or it's marketing fluff.

 

[glockman19]

My external safety is my trigger finger

 

[ZeroCool]

The Taurus 24/7 is a lot like a Glock with an external safety.

Pretty sure the .45acp version will be my next pistol.

 

[outofbattery]

We all know what you're trying to say, but I must point out that little flappy thing on the glock trigger is not a manually activated safety. Depending on your point of view, it's either an automatic passive safety device (like a firing pin block) or it's marketing fluff.

It most certainly is manually operated,if you do not manually apply pressure to the trigger safety,the Glock will not fire.

 

[fogdor]

It most certainly is manually operated,if you do not manually apply pressure to the trigger safety,the Glock will not fire.

Nope, it automatically disengages when you apply pressure to the trigger, and automatically engages when you release the trigger.

By your logic, every trigger is a "safety."

An example -

"It most certainly is manually operated,if you do not manually apply pressure to the trigger safety,the Colt/Beretta/Browning/Smith & Wesson will not fire."

 

[briansp82593]

there is a glock that came from the factory with a safety... i forgot who it was made for but here it is

 

[fogdor]

Don't post that! Don't you know glocks are PERFECT!

Seriously though, you can't buy one of those, they were made at the request of one big government contract. Which government, I do not recall.

 

[briansp82593]

i feel sorry for it poor glock, leave them alone they rule... (esp. gen 2's)
i say the only thing wrong with the glock is the stock sights and unsupported chmbr. back on topic... safety+glock=

 

[Skpotamus]

If you don't feel right not having a safety on your glock, you should do one of two things: 1) carry the gun for a week or so without a round chambered and get used to to the trigger never going off unless you pull the trigger (what most people do). or:
2) You should probably look at another gun.

What's the number these days? 70% of US law enforcement is carrying or authorized to carry a glock. I don't know of any that have the external safeties added.

One of the first things I teach in my NRA courses is NOT to rely on an external safety device. A very good demo I use at a boyscout camp I teach at is a broken mossberg. That gun will fire with the safety on. Proper trigger finger discipline and competency with your firearm are what you need to develop, not "I thought it was safe because the safety was on" syndrome.

 

[fogdor]

A common myth among the "glock faithful" is that to practice trigger discipline, you absolutely MUST carry a firearm without an external safety. To date, no one has actually proven this assertion, but they like the sound of it so much, it just pops out of their keyboards all the time...

 

[G95]

I would feel alot safer if all glock owners (except me) modified their pistols to add after-market safeties, carried them with an empty chamber, and kept all their magazines on their belt loaded with shotshells or snap caps

 

[briansp82593]

I would feel alot safer if all glock owners (except me) modified their pistols to add after-market safeties, carried them with an empty chamber, and kept all their magazines on their belt loaded with shotshells or snap caps

HAHAHAHAHA!!!

 

[Skpotamus]

Fogdor, I'm not saying external safeties aren't good. I'm saying that too many people use them as a crutch for poor safety habits.

There was a video floating around a few years back where a female officer shoots her partner in the leg with her beretta while he was cuffing a suspect. She thought her safety was on....

Have you ever attended a funeral because someone "thought the safety was on"? I have.

I either carry my 1911's, or my glocks. When I'm uisng my 1911's, I carry them cocked and locked.

I'm not some rabid glock addict spouting out about blasphemy against the holy polymer temple. I'm saying don't use mechanical devices to cover up deficiencies in your training. If you feel that you have to spend an extra $150 on your gun to make it "safe", then pick another gun.

NRA instructor #147989697

 

[fogdor]

What makes me feel safe? People making sound decisions. If you don't want to carry a weapon with an external safety (and do it safely) that's great, I'm all for individualism. But don't try to justify your opinion with a logically flawed argument, especially under the guise of "helpful advice".

To aid all the loyal glock fans, here's an idea with some merit:

Perhaps, adding an external safety might compromise the reliability of the glock?

 

[HorseSoldier]

Don't the aussie police use a glock special made at the factory to have an external saftey.

I think Glock made one for evaluation by the Tasmanian police, who had an external safety requirement, but I was under the impression they'd gone with something else.

They were also prepared to put a manual external safety on the version of the Glock 21 they were going to submit for evaluation by SOCOM, and supposedly had some prototypes ready for testing when the pistol trials got scrubbed. That feature did not make it onto the commerical Glock 21SF, though.

 

[fogdor]

The manual safety argument is a circular one - if you're smart enough to practice trigger discipline, you're smart enough to use a manual safety. Likewise, if you're too stupid to practice trigger discipline, then a manual safety isn't going to save you.

My gut feeling is that adding a manual safety to a glock might make it a small bit "safer", but I have no hard facts to back up that argument, so that's NOT what I'm arguing

What am I arguing?

Simple - Don't argue with logical fallacies.

Some "bad" arguments:

"The best safety is between your ears" - That's true with every firearm, whether they have a manual safety or not.

"Keep your booger picker out of the trigger guard until you're ready to fire" - See above.

"The glock has a manual safety, it's on the trigger" - No (sigh) that's not a manual safety.

Some "good" arguments:

"You probably want to choose a firearm that came with an external safety" - You must trust your firearm. Having to fundamentally alter it suggests a lack of trust.

"Try carrying a week with it cocked over an empty chamber to get comfortable with the idea" - See above.

 

[thebaldguy]

I knew I would get ripped on for wishing for a Glock with a manual safety...



It's just my preference. I prefer pistols with a manual safety/decocker. Yes I know, revolvers have no manual safety. But I prefer my semi-auto pistols to have one. If you don't like it, it's just another Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Beretta, Sig, Taurus, etc. that's available for me!

I stand behind my statement. I would buy a Glock if it had a manual safety like the picture.

 

[Plink]

Fogdor, I have never seen it put so well! Thank you.

I'm forever hearing Glock owners say they don't trust themselves with a manual safety. That has always made me just shake my head in wonder. You expressed the reason why perfectly.

As for the trigger widget being a "safety". Well, anything that stops something from pulling the trigger, unless something pulls the trigger, isn't much of a safety.

All of the various forms of negligent discharges we've heard of with Glocks could have been avoided with proper safety discipline. But considering that most people can't even figure out something as simple as a 4 way stop, lane discipline or right of way, sometimes simpler isn't always better.

I've always wished Glock would offer some variety in their lineup. For example, guns with grip safeties like the XD (one of my favorite 1911 features), and perhaps with manual safeties and no trigger widget. They'd appeal to a wider variety of customers, myself included.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I thought this forum was THE HIGH ROAD!!!!
hillbilly in MI asked a serious question and also asked if anyone had any experience with the safety he linked to. I can't believe all the sarcastic and condescending answers he got. He didn't bash Glock and only expressed his opinion that a manual safety would be a good idea. In response he got nasty answers like he should use his head, keep his finger in his ear and leave the God-Like Glock alone. You people should be ashamed of yourselves. This is THR, isn't it?? Well if it is, then start acting like it.

Now back to our regularly scheduled programing...

 

[Prince Yamato]

I knew I would get ripped on for wishing for a Glock with a manual safety...

I would buy a Glock if it had a manual safety as well. I really like the Glock 26, but I want an external safety on a carry gun (and no, I wouldn't carry a revolver for a similar reason). I just like the idea of the manual safety.

 

[medmo]

Oceansands stated:

"UHHHHHHH revolvers don't have a manual safety. Would you carry one of them?"

Guess you mean someone walks around with a revolver having the hammer cocked? I'm not trying to bash Glocks just trying to show you that this isn't a good analogy.

I'm comfortable operating my Glock with the originally designed safeties. I can also see someone else's view on feeling more comfortable having a manual safety. I wouldn't do an aftermarket modification like this on any of my guns without doing a lot of homework. I'm guessing that Glock might sell a few more guns if they incorporated a thumb safety and offered it as a model option. I don't think they need to worry about selling a few more guns as it looks like they have been doing pretty well without it.

 

[Mainsail]

I once took a friend out shooting with my AMT Harballer Longslide .45 cal. I showed him all the workings of the gun except the thumb safety. I had already chambered a round so I pointed the gun downrange and told him the gun would not fire with the safety on. I pulled the trigger and it fired, shearing off the safety, and ending the day’s shooting. The safety was fully engaged and the gun still fired.

Think about that the next time you carry cocked and locked. It might be a good idea to function check your UNLOADED gun once and a while.

Epilog: There just so happened a to be an AMT authorized repair gunsmith nearby, he checked the gun out and determined that although all the internals were in spec, they were all at the lower limits of the specs and the combination of the parts were the problem. AMT overnighted the parts and I had it back in only three days.

 

[[email protected]]

With a Glock, you can have a decent trigger, or a safe gun, but NOT both. A manual safety would allow the user to use the lighter connector, and still have a gun safe for the street. Of course, it would still be too wide, point the wrong direction, and have crappy sights...

DanO