Getting past no safety

[mister_wilburn]

Taking a proper grip on the XD and pulling the trigger all the way to the rear disengages 3 safeties. And 3 safeties is enough for me. The trigger wont pull if the grip safety isn't pressed, nor will it pull without the trigger embedded safety being pulled. And the striker wont release unless the other two have happened first. The best part?? I only have to take a grip and pull the trigger to make it function.

Get what feels good and you can shoot well. The best gun for me might not shoot well for you. Find a place that will let you rent guns (or friends guns) and see what you think. You need only drive to El Paso to test out my XD, ill buy the first 100 rounds

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Thanks for the input guys. I've done some thinking, and I have decided to just man up and get over my disdain for manual safety-less weapons. I want to work in civilian law enforcement someday soon, and since the vast majority of departments use either Glocks or Sigs, I will have to use one at some point. So why not now.

 

[3006mv]

No, go with what you prefer and are used to and likely to keep in practice. Might I suggest http://www.world.guns.ru/handguns/hg161-e.htm

 

[camslam]

Stick with what you are comfortable with. That being said, I prefer my Glocks for just that reason, when I pull the trigger I know it goes bang and I don't have to worry about anything else.

Every person is different, it took my wife quite a while before she was comfortable with the idea of a trigger only safety, but she is now sold as well.

I think a lot of it also depends on what you are going to be using it for. If it is just for fun or plinking, I wouldn't worry about it, but if it is to be used in situations where seconds and 10ths of seconds count, it is nice to not have to switch the safety off.

JMHO.

 

[Jimmy Newman]

Taurusowner,

I actually have the exact OPPOSITE viewpoint from you .

I am much more comfortable carrying a decocked pistol with no safety (like a P99 or Sig) than a pistol with a manual safety (like a 1911). Any time I carry a pistol (mostly on private property while hunting) I carry it in a good holster which adequately protects the trigger, so I am not worried at all about the trigger getting pulled. On the other hand, "cocked and locked" firearms of whatever type give me the heebiejeebies (although I am planning on getting a 1911 and trying to learn to trust it). The reason they do is that component failure (for example of the sear) could cause the hammer to fall and make the pistol go off (in the absence of a firing pin safety like the series 80 or kimber systems). People can say all day that it's a safe system, but mechanical devices do fail on occasion. The P99 and Sig, on the other hand, both have safeties which prevent hammer/striker travel without the trigger being pulled, and don't have sufficient tension on the striker or hammer to fire a cartridge even if the striker or hammer were released through mechanical failure. I don't want to get into an argument about it, I love shooting 1911's and they're great pistols, but I don't like cocked and locked carry, particularly on non-FPS guns, and noone is going to change my mind (at least about the FPS part).

 

[Desk Jockey]

I have decided to just man up and get over my disdain for manual safety-less weapons.

That's the approach that I took a year or so back. After a few range sessions with my Kahr MK-9, I got over it pretty quickly. A good holster will also boost your confidence in carrying a weapon with internal-only safeties.

 

[Neophyte1]

Safetys

tarususowner: Sir; many if not most of your reply' s revolve around Revolver
actions.
Those of us that have, and carried a handgun realize the importance of having something ready in that moment.
Having to un-do something to get ready for something else?
Both; revolvers/semi's have a for-ever built in safety.
"You"

Practice with an "unloaded" [I STRESS] unloaded. Some if not all will come quite naturally.

Be Safe; Craig

 

[kludge]

It's been said before but... The safety is that big gray thing between your ears.

 

[Samuraigg]

I prefer no safety, one of the many reasons I love my P220 and seek to buy a P226 in the near future.

To me the safety would just get in the way, and acts as a dangerous crutch I would rather not rely on. Safety comes with proper firearm handling, not a toggle on the gun.

 

[tubeshooter]

"Has anyone else had similar feelings?"

Not me, I grew up shooting DA revolvers. You learn not to touch the trigger until you're ready for the gun to fire. It's actually a good rule for all firearms.

John

This is me. One thing I like about the wheelgun is that I totally trust it at 1 o' clock IWB.

 

[Lonestar49]

What makes you feel safe

...

Take a look at the Beretta Px4 9mm or 40cal.. F-model

DA/SA safety and decocker in one..

You should get about 400 bucks back in change out of your 1000 for one NIB.

If you decide to go decocker only, look at Sigs, your 1000 bucks will be invested well.


LS


PS.. no finger on the trigger, gun in DA mode, decocker only, is a good safety, but that has to be learned, and understood with comfort, like any good "habit".. Go with your best flow, your own happiness.

 

[mpmarty]

Taurusowner look at the Taurus PT145 second generation. Long double action like a revolver WITH a 1911 type safety to boot. The striker is totally at rest with no tension on the spring until you start pulling that long trigger. This is to my way of thinking the best of carry systems. Like a revolver with eleven rounds of 45acp. I wouldn't trust my Glock out of a full coverage holster, it is either in its factory box, unloaded or it is in a holster that completely covers the trigger guard and when I draw it I keep my finger parallel with the slide, pointing at the potential target. I have never been comfortable with the "safe action" bull the Glock claims and I understand that in Europe they (Glock) produce a pistol WITH a 1911 type safety but won't do it here because they fear someone saying "see there, they were unsafe after all, lets sue them". Go with what you are comfortable with and if you get into law enforcement you will either be able to carry something with a safety or you wont, cross that bridge when you come to it.

 

[Bilt4Comfort]

This is me. One thing I like about the wheelgun is that I totally trust it at 1 o' clock IWB.

Lol...I don't care if it's not loaded and all moving parts have been welded...I can't put one in that position.

I trust my XDs fully...no toggle switch needed.

 

[ravencon]

The best safety device is the grey matter between our ears. I feel safer with a gun that doesn't have a manual safety (at least for self-defense). Under stress I don't want to have to deal with a complex manual of arms.

Double action revolvers, DAO semis or a DA/SA semis usually have trigger pulls that are not easily "set off" without significant volitional action. Give them a fair try and I suspect you'll find that this is so. Glock type triggers that have been modified to reduce trigger pull are another matter. I don't think these are for everyone (especially if you appendix carry ).

For me the action that seems the safest for concealed carry and self-defense is a DAO revolver with a tuned action. YMMV.

 

[TMann]

I actually have the exact OPPOSITE viewpoint from you .

I am much more comfortable carrying a decocked pistol with no safety (like a P99 or Sig) than a pistol with a manual safety (like a 1911). Any time I carry a pistol (mostly on private property while hunting) I carry it in a good holster which adequately protects the trigger, so I am not worried at all about the trigger getting pulled. On the other hand, "cocked and locked" firearms of whatever type give me the heebiejeebies (although I am planning on getting a 1911 and trying to learn to trust it).

I'm with Jimmy Newman on this one. I have gotten so used to the handling of a DAO handgun (Glock, Kahr and a Kel-tec,) that I am a bit nervous about carrying a SA, "cocked-and-locked" handgun. It's not a matter of which gun is intrinsically safer; it's a matter of my ingrained habits. If I ever have to use one of my guns in a self-defense situation, I think that I'd be better off with what I'm most familiar with.

Having said that...I'd suggest staying with what you're familiar with. Good luck with your choice.

TMann

 

[orionengnr]

my first thought was..

...ever fire a revolver?

 

[Sylvan-Forge]

Some good myth bustering episodes might be in the showing of various firearm safety systems...
especially concerning drop-safeties, half-cock notches, hammer and striker blocking designs, et al.

 

[bonesaw]

Safeties shouldn't stop the trigger from being pulled anyways. They should prevent the weapon from discharging if it is dropped or jostled, but you shouldn't ever believe you can touch the trigger with your finger and have the gun be "safe."

 

[WeedWhacker]

I felt the same way about safeties, even though my first pistol was a Glock. In fact, I didn't keep a round in the chamber because of my unease.

That was before I came across some videos of peaceable people using firearms to confront evildoers - and noticed how fast everything happens in a life-or-death situation.

I'd already purchased good holsters which covered and protected the trigger, so ever since then, I've been carrying with one in the pipe, ready to go, and am now quite at ease.

Then I was able to shoot a revolver for the first time and felt somewhat silly after noticing that NONE of the dozens of revolvers had external safties.

 

[shadowalker]

You may still have the choice of a weapon with a manual safety if you really want it. A tip I heard to get more comfortable carrying without a manual safety is to carry your firearm in it's normal holster around the house with the hammer back and safety off, and go about your day, if you hear the hammer fall something happened.

I used to like manual safeties but now find them dangerous, they get in the way when you need your firearm and give some people a false sense of safety, how many times have you heard "Don't worry the safety is on!"

Manual safeties can do and do fail, a friend of the family nearly shot people in one incident with his LAR Win Mag (1911 sized up to 45 Win Mag) when he demonstrated how the grip safety worked (which didn't).

That said I'd rather carry with one in the chamber and manual safety than empty chamber and no safety.

 

[Geno]

Carry what you will, but know your weapon like you know your own hand. I prefer either a G19C or a 1911 with the manual safety in fire-ready. The grip safety is sufficient.

 

[Silvanus]

Should I just say "screw it" and spring for something like a Sig or P99 and just learn to like it?

Yes, you should. It is NOT dangerous to carry a DA pistol (something like a Glock for that matter). I'm sure after some range sessions you'll feel comfortable with a pistol without manual safety.

 

[Clipper]

Yeah, C&L is what makes me nervous. It's why I got rid of my Ultra Carry. A guy I know has a big crater in his leg and walks with a limp because of (according to him) a mechanical failure that caused a 1911 to discharge as he drew it from the holster. B.S. or not, I can concieve of the chain of events that could possibly lead to that result, and cannot bring myself to carry a C&L pistol. I carry a Kel-Tec, and I had a PT-145, both pocket carried with full confidence. However, I wouldn't own a Glock if you gave it to me...

 

[M.E.Eldridge]

I've never had that problem. I don't use manual safeties very often, though. In fact, C&L with a 1911 is about the only time I do use a manual safety--at all other times, I leave the safety off and keep my finger clear of the trigger until I want to fire.

 

[Richard.Howe]

The safety for all my guns, be they rifle, pistol, or shotgun, is located at the end of the index finger on my right hand.

If I don't trust that, then I don't trust a mechanical safety either...

Your mileage may vary!
Rich