Metal frame autos, with manual safety

[RKBABob]

I'm a new member here, but have been reading this forum for quite some time.
SO far its been a great source of info, opinions and viewpoints.

I will be getting my CCW permit soon, and had just about decided on the Sig p232, stainless, with Nills wood grips. I just LOVE the looks of a shiny, all-metal gun with wood... and the p232 in particular. But I kind of wish it had a manual safety instead of a decocker..

I know someone will suggest the PPK, saying that it LOOKS just like a p232, but has a manual safety. Well, I just don't care for the PPK... looks kind of funny to me... and the safety is BACKWARDS IMHO, all safeties should go DOWN to fire, not up

Then I saw the Para LDA, 3.5" 7+1 cap .45. Black slide, OD frame and gorgeous wood stocks

Anyone have experience with the Para in question? Sorry, I can't post a pic.
Is it easily concealable, reliable?

How about other metal frame pistols with a manual safety... I know they're out there. The 1911 is obvious, but I don't care for the hammer raised over a live round.

 

[strat81]

SW 5906 (and similar... 1006, 4006, 4506)
Beretta 92FS, 92L
Taurus PT92, PT909, PT911, PT940
Ruger P90, P89
Stoeger Cougar

 

[PTK]

For an all-metal CCW piece with a manual safety, I prefer a Tomcat in .32acp.

 

[1911RjB]

not all metal but you might like the look H&K USP Compact.

 

[Lonestar49]

Actually, NO safety is..

...

Far Better.. many a gun owner with a safety-ON, can attest to, in the heat of the moment, drawing out, and pulling the trigger, and NOTHING.. no good.

I can only tell you, that after 2 months, you'll love the decocker only, especially the Sig's frame mounted decocker-only, as the best safety is between you ears, a little time with the gun, and lots of gun-safety knowledge, will set you at ease with no safety.

And, IMHO, use only new Winchester, or Federal 95gr FMJ bullets for both range practice AND HD/SD.. as the 380 needs all the punch and penetration you can send out of it, far more than the same JHP95gr bullets.

Good luck, and be sure and keep both your magazines CLEAN along with that gun, because with the "blow-back action", she'll get REAL dirty after some 200 + rounds and, she'll get fussy, jam on ya if you don't keep her well groomed, including those magazines.

Good luck,


LS


PS.. not trying to talk you out of a beautiful gun, cause I have one, since NIB, with 1335 rounds thru her, but it is going to be a trophy gun only, in that, she jammed a lot at first, then I got to cleaning her and the mags at or before the 200 round mark, and she sung a beautiful song for awhile, but just the other day, she jammed at the range, and these guns, with the thumb-release magazines, are NOT easy, nor fun, nor quick, to un-jam, and IMO, they have far more recoil-flip, than any size, big or SMALL 9mm out there, which IMO is a far better round for SD/HD, and are 100% reliable way beyond 200 rounds before you have to disassemble them, clean them, put them back together, and that is the other little item you will meet.. field stripping this little beauty, is not forgiving, like Sig 9mms, Beretta 9mms, etc., are so EASY to field strip, inspect, clean, and reassemble..

Last, I bought the P232 for my wife, but I won't let her possibly get caught-up in a jam, that takes skill, strength, and savy, to unjam, especially if you have to release the magazine to un-jam it (Not Easy). SO, I'm buying her the NEW Springfield 1911 EMP 9+1 round single stack mag 9mm, which the P232 only holds 7 rounds, and if you have 7 + 1 rounds, one chambered for eight rounds, if she is gonna jam, it will happen with the first or second shot, every time..

Get a 9mm, more punch (better bullet) less recoil, stays cleaner longer (no blow-back action) far more dependable, take a look here;

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=292991

PSs. NOW you have your safety. 2 of them; a palm-grip safety, and a thumb, slide-lock, safety.. doesn't get any better.

 

[Omaney]

I think most of the decockers are also pretty good safeties in that a big piece of steel is blocking the firing pin when engaged. My S&W 5904 with the safety/decocker engaged won't discharge because of a hammer strike. The firing pin is blocked with a pivoting cylinder of steel and the trigger is disengaged. My Bersa .380 works in the same fashion. After owning a new M&P 40 for awhile I am leaning towards the decocker system in my older pistols. I am a little more comfortable with it. The M&P sure is a fine shooter though.

 

[sig226]

The Smith and Wesson 3913TSW, 908S, and Chief's Special are all single stack autoloaders with manual safeties. There aren't too many automatics with glass metal and wood grips these days. PPK/S, 1911, and Hi Power are about it. Some of the high end Sigs have polished steel and laminated wood grips, but they don't have safeties.

The Smith guns are in the law enforcement part of the firearms section of the site.

 

[zinj]

CZ-75 and many of its variations (including compacts).

Carry Version:
http://cz-usa.com/product_detail.php?id=48

The full size gun:
http://cz-usa.com/product_detail.php?id=29

The CZ-83 is comparable to the SIG 232 and PPK:
http://cz-usa.com/product_detail.php?id=40

 

[Lonestar49]

PSss..

...

Welcome to the,THR, forum Bob..


LS

 

[modifiedbrowning]

Check out the Bersa line. www.bersafirearmsusa.com. Just keep in mind that the safety is also a decocker.

 

[RKBABob]

Thanks guys. Those are a few good suggestions.

Strat81, I had never even heard of Stoeger before! The Beretta and Taurus 92 are what I would call good-lookin' guns when decked out in stainless... a bit on the big side, though.

Lonestar, I hear you and agree about the decocker being a good thing... but I'm concerned that one of our oldest legislators, Congressman Murphy, will pass a law requiring my shirt tail to become entangled in the trigger guard apon holstering some drowsy morning. An actual manual safety is just a little more peace of mind. Thanks for the tip re: keeping the 232 clean. I had heard some suggestion of this gun being dirty/dirt sensitive... I shall be extra vigilant with the rag and brush if I go this route.

The CZ compact is nice. Safety seems to be just exactly where my thumb would expect it to be, and the pistol is nicely shaped... but just not pretty enough. Yeah, I know I'm obsessed with form, and much less with function... but I intend to look at a gun alot, carry it around, and to never, ever use it in my lifetime (except for practice, of course)

The Bersa Concealed Carry DOES look nice with a pair of grips from GG Grips:
http://home.midsouth.rr.com/gggrips/Custom Grips.htm
They are carved with finger grooves and palm swells... COOOOOL

 

[minutemen1776]

For a small, metal-frame auto with a manual safety, I second the S&W 3913 or 908. Excellent guns.

 

[Lonestar49]

Laws only effect those..

Quote:Lonestar, I hear you and agree about the decocker being a good thing... but I'm concerned that one of our oldest legislators, Congressman Murphy, will pass a law requiring my shirt tail to become entangled in the trigger guard apon holstering some drowsy morning. An actual manual safety is just a little more peace of mind.
-----------------
...

IIRC, if Congressman Murphy did get a "must have safety law" on all semi-autos, anything one owns, prior to Jan 2008, if passed that soon, would fall under a Grandfather Clause IIRC.

At least that is the case with the Calif 10 round max magazines here. Anyone with a gun bought before that became law, is exempt IIRC, from that, and if they had a 14 round mag, then it would be legal for them to use for them.

Anyhow, peace of mind is KEY, and will make you a better gun owner, for it.

Best of luck with your new gun of choice,



LS


PS.. Like you, my first gun, my Beretta Px4 40cal, indeed, had a safety and decocker, in-on, and after 2 months, and my buying of my next my gun, a Sig 9mm with "decocker-only", had, by that time, shown me, thru knowledge/learning/familiarity, that the best safety was between my ears and since owning my first Sig, then the others, I have had the Px4 converted to a G model, decocker-only.

If you wind up buying the Sig P232, that little baby will teach you a lot about gun-handling. That, I'm sure of..

 

[thebaldguy]

I like my pistols with a manual safety as well; it's my personal preference. There are quite a few that fit this catagory. Check Smith and Wesson, Ruger, Taurus, and Beretta for some full size and smaller models.

 

[KenW.]

I'm fond of SAFETY!

I've carried and qualified with 1911s for the last 15 years, and have never forgotten to disengage the safety, regardless of the stress level.

I believe that comes from 3 things: training, muscle memory, and knowledge of your chosen weapon.

In the real world, when the gun is unholstered, the safety remains ON and the finger OFF the trigger until you have a valid target.

 

[DWARREN123]

CZ 75 Compact in 9mm or 40 S&W. I like mine.

 

[pdh]

Another S&W 3913TSW fan.......love mine

 

[P97]

I think the Safety, Cocked and Locked, and Decocker are all personal preferences. I would like to say that I think is is best if you keep all your guns the same, especially if you are carrying them for self defense. We form habits that become reflexes, and could get you into trouble with a CCW.

 

[M1 Shooter]

Here's a SIG P230 with a manual safety. It was made for a Japanese Police contract. Several things about it don't quite fit what you want though. It is not shiny stainless steel, no wood grips, it's a .32 not a .380, and I think the safety works backwards. I just thought I'd share this interesting variant of the little SIG. No, it's not mine, but I know where this one is, and it is for sale if you're interested.