Rethinking Safeties

[easyg]

There is an old cliche that goes something like a casual guy trains until he gets it right; a serious guy trains until he doesn't get it wrong.

Just because someone, or several someones, do something wrong doesn't mean everyone else does.

Humans are human...
Nobody gets it "right" every time, all the the time.

Even the very best shooters are still merely human, and humans make mistakes...this is an undisputed fact.

So when someone makes a declaration like "I cannot fail to disengage the safety" then they are essentially declaring that they are something more than human.
And they are wrong on both counts.

 

[EddieNFL]

I could fail to disengage the safety If I don't get a proper grip. I do that on a rare occasion, but I correct it before drawing.

Pretty sure I said "never had," not "never will", but anyway, there are odds for anything. I do know in 40 plus years of driving, I've never failed to hit the brake pedal and I know there are those that cannot say the same.

Even the very best shooters are still merely human

My wife would dispute that...at least in my case.

 

[Ben86]

I could fail to disengage the safety, but with proper grip, I should not. Because with my proper grip the safety actually feels like it is in the way and must be pushed out of the way. When the safety is on the gun just doesn't feel right, and naturally I push the safety out of the way to make it feel right. I do the same thing when I index my trigger finger on the tang safety of a long gun.

 

[ForumSurfer]

I prefer manual safeties

Prefer being the key word. I own guns without them. I grew up on 1911's so a thumb safety seems natural to me.

I recently bought my first Glock for kicks and giggles. I'm struggling with the grip since I'm not used to the angle and my thumb feels lost with no safety to ride.

 

[EddieNFL]

I recently bought my first Glock for kicks and giggles. I'm struggling with the grip since I'm not used to the angle and my thumb feels lost with no safety to ride.

I always feel like I'm cheating on my wife.

I recall an article about buck fever. A professional guide wrote he witnessed a hunter cycle the bolt three times and never pull the trigger. He couldn't believe he missed.

So, I guess If I could forget to disengage the safety, a shooter using a gun without an external safety could forget to pull the trigger.

 

[SSN Vet]

I like manual thumb safties that sweep down to disengage.

I find it very natural to flip off the safety as I clear leather.

I carry a PT-111 (SA w/ DA 2nd strike)

and am thoroughly enjoying my venture back into 1911s with a 1991a Commander...

same motion to toggle off the safety for each one, so my manual of arms is consistant.

The three top priorities for me are...

1. SA trigger pull

2. first pull SA

3. carry with one in the pipe

So for me, that requires a manual safety

 

[ForumSurfer]

A professional guide wrote he witnessed a hunter cycle the bolt three times and never pull the trigger

That's freakin hilarious.

Considering the price difference between a decent 1911 and a Glock, you should feel like your cheating on the wife with a cheap $%^&*.

I like my new found dirty toy, but I don't feel so safe with the safe action. I have children, and I am downright anal about teaching proper gun safety. Still, all the same I prefer to have that grip safety and thumb safety on any weapon not in the safe (this includes the one on my hip). Call me paranoid...

I am learning to adapt. That trigger safety that is automatically depressed when pulling the trigger just seems absurd. You can't pull the trigger without your finger on the trigger...right... They should have left the safety off the trigger all together and just put a firing pin and drop safeties on the darn thing.

In spite of all the things that I absolutely hate about my dirty new addition, I find myself contemplating adding a 32c to the collection.

 

[easyg]

Even the very best shooters are still merely human

My wife would dispute that...at least in my case.

TMI!!!

In spite of all the things that I absolutely hate about my dirty new addition, I find myself contemplating adding a 32c to the collection.

Before you know it you'll be pimp'n a whole gang of them.

 

[Jim K]

Yet another argument for always carrying the same gun or at least the same type of gun. You can waste time sweeping a safety that isn't there or you can die pulling the trigger of a gun that has the safety on if you think you have one with no safety.

Collecting guns is fine, and gun collectors are some of my favorite folks. But don't try to rotate the collection for carry. I simply do not believe that anyone can depend on reflex to recognize by feel and instantly operate a couple of dozen different kinds of guns.

Jim