When do you thumb the safety off ?

[deacon]

Folks,

Just wanted to get some feedback from those of you who have carried/do carry a weapon that is equipped with a manual safety...at what point in the presentation do you take the safety off ? As the weapon clears, from low ready to ready, other ? Also, what made you go with your particular choice ?

I am looking for some 1911 feedback specifically, although all input is
appreciated.

Thanks,
Brad

 

[Oregon Street]

my S&W 1911's thumb saftey goes to 'fire' whenever i clear my holster not happy about that, it's got a thumb break so i'm considering getting a new holster without a thumb break.

 

[cpaspr]

Not much help here, because I try to keep things real simple. If I have to draw, I don't want to have to try and remember if I flipped the safety off. My Sigs have decockers so I can carry hammer-down in DA/SA mode. If I draw, I only have to concentrate on "do I pull the trigger" type questions. I'm the kind of guy who doesn't do well with video games where you have to manipulate multiple buttons at once. Back when the kids were home I played Mario-Cart full speed, no brakes not because I was a lead-thumb, but because I couldn't concentrate on the screen and three buttons per hand all at the same time.

That said, I would think that if you are in a situation where you feel like you need to draw, you need to go hot as you draw. If it's serious enough to draw, you better be prepared to shoot, and that means safety off right now!

 

[M47 Dragon]

Mine comes off between low ready and ready, though that is one fluid motion.

I do it that way because that is how I was taught in training classes. Oh, and because I want to avoid shooting my leg.

 

[nj.piney]

i carry a star pd 45 auto. cocked and locked. when the gun clears the holster the safety comes off. finger off the trigger.

 

[VHinch]

With a 1911, I swipe the safety as part of the draw stroke. As the weapon comes to eye level, I disengage the safety as my hands come together to grip the weapon. It makes a lot more sense to show it then it does to try to type it out.

When I carry my Sig, I still swipe at the safety (which of course isn't there) out of muscle memory.

 

[Wildfire]

Good answers.

Hey there:
These are pretty good answers. Somewhere between the holster and line of sight is best. A good 1911 can have light trigger pulls and mine does. So it's best to keep that finger out of the trigger guard and down along the side till you would need it. It is not a long trip. and happens very fast. The well tuned 1911s can have very light triggers and give accurate first shots vs, a heavy triggered double action . Some handle the heavy triggers quite well , I do not.

 

[drpaulHOO]

When I draw [1911] my thumb goes on top of the safety, pushing it down as the gun comes to horizontal. Thumb stays on top of that safety until it's ready to go back to its home.

HTH

Paul

 

[Rustynuts]

If my gun ever comes out of the holster it will be ready to fire. I would advise anyone to do this (click the safety off as part of the draw). Do you want to try and remember if you clicked the safety in the split second you may need to fire? You do still have your finger off the trigger don't you? That's your safety for ANY weapon DA or SA. Just make sure your gun is set up for defense use (no 2-lb trigger jobs!).

 

[GRIZ22]

You should train to thumb the safety off after you clear the holster. That way if you need to use th gun you know the safety is off.

 

[bmanrkg3]

I'll probably get boo'ed for saying this, but how about getting a Glock or XD? *Ducks the beer bottles*

 

[ExSoldier]

I have found the time it takes to wipe the safety consumes precious moments and as I age, I worry about overly sensitive triggers and fingers not very sensitive. That's why I usually carry either a Sig P226R or an H&K or a S&W M642. All are DA first shot. I'm not running down the 1911s as carry guns. USed to carry a Star PD as well as a 1911 for decades. But for the last six years or so, I've transitioned from a SA to a DA and from the 45ACP to the 9mm and I'm happy.

 

[skinewmexico]

I'll probably get boo'ed for saying this, but how about getting a Glock or XD? *Ducks the beer bottles*

That's so 21st century.

 

[Dismantler]

Whatever you want to do, do it consistently from the start. I only have one auto, a Ruger MK II. I only shoot it at the sandpit. (I carry revolvers.) I am amazed by the muscle memory that I developed over a summer's shooting. I do not even have to think about the safety and slide stop anymore.

 

[USMC 1975]

When I go from a low position to a ready / fire position with the gun.

Chris

 

[1911 guy]

I thumb down the safety on the drawstroke. By the time the pistol is level, it's ready to fire, but make SURE you have learned good trigger discipline if you choose this option.

 

[spwenger]

I Teach...

...a draw stroke that goes through a "protected-gun" postion, where you have the option to fire if the threat is within one or two arm's lengths. Years ago I had a student with a 1911 who was unable to fire from that position. The answer was obvious - he had been trained to thumb down the safety as the support hand met the gun hand, on the way to the sighting plane. I advised him that he either had to retrain himself to depress the safety as soon as the muzzle was indexed on the threat or to switch to a pistol that does not have a manual safety. After a brief flirtation with Glocks he became a SIG carrier.

 

[Dick1911]

IF you get to the point where you feel you need to pull it out of the holster you thumb off the safety as it clears the holster. If you're not prepared to shoot when you de-holster, then don't deholster...

 

[Ske1etor]

As soon as my pistol clears my holster (When I say as soon as, I mean as soon as I clear the holster.) What good is a gun in your line of sight if the safety is on? What if you are practicing thumbing the safety once your sights are lined up and one day you have to shoot from the hip while pushing an attacker away? Practice sweeping the safety as a part of the drawstroke (Between draw and low ready)

As for the worry of shooting your own foot, if you have to rely on a mechanical safety to stop you from shooting your firearm you aren't following rule #3 (The golden rule) and I suggest some training.

In a bad situation you will not rise to the occasion, you will default to your highest level of training.

 

[TheLastBoyScout]

Somewhere between 45 degrees downangle and ready to fire whether it's my 1911 or my AR 15.

When I go "alert to the dirt" with an AK.

It doesn't get used as a rule on my Beretta or my Mossberg. I'm comfortable carrying the 92FS with hammer down and one in the pipe, and the mossberg safety is tough to get off in a hurry so when it's pulling HD duty it's "cruiser ready" with safety off and an empty chamber over a full tube.

It all depends on training and the ergonomics of the weapon. I train the most with my AR and my 1911, and they have well placed safeties, so I use them. The AK's safety is badly placed regardless of how long I train with it, the Mossberg safety is just a pain to use, and the 92's is both redundant and not well placed, so none of them get used as much.

 

[sadlsor]

I believe the answer is pretty clear, and unanimous. (That doesn't mean the same as 100% agreement, does it?)

Point being, from Condition 1 / C&L, the safety is swept off as the weapon clears the holster. In my mind, that's pretty much the reason for Condition 1 in the first place: to have the weapon as ready to fire as possible, while being as safe as possible. That's also a large part of the reason I prefer 1911s.

And as stated several times above, if you aren't ready to use the pistol, then it should remain safely in the holster.

KISS rules. (Not the band, tho some may argue that as well.)

 

[Geronimo45]

When I put it in the holster in the first place.

 

[Rokyudai]

Deacon,

I have been watching number of instructional videos on

http://www.guntalk.tv/site.php


In order to view the particular video I'm thinking of, a basic membership is needed. It's free also. You just have to fill out basic info... i.e. email.

Under the instructional videos for handguns, there was a great breakdown specifically for using a 1911 for concealed carry. The instructor Cory Trapp from GunSite Academy shows his taught 'presentation'. Upon clearing the holster (count 3?) he clicks off the safety. Giver a look at his step by step and see if it looks/feels good to you.

Hope this helps

 

[blackcash88]

I do what I was taught at Gunsite. As soon as the pistol is clear of the holster, it is rotated 90 degrees pointing forward and the safety is swept off during that motion before extending the arms.

 

[Grandpa Shooter]

Over the years I have carried anything from a Walther PPK/S up to and including several different 1911's. Most of the time concealed, and at the range (as an RSO) well out in the open as a deterrent. I have semi's and revolvers.

I found the best answer to your question was to not carry a gun with a safety I had to manipulate while engaging. I switched to double action only, whether revolver or semi and trained myself to NEVER pull the trigger unless I INTENDED to shoot! Doesn't matter what the target is. Train yourself to never shoot unless your brain gives the signal to your muscles.

1. Identify
2. Analyze
3. React
4. Respond

in that order.