Carry With Safety On?

[saltysquid]

I keep mine cocked and locked. I like the SA pull better than the DA pull......

+1 on that

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[retsupt99]

1911 in holster, safety alway on...muscle memory takes the safety off when it leaves the holster.

[Bark'n]

As far as I'm concerned, if your weapon has a manual/external safety on it, it should be carried with the safety engaged.

For example, if you are carrying a single action 1911, it is extremely dangerous to carry hammer back with a round in the pipe and manual safety off. Your liability goes way through the roof for a negligent discharge. If you shoot yourself, well, no big loss, right? But if you shoot an innocent person, well... hopefully, you get the picture.

[rljohns]

1911 condition one cocked and locked. Safety on until gun is on target.

Here is the correct answer. Do not click the safety off while the firearm is pointed down at your leg. Practice practice practice and you will disengage it as you present it to the target without thought and click it on as you bring it back to low ready.

[9MMare]

I'm left handed so the safety on the right side to needed. Plus I don't use lasers on my carry guns so its not a problem.

Cool

[Devilsclaw]

I'm new to this forum, but I just wanted to say I am very impressed at the very inteligent responses to the question.

Nearly everyone responded with respect and correct advice to use the safety if available, while not sidetracking into whether or not the firearm should have one.

I just like how everyone responded in thoughtful and polite tone.

Having spent too much time lately on a regional forum, where only plastic guns are good, and all others are junk, and hear admonishments such as, "if you carry a gun with a safety, you are dumb", etc.

I guess it is very refreshing to come here and see adult answers. I feel that the folks here are more "gun people" than the other place.

[Chevyguy85]

my security six only has the safety(external) located between my ears. XD45 grip safety and whatever doohickies it has. My p345 has a safety/decocker but since its double action first pull I never bothered with the safety. p95 has decocker only. The only gun I use a manual safety on is my p238 and like any 1911 style it was designed to be cocked and locked and that's the way it stays in my pocket.

[earlthegoat2]

All my pistols have some sort of manually manipulated safety and it is always on.

In the case of the HK P7 it pretty much has to be on if the gun is not in my hand. Hi Power yes. Beretta 92 yes.

[gottabkiddin]

Some, like the PPK (I hear), must have the safety on to prevent drop-discharges.

I'm not sure if that's correct, at least for the pre S&W ppks. My Interarms PPK will not allow the hammer to touch the firing pin unless the trigger has been pulled.

Anyone can test it in their PPK by simply cocking the hammer on an empty chamber. Then lower the hammer manually while holding the trigger back, push forward on the back of the hammer, you should then see that the hammer can clearly strike the FP. Once you release pressure on the hammer it'll reset and you can then release the trigger and try to push on the back of the hammer again and see that wont touch the FP.

To the OP's question, I carry any of my DA pistols with a manual safety in the off position and on a chambered round. Most all modern firearms employe the FP block, if the pistol doesn't have it, I don't buy it. If the poop hits the fan, I don't want to worry about anything except the (clear, point and shoot) part.

If I'm carrying in one of my "deep concealment" modes I'll put the safety on cause it's such a slow presentation anyway, that the safety sweep is no big deal.

[whisky19]

My CZ 2075 can be carried either cocked and locked or hammer down in double action mode. I would prefer cocked and locked but the low profile safety does not allow me to easily flip off the safety without repositioning my grip. As a result, I carry in double action mode. The Rami does not allow the safety to be engaged in d/a and wouldn't use the safety in this mode anyway.

[jcurt172]

If you do have a manual safety, train with it. I saw a video of a jewelry store owner who was attacked by a robber with a firearm. If I remember correctly the store owner spotted the bad guy's gun quickly, drew quickly and was in position take the first shot (by just a split second). He squeezed the trigger but had not, unfortunately, disengaged the safety. The result was that the store owner was shot multiple times in the abdomen and was only able to get one shot off that missed the BG.
It's been said that our performance level during a firefight is about 50% of what it is when we're at the range leaving the real possibility that elevated stress levels may likely cause us to rush and make a mistake. I guess the lesson here, which had been said by many more than myself, is to practice, practice, practice. Make it second nature to disengage the safety at some point when presenting your weapon to its target.

[whisky19]

If you do have a manual safety, train with it. I saw a video of a jewelry store owner who was attacked by a robber with a firearm. If I remember correctly the store owner spotted the bad guy's gun quickly, drew quickly and was in position take the first shot (by just a split second). He squeezed the trigger but had not, unfortunately, disengaged the safety. The result was that the store owner was shot multiple times in the abdomen and was only able to get one shot off that missed the BG.
It's been said that our performance level during a firefight is about 50% of what it is when we're at the range leaving the real possibility that elevated stress levels may likely cause us to rush and make a mistake. I guess the lesson here, which had been said by many more than myself, is to practice, practice, practice. Make it second nature to disengage the safety at some point when presenting your weapon to its target.

I totally agree. That is why I decide to carry in d/a mode. Through range practice I have determined that I couldn't reliably disengage the safety. If I can't do it 100% at a range I couldn't imagine doing it under stress. I don't really see much difference in time to engage between s/a or d/a but I just prefer the lighter s/a trigger pull on the first shot.

[minas]

If you do have a manual safety, train with it. I saw a video of a jewelry store owner who was attacked by a robber with a firearm. If I remember correctly the store owner spotted the bad guy's gun quickly, drew quickly and was in position take the first shot (by just a split second). He squeezed the trigger but had not, unfortunately, disengaged the safety. The result was that the store owner was shot multiple times in the abdomen and was only able to get one shot off that missed the BG. .

And for that reason my EDC is a Glock!!.

[pretty ruger]

with my ruger p95 i carry with the safety off in a OWB fobus holster.
I carry my xd 9 sc in either the holster that came with it or i carry it in a IWB holster

[oncourse]

every point is has it's merit. Seems in the end one's own preference prevails. Logically cocked and locked sound right. I go half cocked (hammer off the pin) and pull the hammer rather than push the safety during presentation on the 1911 TLE