External safety: What is your preference?

[Samwolf]

No external safeties. I like the "point and click" interface on my Glocks and revolvers.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Orive 8]

I do not prefer an external safety. My current EDC gun is a Glock 19. When I worked as an LEO, my duty gun was a Sig 226 or Sig 220, both in uniform and plain clothes. No external safties, only a decocker.

That said, I cut my teeth on a Browning Hi-Power. If I'm going to have an external safety on a gun, I want it to be a 1911 style safety -up for safe/down for fire.

I have used/carried Walther PPK style safety guns before (PPK/S, Beretta 92, and some S&Ws models 39, 3906, 669, 6906) I used these safeties as a decocker lever only, carrying with the decocker in the up - fire - position.

But I really prefer no external safties - even though I am putting a Springfield EMP through its paces right now.

[bmcgilvray]

I prefer an external safety. Carrying in condition one is not difficult or confusing and yields a superior trigger. I like good triggers.

[First Sgt]

I prefer NO external safety. I carry Glock !!!! That should say it all...JMO

[coffeecup]

No safety. That has no place on a combat pistol.

Ole John Browning must be turning flips in his grave over that one.

I suspect that he has considerable more experience in combat pistols that anyone on this forum and the very best pistols he designed cetainly an have external safety.

IMHO no one has yet to come up with a true COMBAT pistol that can hold a candle to a 1911.

[Luis50]

Glock is a DAO technically/legally- just that the trigger weight is lighter than many DAOs and certainly than revolvers. Mechanically, Glocks are really an action and a half, for they are partially cocked to begin with. When the trigger is pulled they then are fully cocked - this the 1/2 action; the second action is the release of the fully cocked firing-pin.

Glocks are combat guns and were built to mimic revolvers: point and shoot, so a manual safety sort of defeats that purpose. And the standard lighter trigger pull has a very good safety record as far as problems with the gun itself. Just keep your finger out of the trigger guard like any gun.

Some do want a third-party manual safety installed because of the lighter trigger pull, but the better option is to get a stronger trigger-spring unit. There are two made by Glock: NY1 and NY2, so called because a lot of cops in NY State use the stronger NY1 spring. That way, the gun operates as intended, like a revolver, point-and-shoot, but gives a little extra trigger weight. NY2 gives the trigger weight of a revolver. Most don't use it.

As far as why the same applies to any DAO, people often not wanting a safety, is that they are double action and the trigger pull and trigger-travel distance ARE the safety (plus they have drop-safties, to keep the gun from firing unless you actually pull the trigger). It takes intention to pull back a heavy trigger weight a long distance. It's extremely difficult to unintentionally pull a revolver trigger for example. Too much resistance and distance to the shot.

Thanks. I've done some reading on this subject but this is the first time it's been this clear to me...very good writing sir. Are these trigger units the same products found on the Glock website? They have one that brings the weight to 8lbs and another down to 3lbs.

[Ceapea]

IMHO no one has yet to come up with a true COMBAT pistol that can hold a candle to a 1911.

What can a 1911 do that a G21 can't do as well and even better? Or a Sig P220 for that matter?
If you're talking 1.5" groups at 25 yards, then maybe the 1911 wins. And the P220 will be as good at that distance. But for combat and it's required accuracy, I cant see 7 or 8 in a 1911 beating 13/14 from a G21 while holding up in any likely condition.

Ceapea

[friesepferd]

oh this topic has been discussed a million times, but ill throw in my 2 cents.
a gun having an external safety has no barring on my decision to carry it or not. SAO guns need safeties, DAO guns do not. I have no problem carrying either. My carry gun is a Kimber Aegis (9mm 3" 1911), so it does have an external safety. I picked that gun for a few reasons. The main one being the size and thickness. Having a nice thin single stack guns helps a ton with concealability for me. I also wanted a nice accurate gun with a good trigger. You can have a nicer trigger than a 1911, and I just like 1911s a lot in general. So thats what I carry. I also have a XD, and if it wasnt so chucky I would have no problem carrying it either.
Many people bash carrying guns with external safeties because they think it slows you down, or that you might forget to turn it off. At least for me, both of these things are impossible. For me to even remotely properly grip my gun to fire, the safety must be off. When I have the currect grip for a 1911, my thumb rests on top of the safety, not below it, the entire time I shoot. this means that when I draw the gun, I do so with my thumb ontop of the safety, and it flicks off as I bring it up. it doesnt slow me down, and its not something to 'remember'.
For me 'forgetting to flip off the safety' is like 'forgetting to put my finger on the trigger to make it fire'.

[DIXIETWISTER]

I grew up shooting longuns. Trained from very young to not take the safety off.untill ready to fire. However now i am comforatble without a manual saftey.

[sigmanluke]

No external safety.....SIG....Simple Is Good...

Best answer yet!

I don't mind either way. The 1911 style safety is as easy to disengage as it gets, and can be trained into muscle memory to be part of the drawing sequence so that it is second nature.

I love my XDs, though, and they have no manual safety.

Umm....what about the grip safety?

[friesepferd]

Umm....what about the grip safety?

I assume this thread when refering to 'manual safeties', 'external safeties' etc, we are referring to a tumb safety, not a grip safety. but maybe i missunderstood the origional post.
Yes, a grip safety is external and manual, but rarely is reffered to as such.

[JayHawker45]

Prefer DA/SA with decocker, so all I carry are Sigs...no external safety for me.

[sigmanluke]

For my CCW, I don't want a safety to have to contend with. I have revolvers and the Glocks. As long as it's in a holster, I am happy with that. What is your opinion on safeties (ie External Safety, Grip Safety, etc)?

This is why I asked the question, he specified "grip safety" in the OP.

I assume this thread when refering to 'manual safeties', 'external safeties' etc, we are referring to a tumb safety, not a grip safety. but maybe i missunderstood the origional post.Yes, a grip safety is external and manual, but rarely is reffered to as such.

I guess if ye want to get specific, the trigger "safety" on Glocks is an external, manual safety. But I don't really understand that one.

[MSteve]

I like my Sig with no manual safety.
However, I don't think a safety is an issue on a "combat gun" as long as you remember to train on it like a "combat gun." With proper training, you should be able to disengage the safety reflexively, just like drawing and shooting.
I would say keep it consistent. It's more difficult to build that reflexive muscle memory if you are constantly switching between weapons with and without a safety.

[SpringerXD]

On my own property, I pocket carry (in a pocket holster) a Taurus PT145 after dark whenever I step outside. With a loaded and cocked pistol in my pocket, YES, I want a manual thumb safety.

I can totally see the point of not having one under stress, etc.... but that's also the reason I love the XD 45 Compact. It has a grip safety that won't interfere under stress.