slimjim

As with any additional feature (i.e. safety) on a firearm there are potential pros & cons. Some already mentioned. Personally, I don't find they give me a "warm feeling". The only guns I own w/ grip safeties are 1911's. I wouldn't be adverse to buying a polymer gun such as XD with a grip safety. Though, if I'd had a choice, I would elect to go without.

__________________
A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity.
-- Sigmund Freud

crzy4guns

While I feel that the Springfield XDs are every bit as good as the Glock pistols, I have never found the grip safety to be necessary. I believe the Springfield XD has the grip safety in order to enhance military sales as was the case with the Colt 1911 .45. I know that a famous Texas Ranger carried a pair of Colt .45s with rubber bands around the grips to deactivate the grip safeties. One day the captain had a prisoner who was riding on the back of his horse handcuffed, the bad guy had slipped his bonds and began to beat the ranger with the handcuffs. The captain drew one of his .45s and tried in vain to shoot the dirty bum from behind him. His grip on the pistol was such that the grip safety was not depressed and therefore he could not get his automatic to fire. It was only after he was nearly unconscious and fell off the horse that he was able to get a proper grip on the his Colt and shoot to save his life. From that day forward, he deactivated the safeties with rubber bands. I don't recall his name at the moment but he was the inspiration for the Chuck Norris movie "Lone Wolf McQuade". I remember reading about him in one of the gun magazines some time back. Like QKShooter said before about taking it or leaving it is how I also feel about grip safeties.

__________________
The closest helping hand is the one at your wrist.

SIXTO

On a XD they are a waste of time and effort IMO. But, if it gives you that warm and fuzzy feeling, more power to ya.

__________________
In a land of sheep, even a toothless wolf is king.

Wake Up! The zombie invasion has begun years ago.

FireintheWhole

I really don't think this is an issue. If you have the gun in your hand in a position that you are able to fire it, that grip safety is pushed in. I'm sitting here with my XD trying to find a circumstance where I could have my grip on the gun securely enough to fire and have the safety not be deactivated, and I can't do it. It seems any time you have a grip on the gun, that safety us easily deactivated.

cdwolf

Remember The Idiot that dropped His pistol at Dinner a couple of weeks ago. His glock went off when he tried to catch It, if he had an XD it would not have fired. Luckily no one was hurt.
I know A glock, in a shooters hand is fine, But when you start thinking that everyone needs a gun it get's scary! Most people need all the safety devices you can give them, and for some it won't be enough.
Just read some of the Range stories on here.
I'll take the XD....JMO

__________________
GUN CONTROL= I WANT TO BE THE ONE IN CONTROL OF THE GUN

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

mrhutch

it doesn't take much at all to depress the xd's grip safety. if when you're re-holstering the weapon you put all the pressure on the sides of the handle and keep the web of your thumb off the gun, it would prevent against AD from a limb or other obstruction say if you were shooting in the woods. and XD's, at least the .40 and .45s, are not very susceptible to limp-wristing, and will fire just fine with any grip strong enough to hold the gun up.

i would also say that it is a handy additional feature that will prevent AD if you were to drop the weapon and the trigger safety failed--redundancies are always nice to have when it comes to mechanical devices.

morintp

Personally, I don't care much for grip safeties, but I can definitely understand some people's desire (for lack of a better word) for guns that have them.

But I have no room to talk here. I carry a Sig.

<---I have the evil post count right now.

Chooie

It's part of the gun, take it or leave it. Personally, I like it, especially for IWB carry. Too often you hear of officers holstering a traditional DAO or DA/SA off safe and getting a piece of their jacket or uniform in the holster with the gun. It may not mean an immediate ND, but somewhere along the line their body may shift and cause the fabric to pull the trigger. With the grip safety, the officer is far less likely to blow a hole in his hip, and I liken this to getting my cover garment (light shirt or whatnot) stuck the same way. While I would still own the gun if it were not introduced with this feature, I do feel it is a key feature to the design and overall appeal of the XD.

__________________
-Joe

Quando omni flunkus, moritati.

Virginia Citizens Defense League

Rustburg, VA Volunteer Rescue Squad

Captain Crunch

Oh, please spare us...

__________________


Memo to the President:
I'll keep my guns, money & freedom...
You can keep the "change!"

Terry

SilenceDoGood

Grip safeties are a very good and ingenious idea. They are stupid simple (see hard to mess up) and useful weather you see it is a peace of mind, or an actual safety feature.

__________________
"A government is like fire, a handy servant, but a dangerous master." -- George Washington