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I have been in the waiting room since January... Long story, and finally got the plastic today.

I have a Beretta 96 and a S&W 915 both DA/SA guns. My question is When carrying a DA/SA or DAO is it really necesarry to keep the safety on?

Before I get flamed, the reason I am asking is the safety takes that much more time to flip up, and I cannot imagine getting hung up on anything that would pull the hammer or the trigger. I am also thinking about going with the flush hammer for the 96 so then the hammer is not an issue.

Please let me know, and yes I have thick skin so if you want to flame me and call me stupid that is cool.

Coffeyc wrote:I have a Beretta 96 and a S&W 915 both DA/SA guns. My question is When carrying a DA/SA or DAO is it really necesarry to keep the safety on?

I am not sure about you, but I don't.

My Beretta 92G is DA/SA, has decocker, no safety. Ready to go....

You'll have to decide what you're comfortable with. Practice both methods and then decide what is best for you. In here, while you will find proponents of both methods, they cannot put themselves in your shoes...

Keep coming with the questions, and all in here will try to help. If you can draw, flip the safety and fire well enough, and are comfortable with that, go for it. If the thought of not having the safety on makes you uncomfortable, that's another thing. Take your time.

Remember, that weapon is only as safe as you are.

Good luck, friend!

Oh, by the way, congratulations on getting the plastic!!!!!!

When I carry my USP Compact in a de-cocked condition, I sometimes leave the safety off. The DA trigger pull is still 10 lbs, even with a lighter hammer spring, and it is covered in the holster. Nothing is going to pull that trigger until I do. But most of the time, I carry it cocked and locked, so the question is moot.

For me, Glock with one in the pipe. For you, it's all a matter of what you feel safe with.

I would practice drawing with the safety on. That way you get used to sweeping the safety off as you draw.

I could see you having the safety on and drawing and "click" when you are expecting "bang". If you are used to sweeping the safety off with your thumb during the draw you will never have this problem.

whether you carry with the safety on or not is up to you but you should train with the safety on.

Hi everyone,

I'm new to both the forums and CHL. Course was in May, plastic was in July.

In regards to the Beretta 96, I own the 92 and this has been a topic of concern for me as well. However, as FlynJay recommended, I must second his assessment that you should practice drawing from your holster while concurrently disengaging the safety. It's easy to be comfortable with functionality you know well, however as gun owners we do not have the luxury being comfortable to the point of assuming we'll know what we are doing. That's when we lose respect for the firearm, and that's when we become a passive threat to others and ourselves.

I understand there may be differences in functionality with models in 90-series (my 92fs is the M9), but with my 92fs, my safety/decocker is ambidextrously installed at the back of the slide directly below the rear sights, unlike the Taurus models with thumb levers above the grip. I find the 92fs very safe with "one in the pipe" when the safety is engaged because that means the hammer is decocked, and the firing pin is not exposed (as you already know). As CHL carriers, I understand that for protecting my life, that if I need to pull my weapon I better be ready to shoot, and I feel that I've TRAINED with the gun enough to disengage the safety upon reach down, and I've TRAINED enough to know how to be effective with that initial DA pull... all without keeping a cocked, hot gun in my holster stuck in SA mode especially in a Beretta. In essence, I would consider keeping the safety OFF, only after having decocked the hammer with one in the pipe still. That first DA shot is quite a pull and your accuracy may suffer as a result and that could be a risk you are not willing to take... practice, practice, practice.

I cannot stress the importance of training with the weapon you choose to carry. Recently, I've been practicing with my unloaded Glock 19 how to pull and rack the weapon instead of keeping a bullet chambered. The more you train safely, the better your muscle reflexes will be for any reason, God forbid, that the situation becomes real.

Either way, I think we are asking the right questions, and there are definitely people here with perspectives that should help you narrow down the best and safest methodology you the individual are capable of employing.

For my own peace of mind, I must clarify. My 92G has no safety other than:

a. being decocked with one in the pipe and ready for DA first pull, or
b. no round in the pipe and have to work the slide.

When my card arrives, it will be carried with one in the pipe, decocked. I make sure I practice that first DA shot regularly. In the parlance of one of my favorite authors, get the first shot off fast, that way your target is unnerved and you have a chance to put the rest of them right on the money....I still practice for that first shot to be as accurate as possible......

I am sure beyond all doubt that my weapon will not fire in that condition, if properly maintained, handled and holstered.

Look at most revolvers as an example. Here are the options:

a. hammer down, one in the cylinder under it
b. hammer down, no round in the firing cylinder

If I carried my old revolver, it would be carried with a full wheel.

Work to YOUR comfort/safety level.

I carry my DA/SA Ruger KP944 with the manual safety off. The trigger pull is heavy when in DA mode,so it's not an issue with "pulling it" and having an unintended discharge when drawing the firearm. I also carry in a thumbreak style holster that covers the hammer.
JL

I carried my Glock with an empty chamber for a long time.

With plastic practice rounds, I rehearsed sling-shotting the slide. Eventually, I was very efficient at doing this.

As time passed, I noticed that I'd never unexpectedly stroked the trigger, practicing or carrying.

Now, I carry with a round in the chamber with a 3.5lb trigger.

If prompt presentation is necessary, having to deactivate a safety may take your focus from where it need be or chambering a round while under great stress (also a focus distraction) is for me far more dangerous...

Of course, as mentioned, I had to go through the initial "getting comfortable" phase first with the current carry status.

Those who think it might be a good idea to carry a pistol without a round in the chamber might find it useful to practice one or more procedures for getting a round in the chamber using only one hand. When the fight starts, you might not have two hands available for that task.

I think carrying with the chamber empty is a really bad idea, myself. Loading the pistol takes time you may not have.

I carry with one in the pipe and the safety(wish I could just remove it from my taurus 709) in the off position. Of course, with my Glock and my J-frame, the only safety is between my ears. My father-in-law always says, "don't put your booger hook on the trigger until you're ready to shoot something." I think that is the best advice I can give, as there have been may times when I am hunting in low stress situations and gotten nothing off but a dead stop in the trigger and a shoulder flinch, rather than firing a shot, only to have my target walk, run or fly away....but I do still always use my safety when I'm hunting. Good luck, and may you find a method which suits you best.

I carry my XD40 loaded. One of the great features of the pistol is the two safety's. The palm safety and the trigger safety. One is not designed to fire without the other depressed. There is no way Im going to ask the BG to give me a second to rack my slide.

My only advice is to pick ONE method and stick to it.