Carrying a DA/SA pistol with manual safety off?

[BoneDigger]

The title pretty much says it all. I have a ruger P345 that I have been carrying quite a bit. It is a traditional DA/SA pistol, with a manual safety. The DA trigger pull is rather long and hard. ould it be safe to carry the gun with a loaded round, but with the safety off? Of course, I realize that a safety is "between the ears" and that a good holster is a must, but is there any reason it should not be done?

Todd

[NcongruNt]

That really depends on the pistol, specifically what the DA pull is like. I have no problem carrying my PA-63 hammer down with the safety off. The DA pull on this specific gun is long and somewhere around 20 lbs. I'd be happy carrying unlocked with a much lighter trigger as long as I knew I could trust my holster to keep the gun put.

As you said, the real safety is between your ears, and your confidence in your carry condition is ultimately dependent on your confidence in your gun handling skills. If you are confident that your holster will keep a good hold of your gun, and that you're not going to somehow inadvertently put enough force to pull the DA trigger, then I'd say you're fine carrying it that way.

[stroo]

If the first pull is DA, what is the difference between carrying a DA/SA with the safety off and a DA only without a safety. The long and harder first pull is supposed to protect you. While I prefer an SA with a thumb safety, I have carried my P95 with the safety off without any hesitation.

[JLaw]

When I carry a DA/SA pistol I carry with the safety off. But lately I've also incorporated thumbing the safety into the off position when I draw the pistol, just to "make sure" the safety's off.

So yes, it's perfectly safe.

No difference between carrying a DA/SA pistol with safety off than carrying a revolver with the hammer in the "at rest" position, really.

JLaw

[Lucky45]

If the first pull is DA, what is the difference between carrying a DA/SA with the safety off and a DA only without a safety.

I think that having to keep making that long pull on the DAO is the reason why I chose a DA/SA pistol. After the first shot, it will be easier to maintain a high rate of fire with SA. So I keep safety off with hammer down, with no fear of any misfires. Also the main reason I don't like striker fire pistols, any pressure applied to the trigger for whatever reason, then they can fire.

[KBCraig]

My Ruger P97DC is the earlier generation to your P345. The P97 doesn't even have an external safety, just a decocker.

So obviously, yes, I carry it without using a (non-existent) safety.

In general, if the trigger pull is a true DA, and not partially pre-cocked like a Glock, I wouldn't worry in the least about an external safety. Just like a revolver, right?

[Will938]

I'm perfectly comfortable carrying my P228/P3AT, they don't have manual safeties.

[Liberty]

I carry a P95 and although I insist on a safety I have noticed that the safety has sometimes been knocked off by holstering unholstering, not a big deal the gun was designed to be a DA only with a decocker.
I would be concerned with the safety being in the wrong position when the gun is really needed. I would continue practicing drawing and sweeping the safety with your thumb, just in case.

Most striker type actions might have too light a trigger that could compromise safety, The Glock has the funky trigger thingy, to help protect accidental trigger pull.

[DoubleJ]

I could not imagine carrying my M9 with the safety on. seems redundant to me.
I also have no problem making multiple shots in Double Action, if, for whatever reason, I had to.
but that's just me.

I also carry a GlockClone, which I have not problem with. I do not believe that "any pressure applied for whatever reason to the trigger" due to the trigger safety. some GlockTypes have a grip safety, too.

kind of like the Revolver I carry, any pressure applied to that trigger, of course you'd have to exceed the amount of pull it has, in pounds, and it will fire.

seems kinda true for all firearms, you squeeze the trigger, and it fires....
maybe there oughtta be a rule for that......

[THE ENGINEER]

I carry a Springfield XD-40 ready to go at all times. Only has a grip safety and trigger safety. No worries as it is impossible to touch the trigger while it is holstered. The only times it is taken out of the holster is to clean it or shoot it.

[royke]

The Sig da/sa pistols have no external safety, like "modern" revolvers.....

[Wheelman]

That really depends on the pistol, specifically what the DA pull is like. I have no problem carrying my PA-63 hammer down with the safety off. The DA pull on this specific gun is long and somewhere around 20 lbs. I'd be happy carrying unlocked with a much lighter trigger as long as I knew I could trust my holster to keep the gun put.

As you said, the real safety is between your ears, and your confidence in your carry condition is ultimately dependent on your confidence in your gun handling skills. If you are confident that your holster will keep a good hold of your gun, and that you're not going to somehow inadvertently put enough force to pull the DA trigger, then I'd say you're fine carrying it that way.

Not to hijack, but do you know if the pa63 has a drop safety? It seems to me that if it was dropped on the hammer, it could fire, which makes me paranoid about carrying mine without the safety on.

[NcongruNt]

That really depends on the pistol, specifically what the DA pull is like. I have no problem carrying my PA-63 hammer down with the safety off. The DA pull on this specific gun is long and somewhere around 20 lbs. I'd be happy carrying unlocked with a much lighter trigger as long as I knew I could trust my holster to keep the gun put.

As you said, the real safety is between your ears, and your confidence in your carry condition is ultimately dependent on your confidence in your gun handling skills. If you are confident that your holster will keep a good hold of your gun, and that you're not going to somehow inadvertently put enough force to pull the DA trigger, then I'd say you're fine carrying it that way.

Not to hijack, but do you know if the pa63 has a drop safety? It seems to me that if it was dropped on the hammer, it could fire, which makes me paranoid about carrying mine without the safety on.

They are on California's list of approved handguns, so it's been tested that way and found to be safe. I do believe they have a drop safety, and a little research using google finds this to be true. Doing a find for "drop safety" on these pages will show this:


http://lee1812.blogspot.com/2005/03/pa- ... eview.html
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/arc ... 88828.html
http://kilogulf59.proboards80.com/index ... 1184201629

[zeroskillz]

I guess it would depend on the DA pull weight. I carry a DA/SA Sig, which has no manual safety, and the DA pull weight is specced at 10 pounds. I have complete confidence in my gun.

HTH
-Ted