Safety on or off for CCW carry?

[tytl]

Hello folks, had a question for the collective bunch here. I normally carry a S&W 442 as a pocket carry, but also have a Bersa Thunder 9mm. It is a 17 round full size 9mm. I was curious for those of you that carry a full size gun if you carry with the safety on or off. After you chamber a round and let the hammer down, first shot if DA. Do most people feel comfortable using the long first DA trigger pull as the only safety. The safety in a standard thumb safety which is fairly easy to thumb down, but I wondered about the time required to do that in a real situation. Thanks for the advice.
tytl

[seamusTX]

I feel comfortable carrying a double-action pistol (SIG) with no safety.

I keep circling around those Bersas, but I'm put off by the multiple safeties. They also have an integral lock and magazine safety.

- Jim

[ELB]

Do most people feel comfortable using the long first DA trigger pull as the only safety.

I would. I say "I would" rather than "I do" because I do not like DA/SA type trigger actions, so don't carry one now. I carried the Beretta M-9 a little bit in the military, and while I could shoot it well, I felt the switch from DA to SA after the first shot was a nuisance. We carried M-9s with round chambered, hammer down, safety off. Revolvers also work just fine with DA as the only safety. Glocks do too, and they don't have as long a DA pull as any of the DA/SA pistols I have tried. All the problems I have seen/read about with unintended discharge was because someone put his finger where it shouldn't be when he shouldn't have. Since one needs to learn how to thumb-off the safety as part of the presentation (draw), the safety doesn't do much to keep you from inadvertently pulling the trigger if you have a wandering finger.

The safety in a standard thumb safety which is fairly easy to thumb down, but I wondered about the time required to do that in a real situation.

People have used single-action pistols like the 1911 and the Browning Hi Power "cocked and locked" for about a hundred years without serious difficulty. You train yourself to take the safety off as part of the presentation, so there is really no time lost. You do have to train yourself tho. When I got my first single action pistol, I specifically practiced thumbing the safety as I drew by practicing 50 presentations every night for about three weeks. That got me a good start on ingraining that movement into my draw. I have accomplished thousands of draws since then, and I can remember only two times, early on, when I fumbled switching off the safety. I now have small callous on my right thumb where it contacts the safety.

I wouldn't use safety on a first-shot-double-action pistol myself, but suit yourself.

elb

[MoJo]

Decock the gun and turn the safety off. The gun is just as safe decocked and unlocked as a double action revolver is with the hammer down. The best safety is the one between your ears.

[Fosforos]

The only gun I have that has a safety is my Bersa 380 CC. I put the safety on when I put it into my lock box safe, mainly as insurance because it sits the furthest back and I have to reach in blindly to get to it. (Not the gun I will be going for in a hurry). I take the safety on before it goes into the holster. The safeties on the 380 Thunders are a pain to click off.

[lrb111]

tytl,
The Bersa DA trigger pull is high enough that I feel comfortable carrying safety off.

Jim, My 9mm Ultra Compact Firestorm will fire with the magazine removed. Both in DA and SA. The internal lock has only seen the key once. It's unlocked and the key put away. I have as much use for it as i do the "spent round" included with a new purchase.

[KBCraig]

I was curious for those of you that carry a full size gun if you carry with the safety on or off.

Size has nothing to do with it. I carry within the safety designs of the gun. Similar models of different sizes generally have the same safety features, whether service/full size, compact, or ultra compact. Carry them all in the same condition.

Kevin

[NcongruNt]

We had this same discussion about a week ago:

http://www.texasshooting.com/TexasCHL_F ... hp?t=11258

You might read that for reference as well.

[KaProw]

I think it should be left on.

if it inavertantly gets turned on and you think it's off when you need it, you have a high possibility of getting hurt.

Leave it on and train to sweap it off on presentation. I'd rather be surprised it's off during the draw, then not find out it's on until after the first trigger pull that doesn't go bang.

[tytl]

Thanks for the great input....allot of considerations on this topic. Makes sense that the DA on a semi is safety enough as is the revolver that is only DA.
tytl

[Liberty]

I think it should be left on.

if it inavertantly gets turned on and you think it's off when you need it, you have a high possibility of getting hurt.

Leave it on and train to sweap it off on presentation. I'd rather be surprised it's off during the draw, then not find out it's on until after the first trigger pull that doesn't go bang.

Great point, My Carry Safety does move sometimes while holstering. I bought it for myself when the idea of carry was new to me. It takes practice to learn to keep the the finger off the the trigger. A safety made my training a little safer. I also learned how thumb the the safety automatically, so that tit doesn't slow down my presentation at all. I would think that if one switches back and forth between different styles of guns ones muscle memory might get confused.

[kauboy]

Mag full, chamber full, decocked, safety off. For my PX4, DA is all I need baby!

[Saulnier]

This is one of the reasons that I bought my XD40. The safety systems are natural to me. Grip the firearm and the grip safety is disengaged. Engage the trigger and the trigger safety is disengaged. Grip safety first then trigger safety or no bang. (not supposed to anyway)
This is much harder for little hands. (just in case) This is more dificult for untrained or unpracticed hands. (again, just in case)
It is just right for me.
All part of the draw/presentation which in my personal efforts includes both drawing and engaging the trigger as well as drawing and NOT engaging the trigger.

You should be "intimately" comfortable with what you choose to carry.


Saulnier

[rwf]

+1 for the XD Chambered

[THE ENGINEER]

This is my safety sir



My XD-40 is always chambered and ready to go! As long as you keep your weapon in a good holster that completely covers the trigger, you should never have to worry about the gun discharging (Assuming you have a modern weapon that is functioning properly). The holster is your safety.

My gun is always loaded and holstered unless I am shooting it or cleaning it. The only time it should go off is when I want it to.