Safety On or Off?

[HICKMAN]

When I carry the ole Glock 17, I make sure the trigger is in the "pulled" position and that there's no round chambered. This requires me to manually rack the slide to chamber the round. Much more of a "safety" that a little lever or button. Of course, other handguns can do this as well, and in addition the traditional lever / button safety. Anyway, just my 2 cents...

you'll catch a bunch of flack over it, but you're not the only one.

 

[HICKMAN]

When I carry the ole Glock 17, I make sure the trigger is in the "pulled" position and that there's no round chambered. This requires me to manually rack the slide to chamber the round. Much more of a "safety" that a little lever or button. Of course, other handguns can do this as well, and in addition the traditional lever / button safety. Anyway, just my 2 cents...

you'll catch a bunch of flack over it, but you're not the only one. The Israelis do the same thing.

 

[IndyBeerman]

When I carry the ole Glock 17, I make sure the trigger is in the "pulled" position and that there's no round chambered. This requires me to manually rack the slide to chamber the round. Much more of a "safety" that a little lever or button. Of course, other handguns can do this as well, and in addition the traditional lever / button safety. Anyway, just my 2 cents...

In my opinion you might as well be carrying a paper weight, in the moment that a emergency arrives the chances of you having enough time to rack the slide and chamber the round could be the difference between life or death.

You lose any and all advantages by not having a round chambered stop and think, by not having a round chambered is like telling the BG "Hey to make this a fair fight, I'm gonna give you a 1 second advantage, do you feel lucky punk?"

Keep one chambered and have tactical edge so you won't lose any advantage and extend one to the BG.

If you are that unsure or scared of your skills or weapon, I suggest either more training or getting another handgun, maybe a revolver.

 

[eldirector]

Hey, now!

I keep mine unloaded, with the mag in my pocket. It is super-safe! It only takes me 15 seconds to unholster, fish the mag out, insert it, rack the slide, and disengage the safety. Did I mention the first round is a snap cap?

All in jest, of course.

There are advantages and disadvantages to about every combination. Chambered w/ safety off may be fine for some (SWAT?). Empty chamber, decocked, and safety on may work better for others (glove-box gun?).

I'm an XD man myself, so chambered and safe until on target and firing.

 

[fst aslp]

My safety on until my finger is on the trigger.

 

[HICKMAN]

In my opinion you might as well be carrying a paper weight

That's like saying he may as well not even carry a gun. I don't think I'd call the Israeli Army guys who do this wussies.

in the moment that a emergency arrives the chances of you having enough time to rack the slide and chamber the round could be the difference between life or death.

We hear this all the time. Tell it to those who carry with too many to count retention holsters, fanny pack, ankle/shoulder/t-shirt/undergarment/underwear, yada yada yada holsters.

You lose any and all advantages by not having a round chambered stop and think, by not having a round chambered is like telling the BG "Hey to make this a fair fight, I'm gonna give you a 1 second advantage, do you feel lucky punk?"

If you put yourself in a situation where ONE second makes the difference, you've probably already lost the battle. If he's got a gun pointed at you, you are already behind. If he's coming at you with a knife and you don't ALREADY have your gun out, you better know how to defend yourself hand to hand, because too many things can go wrong and cost you your life.

So your only holster choice would be this:

If you are that unsure or scared of your skills or weapon, I suggest either more training or getting another handgun, maybe a revolver.

I can agree with that statement, if you carry a gun without an external safety, get enough training and confidence to carry hot. I personally keep my guns locked up where I can get to them quickly, with the exception of a shotgun for things that go bump in the night.

Let's not ever discourage someone from carrying, it's always better to be armed.

 

[hntrdav]

saftey off hammer down

 

[IndyBeerman]

That's like saying he may as well not even carry a gun. I don't think I'd call the Israeli Army guys who do this wussies.

We hear this all the time. Tell it to those who carry with too many to count retention holsters, fanny pack, ankle/shoulder/t-shirt/undergarment/underwear, yada yada yada holsters.

If you put yourself in a situation where ONE second makes the difference, you've probably already lost the battle. If he's got a gun pointed at you, you are already behind. If he's coming at you with a knife and you don't ALREADY have your gun out, you better know how to defend yourself hand to hand, because too many things can go wrong and cost you your life.

I can agree with that statement, if you carry a gun without an external safety, get enough training and confidence to carry hot. I personally keep my guns locked up where I can get to them quickly, with the exception of a shotgun for things that go bump in the night.



Let's not ever discourage someone from carrying, it's always better to be armed.

Let's not confuse the Israeli main Army or Defense force with their training to the average US citizen, they have training, tons of training that almost supersedes anything available here to the private person.

I never mentioned anything about type of,

retention holsters, fanny pack, ankle/shoulder/t-shirt/undergarment/underwear, yada yada yada holsters

That's another thread and a contributing factor.

It's not putting yourself in the situation, it's the split second that something may have diverted your attention that can do it, or the unexpected off the wall scenario, so yes 1 second can & will make the difference between life and death, if anyone fails to see that then they are living under a rock or in a shell.

I will never discourage someone from carrying, if they are that unsure of themselves that much, then I encourage them to get training, carry the right gun, and PRACTICE. Practice creates muscle memory, muscle memory will correct a problem and give them the confidence to carry one in the chamber.

Do not give a inch, not now, not tomorrow, next week or year, the BG will not freeze for a second or go "My Bad" if you yell TIMEOUT.

 

[ThrottleJockey]

None of my carry guns have a mechanical safety. The only safety is me. So, on.

 

[drbarnes]

safety on and 1 in the chamber

 

[printcraft]

What does the owners manual say?


Now on my old Ruger P90 I would carry chambered with the decocker in the fire position.
Once you racked it, it would chamber the round and you just moved the decocker down
to decock and then back up to be ready to fire. If you pulled the trigger with the decocker down
it disconnected the trigger completely.
BUT it was a double action. So no hammer/firing pin under spring tension ready to go.

Glock was chambered, the safety was automatic on the trigger. So I guess on safe from a certain point of view.




Cocked and locked on the 1911. Lowering unto a chambered round is bad juju.
There is a secondary notch that is designed to catch the falling hammer
during this procedure but I would not trust it. YMMV.

I have kids. My pistols (all 1911s) are left in condition 3 with the safety off. I know that all I need to do in time of need is pull them out and rack the slide. Simple, easy to remember, and easy to accomplish in the dark.
As for the noise, I'm not trying to win the element of surprise. If the noise of the slide racking alerts them as to their situation in regards to my .45, then they just might flee, which is always a best case scenario. If they are in my house and do not flee, then the layout of the home still makes them come to me wondering my exact position. If I'm out in the world, then who knows the situation. I do know that I would only be responding to violent aggression so it is unlikely that the element of surprise would be in my favor regardless.

Yes, but what if you are being stalked by raptors? Good hearing and very smart!

 

[Bastispah]

on with a round in the chamber

CZ 82
Ruger P95
Walther P22

 

[BloodEclipse]

Wife's Bersa, chambered and decocked only.
1911 Cocked and locked.
XD chambered and ready.