Carry Gun with or without safety?

[IndyTom]

ASP channel?

Isn't that the video of the guy trying to chamber a round and getting shot for his efforts that was posted earlier?

 

[Excalibur]

There's always the mentality of one mind, any weapon. It is encouraged to shoot all types of guns and actions and get good on each of them.

 

[flatlander]

I'll just leave this here. It's as good a place as any:
Dad Isn't Carrying With a Round Chambered, Gets Self & Son Killed on Video - AllOutdoor.com

Bob

 

[TangoSierraEcho]

I think it is always interesting reading the different positions on safety or no safety. I have always believed that you need to do what you are comfortable doing and if by using a safety it means you are more likely to carry then by all means keep calm and safety on.

However, I would also add that those same people who carry with a safety should not fool themselves in thinking that when the time comes that safety will magically disengage. Please, Please, Please train for this! I realize it seems simple on the surface but in practice it isn't and when you are under pressure your mind goes into survival mode and muscle memory plays a big role here. If the movement to disengage that safety isn't engrained then you are likely to get hurt. There are trade offs in every decision (how to carry, where to carry, what to carry) none are necessarily wrong so as long as you comfortable with the potential consequences of those decisions.

 

[Armored Saint]

I think it falls back to training, safety and the holster. With the proper training with the carry holster, this can go a long way. Personally, I carry a Glock for my job, but the holster has extra security with it for retention, etc. Carry it how you are comfortable with it...

 

[BehindBlueI's]

There's always the mentality of one mind, any weapon. It is encouraged to shoot all types of guns and actions and get good on each of them.

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Most people will never have enough time and money to get to subconscious performance on multiple weapon types. Nearly all of us are better off picking something and sticking with it for the realm of defensive use. For play time and recreation, and general proficiency, sure. For "you're dead if you don't do it right" work, "good" isn't what I'm looking for. Running the gun at a high level with zero conscious thought is what I'm looking for.

 

[tcecil88]

It always is amusing to see this same old argument come up time and again with the same old reasons why you should or should not do whatever.
If you want a handgun with a manual safety, then a Glock is not for you, and I would hazard that a striker fired gun is not for you either. There are all sorts of handguns out there with manual safeties built in. Check those out, rent and shoot if possible, and pick the one that you are most comfortable with and practice/ dry fire/ shoot the snot out of until the manual of arms for that particular weapon is second nature, then you will not need to worry about whether or not the safety is disengaged because you will have taught yourself, through many repetitions, to subconsciously disengage the safety at the draw.
Don't mix and match your collection and/or carry rotation to include some that have a manual safety and some that don't, revolvers not withstanding.
I gave up pistols with manual safeties long ago because I felt I did not need them to accomplish what I wanted to do with my collection. I do have a couple of Berettas, but they are never carried and if they were, there safety would probably be off because of the longer, heavier trigger pull.

 

[Dino Bravo]

I have a friend who will not carry his Glock with one in the chamber. Not because he's afraid of discharge, but because he believes if you have to defend yourself and the gun is racked, they'll arrest you for murder. He believes racking the gun is the "warning" you issue to your attacker.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I have a friend who will not carry his Glock with one in the chamber. Not because he's afraid of discharge, but because he believes if you have to defend yourself and the gun is racked, they'll arrest you for murder. He believes racking the gun is the "warning" you issue to your attacker.

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Your friend is woefully misinformed, as I'm sure you know. Feel free to show him this post. I'm a detective who investigates robberies and non-fatal shootings and stabbings. I don't take lead, but do assist in the investigation of murders and the occasional police action shooting. I screen cases with the prosecutor, including attempt murder. His idea that you must issue a warning is false. His idea you'll be arrested for murder based on the status of your weapon is false. Please feel free to show him this post and then ask him to show anything that supports his position in Indiana Code (assuming he lives in Indiana) or case law.

 

[Dino Bravo]

I informed my friend of this info and his reply was "Well you tell your detective to turn in his badge and go be a normal citizen and try that kind of b.s. on someone". His words, not mine. I can't get through to him

 

[T.Lex]

I informed my friend of this info and his reply was "Well you tell your detective to turn in his badge and go be a normal citizen and try that kind of b.s. on someone". His words, not mine. I can't get through to him

Have your friend ask a lawyer. In fact, call into Guy Relford's show with that question.

Your friend has fallen into the bottomless pit of gun store lawyering.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I informed my friend of this info and his reply was "Well you tell your detective to turn in his badge and go be a normal citizen and try that kind of b.s. on someone". His words, not mine. I can't get through to him

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I guess the point was I'm actually the guy who presents cases to the prosecutor for "normal citizens" who've shot someone. I'm pretty up on what they consider and what they don't when making the determination of something being murder, criminal recklessness, a justified shoot, etc.

I would suggest his ego is in the way. He's either scared of the gun and this is how he justifies it to himself (I'm not scared to carry it properly, it's illegal!!) or he's one of those guys who's self esteem would crash if he ever had to admit he's wrong.

 

[saintnick81]

Have your friend sign up for the Defensive Concepts class that Coach and BBI teach. I would guess he will change his mind pretty quick when put into the scenarios.

I would add that I suggest everyone sign up for the class. Well worth your time and money.

 

[Dino Bravo]

I think he's a lost cause. I just hope he's never in a situation where he has to defend himself or family. Heck, I hope none of us are.

 

[Endrin2113]

I currently have a glock 43 and a M&P Shield. I carry both in an Alien Gear Cloack Tuck 3.0. One thing that has always concerned me is carrying the glock with a round in the chamber without the external safety on the gun. I realize that I am the ultimate safety and without my finger on the trigger...... as well as the safety in the trigger of the glock. I practice and feel comfortable with my draw and finger placement, it is that I am around so many children in one instance where I have to carry and I worry about an accidental discharge.

There is something about having the safety on the Smith that makes me feel more comfortable but the dilemma is I shoot my glock way way better. If I ever need to protect myself or other I care about I have the ultimate confidence that I can place the shots needed with the glock 43.

Anyone else think about this stuff and if so, what helped you get past it?

I had bought my first firearm (a S&W shield, no safety) a day before I applied for my lifetime LTCH. In the months before I recieved my liscence, I carried around the house in my Crossbreed Minituck with an empty chamber and magazine (spare loaded magazine in my back pocket just in case of a home invasion). Every day when I would go to bed, before I would make the gun hot for the nightstand, I would check and see if the striker had fallen. Not once. To be fair, I wasn't worried about a modern striker fired pistol from a reputable manufacturer discharging in a quality holster, but it was peace of mind.

I won't carry a firearm with an external safety simply due to the fact that I don't train with one. I'm not a fan of the extra step of sweeping the safety off in a life or death situation.