• We are now running on a new, and hopefully much-improved, server. In addition we are also on new forum software. Any move entails a lot of technical details and I suspect we will encounter a few issues as the new server goes live. Please be patient with us. It will be worth it! :) Please help by posting all issues here.
  • The forum will be down for about an hour this weekend for maintenance. I apologize for the inconvenience.
  • If you are having trouble seeing the forum then you may need to clear your browser's DNS cache. Click here for instructions on how to do that
  • Please review the Forum Rules frequently as we are constantly trying to improve the forum for our members and visitors.

OC/CC with Safety On, or Off?

Safety On or Off While Carrying?

  • Total voters
    43
H

Herr Heckler Koch

Guest
Belied by the safeties in 1911 design of John Browning, before hyper-sensitive political correctness. Or by the 1908 Pistole-08 of Georg Luger. I'm not so familiar with Borchardt, let's see...of 1893 and no parts labelled as "safety."
 
Last edited:
MainelyGlock

MainelyGlock

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2012
Messages
615
Location
Portland, ME
+1 on all those answer! I hate the safeties on my Taurus and Walthers. The one on the P22 catches on my cross draw holster a LOT.
 
09jisaac

09jisaac

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2011
Messages
1,692
Location
Louisa, Kentucky
JTHunter said:
Being in Illinois, you can tell who the single "Don't carry" response was from.

That being said, my revolvers don't have safties so I just leave an empty chamber under the hammer.
On my autos, if they can be carried "locked & cocked", they are. If not, the safety is on as I have no desire for an AD/ND.
Click to expand...

You would limit your already limited capacity? What is the point of that? If you are carrying a modern revolver that is in any condition to be carried then you're just leaving a cylinder empty for nothing. Keeping the hammer on a dead cylinder is for cowboys in the old west.
 
hermannr

hermannr

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2011
Messages
2,327
Location
Okanogan Highland
My problem is I have SAO, DAO, and a SA/DA, all are different. And them there is my revolver... I carry as per the manufacturer's design...how is that? If it's in the holster with the hammer back, the safety is on. Otherwise...
 
MAC702

MAC702

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jul 31, 2011
Messages
6,331
Location
Nevada
Flawed survey. What type of sidearm it is means EVERYTHING as to whether or not it is designed to use the safety, if so equipped, or for it to be optional, as only some are designed.
 
yz9890

yz9890

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2012
Messages
47
Location
Louisville, KY
MAC702 said:
Flawed survey. What type of sidearm it is means EVERYTHING as to whether or not it is designed to use the safety, if so equipped, or for it to be optional, as only some are designed.
Click to expand...

certainly. if I carried my 1911, I'd have a round in the chamber with the safety on. the cz rami is designed to be carried like that also if desired (or half cocked) but it has a double action trigger if you want to leave the hammer down. several others also.
 
CDT COX

CDT COX

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2010
Messages
277
Location
NC
Round in chamber, hammer down, safety off. Double action for the first pull.
 
R

REALteach4u

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2010
Messages
428
Location
Spfld, Mo.
If you have an external safety it should be consistently employed and you should train that way. If you're going to carry with the external safety off then just buy a firearm without one.
 
MAC702

MAC702

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jul 31, 2011
Messages
6,331
Location
Nevada
There are plenty of firearms that have a safety DESIGNED to be optional.
 
V

VA Big E

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2009
Messages
64
Location
Norfolk, VA
What ever you are comfortable with.

I carry my revolver, normally concealed due to no strap on the holster. I have OC'd it ocasionally, when I shop at night, and i tend to watch people more. When I carry my pt140, i have a fobus paddle holster and the safety is on. i practice drawing often, and found it to be very easy to switch the safety off. I prefer the safety on, especially if one day i get stopped by LEO and they decide to remove the weapon without my consent. My revolver has a heavy trigger pull but i would be nervous about having it removed by someone else.
 
G

GhostOfJefferson

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2012
Messages
137
Location
Lewis Center, OH
09jisaac said:
Because for the most part is is pointless. High quality modern guns don't just "go off" without a reason. Most are even "drop safe". A safety is just a crutch, something you shouldn't rely on.
Click to expand...

I'm trying to think about those outside of "me" though, like some knucklehead little kid that might find it fun to run up to the big man and squeeze the trigger on his condition one Colt Series 80 1991A1. Possible, sure, and while situational awareness is paramount, sometimes you just don't see/hear those little buggers until they're right up on you. I should see him, it seems logical that I should, but sometimes things happen that you cannot account for in life. So, safety on. It's just a single switch, and easy to reach with the thumb, and I'm not a fast draw competitor that needs a 0.48 second draw and fire.

(Concealed) Kahr CW45 - No safety, one in the pipe, but the trigger is covered by the holster, unlike my single action auto.
(Open) Ruger Blackhawk .45 Long Colt - no safety, revolver, trigger exposed by it's a single action and the retention covers the back of the hammer (standard revolver holster)
 
Last edited:
ComradeV

ComradeV

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Feb 17, 2009
Messages
428
Location
Maple Hill, North Carolina, USA
For my CZ-82 I carry it round in the chamber, safety off, hammer forward.

For my GP-100 I carry it 6 in the cylinder, hammer forward.

I'm predisposed against most safety levers. If redundant safeties must be used I would prefer an XD style safety system, but I think the safety system on Glocks is wholly adequate.
 
Grapeshot

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
GhostOfJefferson said:
I'm trying to think about those outside of "me" though, like some knucklehead little kid that might find it fun to run up to the big man and squeeze the trigger on his position one Colt Series 80 1991A1. Possible, sure, and while situational awareness is paramount, sometimes you just don't see/hear those little buggers until they're right up on you. I should see him, it seems logical that I should, but sometimes things happen that you cannot account for in life. So, safety on. It's just a single switch, and easy to reach with the thumb, and I'm not a fast draw competitor that needs a 0.48 second draw and fire.

(Concealed) Kahr CW45 - No safety, one in the pipe, but the trigger is covered by the holster, unlike my single action auto.
(Open) Ruger Blackhawk .45 Long Colt - no safety, revolver, trigger exposed by it's a single action and the retention covers the back of the hammer (standard revolver holster)
Click to expand...

on his [strike]position[/strike] condition one Colt Series 80 1991A1 - just sayin'.

Me, I would never routinely carry a holster that did not both have active retention and cover the trigger. In fact if you look at the OCDO rules, you will note that is one of the reasons that LG carry is not favored here - no trigger protection.
 
yz9890

yz9890

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2012
Messages
47
Location
Louisville, KY
GhostOfJefferson said:
I'm trying to think about those outside of "me" though, like some knucklehead little kid that might find it fun to run up to the big man and squeeze the trigger on his position one Colt Series 80 1991A1.
Click to expand...

any acceptable holster prevents that. if the holster doesn't completely cover the trigger, it is not an acceptable OC or CC holster. that of course won't prevent someone from pulling your weapon out of your holster and pulling the trigger (you're supposed to prevent that). Especially if your holster has little or no retention. But now were talking about the basics of carrying a gun and not about safety vs no safety.

IMO, anyone that has the stones and ability to relieve you of your weapon before you can do something about will have no problem dropping the safety as well. that scenario implies either a high level of skill in the person relieving a person of the weapon or an extremely low skill level in the person carrying the weapon. if a person wants to plan on either one of those factors, I'd suggest carrying an unloaded gun, a toy gun, or no gun. an external safety will not save this person.
 
Last edited:
G

GhostOfJefferson

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2012
Messages
137
Location
Lewis Center, OH
Tucker6900 said:
Smith and Wesson M&P: No safety. IMHO this is best for personal protection.



Blackhawk Serpa Level 1 covers trigger.
Click to expand...

Will look into it. Though in honesty, I make holsters and sometimes carry my 1991 in an old school design 1940's-1950's carved holster that leaves the trigger exposed, for aesthetic and advertisement purposes (folks ask about my holster(s) quite often when I carry). Still, it just seems like good policy on a single action semi auto with one in the pipe and hammer cocked (as it is intended to be carried) to have the safety on until you need to use the firearm. I consider it like driving, I can can be the safest, most concientious driver in the world, but I cannot account for the actions of others all the time.

Besides, like I said, I'm not going to win a quick draw fight, and criminals by and large are highly incompetent shooters. That extra .5 seconds likely won't make a difference.

This is all my opinion about my own choice, I'm not advocating that others act or don't act as I do.
 
Last edited:
G

GhostOfJefferson

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2012
Messages
137
Location
Lewis Center, OH
yz9890 said:
any acceptable holster prevents that. if the holster doesn't completely cover the trigger, it is not an acceptable OC or CC holster. that of course won't prevent someone from pulling your weapon out of your holster and pulling the trigger (you're supposed to prevent that). Especially if your holster has little or no retention. But now were talking about the basics of carrying a gun and not about safety vs no safety.

IMO, anyone that has the stones and ability to relieve you of your weapon before you can do something about will have no problem dropping the safety as well. that scenario implies either a high level of skill in the person relieving a person of the weapon or an extremely low skill level in the person carrying the weapon. if a person wants to plan on either one of those factors, I'd suggest carrying an unloaded gun, a toy gun, or no gun. an external safety will not save this person.
Click to expand...

What a strange answer, as just a few posts ago you stated that if you carried a 1911A1 with one in the pipe and hammer cocked, that you'd necessarily employ the safety. That's the firearm I was referring to with my own example (Colt Series 80 1991A1 = 1911A1 for all intents and purposes). Where is there disagreement here between us?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top