Safeties... Who needs 'em?

[Lycanthrope]

Be safe, know your gear and everything should be fine for everyone.

[JDC]

Originally Posted by mauser

I would certainly hope that anyone out hunting for game would use their safety, especially while walking.
I realize that you're refering to range and protection carry, and I can see the pro's and con's of both sides of that argument, especially considering what type of carry gun is involved and your own training/experience.
When I'm at the range I don't load my gun until It's time to fire, that's my safety. I shoot mostly bolt action rifles, one round at a time. When I shoot my Mini-14 or one of my pistols, the magazine goes in when I get into position, I chamber a round when it's time to fire. If I don't empty the magazine, I'll eject it and clear the chamber until it's time to fire again.
My carry guns don't have external safeties, the tonnage on the DA trigger eliminates the need.
Home protection guns are kept out of sight, loaded, with the safeties on, if they have them. (I'm kinda partial to revolvers).

If your hunting the safety is necessary anybody who has spent anytime in the woods know that an occasional branch will get to close to the trigger gard or worse you take a spill. Common sense there.

[TheF00L]

I just feel uneasy with a round chambered and me not actively in control of the weapon (i.e. holding it).

I guess I prefer to have my HD shotgun w/ one in the chamber and silence on my side. I am comfortable w/ the safety taking care of the safety issue when it is not in my hands.

As for

I know what you're thinking, "Damn this guy's cocky!" I'd consider it more of a dead-set confidence.

I never mistake cocky with confidence. I have no preconcieved notion of how you mean what you say because the written word is so difficult to "read into the true meaning". So I take folks at their word.

I adamantly defend my position that my Glock was 100% safe w/ one in the chamber because my finger was never on the trigger when I was not intending to fire. I defend my use of a clipdraw on the occasions that I use it w/ my 1911, C&L as well. I will always defend my positions on any/all topics because I tend to have thought about the consequenses before acting. I expect nothing less from anyone else....So I assume you made educated decisions on why you are doing what you are doing.

(However I have been known to change my mind when presented with new information that I didn't have when I made my initial decision LOL !! Yes, I have made a mistake or 2 in my life.)

We will have to agree to disagree about the HD shotgun safety. Apples and oranges if you ask me.

As long as you KNOW what state each of your guns is in and what needs done to make them go BANG safely and quickly -- as I stated in my previous post

I will NOT criticize your choice of safety or no safety. I will QUESTION POLITELY the reasons for not having any weapon intended for defense - home defense or concealled carry defense - without one in the chamber.

Again, we will have to agree to disagree. And I hope you don't take my questions and opinions as doing the following

Ok, now i'm ready to be chastised

I always ask questions to understand someones opinions without trying to condem or chastise

[glassman]

I do! I won't buy an autoloader without one. It gives me peace of mind to know that the pistol in my back pocket isn't gonna take a chunk out of me or worse when I draw. Clicking the safety is part of my drill and is second nature to me but ymmv.

[bogey1]

safety off when carrying, safety on when hunting....

[JDC]

Originally Posted by bogey1

safety off when carrying, safety on when hunting....

AMEN to that

[TonyF]

Originally Posted by bogey1

safety off when carrying

Can you clarify what pistol and what condition?

If some of you guys are carrying 1911's off safe ....................... .

If some of you guys are carrying DA/SA auto-loaders decocked and "off safe" then that is another matter altogether.

We had a fellow attended our three day pistol class a couple of years ago who was carrying a S&W DA/SA with the hammer cocked (e.g. yes Virginia, as in not decocked). He carried it at work that way (M.D. in a local Pittsburgh area hospital).

[RandomTask]

I find the idea of a single-action gun chambered & cocked with the safety on to be a bit discomforting with all that tension on the hammer and the hammer "on the verge". I guess that's why I don't carry a single-action pistol. I actually think a chambered, decocked DA pistol with the safety off is safer. Which would you rather drop on the pavement?

[Thekatar]

I have read all of this thread and I must say I find a lot of the responses disturbing.

Just to touch on several items:

A sling is to a long gun as a holster is to a hand gun. A critical difference is that the holstered hand gun has its trigger completely covered (if it doesn't get another holster) so that nothing can touch it. A slung rifle can have its trigger inadvertently pressed by any number of items. This is why it's important to engage the manual safety on a long gun when slung or at a ready position.

Next, Glocks have three safeties - they simply happen to be passive devices. One thing that Glocks have in common with all other modern semi auto pistols is that they WILL NOT fire if dropped ("drop-safe"); this includes the cocked and locked 1911. Also, it IS NOT an option to carry a cocked 1911 with the manual safety off or a DA/SA not decocked.

A firearm intended to be used for immediate defensive purposes must have a round in the chamber. Why would a sane person want to risk inducing a stoppage by chambering a round or shell right at the critical moment of a potential fight?

"All guns are always loaded" and they should always all be treated as such. Manually disengaging the safety from a 1911 or an AR carbine is nearly instantaneous and unconscious after just a short period of training and practice.

Another thing - the act of drawing your CCW because of a potential threat DOES NOT mean you NEED to shoot! We are not Ghurkas who must get blood on the blade of our kukri before it is resheathed! If you draw your CCW and the threat screams like a girl and runs away, you have won!

[General Geoff]

In all honesty, I have no real experience with tactical long gun usage/protocol. Target shooting is one thing, but I've never been hunting or anything of that sort. I really aught to get some training with that, as I'm a better shot with a rifle than I am with a pistol, anyway. And I'd certainly rather have my M1A than any pistol, should I need to use either.