External Safeties on Striker Fired Weapons

[rockchalk06]

Prior to owning my first striker fired handgun back in 2000, my only experience with an external safety on a handgun was on 1911. I cut my teeth on wheelguns transitioning to a P228 later on. First duty weapon was a P228.

I carried a 1911 for a short time and what I'm blaming on lack of training (my part), I never could get dropping the safety prior to target engagement, down pat. Again, training issue or lack of on my part.

After transitioning from a DA/SA to a striker fired duty weapon, external safeties became an afterthought for me. That was until I purchased a P226 SAO awhile back. One of the things I liked the most about this, was being able to load/unload or manipulate the slide with an added safety engaged.

When I purchased my last P365, all I could find was the MS model. I've honestly become a big fan of it. I carry it two ways, AIWB in a smart carry rig and OWB @4 o'clock. I've been training my self to engage the safety before holstering and disengaging it after its secure in the smart carry holster.

None of this is honestly necessary, but it does give me an added level of safety if needed.

I'm curious to see how the collective feels about this? Both the external safety on my P365 and M17 are very tuff to engage, so I see no accidental engagements with proper technique.

 

[MrChris]

I don't own a pistol with an external safety.
I am in the school of a safety being a potential point of failure in a life or death situation.
I will continue to rely on trigger discipline and good holsters.
Besides, my gun doesn't leave the holster unless it is time to go bang, so no reasonable need for a safety in my situation.

 

[Gunbuffer]

Whatever floats your boat I say

 

[El Pablo]

I don't own a pistol with an external safety.
I am in the school of a safety being a potential point of failure in a life or death situation.
I will continue to rely on trigger discipline and good holsters.
Besides, my gun doesn't leave the holster unless it is time to go bang, so no reasonable need for a safety in my situation.

Exactly what remotely modern pistol doesn’t have a safety of some sort? An internal safety is a potential failure point too.

I’m comfortable with either.

 

[MrChris]

Exactly what remotely modern pistol doesn’t have a safety of some sort?

See first sentence.
External / thumb safety.

 

[MacFromOK]

I don't own a pistol with an external safety.
I am in the school of a safety being a potential point of failure in a life or death situation.
I will continue to rely on trigger discipline and good holsters.
Besides, my gun doesn't leave the holster unless it is time to go bang, so no reasonable need for a safety in my situation.

This is why I prefer to carry SA/DA.

 

[Pstmstr]

Prior to owning my first striker fired handgun back in 2000, my only experience with an external safety on a handgun was on 1911. I cut my teeth on wheelguns transitioning to a P228 later on. First duty weapon was a P228.

I carried a 1911 for a short time and what I'm blaming on lack of training (my part), I never could get dropping the safety prior to target engagement, down pat. Again, training issue or lack of on my part.

After transitioning from a DA/SA to a striker fired duty weapon, external safeties became an afterthought for me. That was until I purchased a P226 SAO awhile back. One of the things I liked the most about this, was being able to load/unload or manipulate the slide with an added safety engaged.

When I purchased my last P365, all I could find was the MS model. I've honestly become a big fan of it. I carry it two ways, AIWB in a smart carry rig and OWB @4 o'clock. I've been training my self to engage the safety before holstering and disengaging it after its secure in the smart carry holster.

None of this is honestly necessary, but it does give me an added level of safety if needed.

I'm curious to see how the collective feels about this? Both the external safety on my P365 and M17 are very tuff to engage, so I see no accidental engagements with proper technique.

I’ve never had an external manual safety striker fired pistol until the Sig P365. Since I carry appendix and the trigger is so smooth with no safety on it like a Glock has my routine is to engage safety and then reholster. It is the only pistol I carry for self defense in the same way every day and I practice a lot on drawing, dry firing, and reholstering.

Edited to specify striker fired.
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[El Pablo]

I’ve never had an external manual safety pistol until the Sig P365. Since I carry appendix and the trigger is so smooth with no safety on it like a Glock has my routine is to engage safety and then reholster. It is the only pistol I carry for self defense in the same way every day and I practice a lot on drawing, dry firing, and reholstering.


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I’d have guessed you would have owned at least one 1911, or 12, by now.

 

[Pstmstr]

Good point but everyone knows the external safety should be used on a single action exposed hammer pistol. I should have said striker fired but since the OP specified that I didn’t. I’ve only owned 9 1911’s though. [emoji6] Maybe you should start a thread about cocked and locked or not then chambered or unchambered round too.


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[El Pablo]

Good point but everyone knows the external safety should be used on a single action exposed hammer pistol. I should have said striker fired but since the OP specified that I didn’t. I’ve only owned 9 1911’s though. [emoji6] Maybe you should start a thread about cocked and locked or not then chambered or unchambered round too.


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Wonder how many threads we have on what condition you carry your 1911 in? If I have to rack a slide to chamber a round after drawing the pistol. I’m not going to carry it. I’ll leave that nonsense to the movies. I’d never carry a colt m1903 or m1908 chambered. They are not drop safe. So, best to just not carry one .