Carrying a GLOCK.... Safely?

[Squidward]

IMO, the best (and only necessary) after-market "safety device" for a Glock is a quality holster.

[bonusweb]

Not really surprising. Most people were not raised in a proper gun culture, especially in california. There is a lot of "fear" of a gun, even in modern gun owners these days.

NDs seem scary, people acting foolishly with a glock and hurting themselves make these people even more nervous.

A Glock is a safe firearm, every ND is a user error. I've never been uncomfortable carrying one of my glocks.

Remember these are also the people who are so scared of guns "going off by themselves" that they insist on carrying without a round in the chamber because you can load your gun and shoot a BG in a movie like that so it must be ok.

Funny yet these same people operate cars, motorcycles, or dangerous tools like idiots every day, without giving it a second thought.

[Wicked One]

Honestly if you can't have full confidence that you can keep your finger out of the trigger. Don't carry a Glock.

I'm a huge Glock supporter but my self can't feel 100% about carrying a Glock 24/7. I've open carried a Glock for days and hours on end in the desert with no issue. But in my head around many people and daily life I don't feel comfortable. So I chose not to. And got a shield with a safety. That extra assurance I need to feel "safe" CCWing. If you have any doubts don't do it, don't rely on aftermerket as ons to make up for lack of confidence.

Or if it must be a Glock give some thought to empty chamber, trigger back, loaded mag. That's an option as well.

WOW, I can't believe how side ways this thread went?
All I was after is if anyone has ever used any of the aftermarket Trigger safeties and what they thought of them? Geeesh, I guess I worded my title wrong or something?

[caliberetta]

And contrary to the FUD that has stained this thread, a Glock can go off even without the finger on the trigger or a bad holster, and that can happen to the most experience users, with decades of experience behind them, this is a fact.

Please explain how that is possible.

You do realize you have to pull the trigger to disengage the striker block and to cock the striker, right?

Everyday is an opportunity to learn.

.

[deephouse]

WOW, I can't believe how side ways this thread went?
All I was after is if anyone has ever used any of the aftermarket Trigger safeties and what they thought of them? Geeesh, I guess I worded my title wrong or something?

I have never used/installed an after market safety on a gun. If I want to point and shot, I run my Glock, PPQ or Shield NTS at the range. If I want to play with a safety, I bring my 1911s and rifles out.

[Wicked One]

Not really surprising. Most people were not raised in a proper gun culture, especially in california. There is a lot of "fear" of a gun, even in modern gun owners these days.

NDs seem scary, people acting foolishly with a glock and hurting themselves make these people even more nervous.

A Glock is a safe firearm, every ND is a user error. I've never been uncomfortable carrying one of my glocks.

Remember these are also the people who are so scared of guns "going off by themselves" that they insist on carrying without a round in the chamber because you can load your gun and shoot a BG in a movie like that so it must be ok.

If you only knew! I have been around Guns, Hunting & Fishing all my Life! (38 Years Old Now)
What I AM NEW TO is CCW, and all I was after was what others thought about....... Never-mind, way too much Drama to address in this Thread at this point! (Won't make this mistake again!!!)

[Whatisthis?]

I have been shooting for 24 years. In that time, all my guns, of which I have owned several, have had a manual, external safety mechanism. A Safety is engrained into my firearm operation psyche.

I bought a Glock for the first time this year, and I absolutely love the Glock, and it is my chosen weapon for civilian warfare.

I am not comfortable that it doesn't have a safety of some sort. Many people will tell you not to do it to a Glock. They have a right to their opinion, and may be even be correct in many situations... but not ALL.

Those of us who believe every gun should have an external safety also have very good reasons to back up our beliefs. There are many dead and gravely injured bodies to support those beliefs. It may even be argued that the risk of Unintended Discharge is greater than the risk of having to draw and fire your weapon RIGHT NOW.

And contrary to the FUD that has stained this thread, a Glock can go off even without the finger on the trigger or a bad holster, and that can happen to the most experience users, with decades of experience behind them, this is a fact.

I apologize in advance to those guys who don't believe in safeties on the Glock and are ready to either have a hissy fit or insult me over my comments. This is just my opinion and I don't insist it becomes law. What I do believe in is people should have a choice, and people should respect those that assess risks differently.

If you feel your firearm needs a safety, especially for CCW purposes, I say trust your instinct. There was once a time when everyone thought wearing seatbelts were not cool in cars and helmets weren't cool for motorcycles. I am old enough to remember people laughing/insulting those who felt the need for seatbelts or helmets. I believe the same mass thinking is happening with safety on firearms. I say trust what your insides are telling you.

I looked into many options, but the one I chose is the Safe-T-Block product which I have been evaluating it for several weeks. I am still on the fence whether I'm going to use it or just re-train myself to get used to the Glock, as is.





In my opinion, for CCW and HD, the Saf-T-Block is better than the Siderlock referenced in the OP. This is because the mechanism to eject it from the firearm is larger, easier to find and very very unlikely to be fumbled. Your shooting finger will feel the protrusion on the Saf-T-Block before it feels the frame of the gun.

In comparison to the Saf-T-Block, the Siderlock button is small and it will require greater fine motor skills to locate it and disengage. The Siderlock seems to be a great product for a non-CCW or non-HD specific Glock though (for those that want a safety).

Here are my notes on the Pros and Cons of the Saf-T-Blok, after evaluating it for several weeks:

PROS:

-It's quite a reliable and solid trigger safety for the Glock.
-It attaches to the gun in a very solid way
-It's cheap
-3 second install
-Good, simple concept - much like the pin on a grenade. Except it's faster, because it's a one-finger pop-out.
-With the gun in your hand, your trigger finger immediately feels the protrusion from the saf-t-block, so you immediately know its right there waiting for your to pop it off (less chances to forget in an emergency situation).
-It has a provision to install a combination or key lock on it.
- It's a universal fit for just about all Glocks after '98.
- Lastly, to a person that doesn't know anything about it, it takes a little while to figure out what you have to do to make the trigger work. This is a big plus for CCW holders who want to minimize the risk that their firearm will be used against them. If your firearm is pulled from your holster in a struggle or if "you are made" by the bad guy, unless he knows what the Saf-T-Block is, he is unlikely to realize the block is there. If he tries to fire the weapon, he will feel a rock-solid, unmovable trigger, and this buys precious time. Due to the long list of dead and gravely injured Law Enforcement and Armed Citizens who have been shot by perps with their own gun, there is much value in this.

CONS:

-It will literally fly across the room when you pop it out (yes, across the room). In non-emergency times, you have to block it with your other hand to prevent it from getting away.
- It is not compatible with many Kydex holsters. Some Kydex holsters may be safely modified to accommodate it. It is however, compatible with some Leather holsters (I know for sure it works just fine with a Bianchi Pro 100, mod 10A).
- Because it flies across the room, it is difficult to practice with. You have to find a way to tether it to the gun for practice purposes.
- It's a relatively small piece of plastic, and so its easy to lose when you detach it from the gun. It's a good idea to keep a spare.
-The product is Left or Right-Hand Specific. It's very awkward to remove your weak hand, thus if you are shot and stronger hand/arm is disabled, it will take an extra few seconds to disengage the Saf-T-Block with your weak hand.

Overall it's product I highly recommend to any one who wants a Safety on the Glock. I got mine on eBay for $14 each, shipped.

Read the bolded... Yes, you stated GLOCKs are unsafe (in your opinion), and then go on to say that you are unsure of whether you will use an extra safety with the GLOCK you recently purchased.

EDIT: to *attempt* to actually contribute I will say that it's all comfort level. If you are uncomfortable carrying a firearm in a particular manner and will subsequently leave it at home, either find one you will be comfortable carrying or find a way to carry the one you already have. It's much better to have a firearm within a couple seconds of you than to leave it at home.

I also have never trained with safeties and so I won't carry something with the safety on (I carry my Shield with the safety off. I've tried to switch it on purposely in many different ways while I carry it and it is just not going to switch on.)

[thegamettt]

Ask anyone that carries a gun with a manual safety if they've ever pulled the trigger on accident with the safety on. That's the same thing someone asked me when I felt like you.
It's scary at first, but after a while you won't give it much thought. I used to leave my safety on, but after a while once I realized that my gun wasn't going to jump out and shoot me without the trigger being manipulated, I got more comfortable and left it off. Now I purchased my first glock for carry
But hey if you like safeties, don't let anyone here tell you otherwise. Be safe.

[Wicked One]

I have been shooting for 24 years. In that time, all my guns, of which I have owned several, have had a manual, external safety mechanism. A Safety is engrained into my firearm operation psyche.

I bought a Glock for the first time this year, and I absolutely love the Glock, and it is my chosen weapon for civilian warfare.

I am not comfortable that it doesn't have a safety of some sort. Many people will tell you not to do it to a Glock. They have a right to their opinion, and may be even be correct in many situations... but not ALL.

Those of us who believe every gun should have an external safety also have very good reasons to back up our beliefs. There are many dead and gravely injured bodies to support those beliefs. It may even be argued that the risk of Unintended Discharge is greater than the risk of having to draw and fire your weapon RIGHT NOW.

And contrary to the FUD that has stained this thread, a Glock can go off even without the finger on the trigger or a bad holster, and that can happen to the most experience users, with decades of experience behind them, this is a fact.

I apologize in advance to those guys who don't believe in safeties on the Glock and are ready to either have a hissy fit or insult me over my comments. This is just my opinion and I don't insist it becomes law. What I do believe in is people should have a choice, and people should respect those that assess risks differently.

If you feel your firearm needs a safety, especially for CCW purposes, I say trust your instinct. There was once a time when everyone thought wearing seatbelts were not cool in cars and helmets weren't cool for motorcycles. I am old enough to remember people laughing/insulting those who felt the need for seatbelts or helmets. I believe the same mass thinking is happening with safety on firearms. I say trust what your insides are telling you.

I looked into many options, but the one I chose is the Safe-T-Block product which I have been evaluating it for several weeks. I am still on the fence whether I'm going to use it or just re-train myself to get used to the Glock, as is.





In my opinion, for CCW and HD, the Saf-T-Block is better than the Siderlock referenced in the OP. This is because the mechanism to eject it from the firearm is larger, easier to find and very very unlikely to be fumbled. Your shooting finger will feel the protrusion on the Saf-T-Block before it feels the frame of the gun.

In comparison to the Saf-T-Block, the Siderlock button is small and it will require greater fine motor skills to locate it and disengage. The Siderlock seems to be a great product for a non-CCW or non-HD specific Glock though (for those that want a safety).

Here are my notes on the Pros and Cons of the Saf-T-Blok, after evaluating it for several weeks:

PROS:

-It's quite a reliable and solid trigger safety for the Glock.
-It attaches to the gun in a very solid way
-It's cheap
-3 second install
-Good, simple concept - much like the pin on a grenade. Except it's faster, because it's a one-finger pop-out.
-With the gun in your hand, your trigger finger immediately feels the protrusion from the saf-t-block, so you immediately know its right there waiting for your to pop it off (less chances to forget in an emergency situation).
-It has a provision to install a combination or key lock on it.
- It's a universal fit for just about all Glocks after '98.
- Lastly, to a person that doesn't know anything about it, it takes a little while to figure out what you have to do to make the trigger work. This is a big plus for CCW holders who want to minimize the risk that their firearm will be used against them. If your firearm is pulled from your holster in a struggle or if "you are made" by the bad guy, unless he knows what the Saf-T-Block is, he is unlikely to realize the block is there. If he tries to fire the weapon, he will feel a rock-solid, unmovable trigger, and this buys precious time. Due to the long list of dead and gravely injured Law Enforcement and Armed Citizens who have been shot by perps with their own gun, there is much value in this.

CONS:

-It will literally fly across the room when you pop it out (yes, across the room). In non-emergency times, you have to block it with your other hand to prevent it from getting away.
- It is not compatible with many Kydex holsters. Some Kydex holsters may be safely modified to accommodate it. It is however, compatible with some Leather holsters (I know for sure it works just fine with a Bianchi Pro 100, mod 10A).
- Because it flies across the room, it is difficult to practice with. You have to find a way to tether it to the gun for practice purposes.
- It's a relatively small piece of plastic, and so its easy to lose when you detach it from the gun. It's a good idea to keep a spare.
-The product is Left or Right-Hand Specific. It's very awkward to remove your weak hand, thus if you are shot and stronger hand/arm is disabled, it will take an extra few seconds to disengage the Saf-T-Block with your weak hand.

Overall it's product I highly recommend to any one who wants a Safety on the Glock. I got mine on eBay for $14 each, shipped.

THANK YOU CALIBERETTA ! Thank you for not getting all High & Mighty on me, and giving an honest opinion to the Subject matter. This is the kind of information I was after, not a Slap on the wrist or a Lecture on how to use a Firearm correctly.

[meaty-btz]

If you only knew! I have been around Guns, Hunting & Fishing all my Life! (38 Years Old Now)
What I AM NEW TO is CCW, and all I was after was what others thought about....... Never-mind, way too much Drama to address in this Thread at this point! (Won't make this mistake again!!!)

Just being around guns does not make one part of healthy gun culture...

Anyways... mechanically speaking. You are MODIFYING the basic function of a firearm. In most ways you will be actually making it less safe.

Aftermarket safeties are hackjobs.. period.

[Citadelgrad87]

If the trigger doesn't get pulled, the gun does not go bang.

The term Negligent discharge indicates the operator is at fault.



The reason more people have negligent discharges with a Glock is because it's the most common gun to be carried.

It's like claiming Toyota Camry's are unsafe because they are in the most crashes.

End of discussion.

I don't believe it's solely a numbers game. At all.

Other pistols, and revolvers, are far more forgiving of unsafe handling. An external, manual safety, a grip safety, even the heavy pull of a da revolver, all mask SOME ASPECTS of unsafe handling.

A Glock masks none. Engage the manual safety of a 1911 and get your finger or a retention strap in the way of a holstering, and nothing happens. Put your finger on the trigger of a da revolver way before you are on target, maybe even put a couple lbs on the trigger, so what.

Do those same things with a Glock, and it's going to go bang.

It's not a numbers game. It's the fact that sloppy handling of a Glock results in discharge, while most other types have an extra idiot protector.

[Erick Danielsen]

idiot protector.

That's all these products are. I'd love to see someone bring one to a class...

[MASTERLAB]

Minimal inside carry holster (mic holster)

Really like mine

[caliberetta]

Read the bolded... Yes, you stated GLOCKs are unsafe (in your opinion), and then go on to say that you are unsure of whether you will use an extra safety with the GLOCK you recently purchased.

Wow.

Exactly which part of my post stated that? It seems that is something I have never said. Could your response therefore be...






... FUD?

THANK YOU CALIBERETTA ! Thank you for not getting all High & Mighty on me, and giving an honest opinion to the Subject matter. This is the kind of information I was after, not a Slap on the wrist or a Lecture on how to use a Firearm correctly.

Word. Good luck!

[bonusweb]

http://vickerstactical.com/tactical-tips/trigger-pull-weight/

Another disturbing trend is for Law Enforcement agencies to put very heavy trigger on their issue service pistol for liability reasons. The most famous example is the Glock New York trigger that weighs approx 8 lbs and even worse is the New York plus that has a trigger pull weight of 12 lbs. Remember if your pistol weighs 2 lbs loaded and you have an 8 pound trigger pull it will take 4 times the loaded weight of the the handgun to make it fire. This means for the typical shooter it is virtually impossible to shoot the weapon accurately under stress. This leads to misses and an unintentional spray and pray approach when in a gunfight. The danger to innocent bystanders is increased dramatically and the very thing that was meant to make the pistol safer ( heavy trigger pull ) actually increases the danger to the public that LE officers are sworn to protect. This sad state of affairs started as a byproduct of LE agencies that issued revolvers and relied on the long heavy double action trigger pull as a safety device. This lead to the unsafe habit of allowing officers to have their finger on the trigger when they should not. Enter a stock Glock 17 with a 5 lb trigger and no manual safeties of any kind and you have a recipe for disaster. A much better approach is to train and if need be re-train officers to keep their finger off the trigger at all times except when presenting the weapon toward the target. Always keep in mind that a mechanical device is a poor substitute for safe gun handling.