Got it - a misunderstanding on my part. The SCD is what brought me back to Glock after a bunch of years with manual safety equipped M&Ps - I’m a dinosaur that was taught to keep thumb on hammer when reholstering my revolver, and the Gadget is analogous to that.Originally Posted by Navin Johnson
Ken
BBI: ...”you better not forget the safe word because shit's about to get weird”...
revchuck38: ...”mo' ammo is mo' betta' unless you're swimming or on fire.”
I think he's referring to the M17 which already has a manual safety.
Did the OP have a training class (if he's qualifying I assume there was a class)? I would follow what they taught at least for the test. Our instructors do the test as well and would want you to follow their teaching method.
Since recently returning to the True Faith of the 1911, I engage the safety anytime I'm not actively engaging a target, including moving between firing positions (including taking a knee from standing as part of our qual).
IMHO, engaging the manual safety as part of an emergency reload is wasted effort, but with 12 years of active AAAARMY time under my belt, I get how things are.
I wish that was a more common modification, or that Glock would make a useable safety. That combined with an SCD would be 1911/Hi-Power style. Engage the safety and then ride the hammer/SCD.
The M&P is the best safety on a striker I’ve found, but it’s still not great in my opinion.
Love to try one.....
I can only imagine the shock and discust on people's faces seeing a manual safety on a Glock.
I had a guy shame me for an SCD.....
Thanks for the replies everyone!
We just did the preliminary marksmanship instruction for the M17 this weekend but to be honest the instructors didn't really have an answer on when to use the safety aside from "the Army gave you one... So use it".
I can use a 1911 safety without issue. The M17 safety is just small/stiff for me - not sure if the stiffness will improve with time. As an aside I worried that the Glock's MHS submission would suffer from the same issue with that tiny nub of a safety; the Cominolli safety looks much better designed.
Right now the Glock side of my brain thinks keep the safety off once out of the holster and only think about it again before re-holstering.
The "use the safety always" side of my brain thinks I should disengage the safety just as I come onto target in full arm extension and engage it when off target. But part of me worries that if I ever have to shoot from retention (which the Army does not train you in) I would forget to disengage it.
Thanks!
Last edited by Yute; 10-22-2020 at 11:52 AM. Reason: formating
I started out trying the Cominolli. The big issue I had with it was that it was in the right position for one-handed use, but that lever was in the way of my support hand palm. In the "on safe" position is right where I want the "off safe" position. I've got a couple of G19s with a smith trying to see if that can be made to work. I use the SCD, and really like the "safety and hammer" sort of experience with a Glock that the combination provides.
I'm confident that the smith can turn out something good, so I patiently wait.
I absolutely agree that I wish Glock had good factory thumb safety options, but I can dream on. I had a fantastic sort of experience with the M&P .45 thumb safeties several years back.
Per the PF Code of Conduct, I have a commercial interest in the StreakTM product as sold by Ammo, Inc.
Two caveats – I have no time on the M17 and I don’t know what Big Army is teaching regarding manipulations.
With any frame mounted safety, regardless of the frame’s material, I manipulate the safety in straight Modern Technique on the front end and PatMac (rather than ModTech) on the backside. Which translates damn near identically with the M4/AR pattern carbine.
If the TC is calling for putting the safety on when changing positions, it fits with the PatMac doctrine of Off Target/On Safe and OnTarget/OffSafe.
With the 1911s I carried, used through most of my career, and several years with M&Ps that have thumb safeties – I carried the pistol on safe. When the safety is manipulated depends on whether one is drawing to the low ready or to shoot. If I’m drawing to the low ready, the pistol stays OnSafe untl the shoot decision is made & the pistol is coming up onto the target. If I’m drawing to shoot, the safety comes off as the muzzle rotates onto the target and begins to move forward (count 2 or 3 depending on who's draw you adopt).
Going back on safe … I try extremely hard to stay with the OffTarget/OnSafe doctrine. So, after shooting and while assessing the BadGuy, the pistol is still OffSafe. Once the muzzle leaves the BadGuy, the safety goes back on – which I can do by moving the thumb off the safety to underneath it & pushing it up into the On position. If I were changing positions and I’m not seeing the threat/target through the sights I’ll put the safety back on.
But, that’s just me.
( Part of why I choose the M&P was the frame mounted safety. )
Thank you - a fantastic perspective.
Are you engaging the safety on the M&P between reloads?
I do like Pat Mcnamara's perspective where an AR safety is an enabler, never a disabler - though compared to the M17 safety, the AR safety is far more ergonomic.
Admittedly this is a very esoteric/gun geek topic. I think I just have to overcome my Glock mentality/work out my thumbs more...
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