I do the same. I don't like enlarged safeties. I was taught many moons ago to ride the safety of the 870 with my trigger finger and have always done so.
In my mind searching with the safety off on an 870 (which is a single action gun typically with about a 4lbs trigger pull which will inertia fire if dropped or slammed hard enough) is no different than searching with the safety off on a 1911, which is also a big no-no where I come from.