Thumb Safety

[Black_Bay]

I've been looking at handguns lately, specifically a .45 semi auto, and I'm wondering what are the pros and cons to an additional thumb safety. I'm not a LEO or competative shooter. Basically it would be used for target shooting and also maybe home defence, assuming a bad guy gave me enough time to retrieve it, get the trigger lock off and load it.

[picksbigwagon]

"additional"? meaning what, it is an option on the gun you are looking at?

it has to have some kind of saftey on it, it might just not be a traditional thumb safety right?

[Black_Bay]

"additional"? meaning what, it is an option on the gun you are looking at?

it has to have some kind of saftey on it, it might just not be a traditional thumb safety right?

Both the Smith and Wesson M&P .45 and the Springfield Armory XD .45 have available thumb safeties in addition to the other standard safeties on each weapon. I'm just wondering what advantage it would be to the recreational shooter beyond one more safety feature.

[TooTallTom]

I don't think there is any advantage to any safety beyond being a safety feature. Like you said, it's one more thing between nothing and an accidental (or intentional) discharge. Might be good in a recreational situation, might be bad in a "defense" situation.

[Code-Man]

I've been looking at a pistol and I'm nervous about it accidentally going off. I have taken a lot of time looking at different models and trying to find a model that I liked. I have narrowed it down the to Springfield Arms XD or XDM. I like how they have two safeties in my book they have the palm safety as I've called it and a finger/trigger safety. I like how the glock feels in my hands and I don't know if they still have the title as the #1 gun shooting its own owner. My buddy is an officer in Iowa and he said that all the officer are pretty much using two guns. Glock and the Springfield Arms. He likes the Glock because ease to fire/clean/weight. He told me if I plan on carrying it through the woods he wouldn't suggest his Glock but he has a special situation unlike me. I only want it to go off when I have it pointing in a safe direction. Guess it's just a matter of what you like and want for a weapon. The thing I did like about the XDM is that you get a bigger magazine and 3 different grips along with two clips, two holsters, easy reloader, and a hard traveling case for the gun. Little things add up quickly when you start nickle and diming things together.

[TooTallTom]

Springfield and Glock both make great (and safe) guns. I'm a big fan of the XDm in 9mm.

Fit is an extremely important factor (more so than what accessories it comes with) when buying a handgun. When you raise the gun up to eye level, it should be pointed (with the sights aligned) at whatever you're looking at, or as close to this as possible. Shooting a gun well that fits you well is fairly easy. Shooting a gun well that fits you poorly can be done but is much harder.

Always remember your gun safety rules. Every gun is loaded, regardless of how sure you are it's unloaded. DO NOT PUT YOUR FINGER INSIDE THE TRIGGER GUARD until you are ready to make a hole in something.

[picksbigwagon]

I knew the glocks were like that, but I also knew they didn't come with an option. I learned something today, I didn't know the XD and M&P line don't have the thumb safety, like my 1911. I agree with the glock trigger/grip safety system. My buddy has a model 29 GLock in 10MM....I hate shooting that little thing

[Loose]

I wouldn't be nervous about any of the fore mentioned pistols just going off. Unless you rip them apart and start messing with them the trigger has to be pulled for them to go off.

[Johnsonator]

A couple years ago when I was getting into pistols I really wanted a thumb safety. My mind changed quickly after learning good safety habits and learning about handguns in a self defense situation. If the gun is for recreational shooting a safety is not nessasary but not a bad thing. If the gun is for self defense/home defense it can be one more thing to slow you down when seconds count. Today's pistols are very safe and will only go off if the trigger is pulled by the user or by something else. I have a Springfield xd subcompact and a glock 19 I got the Springfield first but now prefer the glock for its simplicity and feel. Best way to find the right gun for you is to shoot them and see what feels best and don't be surprised if you find yourself wanting to buy more!

[KatoMike]

I agree with Johnsonator about the Glocks. They only fire if you pull the trigger. If you pull the trigger it will fire (assuming there's one in the pipe) - no other safeties to mess with. Keep your finger out of the trigger guard until you want to fire the gun. That simple. Glocks are some of the safest guns - assuming you know how to handle a gun.

If you have to take a trigger lock off then load the gun you might as well just throw the gun at the intruder. A gun that is not ready is not a defensive weapon, it's a paperweight.

I also agree with Johnsonator that after you buy one handgun you will buy another and another and so on...