A good CCW with safeties

4.25" 1911.

They also make them in 3" - but I prefer the 4.25" personally.

Three safeties, but you only need one hand to make it go from Condition 1 to Bang.

JD

 

I know this may seem trite but the primary safety on any firearm is the user's brain. The secondary safety is the user's trigger finger. If the trigger finger is trained to stay out of the trigger guard until ready to shoot, all other safeties are moot. I currently do not use any manual safeties on any of my handguns. Even the Smith & Wesson autos the slide mounted "safety" is primarily a safe de-cocker and is left in the "fire" position.

You do not need two hands to "rack" a pistol slide. You can hook the rear sight on your belt and push down or simply use the friction between your pants and the slide to rack it.

 

I totally agree.

 

That's where a DA really shines. All of my carry weapons are DA with one in the pipe and the hammer down. No need to rack... just pull the trigger. In DA mode, you have to WANT to pull the trigger and draw back the hammer to fire. You really can't do this "accidentally".

 

I go with Mark F`s opinion.

There have been cases, where the trigger has been pulled by the holster on Glock and similar pistols while holstering it.
So what you need is a holster, that prevents that happening on the M&P, considering the trigger safety on the M&P is a bit diffrent and suposidly safer then on the Glock.

This type holster should do:

http://www.safariland.com/product.aspx?pid=568

Where the trigger guard of the holster is a bit wider and has no notches or so that could accidently pull the trigger.

Ken

 

Basically there's 2 types of trigger/action systems that would work fine for you since you want an manual safety or double action trigger pull. My first choice (naturally) is the excellent Para-Ordnance LDA series of 1911 platform double action only pistols. The double action trigger pull on these is so light and smooth, the very 1st time I felt 1, I thought the damn thing was broke. They DO have a longer reset than other striker fired pistols such as Glock or Springfield Armory XDs, but they are THE lightest/smoothest DAO. The Para-Ordnance LDA series are offered in single stack and double stack magazines, as well as all the standard different sizes. They offer the best of both worlds-combining 1911 platform with DAO, but they are a bit higher than some other pistols. The Springfield armory xd can be had with manual safety as option, AND they also have the added feature of grip safety. If you want to stick with similar platform as the S&W m&p you currently have, if it was me, I would carry the m&p fully loaded as they, like Glocks, do feature internal safetys.

 

"This is my safety, sir"

 

Kilo 11 - That's F**KING EPIC!!!

+100 on that post!!

JD

 

I was surprised at how quickly Google brought that one up. "Hoot+"this is my safety sir"" yielded that as the 3rd result.

 

^ That's actually pretty cool. I would not have guessed you got it that close to the top of the search. It's not even really a defining moment in the movie...LOL

Epic Post Matt - Well Played Sir...

JD

 

It was one of a few good examples of the hard edged, mindless discipline of the Rangers versus the no BS, common sense of Delta. Minor, but very important.

 

One option is to keep the gun in a holster, but that will most likely result in your needing two-hands to bring the weapon into play unless you mount the holster in your car where it is accessible. If you just put it in a holster and then in the center console (or whatever) then you'll have to pull the holster off. You could just as easily cycle the action like you're doing now.

It seems you're concerned about negligent discharge because of the exposed trigger, so another option is to move to a gun with a heavier double action trigger pull like Mark F suggests. Traditional Sig Sauer pistols are a good choice in this category. They have a heavy first trigger pull, followed by lighter single-action followup shots. They have a decocker to lower the cocked hammer, and no manual safety.

Finally, guns with manual safeties that you have to disengage are what you actually asked about. JD's suggestion of a commander length 1911 pistol is excellent, and actually offers you several options. The traditional 1911 is a single-action design (hammer cocked to fire), so you can carry hammer down on empty chamber (what you're already doing), hammer down on live chamber (not a good idea), or hammer cocked with the manual thumb safety activated (my preference). Hammer down on a live chamber is the worst option, because you have to manually ride the hammer, presenting opportunity for misfire. The choice of most professionals for 1911 carry is the cocked & locked variant. The shooting hand's thumb pushes down on the safety to disengage it, and can easily push back up to engage the safety.



If you aren't comfortable with the 1911 for whatever reason, there are other firearms with manual safeties that you can consider. I personally think the thumb safety of the 1911 is the best, and the thumb safety concept has been copied on the HK USP, as well as versions of the Springfield XD and the Smith M&P. You might check into those as well.

M&P 9C with thumb safety.


Springfield XD Thumb Safety

 

1911s can be set to half cock, which requires you to pull the hammer back manually to full cock before firing.

 

HOOT was the F**KING HEAT throughout that movie.

 

Have you considered a CZ? They are rugged, affordable and accurate. You can get a model 75 either with a decocker (the first shot is double action) or with a regular safety (which allows cocked and locked carry). There are compact models as well.

 

I fully agree on a CZ. Double/single action is a nice safety. It's like a revolver with benefits! I personally like the de-cocker option but I carry a CZ RAMI and I don't think they have one with that option. I would much rather carry a CZ-75 D but they are a little too large for concealed carry in my opinion. I have carried many 1911 sub compacts and love them but I always have the problem of the manual safety becoming disengaged while carrying from movement that I moved towards DA/SA. I can't bring myself to carry a DOA 12 lb trigger gun to protect my life.

Edit; Forgot too add, the Para PDA is also HIGHLY recommended if you can afford one. I've got to give this one to the Canadians. For a country where it is almost criminal to own a hand gun they make one of the finest! Kind of like Kimber and New York.

 

1911 condition one and only!







cane

 

i agree with a few of the options on here so far... 1911 in condition one is just as safe as any other option available really... but if you arent comfortable with that (some people just aren't), i really like the idea of a CZ model (or a baby eagle perhaps). one of the reasons i would say that over a SIG or something of that nature is because you mentioned how you are keeping it in your car, right? SIGs are a bit expensive for the possibility (however slight) of being left to be stolen. at least for me. now i dont know where you live or anything like that, so it may not be a factor... but it is pretty hard to beat the price point-reliability ratio of a CZ-75, plus it has a TON of safety/decocker options for you to choose from.

-if money isn't a factor and you want a manual safety, just do yourself a favor and get a decent 1911 platform.

 

Condition One And Only

Texas Ranger Charlie Miller was minding his own business when a concerned citizen came up to him, noted the hammer cocked back on the big 1911 dangling from the Ranger's belt, and asked, "Isn't that dangerous?" Charlie replied, "I wouldn't carry the son-of-a-bitch if it wasn't dangerous."