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Old December 13, 2013, 12:22 PM   #1
RRVF83
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Concealed carry handgun with or with out safety

Hello, my name is Rick and I conceal carry a S&W 3914 for about 3 months. This Thread is intended to discuss how to carry your pistol (thouse that have safety swich) on the stree, knowing that in a high stress moment the only swich you want to hit is the trigger to get a bang. Many different opinions arise on this subjects.

IMHO I do carry it on my waist (hammer down) with out the safety switch since I started to train at the range that way, but some times I think to have the switch on, specially when I dont have it close to me (stored at home, sport bag, etc) I understand you should train 1 way and fix your brain to understand that so when the moment comes you automatically do it.

Also I dont understand fully in a 3914 what would be the risk of having a gun hammer down with out the safety. Would it fire upon drop? are thre any other risk?

Right now i feel pretty safe, the trigger has a long hard pull and frankly I dont this gun would fire itself for any reason.

Thank you for sharing your thoughs.

(Reminder: This is not a thread about guns with safety switch vs guns with out)
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Old December 13, 2013, 12:39 PM   #2
JERRYS.
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the 3914 is safe to carry with hammer down on a loaded chamber.

the safety acts more as a decocking lever than a safety, though it is both.

the gun also has a magazine disconnector which disables the gun when the magazine is removed.

the first trigger pull is double action like a revolver, each subsequent trigger pull will be single action.

my advise is to seek training from a competent person on general firearm safety and handling, preferably one familiar with the gen 3 S&W 39XX series guns.
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Old December 13, 2013, 01:04 PM   #3
pilpens
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I am almost sure that S&W 3914 has a firing pin block safety. If the firing pin safety is in order, then it should prevent AD without pulling the trigger.
====
If my CC pistol is a 3914, I would carry it with a loaded chamber, hammer down, and external safety off.
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Old December 13, 2013, 01:11 PM   #4
RRVF83
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Quote:
my advise is to seek training from a competent person on general firearm safety and handling, preferably one familiar with the gen 3 S&W 39XX series guns.
Thank you very much Jerry for your advice, actually my trainer sold me the S&W and he has experience, I started this not to resing oneself with his opinion but from the users of this forum which i know many are highly experience gun owners.

About the magazine disconnection safety i did know, what I find reassuring its the fact that caring it as I describe early would mean that its safety enough and I shall not worry.

-Any other opinions are welcome-
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Old December 13, 2013, 01:16 PM   #5
Sharkbite
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Ditto to the above

Use the safety to decock and then put it into the fire position. After firing train to decock using the lever and then right back into the firing position

The S&W auto have numerous internal safety features that prevent the pistol from firing untill the trigger is pulled fully

My experience say to ust the safety in a down and right back up fashion

YMMV
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Old December 13, 2013, 01:17 PM   #6
RRVF83
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I am almost sure that S&W 3914 has a firing pin block safety. If the firing pin safety is in order, then it should prevent AD without pulling the trigger.
Yes, as Jerry said, once you deckoc you can see as the hammer goes down the blocker. So it does works as a safety. My point of argue was if caring with safety on or off, IMO and as Jerry said since the pistol with out the safety its not prompt to fire itself it would be wise to keep it that way, so when the moment its to draw, reaction would be faster and you wont be asking yourself about switching the safety.
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Old December 13, 2013, 01:19 PM   #7
RRVF83
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My experience say to ust the safety in a down and right back up fashion
Thank you Sharkbite for your contribution, since i'm new to all this, what do you mean by that?
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Old December 13, 2013, 01:55 PM   #8
Gaerek
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Quote:
IMHO I do carry it on my waist (hammer down) with out the safety switch since I started to train at the range that way, but some times I think to have the switch on, specially when I dont have it close to me (stored at home, sport bag, etc) I understand you should train 1 way and fix your brain to understand that so when the moment comes you automatically do it.
Pick a way of carrying/keeping the gun and keep it that way. I think you know that, but I want to reinforce it. You're asking for trouble. The last thing you want is to have to use then gun, and you try to pull the trigger....and nothing happens, because you forgot to take the safety off when you holstered, and you assumed the safety was off.
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Old December 13, 2013, 03:52 PM   #9
RRVF83
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Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
IMHO I do carry it on my waist (hammer down) with out the safety switch since I started to train at the range that way, but some times I think to have the switch on, specially when I dont have it close to me (stored at home, sport bag, etc) I understand you should train 1 way and fix your brain to understand that so when the moment comes you automatically do it.
Pick a way of carrying/keeping the gun and keep it that way. I think you know that, but I want to reinforce it. You're asking for trouble. The last thing you want is to have to use then gun, and you try to pull the trigger....and nothing happens, because you forgot to take the safety off when you holstered, and you assumed the safety was off.
Will do. Thanks for the contribution.
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Old December 13, 2013, 03:56 PM   #10
Tactical Jackalope
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To the ones who aren't extremely well trained under stress to sweep off that safety. Then sticking to no safety is better.
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Old December 13, 2013, 04:05 PM   #11
RX-79G
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The easiest solution to you problem is to train yourself to push up (in this case) on the safety lever every time you draw it to fire.

This is a good idea because it will make the gun go bang, no matter whether you left it in safe or fire.

Whether you intentionally put the gun on safe, or it just ended up there, any pistol that has a safe position should be treated like it is on safe when you need to fire. There is very little downside to pushing the safety lever to fire when it is already set to fire, but there is a downside to failing to operate the lever when it is set to safe.


If training to operate the safety lever every time you draw is inconvenient, don't carry a gun with a safety. That's why decock only guns exist. Some can be modified from one mode to the other.



Slide mounted decock safeties are great because they make loading and unloading the gun so safe. But they do require your awareness of where that lever is when you need the gun.
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Old December 13, 2013, 04:22 PM   #12
RRVF83
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Quote:
The easiest solution to you problem is to train yourself to push up (in this case) on the safety lever every time you draw it to fire.

This is a good idea because it will make the gun go bang, no matter whether you left it in safe or fire.

Whether you intentionally put the gun on safe, or it just ended up there, any pistol that has a safe position should be treated like it is on safe when you need to fire. There is very little downside to pushing the safety lever to fire when it is already set to fire, but there is a downside to failing to operate the lever when it is set to safe.


If training to operate the safety lever every time you draw is inconvenient, don't carry a gun with a safety. That's why decock only guns exist. Some can be modified from one mode to the other.



Slide mounted decock safeties are great because they make loading and unloading the gun so safe. But they do require your awareness of where that lever is when you need the gun.
RX you really hit the nail on this one. I will try that on just drawing (fliping the safety switch when set to fire) and see how it feels.
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Old December 13, 2013, 04:26 PM   #13
WardenWolf
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Some guns that have a safety are drop-safe even with it off, such as the Makarov which blocks the hammer until the trigger is pulled. The main thing is, do your research and know your firearm. Different firearms are safe in different conditions.

I like my pistols to HAVE a safety even if I don't use it when carrying. I do not like designs such as Glocks where there is no manual safety even though the trigger pull is fairly light. I also won't accept a push safety, as those are impossible to use as you draw. Only easy-to-use pull-down safeties or guns that are safe (heavy enough trigger pull and, ideally, drop-safe) with the safety disengaged are considered viable options for carry. That's just my criteria, though.

A gun is useless if you can't shoot it when you need to.
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Old December 13, 2013, 04:30 PM   #14
RX-79G
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There are virtually no modern guns that aren't drop safe with the hammer down, safety off. Tokarev derivatives and some hammer fired pocket guns are really the only exceptions. JMB introduced inertial firing pins on his guns for that reason.
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