Right to Keep and Bear Arms is a DKos group of second amendment supporters who have progressive and liberal values. We don't think that being a liberal means one has to be anti-gun. Some of us are extreme in our second amendment views (no licensing, no restrictions on small arms) and some of us are more moderate (licensing, restrictions on small arms.) Moderate or extreme or somewhere in between, we hold one common belief: more gun control equals lost elections. We don't want a repeat of 1994. We are an inclusive group: if you see the Second Amendment as safeguarding our right to keep and bear arms individually, then come join us in our conversation. If you are against the right to keep and bear arms, come join our conversation. We look forward to seeing you, as long as you engage in a civil discussion.
At DKOS there has been a huge amount of discussion regarding gun control. Many non gun owners are not familiar with the rules and practices of safe gun handling or how mechanical safety devices enhance gun safety. I illustrate this diary with a number of Youtube videos that I did not produce so I am only using them to illustrate a point and do not endorse the speaker or any of their views.
There are four rules of safe gun handling. I prefer the Col. Cooper version despite some of his abhorrent and backward personal views:
1. All guns are always loaded.
2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.
4. Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.
Notice how mechanical safety devices are not mentioned? I am not surprised. Safety is a mindset and a practice. Mechanical safety devices can lead to lax safety practices because some people see them as substitutes for safe handling practices. I like to use them but assume that they don't exist because there is no substitute for following these rules.
Many guns require different practices for safe use. For instance old single action revolvers need to be left with one empty chamber under the hammer because if dropped on the hammer, there was nothing to prevent the hammer from igniting a cartridge's primer.
Anyone who owns or shoots a revolver should also be able to de-cock the revolver by lowering the hammer.
A second example of this is are the classic FN-Hi Power and 1911 should be carried in a condition called cocked and locked. This means that the gun is in an appropriate holster, there is a cartridge in the chamber, the hammer is cocked and mechanical safety is applied. Neither gun will fire from this condition as scary as it may look to non gun owners. Some older 1911s will fire if they are dropped just the wrong way from above head level. This is so rare, that it can be classified as not realistically going to happen. If you are concerned about it, buy a Glock instead.
Unlike these two classics, Classic SIG pistols do not have mechanical safety switches, instead the gun should be carried hammer down. Combined with the firing pin block, the gun will not fire if dropped. When fired the first shot requires a long heavy trigger pull to cock the hammer the first time. After every shot the gun will automatically re-cock the hammer. The gun must be manually decocked via a hammer drop lever.
Unlike the above examples pistols like the Glock have no safety and the pressure on the trigger to fire the gun does not change. This family of guns relies on a set of internal safeties that prevent the gun from firing unless the trigger is physically pulled.
An example of a bad safety is the H&K P9 (~3 minutes into the video).
The video is a bit long but describes the problem. The gun has a decocker but while the decoder is depressed the trigger must be pulled to decock the gun. This is an interesting design but a bad idea because of rule #3. You must pull the trigger to decock the gun which you should never touch until you are ready to safely fire.
Here is another take. I don't endorse the video but its another valid perspective and pretty close to what you will get at any gun shop counter anywhere in the US.
The speaker states that its not safe to carry a Glock with a cartridge in the chamber if you carry it as he does, using a spring steel clip attached to the gun to clip it to your belt. Using a holster that covers the trigger makes this unnecessary. Their discussion of the Bersa fails to mention that the best way to store a gun with children in the house is in a quality, quick access safe. A second point of difference is that I don't like relying on a safety notch on a lever action rifle because I think its inadequate. Some of the lever gun safeties shown I am not a fan of but I am not so hard on the Rossi safety. The lever is on the wrong wing, and when applied should block the shooter's line of sight like a Mauser 98. The one thing not covered in the video regarding break breach shotguns is to assure the gun is safe, all you need to do is open the breach.
There are other safety devices like magazine disconectors and loaded chamber indicators. Magazine disconectors can increase the trigger pull, reducing accuracy and add complexity, which makes the design less robust. Loaded chamber indicators are only useful for confirming a cartridge is in the chamber when its too dark to do a press check. I am not a fan of magazine disconectors and indifferent to loaded chamber indicators.
Regardless of the pistol in question if its carried, it must be kept in a holster that protects the trigger and depending on the design, the safety lever. Guns like the FN FNS and Ruger SR series don't need safety switches because the safety mechanism are Glock-like and these switches exist for legal compliance. To FN's credit the FNS safety switch is well positioned easy to apply or disengage while still being very slim. As far as I am concerned, as long as the gun is well maintained, drop safe from slightly above waist level and carried in a properly fitting holster, the gun is mechanically safe.
The result of the quick tour of mechanical safeties provides a good set of lessons. The purpose of a safety is to assure that if the gun is dropped, it will not fire, not a form of idiot proofing. While a well designed gun has a mechanical safety be it a transfer bar, hammer drop, or is safe action like a Glock, safe gun handling presumes that the safety will not prevent an accident.
I hope this quick guide helps my fellow Kossacks understand a bit more about firearms technology and good practices.