Adding a manual thumb safety to Glocks

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Opinions on safeties aside, the Ruger SR9 is very similar while providing you with a factory safety. The S&W M&P is offered with an optional safety, as well.

I am a big believer in not monkeying with a defensive gun... it just may cost you your life.
 
I am not an engineer, by any stretch of the imagination. With that caveat out of the way, I would be leery of mechanically altering a firearm intended for HD or SD. My reasoning is that it doing so could contribute to a malfunction that would either: (1) cause it to go click when it ought to go bang; or (2) cause it to go bang when it ought to go click. Neither strikes me as a desireable result. If we're talking about a range gun, that's a different matter altogether.

If I were determined to have a gun with many of the same qualities as a Glock (reliability, decent capacity, polymer frame, what have you), I'd consider the following, all of which (I think) are available with thumb safeties:
  • XD/XDm/XDs/etc.;
  • SR series;
  • M&P series
 
When I use my Glock, I don't keep a round chambered. For that reason, I stopped using my Glock, except for occasional home defense and long road trips. I just like a double-action trigger pull on that first round - completely personal preference.
 
I carry my Glocks with +1 capacity. All the time. Any gun for serious SD or HD should be carried in that matter.

Don't fix what isn't broken.

Spats made a good recommendation on other firearms similar to the Glock that you might want to have a look at instead.

Then again, I don't carry any gun for SD or use one for HD duty that has an external safety on it.

If you want that you should train even more so. Either way you should train. But I'd stick to the no external safety.
 
I believe amd6547 and arch 308 hit the nail directly on the head! Glocks already have all the safeties you should ever need. As the old saying goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" So if you can live without a thumb safety, get a Glock.If however you can't, maybe try an M&P or something.
Personally, I think Glock offers the best of all worlds in a self-defense/LE gun. They have the widest range of calibers in the industry, they're hugely popular.
Need I even continue?
Click to expand...

Those with 1911s and DA/SAs might disagree with you. ;)
As noted you have two options if you're not comfortable without a safety but like the Glock style:
1) swap out for an M&P or even a Springfield with its grip safety.
2) have a manual safety installed. Several have been noted. Here is another.
http://www.hankgun.com/hg_spec_glockthumb.htm
 
Dang not only does my Glocks not have a manual safety, neither does my Sig P245 or my Ruger LCP. Hummm I must me tempting fate.
 
I holster carry my G20(OWB) and G32(IWB), but I put a Cominolli Saftey on my G33 because I sometimes carry it with a belt clip.
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After just getting an SR9 yesterday, I'd say save yourself some money, sell the Glock and buy the SR9. The tiggers are very similar except that it's shorter and crisper on the SR9. The manual safety is positive and sure. It's easy to use and it audibly clicks when moved from one position to the other.. It's also a good bit trimmer than a Glock, and trimmer than the XDm which I'm a big fan of. Anyone looking fro a polymer frame pistol, with or without using the manual safety, would do well to consider the SR series. ;)
 
Thank you, Constantine!

BTW, my shooting partner carried the G19 for years and completely agrees with my assessment. Now he carries the XDm 3.8 Compact, but prefers the feel and function of my SR9 over the G19.

Since the OP feels a need for a manual safety on his pistol, adding one to the Glock just doesn't seem practical or cost effective to me. And, rather than tell him it's an issue that really doesn't exist while he obviously feels the need, the 2 most logical ways to go, IMO, would be to sell the Glock and get an M&P with a manual safety, or get the pistol that is the most concealable anyway and comes with a manual safety, that being the SR9. ;)
 
For years I have owned a G21 with thumb safety

I own a Glock 21 which is my one and only do-it-all pistol (spouse mandated limit).

I installed a Cominolli safety on the pistol years ago, and fired 1000s of rounds since without a hiccup. Glock still honors the warranty on a pistol with a Cominolli safety on it. I also intalled "the gadget" as a substitute for the back plate. Keeping one's thumb on "the gadget" while holstering is very much like pressing down on the hammer of a DA pistol with the thumb, in that the down pressure will prevent the trigger from being depressed.

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Here is AIWB reholstering process:
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a) bending backwards, hip thrust forwards, right leg back and a holster that does not deform (Garrett Silent Thunder) = no self muzzling.
b) Cominolli safety on and/or thumb pressing on "the gadget" = no negligent discharge (even if trigger is being actuated somehow)
a) + b) = no Glock leg

Negligent discharge + a) = no Glock leg
Self muzzling + b) = no Glock leg

Probability of Glock leg =
Chance of: depressing the trigger + also not doing a) + also not doing b) = 0.00000000001 %
The only way it could be lower is with no round in the chamber.

Also chance of: needing to fire a shot + not disengaging thumb safety = chance of doing so with a 1911 = (almost) chance of forgetting to depress the trigger itself.

I know many will not agree with this, but the set-up works flawlessly and I could not find another pistol that off the shelf would offer these characteristics.
EAA (Tanfoglio) Witness comes close, but does not allow for the versatility of using short mags for concealment and longer mags for more ammo capacity like the Glock does.

The pistol is still Glock reliable!
 
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