CZ-75 SP-01 External safety vs decocker

B

bm303

New member
I am going to buy my first handgun in the near future and I am fairly certain it is going to be the CZ-75 SP01.

My only question now is whether I want a safety or a decocker. The gun will be stored in a safe and used for HD/range fun. It will never be carried.

First off, can I mount a light to a regular safety SP-01 or only the Tactical decocker model?

Being that I would need to point my gun to illuminate potential BG's at night, would you feel safer with a DA/SA? Or are you going to be leaving your safety on until you are ready to engage a target. I'm not sure what standard procedure is in a middle-of-the-night scenario. Are you immediately disengaging your safety upon arming yourself or are you leaving it on until you need to engage target(s).

These are all hypothetical situations but I am just wondering what your opinions are on a safety/decocker for a first home defense and range gun, and if having a mounted light would influence your opinion.

Thanks for all the help I've received on this forum thus far. It is much appreciated..
 
The standard and the tactical can mount a light.

Many weapon mounted lights are 500 lumens and more. You can keep the pistol at a low ready and the spill will illuminate a decent sized room. You could also carry a handheld light if that was a concern.
 
IMO since it is going to be used for SD too the decocker version makes more sense. Myself If I am awoken in the middle of the night and groggy and then find myself in an extremely stressful situation I don't want to have to deal with a safety or the SA trigger that is very short and light for a potential first l shot. I would personally feel much more comfortable with that long and heavy DA trigger pull. Of course that requires some practice to get proficient with the DA trigger pull.

If you do not have much experience with a pistol it would also be a great idea to get some professional one on one training from a qualified instructor to learn and be coached on proper safe handling, stance, grip, trigger control, and sight acquisition. Most local ranges offer such at very reasonable prices.
 
If I need a tool to save my life or defend my family in an instant, I want it to work instantly. Storage issues aside, I don't want an extra fiddly step on the tool itself. Some people compare DA/SA semis to double-action revolvers because a heavier trigger pull is your safety on the first shot. By that same token, having a manual safety switch is a bit like carrying a single-action revolver! Some people like that. I do not.
 
As TR notes, both versions of the SP-01 are railed.

As to decocker vs safety, that's a matter of choice. If this is your first firearm you can choose either. Because all my other firearms have a manual safety, I like my carry guns to be similarly equipped. That aside, if you intend to store your HD gun in Condition 1, cocked and locked, you need a safety. If you store it in Condition 2, hammer down, most would opt for a decocker. Condition 1 offers the advantage of a consistent trigger pull for each shot.

For tactical use of a safety-equipped handgun, most suggest deactivating the safety as soon as the weapon is pointed down range. From this point, keeping your finger outside the triggerguard is your only safety. I was taught, however, to deactivate the safety just before firing. I would keep my gun safed whenever moving, especially through a darkened environment, even your home.
 
Decocker vs safety is a matter of choice and ergos. For example, I have an extremely high ride gripping style and on a SP01 Tac, my right thumb would sometimes inadvertently decock the pistol. The one I have is an early run SP01 with safeties and I don't even remember if the Tac was available yet, but I've fired them since and decided I still prefer the version with safeties over the decocker. However, the design of the decocker levers (and their position) on a CZ P07 is different and my thumb doesn't trip it...so my P07 carry gun is left with the decocker assembly in it, rather than the safety assembly installed.

As far as your question of DA or SA with safety on, my preference is DA with safety off (you can't engage it on a SP01 with the hammer down, but you can on some of the clones). However, if I was in a situation where I was in SA mode, safety is on until I'm coming up on target at which time it gets flicked off as my sights are rising up into the target zone. That is a practiced evolution, so it has become second nature and set in muscle memory. If you have a good weapon light, the spill over will illuminate the target before your gun is even up on it.

As addressed already, both version can mount a light.
 
Remember if you want to use a safety model cz DA with safety off, you need to decock by pulling the trigger and manually lowering the hammer. Probably not a good idea for first time gun owner.
 
IMO since it is going to be used for SD too the decocker version makes more sense. Myself If I am awoken in the middle of the night and groggy and then find myself in an extremely stressful situation I don't want to have to deal with a safety or the SA trigger that is very short and light for a potential first l shot. I would personally feel much more comfortable with that long and heavy DA trigger pull. Of course that requires some practice to get proficient with the DA trigger pull.
Click to expand...

I'd put in the time on familiarization with the safety, rather than mastering the DA trigger.
Your finger *is* off the trigger, DA or SA, until you are going to fire, so that shouldn't be a safety issue, either way. Also, if you practice engaging the safety when the gun is lowered, and disengaging as the gun comes on target, you have a "safe" gun any time you are moving around.
If you lost a struggle for control of the gun, the other guy might not be familiar with the safety, but he'd certainly be familiar with pulling the trigger.
Also, the shot that is really important is the first one, and I wouldn't want to be struggling with a DA trigger for that shot.
 
Your finger *is* off the trigger, DA or SA, until you are going to fire, so that shouldn't be a safety issue, either way.
Click to expand...

In a perfect world. However in high stress situations not necessarily so much according to those that actually train shooters (SWAT, etc) and have observed their actual practices when under high stress. For a brand new pistol shooter, risk would even be greater.

DA trigger pull is not that hard to be proficient enough at for SD purposes. No worries about having to deal with a safety in high stress situation either.
 
Remember if you want to use a safety model cz DA with safety off, you need to decock by pulling the trigger and manually lowering the hammer. Probably not a good idea for first time gun owner.
Click to expand...

I've been around guns my whole life and I still feel better using a decocker to lower the hammer when I've got one in the chamber. It never bothers me with revolvers but I think that's because the hammers on my revolvers are so much more conducive to manual manipulation.
 
I've owned both versions of the SP-01, the Tactical first and the standard currently. I was in a jam and had to sell the Tactical, which I regret. By the time I had the money for another gun, the supply of a SP-01 Tacticals had completely dried up. Only the standard safety version was available, so that's what I got and currently use. I manually de-cock the gun for hammer down DA/SA. It's not some mysterious skill to learn, but it obviously has some danger and requires alot of concentration and control. I'd much prefer to just have the decocker version, it's so much easier to carry in my preferred DA/SA.

I'd definitely get the Tactical version.
 
Finding a stranger in your house, especially if you just woke up and it's dark, or there is shouting, movement, or gun fire, can easily put a person into a highly stressed panic like they have never experienced before. How does one train for an extreme state of mine they have never been in? We would all like to think we will react calmly and rationally and follow our training, but I would not bet my life on it.

I want a defense gun that goes bang when I pull the trigger without having to remember to release the safety when in a panic, so I keep my CZ 75 BD in decocked mode with a round in the chamber. The decocker also feels safer than lowering the hammer on a live chamber with my thumb, no matter how well practiced.

TomNJVA
 
Decocker.

The training required to become proficient with a DA trigger was minimal for me. The training required to become proficient with transitioning between the heavy first shot and the lighter follow up shots were a non-factor. For me. They are factors but they are overblown, vastly. In my experience. YMMV.
 
Your decision is pretty much between carrying cocked and locked or a double action first pull. If you want to fire in da first, you may as well get the decocker. No point in having the safety if you can only engage it in sa mode. I have a 75 with a safety and in my duty holster, the strap over wouldn't let me have the hammer back so I had to manually decocker it with my thumb every time as I don't carry or keep it cocked and locked. I have only ever used the safety when handing the gun off to someone else if I had already racked the slide.
 
Remember if you want to use a safety model cz DA with safety off, you need to decock by pulling the trigger and manually lowering the hammer. Probably not a good idea for first time gun owner.
Click to expand...

A CZ 75, like the SP-01, decocks to a half cock position, which makes manual decocking easy and safe. The firing pin block also adds to the safety of the manuever. If you release the trigger after the hammer is released, even if your thumb slips no discharge will occur The hammer would fall to the half cock, and the firing pin block is engaged when the trigger is released.

Manual decocking can seem daunting, but some practice with an empty chamber will make you confident about doing it in short order.
 
My second centerfire handgun was a CZ 75bd, decocker model.

Here's my take. CZ uses the same exact firing procedure between safety and decocker versions. Both have a 'half cock' notch, both can be fired from that, single action or full double action. No difference.

However the safety model is more flexible if you choose to start from SA first shot (competition) or just don't want to throw off your first round at target practice. You can always just thumb back the hammer first either way.

Looking back after owning it for 12 years, I truly wish it had been the safety model. They are also easier to tweak and upgrade if desired. I now have a P01 and really wish it had a safety and SAO.
 
DA trigger pull is not that hard to be proficient enough at for SD purposes. No worries about having to deal with a safety in high stress situation either.
Click to expand...

No matter how much time one puts into mastering the DA trigger pull, one's SAO groups will, on average, always be tighter than one's DAO groups from that particular DA/SA pistol. It's physics.

If one is truly concerned about one's inability to train to deactivate the safety when bringing the pistol on target (is there any evidence that anyone has ever lost a DGU because of this?), one can always carry in Glock mode -- cocked and unlocked.
 
Limnophile said:
No matter how much time one puts into mastering the DA trigger pull, one's SAO groups will, on average, always be tighter than one's DAO groups from that particular DA/SA pistol. It's physics.

If one is truly concerned about one's inability to train to deactivate the safety when bringing the pistol on target (is there any evidence that anyone has ever lost a DGU because of this?), one can always carry in Glock mode -- cocked and unlocked.
Click to expand...


We've been over this before. A Glock is notably more drop safe than a cocked SA pistol with no safety. For that matter it also typically has a heavier trigger pull. There's also the liability of carrying a pistol in a manner not intended by the manufacturer. You're letting your fervor to defend cocked and locked carry drive you to make both inaccurate and unsafe statements.


To the points that have been brought up, with dedicated training either system can work. If you can train enough to master a DA pull then you can train to remember a safety (not to mention the safeties already on carbines and shotguns that people use for defense). I've grown tired of people telling each other here what will and won't work for others. With any system there are training concerns. Be sure to address them and choose what works best for you.
 
Last edited:
TunnelRat said:
We've been over this before. A Glock is notably more drop safe than a cocked SA pistol with no safety. For that matter it also typically has a heavier trigger pull. There's also the liability of carrying a pistol in a manner not intended by the manufacturer. You're letting your fervor to defend cocked and locked carry drive you to make both inaccurate and unsafe statements.
Click to expand...

Most modern gun designs have firing pin blocks, and all such weapons safe if dropped -- and it matters not whether a safety is engaged or not.

If the gun is older, or a model based on an older design, and there's no firing pin block, then drop safety is an issue regardless of the safety mechanism's design.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top