Let's talk about tang safetys for a minute...

A

artech

New member
Anyone else think they are the best thing since sliced bread? All my favorite rifles have tang safetys, and I have them fitted to the custom rifles I build. My shotguns are also usually chosen for the safetys(now if I could only get one on my 1100).

Why is the tang safety dissappearing from modern production rifles? Does anyone else here prefer them to the side swing jobbers now put on damn near everything?

My Ruger rifles are all the old style with the tang safety, I guess I wouldn't buy a new one. Anybody know why they stopped? Anybody know if they'll start again?

Am I the only tang safety nut here?

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With my shield or on it...
 
I think they fit my hand better than any other type safety.
The tang safety on the new Steyr rifles is especially nice.
 
Now that's an issue I've never thought of. The only gun I've ever used with a tang safety is a double-barrel shotgun.

In general, I don't use the safety. With a rifle, I have the bolt handle up. Any one else around you knows the gun is safe, by simple observation.

With my old Model 12, I just keep my stoopid finger off the trigger until I'm ready to shoot.

If one regularly uses the safety, it seems to me the tang type is easiest to find by touch, without completely moving your hand from its grip.

:), Art
 
I too prefer the tang safety. I like it on the older Ruger 77 I have. Very quite and very easy to find. I know Savage still uses them on all their rifles, but not to many others. I really hate the new RUger and Win safety. They are probably better for safety sake or something, but I like the functionality of the tang safety, always have. The side job on Rem is not to bad, but hard to manipulate with gloves sometimes.
 
Product liability fears have made it popular to design bolt-action rifles which can have their chamber loaded and unloaded while the safety remains "on". This is most easily accomplished with a "Model 70-style" three-position safety on the bolt shroud (especially if you wish to offer a safety that also locks the bolt in place when applied).

Consumers accept this nonsense because so few of them ever work with mounting the rifle reflexively from a slung or ready position. Heck, most of them don't even get off the bench! For their needs, the safety could be mounted about anywhere and operate with a skate key. Placing and designing the safety for fast and reflexive operation is of no consequence for the majority of users, so...not surprisingly...the factories take the easy way out.

Rosco
 
I really like tang safeties but I'm biased because I'm left-handed. Most every push button or swing safety is designed for right hand usage though some have adapted them to left handed use.
 
The older I get, the more I think the old British rifle companies had the right idea about iron sights and tang safetys for speed offhand shooting at close ranges.
 
My Dad has a couple of the older Ruger M77's and they are GREAT rifles. The safety is perfect. Earlier this year my younger brother finally got enough money together and went & ordered himself a brand new Ruger .270, left-handed, as he's a southpaw. It's not nearly the same gun as the older m77. The fit& finish isn't nearly as nice, and the safety just sucks. (and besides, the bolt's on the wrong side ;))
 
Count one more fan for tang safteys. Its right there under your thumb. Easy to find and easy to use.
Its one of the reasons I like Mossberg shotguns.

[This message has been edited by Grayfox (edited December 29, 1999).]
 
my M77 ruger 30-06 has the tang safety too

i love the way you can press down on the safety and silently prepare to fire.

4 out of 5 whitetails surveyed hate tang safetys
;)
dZ

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"walk softly and carry a big stick, one that goes bang in .308 is fine"
 
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