dlee, I think the switchover was in the late 80s. The safety before was the gun wasn't cocked until you cocked it. If you then didn't shoot, you simply lower the hammer. They don't need safeties. The safeties are a result of lawsuits or expected suits. I think it is worth the effort to find and buy the presafety versions. Ask anyone that uses one with a safety if they have ever pulled the trigger on a live round and heard a click instead of a bang. In my opinion the safety could get you killed. Many argue that you can put the safety on and empty your gun at the end of the day with no danger. But by not completely closing the lever, pulling each round out with your fingers as it comes up, you never chamber a round either. To me it is also an insult to my intellegence. I understand why they made the change, but thankfully there are millions of pre-safety leverguns out there.
