"safety" or not.......

S

swat11

New member
I currently own a Ruger P95DC and really love the gun. One thing I don't like is that it doesn't have a safety. The Taurus PT-111, for example, does and I'm wondering what others' thoughts are on this matter. I have two small children and take all the precautions one should, but can't help thinking that this one extra feature would be beneficial from a safety standpoint. What other semi-autos (9mm) have a safety? Thanks for any input.

:confused:
 
If I were in your situation.........

Even if the pistol had a safety, I would leave the chamber empty and the magazine away from the gun. You can insert the mag and rack the slide in a few seconds if the need arises.

With young kids in the house, I would l load the pistol only just before I holstered and left the house with it.

-Mk.IV
 
I have the Ruger KP95DC. By personal choice, I don't want a safety (also have a KP944DC. I also considering a CZ75BD, also a decocker. I feel that the decocker models are no less safe than a standard revolver and a safety is just one more thing to remember or get in the way should I need to fire under great stress. This is a personal preference and I do not intend to sway your judgement away from a model with a safety. You, when it comes down to the bottom line, are ultimately responsible for the safety of your family and should go with whatever you are most comfortable with.

If you really want an auto loader with a safety and are satisfied with the performance of your P95, Ruger does make a P95 with a safety that also serves as a decocker. You get a "twofer", saftey and decocker and can stick with an otherwise carbon copy of your current Ruger. Their P89 is also available in a safety/decocker model, should you not want a polymer frame.
 
Arub: upgrade

Do you know if Ruger can "upgrade" my current P95DC?

Thanks for the informative posts.
 
True safety is between the ears of the gun owner and is not a device on the gun. That term is misleading and, as such, can lead to a false sense of security.:rolleyes:
 
I prefer no safety on a DA/SA gun or a Glock. I want to be able to pick it up and go to work if the need arises.

This should be a non-issue even with kids because you should NEVER leave a loaded gun around the house if kids live in the home. If the gun is out, it is in my holster. No worries with the kids.
 
Ruger Upgrade

Swat11: I don't know whether or not Ruger can provide an 'upgrade' or mod to go from a safety model to a decocker. Their Prescott, Arizona customer service number is:

520-778-6555 (unless area code has changed in the last year)

Lots of luck!
 
Swatt11

Please over look the delayed second response. Us folks in LA (Lower Alabama) are sometimes just a little slow on the up take.

Actually, you may have the best set up for your needs with the saftey. Your model, decocks a cocked weapon when put on 'safe' (moving the safety lever up). At that point, the weapon is decocked, and 'safe' - cannot fire even in double action mode.

When the safety is moved down, you are in the same condition as a decocker model - ready to fire in double action mode (given a round is in the chamber). Incidently, that is the direction of movement for decocking a decocker model.

One of the decision points for my selections is that I want everything I carry/shoot to behave the same way - auto loaders as well as revolvers. For me to acquire a handgun, at this point, with an operational safety, would be out of character and against habit. This change in operation would, at some point, confuse me (again, I'm from Lower Alabama). Hopefully this confusion would happen on the range.

If you are satisfied with the operation, accuracy, feel and overall performance of you P95, I would suggest that you not fool with changing it. Us old duffers are set in our ways and do not adapt readily to change. Don't let us unduly influence you.
 
Arub, your description is backwards. The safety and the decocker operate exactly the same. When the gun is cocked you rotate the lever to the down position and the gun is decocked. The only difference is that the manual safety version does not automatically spring back into position. You have to manually move it into the "fire" or "up" position. Unless you do this, the gun will not fire, even when the trigger is pulled. Also, the safety model allows the shooter to put the safety in the "on" or "down" position and rack a round into the chamber without the gun ever having to be in the cocked and unlocked condition. I think this is a safer arrangement. The idea of someone forgetting to take the gun off safety is a training issue.
 
Ed2000....you are correct

Having a Safety is important to me at this point. Two young children....why not have another barrier against an accidental firing. That is why I'm looking at the Steyr M9 or S9. I like the internal lock in addition to the other safety features. I hear, however, that they are difficult to find...especially the S9 model. By the way, do you know what the S9 NIB cost is?

swat11
 
If you must have a safety then buy a version of the ruger with a safety. Taurus auto's have never been known for thier reliability. I have shot several and only one worked like it should. Thier revolvers have terrible triggers. Overall I am not a Taurus fan. Rugers are very good for the money.
PAT
 
If safety around children is a concern, a "safety" on the weapon is the wrong solution.

Keep the gun away from the kids!! It shouldn't be out and easily available. If the kids are smart, they'll watch and learn how to circumvent little things like a safety.

When I had a young son around the house, not old enough to have access to firearms, I bought a small metal (lockable) gun safe (the kind that opens when pushing buttons on the top), screwed it to the floor near my bed, and kept a loaded .45 in it.

That proved foolproof and relatively inexpensive.

K-Mart and other places have similar small gun safes with keys that can be put inside a closet, etc. They're not as easy to get into in the middle of the night, but they provide much more safety (from prying eyes and exploring fingers) than any safety feature built into the gun.

Safeties are nice, but they're more psychological than anything else. Revolvers dont have safeties, but i don't hear a lot of folks calling for safeties on them...
 
Like Walt said . . . with two little kids, buy one of those small pushbutton-activated gun safes and anytime the pistol is not on your person, keep it in the locked safe.

And TRAIN your kids not to TOUCH any gun without you, no matter where they're at! Any time they want to look at your pistol, or handle it, let them, provided you're with them and giving them 100% of your attention; this will remove the mystery. Correct them if they start to act goofy.
 
Originally posted by Swat11:

Having a Safety is important to me at this point. Two young children....why not have another barrier against an accidental firing.

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Well, one reason I can think of, is that it may give you a false sense of security, and you may be less diligent in making sure that your gun is unloaded and locked-up.

People have left loaded guns where kids could get a hold of them.

Not only could this be tragic, but in many states, it would be criminally negligent.

-Mk.IV
 
I have to agree with the others. An external safety is not a method to prevent children from hurting themselves with your handgun. If you can't keep track of it, get rid of it or keep it at a friend's house until your children are old enough to learn firearms safety. Remember, children like moving parts. If a lever can be flipped, they will flip it.
 
In my opinion,safeties are to protect you from the gun inadvertantly firing it whether it be by accidently pulling the trigger or by dropping it. The only way to keep kids safe is to make sure they CANNOT get their sticky fingers on it therfore it should always be in a safe if not on your person or immediate control. If you need more assurance to feel safe-slap a trigger lock on it. Since you specifically asked about safeties on 9mm, my recommendation will go to HK USPs. There is a frame mounted safety/decocker and in newer models a lock out feature inside the mag well that when turned by a two prong key, locks up all movement of the trigger, hammer and slide. Its completely internal and locks/unlocks in seconds. Older USPs can have this device installed by a gunsmith and the cost is only 15.00$.
 
swat11; I've been in your situation. My kids know better but sometimes there's all sorts of young ones running around the household. Either part of the family or friends of my kids. I wanted a pistol ready but kid proof so my pistol of choice was a Beretta Centurion (safety and decock).
I kept the pistol safety "on", gun empty. Loaded mag in a hidden place. So, grab mag, slam it home, rack slide, flick safety off totals about 7 or 8 seconds. Not bad for a safe condition from young ones. Just my thoughts, J. Parker
 
I have to agree with the others. An external safety is not a method to prevent children from hurting themselves with your handgun. If you can't keep track of it, get rid of it or keep it at a friend's house until your children are old enough to learn firearms safety. Remember, children like moving parts. If a lever can be flipped, they will flip it.
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I agree. Kids love moving parts. It doesn't matter how many safeties there are, they going to hurt themselves if they are not train in gun safety. People you have to teach your kids gun safety, no two ways about it. The sooner the better.

Relying on safeties is just a bad way to protect kids from ND.
 
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