For a “1st timer” carrying their gun, when would you have them disengage the safety?
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Not to guess @Burdo’s answer, but for myself —
For the actual first time 1st timer in live fire at the range, I will disengage the safety of a firearm loaded with a single round — after I’ve placed it in their hands and established a good grip while all is pointed downrange. Repeat as needed, to everyone’s comfort.
In a broader sense, for a beginning shooter once they are running the gun, they will deactivate the safety after the full grip is established and the pistol is oriented in a safe direction. Basically after lifting from the table or drawing from the holster, forming a 2-handed grip in a firing stance, and presenting downrange. Again, starting with just a single round in the gun.
All the live fire activity follows orientation, familiarization, and dry fire practice with an empty gun under actual or simulated range conditions. In due course the safety will be released with a 1-handed grip as soon as clear of bench or holster and oriented downrange — but first things first. Initially, quite a bit slower and later than at eventual “defensive crisis” pace.
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I am a new, first time handgun owner. I purchased because, in my opinion, the country is headed in a terrible direction, and that’s going to cause a lot of “internal strife” in our near future.
Thus, I feel a self defense firearm has become warranted.
I purchased a Glock in large part due to its reputation as being a very reliable firearm. Because I intend to keep it as clean as possible, I wanted something that could be taken apart easily, with relatively few parts. I wanted something easily concealable, even with an optic and attached light. Mainly though, out of the bunch of compacts I held, the G43x MOS just felt the most like a natural extension of my hand. A “manual safety” didn’t even enter into the equation, because my understanding is that guns are supposed to go bang, but only when the trigger is pulled. As long as the four rules of safety are applied, (especially, keeping the finger off the trigger until ready to fire) things should be good.
I also carry AIWB because it is the most concealable for me, is the most defensible position for me, and is comfortable, even in a car, as I am left handed. I can assure you that nothing makes me respect (And practice) the rules of safety more than carrying in that position! A manual safety would be redundant.
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Great post. Turned out very popular. I respect all’s choice’s in this string. If gonna go with Glock, since no manual thumb safety, all SA, not a DA first pull; I can’t stress safety rules and trigger discipline enough — especially for first time owner.
As some of us spend a lot of time in/out of homes of relatives, friends, near children; When we do, do we really want be on “condition zero”, racked/chambered?
Lenny Magill talks about “condition 3”, un-chambered.
Towards the end of the above vid, he talks about practice/training to rack the slide (from an un-chambered carry position).
Damn! Too late!
These people vote too. AND procreate.
I guess I have a slightly different view of gun safeties and their purpose. I don’t feel the reason for a safety should be to keep me from firing it, that is what trigger discipline is for. The safeties only purpose is to keep the gun from going off accidently. New gun owners should be advised to seek training before considering buying a gun for protection. That training should include how to properly and safely handle a gun. As for the choice of pistol that should be left up to the purchaser after they have physically tried different gun. As for the choice of a gun without an external safety, I think it has many advantages for an experienced shooter, primarily it gives them one less thing to forget should something happen. Guns without external safeties don’t automatically go off any more than guns with them.
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Yes…
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My First Rifle was at 9 yrs old. Shot with the adults of my family till 10. Then I was allowed to keep my rifle and ammo in my room.1966 it was we had a country General store a couple miles away we considered that easy walking distance. Everyone knew everyone. I used to go buy a couple boxes of .22 Remingtons to go target shoot and fish with friends. Every now and then my Grandpa would give me the money to get him some shot gun shells. I know this is off track and ya’ll can bump it if you like no offensed would be taken . But talking about getting a .22 triggered a memory. But also thats where my and lots of other country folks learning began
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Yup, that’s about how old we were when we went plinking cans with a 22 semi auto rifle at the creek not far from home. We all managed not to get shot because a.) it would hurt if we got shot and b.) it would hurt again if mom found out we shot ourselves or each other, even if it was “by accident”. (Now called negligent discharge)
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I normally don’t tell a new shooter specific brands. My advice is find a gun that fits your hand and you don’t struggle to reach the controls. Make sure when you bring it up you don’t have to hunt for the sights. Make sure you can operate the slide if it is a semi auto. Get lessons.
Spoiler; Walther came out with a pistol designed specifically for women. It is getting rave reviews from women.
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Peaked my interest, so looked at their website just now; Noticed something I never saw before. On their webpage, a little chat box popped up, an Avatar of their employee offer assistance. Never saw that before on a “firearm’s” website.
Saving up for 1-2 of their models, maybe for next year. Enjoy your weekend.
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As with many complex questions, the truest answer is “it depends”.
I think that what it depends on includes:
- Age and maturity level
- General level of coordination/dexterity vs. lack thereof
- General temperment - poised vs. easily startled
- Willingness to learn and train
- Purpose - Home defense, Everyday Carry, or both?
My wife’s first gun is a Glock 19. She never owned even a BB gun before. But she handles and operates the Glock perfectly fine. However, this relies on the factors above. She’s in her 40’s, so she’s passed a lot of the impulse control issues that come from youth. Her maturity allows her more focus and patience. Her approach to learning is honed with the discipline she developed over the course of gaining two degrees and working in a professional environment for 21 years. When she wants to gain a skill, she’s methodical and committed. Finally, she’s not yet interested in everyday carry. For her, this is a home defense gun. The duty/ability to attempt retreat is different in a home invasion scenario than it is out in the community, both legally and tactically. That impacts how simple/fast or less simple/safer you want the operation of your weapon to be. For the home defense scenario, she feels confident with the Glock. And since she isn’t carrying it everywhere, she has no concern for size, concealability, or comfort.
The other aspect of it is training. A very good friend of mine (and clever) convinced his wife to try a handgun. When she indicated she’d try it out, he bought an introductory training class for both of them with a group of certified instructors. Then, he called us up and invited us to join. The wives were more comfortable knowing they’d have a lady friend there. It didn’t hurt that with this class, after you complete the course of fire, everyone goes out for barbecue together and the instructors will answer as many questions as you want over lunch. So, we had four instructors, five students, and lots of one on one instruction time over a six-hour class. After that much teaching and repetition, my wife had a very well-established grasp of safety and operation. She went from being sort of unsure about whether she would be comfortable with a gun, to plainly confident. It helped that my wife is a competitive soul, so she really enjoyed drilling and improving at the various skills in the manual of arms. She was also happy to discover that she’s a natural f’n deadeye. By the end of the session, the instructor let anyone who passed their inspection try an extra course of fire. She was able to start from behind cover, draw from the holster, press out from partial cover, fire two rounds at the T box of a head-sized target at 10 yards, bring the weapon back to sul position, and step back behind cover. So the instructor gave the command to fire when ready, and it was draw, ready, step, press out, bang-bang, ping-ping, sul, step back behind cover. All in a few seconds. The instructor’s comment was [impressed] “■■■■, woman! I wouldn’t wanna piss you off.”
Over the course of the day, she got to try out a Ruger SR9, a Beretta clone that had a hammer/safety/and DA initial pull, and a Glock 19. She was the most comfortable and accurate with the Glock. Just to be sure, a couple of weeks later we went to a local range that has what they call a “Pistol flight” on their couples night. They allow you to pick out three handguns to compare. It’s specifically driven at helping people comparison shop. We got two flights, so she got to try out six different pistols. Once again, after sampling a group with hammer-fired, striker-fired, DA, SA, subcompact, compact, etc. she still came out most comfortable and accurate with the Glock 19.
I’m a Marine. I didn’t rate a handgun while in service, just the rifle. But I was very comfortable with firearm safety and operation, so a Glock was an easy transition for me when I decided to train up on pistols and then begin concealed carry. A Glock was a good initial pistol for me. Later I added a Ruger Max-9 when I got comfortable with the smaller, snappier micro 9’s that are popular these days.
I would not take the same route with my daughters. For them, if and when they’re ready, I’d probably take a more conservative route and look at beginning with something else. I’d keep wheel guns, safeties, and DA triggers all in consideration when introducing them to handguns.
Finally, if my wife ever decides she wants to carry, we’ll probably take a look at other options. It wouldn’t be her first handgun anymore, but as a first carry gun, I think we’d reconsider a couple of things. But, given her aptitude and willingness to perfect a skill, I’d trust her to either stick with something that operates like a Glock, or move along the continuum to something that has other safety features. She’d get it down either way.
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I typically diswade new firearms owners/users from Glocks. Glocks are in my opinion a marvel of engineering. That said, the I have trained individuals who have purchased Glocks as their first firearm.
I also highly recommend that if they wish/desire to acquire a Glock or continue to use they should seriously consider conducting more training in the specific mechanics and operational functions . Glocks in my opinion again should have a clear and better (thorogh) understanding of the firearm, that basic classes do not necessarily address.
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Theodore37, I 100% agree with you, I believe you need just a little extra training in being respectable of a Glock, you can easily have an accidental discharge if you do not respect the safeties on a Glock that a lot of people don’t even know about, there are three of them. Actually there are four, your finger.
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Is there anything specific to the Glock you don’t see being addressed in basic classes?
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The specific safety devices that is Glock specific. The individual disassembly practice.
My opinion and How I advise new students is to practice , practice practice with the Glock . There are few other manufactures that have trigger safeties as well. I advise them the same. A few individuals have failed to recognize how the Glock is taken down and failure to effectively clear the chambered round as well magazine removal.
Alot can be said for similar actions, but the Glock need to have the trigger pulled to remove the slide( as you are most likely aware. There is break point that the slide can be removed without pulling the trigger and disengaging the internal safeties.
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ALL true. I personally do not advocate first timers to use Glocks and always advise to spend more time practicing take down and. Again my opinion that the Glock design is marvel of engineering in its simplicity.
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The first handgun I shot was a single action revolver. The first firearm I carried had a thumb safety. Every firearm after the first has no manual safety other than the trigger hinge type safety. I prefer them without. Would I recommend to start with one that doesn’t have a manual safety? That depends on the person’s experience with firearms and personality. When I say personality, I mean clumsy/accident prone/etc. That said, if I were to recommend a firearm without a manual safety, my suggestion would be a S&W m2.0. I’ve never had a problem with mine, and it has at points been dirtier than acceptable, the grip texture is also on the rougher side, and it has more durable sights than a Glock.
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