Safety (firearms)
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- This article is about the mechanical safety devices built into most firearms. For the main article about how to handle firearms safely, see Gun safety.
In firearms, a safety or safety catch is a mechanism used to prevent the accidental firing of a weapon, ensuring safer handling.
Safeties can generally be divided into subtypes such as internal safeties (which typically do not receive input from the user) and external safeties (which typically allow the user to give input, for example, toggling a lever from "on" to "off" or something similar). Firearms with the ability to allow the user to select various fire modes, from 0 (safe/off/no firing) to 1 (semi-automatic fire) to 2 (burst fire) to 3 (full-automatic repeating fire), usually have a dial-type external safety that is called a fire selector, fire mode selector, etc.
Many guns manufactured after the late 1990s include mandatory integral locking mechanisms that must be deactivated by a unique key before the gun can be fired. These integral locking mechanisms are intended as child-safety devices during unattended storage of the weapon — not as safety mechanisms while carrying. Other devices in this category are trigger locks, bore locks, and gun safes.
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[edit] Safe handling of firearms
Although safeties fulfill their intended purpose, it is important to understand that they can never be a substitute for human intelligence and education. Appropriate training is critical to ensure the safe carry of any weapon. The steps to take in educating yourself are discussed below.
- Read a particular gun's user manual. If you do not have it, you can usually go to the manufacturer's website and download a free copy.
- Read books on firearms that broaden your understanding beyond just one model of gun.
- Attend a class on firearms. Ask at a gun dealer or target range about finding a class.
[edit] Typical safeties by firearm type
[edit] Handguns (pistols and revolvers)
Almost all modern handguns (except some exact replicas of antique models) have some safeties to prevent accidental discharge, and have one or more safeties that require an intentional trigger pull to make the gun discharge. However, the variations marked below in bold make it obvious that the exact configuration depends on handgun type, year, make, and model. No user should ever carry a handgun whose exact configuration he or she isn't totally familiar with.
[edit] Single-action semi-automatic pistols
On single-action semi-automatic pistols, these safety devices may include:
- a squeeze (grip) safety in the backstrap (but often not);
- one or more internal trigger safeties (no firing unless trigger pulled);
- an external trigger safety (a user-toggled lever);
- an internal safety that prevents firing a chambered round while the magazine is removed (but maybe not);
- a loaded-chamber indicator (only in recent years);
- a decocking lever
[edit] Double-action or "safe-action" semi-automatic pistols
On double-action or "safe-action" semi-automatic pistols, these safety devices may include:
- a squeeze (grip) safety in the backstrap (but often not);
- one or more internal trigger safeties (no firing unless trigger pulled);
- an external trigger safety (a user-toggled lever) (but often not);
- an internal safety that prevents firing a chambered round while the magazine is removed (but maybe not);
- a loaded-chamber indicator (only in recent years);
- a striker-status indicator (only in recent years);
- a decocking lever (maybe)
[edit] Double-action revolvers
On double-action revolvers, there are no external safety devices; a trigger pull will always result in firing (unless the chamber being indexed into battery is empty). In general, the heavy trigger pull required to cock and then fire the weapon prevents accidental discharges from dropping or mishandling the gun. In addition to that fact, most modern double-action revolvers do have an internal safety, either a hammer block or a transfer bar, that prevents firing not originating from a trigger pull (e.g., gun is dropped).
[edit] Single-action revolvers
Single-action revolvers (Old-West-type revolvers) have no external safeties, and they usually have no internal safeties (such as a hammer block or transfer bar) to render them drop-safe. (Real antiques are in this category; modern replicas may have hammer blocks.) Therefore, carrying them with a loaded chamber under the hammer is not safe. When they are carried (concealed or openly), the hammer should be left down on an empty chamber.
[edit] Additional discussion building on the above subtypes
Examples of the variety of typical semi-auto mechanisms are a stiff double-action trigger pull with the safety off (Beretta 92), a double-action with no external safety (SIG-Sauer P-series, or Kel-Tec P-32), or a crisp single action trigger pull with a manual safety engaged (M1911 and certain configurations of the HK USP). An alternative are striker-fired or "safe action" type weapons which have a consistent trigger pull requiring force greater than required by a single-action design, but lighter than needed for a double-action trigger. Many such weapons do not have an external safety or external hammer (Glock pistols and the Walther P99 and variants). Other designs feature an external safety, such as a grip safety (Springfield Armory XD Series). Sometimes the fact that Glock pistols have no external safety lever—whenever you pull the trigger, the gun will discharge—provokes fear. However, consider the fact that this merely makes a Glock pistol similar to a double-action revolver. In both cases, the action is very simple—a trigger pull always equals a discharge—and there are internal safeties to prevent non-trigger-pull discharge (e.g., dropping the gun). Appropriate training is critical to ensure the safe carry of any weapon.
[edit] Exceptions to the rules: aftermarket modifications
Certain handguns that come from the manufacturer with no external safety lever (on-off/armed-safe), such as double-action revolvers and Glock pistols, can be modified by aftermarket companies who add one at the user's request. If you are interested in having this work done, ask a gun dealer about companies that offer it.
