Built In Safety Features

["DoubleAction"]

Because many people fail to understand the safe handling of handguns, prior to purchase, many accidents occure, resulting in many handgun designs becoming closely scrutinized by many outside the realm of the firearm communties. This most often results in changes to certain existing designs in order to compensate for unsafe handling. Some handgun designs have always had built in safety features, but many still find a way to defeat those with total ignorance.
I can name many changes to existing designs, both in semi-autos and revolvers, but I still feel many still do not understand these features when purchasing for the first time.
One of my favorite features, by those who purchase them, is with the Colt Series 80 firing pin safety. I cannot count the many times that I've heard of people who purchase these who still do not understand the Series 80 safety mechanism.

[TMan]

This week's Guns and Ammo television program had a section where they talked about the magazine disconnect. They had nothing good to say about it. I didn't take notes, but one of the things was that in a battle with another person fighting over the gun, the magazine could fall out, and the gun is useless.

Although I hated the magazine disconnect on the Browning High Power, it was because it even though it was simple, it added weight to the trigger pull. I removed mine, but found out that you can polish the disconnecter and the magazine, which will remove the gritty feeling, and lighten the pull.

As I've mentioned before: once at Bass Pro Shops, a CHL holder came in, removed the pistol from the range bag, racked the slide, thus showing the greeter that there was nothing in the chamber, released the slide, removed the magazine and pulled the trigger. Bang!!!
Fortunately, no one was hurt, other than some possible ear damage.

Was the guy an idiot? His mind might have been on a flight attendant vs. what he was doing. What would have happened if his pistol had a magazine disconnect? Nothing until he got into the range, they removed the gun lock, he racked the slide and saw the round come out. "Where did that come from"? Smart people do stupid things at times.

I cleaned the Ruger Mark III last night and had a little difficulty putting it back together because I forgot I had to put the magazine back in to drop the hammer. I think the Ruger engineers did a good job in the way they engineered the magazine disconnect.

On the other hand, I think the internal gun locks are stupid. If I look at a pistol or revolver with an external lock, I immediately, visually, know that the gun is locked. With the internal locks, I might think it was locked, but the phone rang, and I took a call and forgot to lock it before putting it away.

There is good reason for some of the safety devices, but those that are there just to keep the gun manufacturer from being sued tick me off.

[TA]

I think external locks are an excellent idea!

Here is mine:

[somery]

does that go behing the trigger? is it also a tire tool? hearing aid on a tire tool

["DoubleAction"]

Ignorance seems to always find a way to defeat those built in safety features which many handguns possess. I don't know how many times I've heard of people thumb lowering the hammer on the P-Series sigs, while pulling the the trigger. This totally defeats the purpose of the decocker while allowing the hammer to rest on a free floating firing pin.

[Fobos]

The best safety mechanisms aren't built into firearms, they're beat into shooters. Everytime I recall my father yelling at me for even the slightest of mistakes while handling a firearm as a child, I am grateful for having learned from someone who was utterly adamant about safety. Some people learn from others' mistakes. Many others have to cause a serious accident before they wake up.

I'm a huge opponent of the magazine disconnect, but our duty sidearms now have that mechanism incorporated into them. I'm up Bureaucracy Creek w/o a paddle.

[TBT]

The best safety mechanisms aren't built into firearms, they're beat into shooters.

One of the best quotes ever.