Cy Soto Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 I doubt this makes any difference in the overall time of a shooter but, just out of curiosity… At what point should a shooter disengage the thumb safety? - While still in the holster - As soon as the holster is cleared - While “pushing out” to the target - Once the sights are on target Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoMiE Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 I do it while pushing gun out to target. I don't feel comfortable doing it before that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PistolPete Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 The safety stays on as long as possible. Never disengage before or during removing from the holster. I disengage it just before I start prepping the trigger. This is during the push forward. Hope this helps. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMITH Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 NEVER before a full firing grip is established, once you have a full firing grip (whether that is free-style or strong hand or weakhand) the safety may be off as you are READY to FIRE. I do not want my manual safety off before I have a full firing grip, and most times that equates to gun level and aligned to target and being pressed out to full firing mount. When fully mounted the gun fires, so the safety comes off at some point between full mount and full firing grip. Don't let anyone convince you this is slow, I can prove them wrong.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RePete Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 (edited) I disengage as soon as i have the correct 2 hand grip and after 45 degrees in front. Edited December 19, 2007 by RePete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlamoShooter Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 (edited) Wow! I am glad you asked that one. Better to ask than just push ahead blind. I have personally seen two three guns that fired when the safety was moved to off. = Shi*t happens and parts fail. I have seen over seven with safeties that did not work Dry fire practice is great. A shooter that commits to train rite will learn to do it smooth. How fast the gun comes out does not mean that much = Its how fast you get your first and following 'hits' on the targets. you didn't ask about the finger into the trigger guard. I think the safety should go off before the finger goes to the trigger at the point that you are picking up the target and the gun just below your eye level !"pointing down range". Edited December 19, 2007 by AlamoShooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radical Precision Designs Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 I disengage as soon as i have the correct 2 hand grip and after 45 degrees in front. +1 As you are pushing forward and acquiring your grip your support hands gets installed over your shooting hand. As soon as that happens, and your final grip has been established, then your shooting hand thumb comes down to complete your grip, over the support hand... at that moment the safety comes off ... the finger is still outside the trigger... and that goes in as the target has been acquired. It all should happen seamlessly, and it does with very little practice. When shooting one handed it follows the same, minus the support hand part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirpy Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Read the USPSA rule book on AD's (rule 10.4). This will give you an idea about taking off the safety, but you NEVER want to take it off or put your finger on the trigger until you are at least 45 d. up from the ground on the draw unless the course has an up close and personal target(s) on the ground in front of you. They changed that recently because the course design like that violated the 10' rule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Moneypenny Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 for compteition purposed ( with competition guns) the safety goes off just before the 2 handed grip is established ( would hate to get my hand to high and have to readjust to take the safety off. for CCW it comes off in the holster or very shortly there after where my hand stays a little longer to get a much more solid grip. a 2 handed grip is something your probabaly won't have a chance at. for flexmoney and some other shooters here i'm sure the question is coming "what is a "safety"" :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ledavatar Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 A bit off topic, but I videotape a lot of my matches so I can watch and improve on my techniques, and I noticed that while I always say to myself "disengage safety when I have the sights lined up," I don't always do so under pressure. The "click" of the thumb safety is actually pretty distinct on audio. Practice makes perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leam Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 On my 1911 I used to take it off when getting the grip. Realized that was an accident waiting to happen so after some thinking it's now flicked off when the gun reaches the ready position, before extension. My thumb was able to move the safety without affecting my grip, and that position was what I used for IDPA and in carry practice. Of course, with my SIG I'm in the "what's a safety" club. Leam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSAJ19 Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 Unfortunately, I can't get a propper 2 handed grip & then disengage the thumb safety. As soon as I have a correct grip on the gun & cleared the holster, I disengage the safety as I bring my support hand onto the gun. Finger off the trigger until I'm ready to engage the target only. Cheers, Ando. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allgoodhits Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 (edited) Since sometimes you need to shoot upon clearing holster and turning muzzle to target, and sometimes you shoot SHO, and sometimes WHO, then the time for me is after I have removed the gun from holster/table and have the shooting grip (SHO,WHO etc) and muzzle is pointed in safe direction and approximately at the desired target shoot area, then I disengage the SAFETY. Why would I risk taking it off before I am in approximate position to shoot? In other words, just before the trigger finger touches the trigger, and the trigger finger doesn't go on the trigger until the muzzle is in a safe direction and approximately on target. MJ Edited January 8, 2008 by Allgoodhits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtex84 Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 I have been wondering what people thought about this aswell, I take the safety off when im pushing out to the target. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madcap Magician Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 As the gun pivots from clearing the holster to being pushed out. For me, this carries over to the defensive use of the 1911 in case of the needed in your face shot. YMMV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocket35 Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 I am disengaging the safey just before establishing the two handed grip at chest level. Gun is pointed pretty straight down range- at work we do a drill where we actually start engaging targets in that position and while pushing out to the target. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el pres Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 I am disengaging the safey just before establishing the two handed grip at chest level. Gun is pointed pretty straight down range- at work we do a drill where we actually start engaging targets in that position and while pushing out to the target. I do the same thing, first I have worked that very drill but mainly because if I establish the weak hand I pinch my weak thumb meat under the safety, ouch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Moore Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 i agree with moneypenny on this one. weak hand only shooting i'll take the safety off after i place the firearm in my left hand. However, some people will not be able to do this because they don't have ambi's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allgoodhits Posted February 15, 2008 Share Posted February 15, 2008 I doubt this makes any difference in the overall time of a shooter but, just out of curiosity… At what point should a shooter disengage the thumb safety? - While still in the holster - As soon as the holster is cleared - While “pushing out” to the target - Once the sights are on target You've heard the long answers. Here is the short answer: "When there would be no catastophic issue for a bullet to hit what is in front of the muzzle". You decide what catastophic means. Your foot, someone else, a no shoot, a table, or so close you would be DQ'd. MJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tambarika Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 A bit off topic, but I videotape a lot of my matches so I can watch and improve on my techniques, and I noticed that while I always say to myself "disengage safety when I have the sights lined up," I don't always do so under pressure. The "click" of the thumb safety is actually pretty distinct on audio. Practice makes perfect. practice makes permanent. perfect practice makes perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xfactor Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 (edited) ...I have personally seen two three guns that fired when the safety was moved to off... Are you sure these ADs didn't also have a finger that "snuck" into the trigger guard (which was adamantly denied afterwards)? Edited March 28, 2008 by Xfactor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisStock Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 You've heard the long answers. Here is the short answer: "When there would be no catastophic issue for a bullet to hit what is in front of the muzzle". You decide what catastophic means. Your foot, someone else, a no shoot, a table, or so close you would be DQ'd. MJ Agreed. I have been working on this lately as well. Slow motion, then picking up speed as practice progresses. I did have a stage once where I seriously deserved to DQ, as I had over-prepped the trigger while drawing into a door port to engage. It was a complete premature shot on my part, taken from the center of my chest while pushing forward, but since the muzzle was so close and the round went through the port in the general direction of the target, I was given a pass. I froze for a second waiting to hear "STOP!". It didn't come and I unglued my feet from the floor and proceeded on. Needless to say, I was a tad rattled the rest of the match. I make it a point now to NOT disengage the safety until my arms are at least halfway extended in the split second before I acquire a sight picture. It's a fine line between DQ and 2 alpha sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr1911 Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 I have had a bad habbit of occasionaly flicking it off as soon as my hand hits the holster when I have a to move to cover and shoot stage.....need to work on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cy Soto Posted March 29, 2008 Author Share Posted March 29, 2008 I make it a point now to NOT disengage the safety until my arms are at least halfway extended in the split second before I acquire a sight picture. This is usually what I do too but I sometimes pinch the "meaty" part of the weak-hand's thumb with the safety. When this happens I have to readjust my grip which adds unnecessary time to the clock. Plus it also hurts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillGarlandJr Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 When it comes to disengaging the safety I don't think there is really one way that will work for all. For instance, I have pretty large hands, and if I wait till I have established my two hand grip to disengage the safety the "drumstick" of my hand gets in the way of the lever. So, for me the safety comes off once the pistol is clear of the holster and pointed down range. Then I establish my two hand grip and place my trigger finger on the trigger as I extend towards the target. Ultimately, all we need to do to find the right answer is look to two of the four cardinal firearms safety rules. When the safety is disengaged make sure the pistol is not pointed at anything we do not intend to destroy, and make sure we are not placing our trigger finger on the trigger until we are ready to fire. I think as long as those two rules are adherred to anytime is ok to disengage the safety.....my 2 cents worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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