With concealed carry becoming more popular the question soon becomes “Should you have an external safety on your handgun?”
Most modern pistols today have numerous safety features that help prevent the gun from going off when it shouldn't. Some designs feature external, manual safeties that have to be “turned on and off” in order to fire the gun, but most recommended options do not have external safeties.
To understand if having manual safety is necessary, we need to understand what these safeties do and why they might be a good idea.
Understanding the Different Types of Safety Features
There are two major groups of safeties: Internal Safeties and External Safeties. Internal Safeties are built into the inner workings of the gun and are always working (barring mechanical failures). These types of safeties will be present on most modern firearm designs and are necessary for a safe firearm.
External safeties are the safeties that you will be interacting with. These come in two varieties, grip safeties and slide-mounted safeties. You will have to physically interact with these types of safeties in order to enable the gun to fire. These are also the safety types people wonder the most about.
The predominant manual safeties will be slide-mounted and they require the thumb to be used to deactivate them. Some designs (like the 1911 pistol) will combine a slide-mounted safety with a grip safety. This type of safety requires you to correctly grip and squeeze the pistol to deactivate it. On more obscure designs, grip safeties can be the only external safety present.
Benefits of Owning a Concealed Carry Gun with a Safety Feature
Now that we have a general idea of the types of safeties that can be found on a pistol, we have to understand why a safety feature can be beneficial for you.
Improved Personal Security
As more and more people get a handgun for self-defense, a much broader demographic of individuals will be carrying a gun. This means there will be more people who may not have years of experience with firearms and are now having to deal with carrying a loaded gun.
This can make them feel uncomfortable, especially with modern designs that don’t have an external safety feature. Having a manual safety on their pistol can help them feel more secure with their pistol, especially if they are worried about accidental discharges.
There are even accessories available to make some of the more common pistols used for self-defense act like they have a manual safety even when they don’t, like the GOSAFE Mobile Mag. These all combine into multiple layers of security to offer the safest carry option.
Access to Self-Defense Training
External safeties and other safety devices need to be trained with, this is because they can have a more complicated manual of arms when compared to modern striker-fired pistols that do not have external safeties.
Some locations prefer or recommend pistols that have external safeties for new gun owners because of the added security those safeties provide. It is considered general wisdom that inexperienced users will benefit from an external safety feature while learning the basics of firearms handling.
If someone accidentally puts their finger on the trigger of a pistol with an active manual safety there is less risk of an accidental or negligent discharge. This doesn’t replace proper training and practice, but it does broaden the margin of error during the learning process.
Increased Confidence in Gun Handling
Similar to the benefits of training, manual safeties can help new gun owners feel more confident in their pistols. This confidence will allow them to carry the gun more often instead of being concerned about it accidentally firing. It also adds security when using less-than-optimal holsters or carry methods that are often the first choice for new gun owners.
This makes manual safeties better in the long run for people just getting into concealed carry. The reason for this is that many handguns with external safeties are still good options for concealed carry, they just require more time in practice and training to match the speed of other designs.
Carry Safely and Securely with GOSAFE
The market is full of pistols that do not have external safeties, this means the only option is often something like a Glock. Now Glocks are good options for concealed carry, but a new gun owner might feel intimidated by the lack of an external safety.
Thankfully, accessories like the GOSAFE Mobile Mag exist which allow you to add something very similar to an external safety to your 9mm pistol without having to add special parts or make any modifications. See if the Mobile Mag is right for you and carry with confidence today.
FAQs
How can I get a conceal and carry license?
Most locations that require a license to carry concealed will have you apply for the license through the state’s preferred law enforcement agency. This involves providing any required legal information and some biometric information (such as fingerprints) in addition to any state-required training.
Do all states allow conceal and carry licenses?
No, most US states will either require a permit/license to carry or have permitless carry. Be sure to check the rules for your state and local restrictions before trying to carry a firearm in public.
Can you lose your conceal and carry license?
Yes, minor traffic infractions all the way up to felonies can cause your conceal and carry license to be removed.
Do you need to have a safety on your concealed carry gun?
Having a manual safety on your concealed carry gun comes down to preference. There is no legal requirement for a safety feature on a concealed carry gun.
Should you conceal carry with safety on?
If your pistol features a manual safety, that safety should be on when concealed carrying. This is because of how the pistol’s design integrates the safety into the firearm’s function in most cases.
What handgun has the most safety features?
When it comes to internal safeties, most modern semi-automatics have three or more safeties in place. The 1911 is one of the more famous pistol styles to feature two manual safeties.Glocks specifically feature a trigger safety, firing pin safety and a drop safety making them extremely safe and reliable.
What is the best gun to carry while running?
A small frame, lightweight revolver or sub-compact pistol are some of the best options for concealed carry while running. This is because it has less mass to move around, resulting in a lower chance of it falling out of the holster while you are moving.
What is the safest spot to conceal carry?
One of the safest positions to concealed carry a pistol is in the “appendix” position. This places the pistol in front of the pelvic girdle and allows for the best natural concealment and control. If done properly it can also keep the muzzle pointed away from major blood vessels.