XD thumb safety - coming soon

[nedmoore]

First of all, let it be known that I am new to this forum and do not have even have my CHL yet....(app. is in the mail) My question is: Why do some people get so defensive when manufacture adds a supplemental safety switch? Is it like some additional gun law that you have to comply with? Or is it just a pain?

Personally, I recently purchased a Springfield XD, and would have loved to have the new safety, with that being said; after becoming familiar with the gun I have full confidence carrying with a chambered round. What I worry about is someone else. We do not have kids yet, but when we do??? I know that is my responsibility to keep my gun secure and out of reach of the little ones, but there are so many what if's.....

Can anyone honestly tell me the purpose of the trigger safety and a real scenario when that safety has actually prevented an accidental discharge?

On another note-can you guys with kids give me some pointers on day to day living with carrying and having children around the house. I plan to buy a gun safe the day my wife tells me that the pee stick that turns red or a +! I know that some of you guy's do not put your guns in a safe every night when you get home. I am sure that most people that post on this forum have a handgun in their nightstand. Tell me I am wrong....

Your input is greatly appreciated. In paragraph form per request.

[TexAg08]

Ok, first off, the thumb safety is only an option on the Service model XD45. This was done to supposedly make the cut for the DOD trials and for law enforcement agencies that require it. This can help boost sales for the XD without changing their entire pistol. I own two XD's without the safety and personally dont care to have an XD with the safety, but if it will help XD's get sales by LEO's and possibly contend in the DOD trials, then Im all for it.

Also, over on XDtalk, people have said that glock was also supposed to introduce a thumb safety as an option on their 45's but I have yet to come across any proof of that yet.

[boomerang]

Oh come on, sharp edges and accidentally engaging, if the picture is accurate, the safety is properly designed to address the sharp edges. As for accidental engaging, it would seem to me that with there 1911 background they should not how to engineer a safety to be functional.

We'll have to agree to disagree. I'll stay with Glocks and revolvers and you can carry what works for you.

[45 4 life]

On another note-can you guys with kids give me some pointers on day to day living with carrying and having children around the house. I plan to buy a gun safe the day my wife tells me that the pee stick that turns red or a +! I know that some of you guy's do not put your guns in a safe every night when you get home. I am sure that most people that post on this forum have a handgun in their nightstand. Tell me I am wrong....

Education, education, education.

If you are going to have firearms start teaching as soon as you feel they are old enough to understand, which will be sooner than you think. I have seen to many examples of kids being curious and getting themselves into trouble, and not just with weapons. Household appliances, tools, and automobiles just to name a few.

When I could put ear plugs into my kids ears, and they would leave them there I took them to the range with me, when they got a little older I would hold the weapon and they would pull the trigger. As things progressed my son and daughter started shooting with us. I taught them to respect firearms, not fear them. The proof came when my daughter started to shoot with us. My son being 6 years older would give her instructions from time to time, and I would watch and listen. It was verbatum what I had taught him and was teaching her.

Not sure if you hunt, but when I thought they were old enough I showed them what a bullet would do to game animals.

When I would clean my weapons they sat next to me and I would be sure to explain what I was doing and why. I would always give them some part to clean.

People do not think twice about teaching kids that the sharp knives in the cabinet can cut or the hot pot on the stove will burn. You don't hide those, you teach your kids what they can do. In my opinion the same goes with firearms. The only difference in the training was if I told them twice the pan was hot, I told them ten times to believe all firearms are loaded.

I bought the gun safe when "friends" starting coming around. I was never sure about some of them.

I have a 26 year old son and a 20 year old daughter, for quality time with dad we went to the range this past weekend, and had a blast. It worked for me!

[WarHawk-AVG]

Just another "flattery imitation" of the plastic handguns in their attempt to get just a few steps closer to the ultimate handgun designed by John Moses Browning

Never had my thumb safety "accidentally" get swept from my 1991A1 when I remove it from the holster, and the fact that I practice draw/sweep of the thumb safety and put the firearm into action

I never did fully understand a split trigger safety...it just seemed ignorantly redundant...why pull the trigger to release the safety that will allow you to pull the trigger?

[XDgal]

If I'm not mistaken, the trigger safety releases the striker sear. This sear is to prevent discharge if the pistol is dropped. The grip safety releases the trigger. Just to register my opinion, I like both my XD's without a thumb safety!

[WildBill]

If I'm not mistaken, the trigger safety releases the striker sear. This sear is to prevent discharge if the pistol is dropped. The grip safety releases the trigger. Just to register my opinion, I like both my XD's without a thumb safety!

This makes more sense.

[TexAg08]

Actually, if you look at the actual trigger safety, its just a lever on a hinge that prevents the trigger from moving backwards. When not depressed, the trigger safety blocks the movement of the trigger by having a block that engages the frame of the pistol, and when depressed the block pivots up and forwards allowing the trigger to move backwards. I have taken my XD apart many times to figure out how everything works together. Its actually pretty simple how everything in the XD works.

[Commander]

Also, over on XDtalk, people have said that glock was also supposed to introduce a thumb safety as an option on their 45's but I have yet to come across any proof of that yet.

I believe that the M&P .45 also has a thumb safety.

[KBCraig]

Actually, if you look at the actual trigger safety, its just a lever on a hinge that prevents the trigger from moving backwards.

I've never understood why they call it a "safety", when you have to pull the trigger to pull the trigger. Ummm... what?