To "safety" or not?

[GreenOps]

I always teach students to "safety" during movement. Something that was taught to me early in Special Forces. As I started getting more into competition, my desire to engage the safety became less desirable so that I could become faster. Later, I discovered that it didn't add more time. Here's an example:




Any thoughts or feedback on engaging the safety?

[GTF425]

If you do not have a sight picture, your weapon is on safe. It does not add any time to manipulate a safety selector.

[WillBrink]

Outside my lane, but you're obviously well aware that competition is not life and death and no amount of safety use will ever replace trigger control.

[markm]

Outside my lane, but you're obviously well aware that competition is not life and death and no amount of safety use will ever replace trigger control.

Agreed. My safety goes on if I'm breaking my master firing grip. Other than that, it's off. I know the AR safety is super quick and easy.. no time sacrifice.

[Renegade]

Safe On, Safe Off (Wax On, Wax Off). Repeat until it is as natural as walking.

[c1ogden]

In my department I always taught safety on and finger off trigger whenever sights came off target. This burns that "flick safety off" into their minds so they'll never be caught trying to fire with the safety on. Every now and then we'd go down the line and make sure all safeties were on and then we'd know right away who was cheating because - even though they just saw us put their gun on safe - they'd still forget to disengage it. Deactivating the safety has to become part of that ingrained firing ritual.

[26 Inf]

I always teach students to "safety" during movement. Something that was taught to me early in Special Forces. As I started getting more into competition, my desire to engage the safety became less desirable so that I could become faster. Later, I discovered that it didn't add more time. Here's an example:




Any thoughts or feedback on engaging the safety?

Watched middle of video with no sound, so excuse me if I didn't understand the drill or hear any disclaimers.

Seemed to me the shooter was merely shooting rounds, engaging safety, moving laterally, repeat. Very fluid choreography, and I'm sure the shooter demoing would be able to do the process in competition and under stress.

When he was done firing he gave the obligatory throw head left and right recovery. I think most folks do this because, well, operator. When most folks do the movements at that pace they are looking without seeing. Look with the intent of seeing something, search with the intent of finding something, not just for form.

That was somewhat off-topic.

There are many views on safety manipulation.

For example, in his book, Green Eyes and Black Rifles, Kyle Lamb writes 'It is very important to remember that the safety comes off once you have acquired a target. By acquired I mean you have the target in your sights.'

Here is my idea on it:

Our goal is to make the officer constantly aware of the safety and to ensure safe handling of the weapon at all times.

Throughout this course, officers will be required to activate the selector, putting the weapon on safe, whenever:

1. Returning to the ready after scanning for additional threats;

2. Whenever the rifle stock is out of the shooter’s shoulder;

3. Whenever the rifle will be supported by the sling - i.e. during weapon transitions;

4. Before any movement from one position to another. This does not necessarily include movement from standing to kneeling, etc. Think of the hard rule as being 'engage the safety if taking steps to another position.'

Officers will be encouraged to engage the safety:

5. During weapon manipulations such as immediate and remedial action. (Note: the AR cannot be placed on ‘safe’ if the hammer is forward – as in a malfunction)

6. Consider engaging the safety whenever reloading. As noted above the safety on an AR cannot be engaged if the hammer is forward, so this is an additional check to make sure the weapon is functional and needs to be reloaded rather than a stoppage remediated.

7. THE SAFETY SHOULD BE DISENGAGED AS THE OFFICER BRINGS THE WEAPON INTO FIRING POSITION AND THE SIGHTS ARE ACQUIRED.

This seems consistent across the board when taken in the context of universal safety rules, and current instruction on manipulating pistol safeties on LE pistols so equipped.

[ggammell]

I read the YouTube comment that likely sparked this thread. I read the comment before seeing the video and thought the shooter was engaging multiple threats at once and was engaging the safety between each. I thought yeah that seems dumb. But then I watched the whole thing and saw the shooter engaging a threat and moving to a new position and thought “that comment is dumb.” He’s working the appropriately.

[MegademiC]

I personally take safe off while bringing rifle to eyes, and off when I lower it. If I feel I need a sight picture, the safety is off. I’m no pro- just what I’ve come to believe is a good mix for what I do.

[Slab]

Short answer, safety on...

Never found the safety to be the speed inhibitor, some folks think it is... Target discrimination, acquiring sights; those are the actions that will determine "speed"... My .02