Cominolli Custom Glock Thumb Safety

[D. Christopher]

About 4 years ago an officer on duty in Nashville had his Glock taken away and while wrestling for control with the BG the officer was able to hit the mag release and dump the mag and maintain enough directional control of the weapon so that the 1 round left in the chamber was discharged in a safe direction, and didn't strike anyone. I believe there was another officer there with him and together they regained control of the situation.

In this instance I'm not sure if the BG grabbed the Glock from the officer's holster or if the officer had drawn his weapon and then lost control. Either way the officer was very lucky that time.

[DWood]

In this instance I'm not sure if the BG grabbed the Glock from the officer's holster or if the officer had drawn his weapon and then lost control.

The answer to that question plays a huge role in the context of the discussion. If the gun was drawn by the officer, the safety should have been disengaged and the safety buying time is a moot point.

If the gun was taken out of his retention holster, Steve's question about how that happened is the question that needs answering.

[D. Christopher]

The answer to that question plays a huge role in the context of the discussion. If the gun was drawn by the officer, the safety should have been disengaged and the safety buying time is a moot point.

If the gun was taken out of his retention holster, Steve's question about how that happened is the question that needs answering.

The pistol was a stock Glock. There was no thumb safety to disengage, so it didn't play a part in this instance.

[High Altitude]

So that would make the holster and not your finger the safety?

No, it is the reason why rifles must have an external safety compared to pistols.

[DocGKR]

As previously noted, I have long preferred having a manual safety on my pistol, as I have twice seen officers' lives potentially saved when another person gained control of an officer's pistol, but the engaged manual safety prevented the weapon from firing --I don't like to think about the outcome if the pistols involved had been a Glock, Sig, XD, revolver, etc.... In the incidents I have witnessed the officers had NO way to mitigate the threat prior to losing the pistol, despite adequate training and good quality Safariland retention holsters. All the DT/retention techniques in the world do not help when an officer is on the ground unconscious/semi-conscious. A manual safety can give officers a brief respite to neutralize the suspect using disarming techniques, access back-up weapons, and allow cover officers the opportunity to react and engage.

I have also seen several Glocks inadvertently fire when a piece of equipment inadvertently depressed the trigger, despite the shooter’s finger being outside of the trigger guard, straight against the frame--an engaged manual safety would have prevented these accidents.

In addition, for those carrying pistols AIWB, a manual safety is a prudent precaution.

The availability of an ergonomic manual safety is one of the main advantages of the M&P over Glock--so much so that I frequently contemplate dropping Glocks and going exclusively to M&P's w/ambi safeties.

Given the above, I have always been interested in the Cominolli Glock safety (http://www.cominolli.com/), but did not like the poor ergonomics...until now. Former LE officer and current noted gunsmith Dave Lauck of D&L Sports in Chino AZ (http://www.dlsports.com/) has developed a modified safety lever for Cominolli equipped Glocks that has much better ergonomics, similar to a 1911. We decided to give them a try, as shown below:



Keep in mind that the Cominolli safety does NOT work for left handed shooting, as there is only a safety lever for the right thumb.

The D&L Cominolli safety lever works in the same direction as that on the 1911 or M&P—up is on, down is off to allow firing:



Dave recommends using the Ghost forward bullet slide release (http://www.ghostinc.com/product/GHO_...bat-Black.html) with his enhanced Cominolli safety lever, as shown below:



The Ghost Glock forward slide release is positioned in about the same location as safety levers on 1911’s and has proven to work very well—so much so that I’ve now installed them on several other standard Glocks without the Cominolli safety.

The D&L safety equipped Glocks did not pose any problems fitting into a wide variety of holsters, including the superb Safariland 6354DO ALS duty holster.



A couple of tight fitting kydex CCW holsters required some minor trimming or gentle heating and re-shaping, but this was easily accomplished.

While at D&L, Dave also installed his stainless steel G17 barrel with sand cuts (http://www.dlsports.com/custom-sand-...l-barrels.html):



Dave believes that the flutes give dirt and grit somewhere to migrate to, instead of grinding between the barrel hood and the inside of the slide, allowing pistols to run smoother and longer when used in dirty conditions.

Initially I was a bit slower getting my first shot off, but as I’ve got used to the D&L safety equipped Glock over a few thousand rounds, my times are getting back to normal on standardized tests like the 10-8, FAST, LAPD SWAT qual, 99 drill, etc... Accuracy was not effected in any way by the addition of the safety. Each of these D&L safety equipped Glocks has now fired over 2000 malfunction free rounds without any cleaning.

I am not suggesting anyone modify their Glocks; I am stating that having used a variety of pistols on military and LE duty, as well as for CCW over the past 30 years, I now strongly prefer pistols with a manual safety based on my direct experiences with both types. The D&L/Cominolli safety equipped Glocks are an option that appear to work well. Other individuals will have disparate experiences and will make different choices.

[CANDERSEN]

I am a long time 1911 shooter and my muscle memory is such that under stress and immediately before engaging I am looking to push down the safety - since I carry both a 1911 and a Glock 19; depending on the assignment, I have found the addition of the Cominolli Safety on my Glock as being very beneficial.

I found this out the hard way several years go when involved in a shooting and found my self "searching" for the non existent safety on the Glock I was carrying that day. The lack of a safety actually caused a split second delay in getting my first round off.

I believe that "gross familiarity" is extremely important with your weapon systems and that they should all operate in a similar manner - its also nice that the safety on a AR15/M4 works in the same direction as the 1911 and Cominolli safety.

Under high stress your body is going to do what ever you programmed it to do (via all of those thousands of repetitions).

The Cominolli has worked well for me and this enhancement by D&L Sports certainly has merit.

How much is Dave charging for the part?

[DocGKR]

I believe it was around $250 for the parts and full install.

[Gewehr3]

It's good to see that someone thought to improve the ergonomics of the Cominolli safety. I'm surprised they the Cominolli wouldn't release an improved version themselves.

[sr71plane]

Just had a Cominolli safety installed on my old Glock Gen 2 model 23. It amazes me how the OP specifically asked for nothing more then a review of the safety even asking all the non external safety Glock fans to stay out of it, and all the Glock Fan Boys have to still give their two cents on why it is not needed. Anyway, I think it is awesome. I had mine installed by a Glock Armorer, because I did not trust myself to make a professional looking cut in the frame. It looks like it came installed from the factory, and works perfect. Positive click up and down and the slide can be racked back and forth with the safety on when trigger is in the foremost position. I highly recommend them. Comoinolli safeties are under development right now for the new Glock 42 and 43's.

[ritepath]

It amazes me how the OP specifically asked for nothing more then a review of the safety even asking all the non external safety Glock fans to stay out of it, and all the Glock Fan Boys have to still give their two cents on why it is not needed.

Nothing should surprise you about glockers...most believe there's only one brand of handgun and if you're dumb enough to buy anything else you're not a real gun owner. Then comes along someone wanting to add a safety feature and it's like punching baby Jesus in the face to them.