Trigger safeties - what's the point?

[wha-tah-hey]

Guns cleaned, raining so can't shoot, nothing to load, nothing interesting on TV.
I just resolved a problem w/the trigger safety on my Glock, and I've been thinking - often turns out bad. :D.

Just curious, but would someone explain the practical function of a handgun trigger safety?
What circumstance(s) might depress the (relatively heavy) trigger which wouldn't also depress the (very light) safety blade?
Right now it seems just a lawyer's requirement to me.

[VIP3R 237]

Many holsters use the trigger guard as a retention point, especially the homemade and professional kydex style. The theory behind the trigger safety that if a firearm is holstered into an exceptionally tight holster, it may grab the edge of the trigger and cause a AD.

I do not know if this is true, but the rumor was that when Glocks were first introduced that some officers shot themselves when their firearm was reholstered and the holster caught the trigger. These incidents caused a trigger saftey to be introduced. Like I said I cannot confirm the story, it may just be a gun store/ internet myth.

[wha-tah-hey]

Thanks - LEO and retention holsters (other than straps) are outside my experience so, true or not, I concede the possibility.

Anyone else have thoughts/information/experience?

[jonconsiglio]

There's a lot of misunderstanding in regards to trigger safeties. They aren't so much to stop stuff from pressing the trigger.

Pressing the trigger on a Glock, or M&P without a thumb safety, releases all other safeties. So, a trigger safety is essentially another drop safety.

If you deactivate the trigger safety and drop the gun with an impact to the rear, it's possible it will fire. The trigger safety, due to its pivot point, prevents this.

So, an impact to the rear of slide during a fall or even a hard impact to the rear of the slide without falling, though less likely, can possibly force the trigger back. This will deactivate the other safeties and the firearm will possibly discharge.

Simply taping the trigger safety and hitting the rear of the slide hard enough with something like a rubber mallet with an empty chamber will prove this point (so you don't have to drop it on the ground). So, please be careful deactivating trigger safeties.

[Heavy Metal]

I heard it described as a reverse drop safety, to prevent the pistol from firing if it lands hard on the heel of the grip or the rear of the slide.

[wha-tah-hey]

Not to be contentious (since this is primarily a curiosity), but I just did.
Using a hard rubber mallet, holding the Glock in my hand, I couldn't get it to release the striker.
I'm confident I applied more force than any more-or-less waist-height drop would generate.
I don't think the trigger has the necessary mass to overcome the friction and springs.

But again, there might concievably be an impact situation where it could occur, or another gun might react differently.

[shaneinhisroom]

Not to be contentious (since this is primarily a curiosity), but I just did.
Using a hard rubber mallet, holding the Glock in my hand, I couldn't get it to release the striker.
I'm confident I applied more force than any more-or-less waist-height drop would generate.
I don't think the trigger has the necessary mass to overcome the friction and springs.

But again, there might concievably be an impact situation where it could occur, or another gun might react differently.

Maybe not with a stock trigger set up, but a lot of people who modify their trigger in these striker fired pistols may have 3.5# or less disconnectors or other mods that may potentially cause AD/ND if dropped without a trigger safety. Just a thought.

[DWood]

Were you pressing on the trigger safety when you smacked the slide with a mallet?

[jonconsiglio]

Not to be contentious (since this is primarily a curiosity), but I just did.
Using a hard rubber mallet, holding the Glock in my hand, I couldn't get it to release the striker.
I'm confident I applied more force than any more-or-less waist-height drop would generate.
I don't think the trigger has the necessary mass to overcome the friction and springs.

But again, there might concievably be an impact situation where it could occur, or another gun might react differently.

Ha, maybe I shouldn't have said that! It's definitely possible that it can discharge if the trigger safety is deactivated and it falls and hits the ground the right way.

I've only heard of the mallet impacts so I probably shouldn't have said that. I didn't expect anyone to attempt it so quickly!

[wha-tah-hey]

Shane - it's a 3.5#er.

DWood - taped up, as recommended. :)

jonconsiglio - indicated I was bored, right? :D

Seriously tho', I couldn't think of good reasons, so I asked.
I won't and would never recommend anyone else deactivte 'em; mostly wondering how we got along w/o 'em for so long.
Strikerfire's no modern quantum leap, but drop-of-the-hat litigation is. ;)

[Warp]

There's a lot of misunderstanding in regards to trigger safeties. They aren't so much to stop stuff from pressing the trigger.

Pressing the trigger on a Glock, or M&P without a thumb safety, releases all other safeties. So, a trigger safety is essentially another drop safety.

If you deactivate the trigger safety and drop the gun with an impact to the rear, it's possible it will fire. The trigger safety, due to its pivot point, prevents this.

So, an impact to the rear of slide during a fall or even a hard impact to the rear of the slide without falling, though less likely, can possibly force the trigger back. This will deactivate the other safeties and the firearm will possibly discharge.

Simply taping the trigger safety and hitting the rear of the slide hard enough with something like a rubber mallet with an empty chamber will prove this point (so you don't have to drop it on the ground). So, please be careful deactivating trigger safeties.

You beat me to it.