Is a properly holstered handgun considered "safe"?

[eldirector]

Simple "yes/no", and a poll forthcoming.

Is a handgun, with all provided safeties engaged, with a round chambered (or under the firing pin for a revolver), but in an appropriate holster, ever considered "safe"?

I suspect definitions of "safe" will vary widely.

 

[Birds Away]

Yes.

 

[ChristianPatriot]

What are you getting at?

 

[Hogwylde]

I would suggest that ALL guns are safe no matter what condition unless it goes off all by itself with no interaction from someone or something. It's the PERSON that makes guns go bang, they do not do that all by themselves. (unless Judgement Day has come and the terminators run the planet)

 

[JettaKnight]

What are you getting at?

It probably is an off shoot of the #4 rules steel cage challenge going on right now on INGO pay-per-view.

 

[HoughMade]

If my firearm is not dangerous, I have no reason to carry it, temporary conditions notwithstanding.

 

[yepthatsme]

What??? No bacon???

 

[ajeandy]

Duuuuuuuuhhs it depend on who it's holstered to or where the holster is located?

In the holster of a felon who's about to go on a shooting rampage, then I'm not safe!

In a holster that your 3 year old got a hold of? Not safe.

On my person, then safe.

 

[worddoer]

You are correct, definitions of safe will vary. I agree with HoughMade, any firearm that has a round is the chamber is dangerous....and it should be. If it's not dangerous, then what is the point of carrying it?

Just because something is dangerous does not mean anyone will get hurt...assuming you are following proper safety protocol while doing so. Handling explosives is dangerous, but can be done successfully on a frequent basis when proper safety protocol is used.

My definition of "safe" means there are no rounds in the chamber, and there is no magazine inserted and/or the cylinder is open with no rounds inserted. Only then do I consider a handgun "safe" (all of which must be double checked and verified). And even then, there are still safety protocol to follow. Not because the handgun itself presents an extra danger. But rather, it is to maintain the habit of handling that handgun safely. That way, once the gun is made dangerous again, you have built the habit and muscle memory for proper safety protocol.

 

[SSGSAD]

You are correct, definitions of safe will vary. I agree with HoughMade, any firearm that has a round is the chamber is dangerous....and it should be. If it's not dangerous, then what is the point of carrying it?

Just because something is dangerous does not mean anyone will get hurt...assuming you are following proper safety protocol while doing so. Handling explosives is dangerous, but can be done successfully on a frequent basis when proper safety protocol is used.

My definition of "safe" means there are no rounds in the chamber, and there is no magazine inserted and/or the cylinder is open with no rounds inserted. Only then do I consider a handgun "safe" (all of which must be double checked and verified). And even then, there are still safety protocol to follow. Not because the handgun itself presents an extra danger. But rather, it is to maintain the habit of handling that handgun safely. That way, once the gun is made dangerous again, you have built the habit and muscle memory for proper safety protocol.

I disagree, ALL guns, are ALWAYS loaded.....

JMHO, all guns are safe ..... it is the ACTIONS of the person, holding the gun, that makes an unsafe situation .....

JMHO ..... YMMV .....

 

[pudly]

Yes, provided it is a good holster. I despise those pocket holsters that expose the trigger.

 

[looney2ns]

Not safe if in a holster that has Uncle or Mikes on the label.

 

[KG1]

Not safe in an underwear holster.

 

[Tombs]

I'm going to vote no on this on one simple premise.

It's only safe unless you have a mechanical failure of some sort. Regardless how many redundancies there are, a mechanical failure is still theoretically possible.

So I orient my holster in a manner that still obeys the 4 rules. A quality holster makes your gun just as safe as snapping the safety on. At no point was I ever trained to trust the safety on a firearm to the point of it invalidating the 4 safety rules.

This is why I question the wisdom of appendix carry, where you have your firearm pointed at one of the second largest and fastest bleeding arteries in your body.

Thinking deeper, any striker fired gun that doesn't fully cock the striker may actually be rendered 100% safe in a holster even with a catastrophic mechanical failure.

 

[chezuki]

Yes.

 

[chezuki]

Let me check to be sure...

 

[chezuki]

Yep, looks pretty safe to me.

 

[KellyinAvon]

My holsters and my handguns? Yes! All holsters and all handguns? NO!! Modern firearm? Check! Retention holster? Check! Trigger covered? Check! Glock in a Serpa? Check! Model 19 or GP 100 in a DeSantis thumb break scabbard? Check! Old-school single action with the hammer on a live-round? NO!!!

 

[KG1]

This will cause heads to explode.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

INGO, let's review what we learned in school: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT96jxPBCqo