Do you use the safety on your shotgun?

[MohawkSlim]

Reading another thread I see people prefer the Mossberg over the Remington or vice versa based on safety position. "It's easier to reach the tang safety" or, "I prefer the safety right next to the trigger guard."

Am I the only one that never uses the safety on a shotgun?

I know it's an antiquated hold-over from back when shotties weren't drop safe (and most are now) but I've always carried an empty chamber and pumped when it's time to get serious or, if it's already business time, just walked around with the safety off.

Am I really just unnecessarily old school? Or do some of you guys do that too?

 

[SSGSAD]

The safety, on my Maverick, is on the trigger guard, and I NEVER use it .....

 

[phylodog]

I always use the safety on my 870 and AR15, never use it on my Rem700.

 

[Expat]

If you carry your shotgun with the safety off, you wouldn't hunt with anyone in my family. Just the way we were raised.

 

[Ruffnek]

Just Google "racking a shotgun," you'll come up with a ton of articles on why it can actually be a detriment.

As for me, I like all of my guns locked and loaded, it's easy to forget to run a charging handle, pump, or slide when the adrenaline is pumping. To each their own though.

 

[RustyHornet]

Safety!? 1897 ain't got no stinkin safety! I do use it on my Ithaca 37 though....

 

[Yeah]

Which shotguns are drop safe?

I know of only the KSG....

Regardless I generally don't carry, transport, or store any long gun with a round chambered.

 

[Leadeye]

One click back on my Winchesters.

 

[Mgderf]

Always

 

[phylodog]

Just Google "racking a shotgun," you'll come up with a ton of articles on why it can actually be a detriment.

Can I get a cliff notes version? I don't see how chambering a round can be detrimental. The first thing I do when I pick up an 870 is move the action bar to the rear so my hand automatically goes to the action bar release.

 

[Trigger Time]

Shotguns and AR's ALWAYS.

... Sights, safety, trigger, fire
... Sights, safety, no shoot, safety back on

safety comes off as soon as your looking at your sights. Finger doesn't move to trigger till your ready to engage

 

[Ruffnek]

Can I get a cliff notes version? I don't see how chambering a round can be detrimental. The first thing I do when I pick up an 870 is move the action bar to the rear so my hand automatically goes to the action bar release.

"It's a tactical disadvantage which gives up the element of surprise and gives away your position. It can also be a forgotten action when fine motor skills degrade."

I can agree with those, to an extent. You gotta remember that everyone who chooses a pump gun for home defense doesn't train for 23 hours a day. I can also understand the points of losing the element of surprise and the element of concealment, they could be your only advantages if there are multiple perps.

Like I said, to each their own.

 

[Woobie]

Shotguns and AR's ALWAYS.

... Sights, safety, trigger, fire
... Sights, safety, no shoot, safety back on

safety comes off as soon as your looking at your sights. Finger doesn't move to trigger till your ready to engage

We have a winner!

If this isn't second nature, train until it is.

 

[Ballstater98]

Best safety I have is between my ears.

 

[Trigger Time]

Best safety I have is between my ears.

"This here is my safety Sir" ..flexing finger. Best movie line evA!

 

[Twangbanger]

That's why I have always enjoyed hunting with a pump so much. I keep the action open with a round on the lifter, it is more comfortable for me to carry that way, and in the act of raising the gun to shoot the action goes closed >> boom. The lead hand closes the gun and leads the gun right to the target. My BPS and Mossies have the safety on the tang, which is easy to reach, but my slick 1967 870 goes out with me more and I just seem to prefer the action of closing the gun during the gun mount. I'm weird that way, but it works for me.

 

[indyjohn]

But I store my HDG with an empty chamber. This conversation is making me think maybe I should not. I've subscribed to the thought that if a bad guy in my house hears a round chambering into my 870, they will feel compelled to leave. No?

 

[phylodog]

But I store my HDG with an empty chamber. This conversation is making me think maybe I should not. I've subscribed to the thought that if a bad guy in my house hears a round chambering into my 870, they will feel compelled to leave. No?

Some folks will lose their mind if someone claims that the sound of a pump shotgun chambering a round has any effect on an assailant. I've gotten more than one person's attention with it and seen how well it tends to change some people's channel.

I don't keep a round in the chamber of my long guns be they AR, shotgun or bolt gun. Safeties are easily bumped off or fiddled with and there is no holster covering the trigger. I'm not concerned with giving up my location as anyone in my home doesn't know the layout so I retain plenty of advantage there. If someone is going bump in the night they're going to hear my warnings anyway. I'd prefer they leave as quickly as they came so the sooner I'm making noise the better.

 

[tcecil88]

I leave both of my HD longguns with safety off on an empty chamber. Whenever a round is chambered, the safety is on until I am ready to shoot.

 

[indyjohn]

Some folks will lose their mind if someone claims that the sound of a pump shotgun chambering a round has any effect on an assailant. I've gotten more than one person's attention with it and seen how well it tends to change some people's channel.

I don't keep a round in the chamber of my long guns be they AR, shotgun or bolt gun. Safeties are easily bumped off or fiddled with and there is no holster covering the trigger. I'm not concerned with giving up my location as anyone in my home doesn't know the layout so I retain plenty of advantage there. If someone is going bump in the night they're going to hear my warnings anyway. I'd prefer they leave as quickly as they came so the sooner I'm making noise the better.

Thank you for that. I am staying with my current defensive plan.

My expectation of any home intruder where I live is petty theft / crime of opportunity perp. I don't (I pray) anticipate a full on assault with intent to harm intrusion.