To "safety" or not? - Page 1

Training » Tactical Rifle Training

Site Notices

To "safety" or not?

Mark_Grey

Member

Joined Nov 2015
Posts 149
EE 0% (0)

VA, USA

Posted: 10/19/2017 10:34:14 PM EDT

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:

Lateral movement with a rifle, with Mike Green and Nate Stokes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hT5Wmx7Mss

Any thoughts or feedback on engaging the safety?

crux

Joined Nov 2008
Posts 2783
EE 0% (0)

USA

Posted: 10/19/2017 11:29:38 PM EDT

[Last Edit: crux] [#1]

I my training classes I was taught to keep the safety on until getting the sights up on a valid target you are shooting (i.e. not until "threat" has been called and sights are on), put safety on when you break the sight picture to move or fix something, and to put the safety on when all targets are defeated. Makes sense to me and is quite natural having trained it from early on.

I'm sure people can do fine otherwise, but I think having this as an ingrained habit would help reduce the chances of failing to put the safety on under stress and confusion. One more layer against an accident that isn't taxing to learn and practice in my mind.

Ridgeline Joined May 2009 Posts 2590 EE 100% (5) OH, USA	Posted: 10/19/2017 11:36:44 PM EDT [Last Edit: Ridgeline] [#2] Nm.

echo5whiskey Professional Babysitter Joined Aug 2014 Posts 244 EE 0% (0) TX, USA	Posted: 10/22/2017 8:44:05 PM EDT [#3] I have always kept to the old "Treat, never, keep, keep" that the Marine Corps hammers into us. It usually comes off right before my muzzle reaches the target, and stays that way until I'm no longer actively engaging.
	All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. It is better to be thought a fool and remain silent, than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.

TonyF Member Joined Sep 2003 Posts 2666 EE 100% (23) PA, USA	Posted: 10/24/2017 9:21:04 PM EDT [#4] There is no time penalty engaging / disengaging the safety.
	Best Regards, TonyF Training Forum Moderator "... there's trained and untrained" (Denzel Washington -- Man on Fire)

Nick710 Old Guy Joined Feb 2002 Posts 5432 EE 100% (4) HUN	Posted: 11/15/2017 10:39:34 AM EDT [Last Edit: Nick710] [#5] Not sure if this link to a Facebook video will work; but here's Frank Proctor's take on it: Frank Proctor
	"DE OPPRESSO LIBER" RIP MSG Habelman - MSG Allicoate - MSG Bitner

kwill

Joined Oct 2010
Posts 35
EE 100% (3)

OR, USA

Posted: 11/20/2017 5:01:01 AM EDT

[#6]

Just shot this match - I hadn't thought much about it but when watching the video I noticed that I was cycling the safety between every position even when just changing from standing to kneeling or kneeling to a rice paddy squat. I don't think there is much of a time penalty to it as I had the top time of the match on the stage. The time you are spending on the safety is time that was already being used refining your sight picture or building your position.

Match Video

Everythingisawesome Callsign: Bowel Joined Dec 2014 Posts 1924 EE 100% (7) OR, USA	Posted: 12/21/2017 3:18:22 PM EDT [#7] Sights on target = safety off Sights off target = safety on Reloading? Safety on. Moving without a sight picture? Safety on. Fixing a malfunction? Safety on (if possible). Transition to handgun? Safety on.

rchobby Joined Jan 2018 Posts 1 EE 0% (0) CHN	Posted: 1/23/2018 4:04:44 AM EDT [#8] thank ou very much, i like your article Rc airplane

KnowScot

Joined Mar 2018
Posts 8
EE 0% (0)

MO, USA

Posted: 3/14/2018 12:38:19 PM EDT

[#9]

Quote History

Originally Posted By Everythingisawesome:
Sights on target = safety off
Sights off target = safety on

Reloading? Safety on.
Moving without a sight picture? Safety on.
Fixing a malfunction? Safety on (if possible).
Transition to handgun? Safety on.

View Quote

All the training with a carbine that I have done has been exactly this. I don't really notice or consciously think about it. Recently I took a shotgun course where the instructor did not advocate using the shotgun safety at all. Cruiser ready in storage, and no safety for moving, reloading, etc. I did notice the difference when I STOPPED using a safety as often as I would have had I been using a carbine.

BPR

Member

Joined Sep 2003
Posts 2166
EE 100% (22)

KY, USA

Posted: 6/25/2018 2:43:08 PM EDT

[Last Edit: BPR] [#10]

Quote History

Originally Posted By Everythingisawesome:
Sights on target = safety off
Sights off target = safety on

Reloading? Safety on.
Moving without a sight picture? Safety on.
Fixing a malfunction? Safety on (if possible).
Transition to handgun? Safety on.

View Quote

Why put the safety on when transitioning to a handgun? No reason to transition if the rifle is still functional, right?

(Not a rhetorical question)

My personal SOP is safety off when I have a cheek weld, safety on when I don't.

Shooter_556 Joined Jun 2012 Posts 596 EE 100% (3) NJ, USA	Posted: 6/25/2018 3:06:01 PM EDT [#11] ^ I was thinking the same. Unless you transition to your handgun just for the sake of doing it, normally your rifle is a) out of ammo or b) malfunction so when I let it sling down, theres no way it is going to go off.

KnowScot Joined Mar 2018 Posts 39 EE 0% (0) MO, USA	Posted: 11/14/2018 12:47:43 PM EDT [#12] I realize this is AR15.com, but for AK folks - you'll lose a lot of time putting the safety on between targets. Finger straight and off the trigger is a good substitute.

To "safety" or not?

Training » Tactical Rifle Training

Warning

Confirm Action

About AR15.COM

Stay Connected

Newsletter

Contact Us