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Hand Gun Trigger Safety

Principal Author / Publisher:Safetyhow Admin
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A handgun trigger safety is a device intended to prevent a firearm from discharging accidentally. It consists of a lever attached to the trigger that must be disengaged in order for the trigger to operate. It differs from traditional manual safeties in that it does not require a separate step on the part of the operator to enable or disable, resulting in a more simplified operation than in traditional handgun safety measures.

Function

The mechanism consists of a spring-loaded lever that extends slightly from the bottom half of the trigger in most designs. The lever is attached to a locking system that will not allow the trigger to function unless the lever is in the rearward position. The act of pulling the trigger also pulls the lever so that disengaging the safety is a natural consequence of firing the weapon.

Misconceptions

Handguns with trigger safeties can appear to have only one safety. However, their manufacturers typically incorporate the trigger safety into larger safety systems. For example, Springfield's XD pistols also include grip safeties. These are spring-loaded levers extending from the handle that prevent operation of the trigger unless depressed. Glock pistols include a trigger safety as well as a small ramp in the trigger housing that a piece called the "trigger bar" must overcome for the weapon to fire. Additionally, when a round is chambered, the weapon remains partially cocked with a steel pin blocking the firing pin channel. This makes it impossible for the weapon to discharge unless the trigger is pulled.

Benefits

Single-action handguns have manual safety switches that add a step to the process of firing the weapon. Double-action weapons usually do away with manual safeties in favor of a heavier trigger pull, which tends to be safer but less accurate. Double-action/single-action firearms have a heavy trigger on the first shot and a light pull on each subsequent shot. The problem with this is that it can be difficult to get used to the inconsistency of the trigger operation. Handguns that employ trigger safeties combine the relatively light and consistent trigger pull of single-action designs with the ease of operation of double-action designs.

Drawbacks

In most cases, there is no way to prevent the weapon from firing if the operator grips the pistol and pulls the trigger. Without proper training and attention to safety protocols, some shooters may be prone to cause such weapons to discharge accidentally. A <i>Washington Post</i> article points out that since adopting Glock pistols in 2008, the Washington, D.C., police have reported nine injuries and one death as a result of accidental discharges.

Types

The Glock-style trigger safety can be found in the Springfield XD, Walther's PPS and versions of Ruger's SR9. Smith and Wesson's M&P pistols employ a slightly different design in which the bottom of the trigger pivots rather than a centered lever. Some Savage rifles have what the company calls an "accutrigger." According to <i>Shooting Times</i>, these provide the assurances of other trigger safeties while allowing users to adjust the amount of pull.



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