Carrying Striker fired pistols

[Timmer2183]

I thought that I'd ask this question of the sages of MNGuntalk. I usually carry a Ruger LC9. I am a FAS instructor and live and breathe firearm safety. I love the LC9's long trigger pull and external safety and feel that it is a very safe carry gun. Yesterday though, my LC9 broke its firing pin and is currently on the way back to Ruger for a new one and a once over.

I have a full sized XD9 that I would like to carry, but with just a grip safety and a very short trigger pull, it is quite different than what I am used too. I am lookin for some tips on how to safely carry a striker fired pistol other than the typical keep your finger outside the trigger guard and look when you reholster to make sure there are no obstructions that may cause a neglegant discharge.

Thanks,

Timmer2183

[Paul]

This isn't meant to be as sarcastic as it will come across.... But if you LIVE AND BREATHE firearm safety, you shouldn't have to change anything while carrying a striker fired pistol. If you don't pull the trigger, it won't go off.

[grousemaster]

I thought that I'd ask this question of the sages of MNGuntalk. I usually carry a Ruger LC9. I am a FAS instructor and live and breathe firearm safety. I love the LC9's long trigger pull and external safety and feel that it is a very safe carry gun. Yesterday though, my LC9 broke its firing pin and is currently on the way back to Ruger for a new one and a once over.

I have a full sized XD9 that I would like to carry, but with just a grip safety and a very short trigger pull, it is quite different than what I am used too. I am lookin for some tips on how to safely carry a striker fired pistol other than the typical keep your finger outside the trigger guard and look when you reholster to make sure there are no obstructions that may cause a neglegant discharge.

Thanks,

Timmer2183

Your last paragraph summed it up. Use a quality holster that covers the trigger. These things don't go off without a trigger pull.

[timwarner]

You're fine as long as you don't pull the trigger.

Unless you mean to, in a direction in which a target is placed, being human, steel, paper, or cardboard.

9 years carrying a G19, and it's never once jumped out of my holster and shot a hole in anything.

[JoeH]

As already stated, it won't go off unless the trigger is pulled. You mentioned an obstruction in the holster. A shirt in the way can cause a problem. Keep clothes out of the holster. Remember, draw fast - holster slowly.

[rtk]

This isn't meant to be as sarcastic as it will come across.... But if you LIVE AND BREATHE firearm safety, you shouldn't have to change anything while carrying a striker fired pistol. If you don't pull the trigger, it won't go off.

This.

[thunderoussilence]

I EDC a G22 either in a shoulder rig or IWB never an issue. Although I once heard of a ND from a Glock struck COBB in the foot but bounced off, He has a Tshirt to prove it. J/K only about the ND from a Glock. Pretty sure COBB is bulletproof. They even wrote a song about it. 10ft tall and Bullet Proof by Travis Tritt.

[rugersol]

I don't know too many guys that carry a 1911 cocked and unlocked.

Some of the trigger jobs on some of these striker-fired guns come awfully close ... though, again, I know of no one who carries one.

The stock triggers on the striker-fired guns are meant to be somewhat revolver-like ... at which, with a longer, heavier pull, no manual safety is needed. The further from that a gun gets ... YMMV

Is the trigger on yer XD, stock?

[Sigfan220]

I refuse to carry anything with a safty. It's not like it's going in and out of the holder a lot. Plus when you actually need to use it there is less to think about. That might make a big differance in a gunfight.

On a side note my M&P PRO used for IDPA dosn't have an external safty and I feel 100% safe using it during competition and trips to the range.

[45Badger]

All of the above. The most important safety is the goop between my ears that tells my booger hook to hit (or not) the bang switch .

[Snowgun]

I don't know too many guys that carry a 1911 cocked and unlocked.

Some of the trigger jobs on some of these striker-fired guns come awfully close ... though, again, I know of no one who carries one.

The stock triggers on the striker-fired guns are meant to be somewhat revolver-like ... at which, with a longer, heavier pull, no manual safety is needed. The further from that a gun gets ... YMMV

Is the trigger on yer XD, stock?

Even a comp modified xd or m&P have a pretty long initial stroke (compared to a 1911), and it's tough to get the actual trigger poundage down under 3.5#. This is pretty different than a 1-2lb 1911 with a 1/16" travel. Carrying that cocked and unlocked would be puckerworthy, even with the grip safety.

I still wouldn't suggest carrying a comped up trigger gun, but like everyone else has said, a stock XD will be fine if you keep your booger picker clear and don't get negligent while holstering.

[jdege]

I am lookin for some tips on how to safely carry a striker fired pistol other than the typical keep your finger outside the trigger guard and look when you reholster to make sure there are no obstructions that may cause a neglegant discharge.

By "other than", do you mean "instead of", or "in addition to"?

Because there isn't any "instead of".

[jdege]

I refuse to carry anything with a safty. It's not like it's going in and out of the holder a lot. Plus when you actually need to use it there is less to think about. That might make a big differance in a gunfight.

There have been others who shared your opinion:

We have an inveterate dislike of the profusion of safety devices with which all automatic pistols are regularly equipped. We believe them to be the cause of more accidents than anything else. There are too many instances on record of men being shot by accident either because the safety-catch was in the firing position when it ought not to have been or because it was in the safe position when that was the last thing to be desired. It is better, we think, to make the pistol permanently "unsafe" and then to devise such methods of handling it that there will be no accidents.

[Timmer2183]

My trigger is stock. Different strokes for different folks as far as carrying. Thanks for the insight everyone.

[Paul]

My trigger is stock. Different strokes for different folks as far as carrying. Thanks for the insight everyone.

I guess the point of my above post is that if you feel you need to change something, you are doing something wrong currently... As in relying too much on the fact you have a manual safety or long trigger pull in place of proper technique, or being aware of your shirt when holstering your weapon, and so on.

If that's not the case for you, then you're worrying unnecessarily.