Safety Usage at the Range

[workinwifdakids]

Almost got me killed once.

Ah, do share. Shall I pour?

[Combat Controller]

Almost got me killed once.

Ah, do share. Shall I pour?

I was sitting against a stone wall bordering a small stream, down hill a bit. Picture a defensive fortification, I was taking advantage of cover and had my GAU propped against the wall. Some idiots in [strike]the PDF[/strike] a Dignity Battalion decided to take some potshots at us. I made a grab and watched my rifle tumble down the hill an into the drink. Rats.

Being a newly minted officer I decided to unlimber my M9 and have a go at the cretins, stood up (wall was at armpit level from my position on the slope) and pulled the trigger. No joy. Ah yes! We rack the slide first and then press the bang switch! Grabbing the slide I chamber a round and pull the trigger again. Dink dink dink. Ok.... Seems I engaged the safety on the slide when I grasped it. Standing around getting shot at with a non functional weapon is frowned upon in the circles I traveled in, so I said "fuck it!" and tumbled downhill to retrieve my weapon. By the time I reclaimed it, the fun was over. It was the stationary equivalent of a drive-by.

More of a condemnation of the European style safety, but still an interesting training failure (or success depending on your point of view) starring yours truly.

EDIT: Actually it was not the PDF after all, upon rereading I recall we think it was Dignity Battalions instead. I got to typing and that's what came out....

[Cybrludite]

I've got a Gunsite safety on my 1911, so in the shooting position my thumb is on the safety. The CZ-52's safety is of the "down to fire" variety and placed such that my thumb will go on top as well. The Kel-Tec and my Smith & Wessons don't have external safeties. Neither does the "Roulette Wheel". Thus any of the pistols I'm likely to grab in an "Oh, shit!" moment will effectively work the same way with regards to shooting as they would be on the range. The CZ is the odd auto out when it comes to reloading. (Silly euro mag release...)