If you are looking at purchasing a Glock and wondering if Glocks have a safety, the answer is yes! They do have a safety, but not a traditional safety that is manually engaged. Instead, they have their own revolutionary Safe Action System that is built into the action of firing the gun.
If that sounds weird or you are unsure of the safety of this firearm, let us put your mind at ease as we talk about their safety system and answer any questions you might have. We assure you that you won’t go wrong with any Glock model that you choose.
What is a Traditional Safety?
When it comes to traditional safeties, this usually refers to gun safeties that are manually engaged and disengaged by the operator of the firearm. These could be switches, buttons, or a variety of other designs that have come about from different manufacturers. The key to these are that they require the shooter to actually activate or deactivate the safety that has nothing to do with pulling the trigger.
Glocks are Designed without these Safeties
Glocks do not have a manual safety. There is nothing on the Glock platform that you can engage to keep the pistol from firing when the trigger is pulled. The best safety for a Glock in that sense, is a holster. Although Glocks have always been produced with their own type of safety that does not fit into the traditional safety category. In fact, Glock has designed its own safety system called the Safe Action System.
The Safe Action System
The Safe Action System is a safety system built into the trigger-pulling action of Glock firearms. It contains three automatic independently-operating mechanical safeties that are built-in to activate and deactivate by pulling the trigger.
This Safe Action System does not require additional steps to make the gun hot or safe. This allows the shooter to focus on firing the gun instead of needing to focus on the safety aspect before firing it.
Firing Sequence & Trigger Reset
The Glock, with its Safe Action System has a unique firing system with a trigger reset that automatically makes the gun safe again after a trigger pull. After the first trigger pull, the Glock requires very minimal movement forward to reset the trigger and allow the weapon to fire again. This allows the shooter to get off numerous shots quickly and accurately.
To return the gun to completely safe, all the shooter has to do is fully release the trigger forward and all three of its safety mechanisms re-engage without the need of any more steps.
What Are the Three Safeties on a Glock?
In the Safe Action System, the Glock contains three different safeties. Each works independently and in succession to take the Glock out of safe mode. Let’s take a quick look at each of the three safeties inside of a Glock.
Trigger Safety
For Glocks, the first line of safety in their Safe Action System is the trigger safety. This is a small lever or second trigger on the actual trigger for firing the weapon. If it is not depressed during a full trigger pull, the gun will not fire. This is especially helpful if the gun is ever dropped or the trigger is ever indirectly pressured in non-shooting situations.
This is only the first line of safety that Glocks have, but the upside to the trigger safety is that when you do intend to fire the weapon, there is no secondary movement.
Firing Pin Safety
Inside the Glock, the second line of its Safe Action System is the firing pin safety. The firing pin safety is a mechanical block that actually keeps the firing pin from moving forward when the trigger is not pulled. When the trigger is pulled, the mechanical block moves upward and out of the way, clearing the path for the firing pin.
This requires more of a trigger pull than the trigger safety alone, giving added safety to the Glock and its safety system. So even if the trigger safety is depressed, it will still take more pressure to continue moving the Glock out of safety and allow it to fire.
Drop Safety
The third and final safety mechanism on Glocks is the drop safety. Inside the trigger mechanism of Glocks, there is a trigger bar that engages with the firing pin, not allowing the firing pin to move forward until the trigger is pulled. The only way to allow the firing pin forward is with a full trigger pull. This makes the Glock extremely safe if it is dropped or the carrier falls while wearing the Glock as a sidearm.
Pros and Cons of Glock’s Safe Action System
- Quick draw to firing
- No secondary process for engaging and disengaging the safety
- Best for personal protection, conceal carry, and everyday carry
- No accidental discharge if dropped
- Takes a full trigger pull to disengage all three safeties
- No manual safety for those less familiar with firearms
Safety Should Always Come First: Owning a Glock
With a non-traditional safety system, the Glock can sometimes be intimidating to those who are used to more traditional-style safeties. Below we will ease your mind on the safety of Glocks, their utilization as a concealed carry weapon, and how to store them safely.
Are they safe?
In short, yes! Glocks are absolutely safe. If they weren’t, they wouldn’t be one of the most popular brands of guns in the world currently.
How to Safely Carry a Glock as a Conceal Carry Weapon
To safely carry a Glock as a concealed carry weapon, make sure that you are very comfortable with the firearm you are carrying and get yourself a quality concealed carry holster with a trigger guard. The trigger guard will ensure that nothing accidentally catches and pulls the trigger. Outside of the holster and being comfortable, a Glock is one of the best concealed carry options on the market due to its safe, but highly functional design.
Glock Safety Tips: Storing the Weapon
When storing a Glock, always be sure that it is in a secured location that it preferably locked. It does not matter if it is loaded or unloaded, a firearm should always be inaccessible to those who we do not want to access it. A personal safe, single gun box, and the use of a trigger lock is recommended by Glock.
Where to Buy A Glock?
At Gun Made, we make it easy to find the firearm you are looking for and give you options on where to find that firearm for the best price. Our website also includes information, specs, ratings, reviews, and even purchasing data from the past so that you can make the most informed decision possible before purchasing your firearm.
As you can see below, a search for a Glock 19X brings up a list of the best-priced guns with links for you to purchase said gun. This is a very useful tool when looking to purchase your next Glock!
FAQs
Do any Glocks have manual safeties?
No. Glocks do not have manual safeties. They have the Safe Action System that contains three passive safeties.
Can a Glock accidentally discharge?
Glocks have one of the best records for their lack of accidental discharges. Without direct human error, Glocks never accidentally discharge unless they are improperly cared for or handled.
What Other Guns Don’t Have Safeties?
Other pistol manufacturers have adopted non-traditional safeties like the Glock. They include: Springfield-Armory XD, Walther PPQ, CZ-USA P10, and a few others.
Conclusion
When it comes down to it, the Glocks do have a very reliable safety system that is just different from most traditional safeties. Glock revolutionized the pistol industry with their Safe Action System and have had a great safety track record with their three safety system. So much that other manufacturers have adopted their methods of safety into their own firearm production.
So if you are on the fence about the safety of Glocks versus the old, traditional style safeties, don’t worry. Glocks are as safe as they come, if not more, when handled safely and properly. Don’t let something new persuard you from getting a Glock. You won’t be sorry you did!
