Yes, that is common on slide mounted safety/decockers. Most people decock, and then place the gun back in firing mode so that the safety is in the fire position relying on the longer DA trigger pull to be the "safety" (along with the brain/booger hook disconnect) more along the lines of a Glock, Sig, or DAO revolver where there is NO manual safety (I do not consider the trigger lever in a Glock to be a manual safety)

It is not natural for me to draw my weapon and engage any type of safety when my life is on the line and I have more important things to worry about.

The PX4 has a DA/SA trigger system. So the trigger pull for the first shot is double action. The gun is as safe to carry with the safety set on fire as any double action revolver is safe to carry.

The trigger pulls on my PX4 are quite outstanding, which is why I like mine so very much. Both are very smooth and break cleanly, without any movement in the gun. The DA pull is long and heavy enough to pretty much prevent any accidental discharge.


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Originally Posted by VAMarine

Yes, that is common on slide mounted safety/decockers. Most people decock, and then place the gun back in firing mode so that the safety is in the fire position relying on the longer DA trigger pull to be the "safety" (along with the brain/booger hook disconnect) more along the lines of a Glock, Sig, or DAO revolver where there is NO manual safety (I do not consider the trigger lever in a Glock to be a manual safety)

Exactly what I do. I don't consider it a safety issue.

Safeties are not suppose to be a natural action that's why they are safeties....it should be a deliberate action. Though the PX4 has a flip up safety it is easy to use once you get used to it.....though it you are switching back and forth between guns it might be a harder adjustment. These safeties can also be removed from my understanding.

The big issue with the slide mounted safety/decockers is that when doing malfunction drills it is very easy to re-engage the safety mechanism without knowing it.

I think the direction for safety SAFE position should always be DOWN, because if it ever gets loose over time, I would never want gravity to pull it from safe to unsafe. By making the FIRE position UP, that ensures that it was deliberately moved there by YOU the shooter, not by chance or gravity!

Also, if you use a two hand stance it's quite natural to flick the safety up with your other thumb, not a prob for me at all.

Originally Posted by vmx

I think the direction for safety SAFE position should always be DOWN, because if it ever gets loose over time, I would never want gravity to pull it from safe to unsafe. By making the FIRE position UP, that ensures that it was deliberately moved there by YOU the shooter, not by chance or gravity!...

With all due respect, you might do well to explore the mechanical arrangement of your gun's safety mechanism.
I don't know the mechanical aspects of each and every pistol out there, but I'm pretty sure that, no matter what breaks or wears out, mere gravity will not cause any TDA gun's safety lever to move from "on" to "off." (Feel free to explore the issue, and then to correct me if the facts warrant it.)

In my own experience, VAMarine's two most recent responses were much closer to reality than was yours.

I like safety down to disengage as in the 1911 style. feels more natural. your thumb has more strength pushing down then flicking up. all the while your sighting your target in a more fluid motion

Originally Posted by vmx

I think the direction for safety SAFE position should always be DOWN, because if it ever gets loose over time, I would never want gravity to pull it from safe to unsafe. By making the FIRE position UP, that ensures that it was deliberately moved there by YOU the shooter, not by chance or gravity!

Also, if you use a two hand stance it's quite natural to flick the safety up with your other thumb, not a prob for me at all.

So if it wears out enough to drop on its own, how are you going to fire the gun? Hold the safety (slide mounted mind you) in the upward firing position with your support hand and shoot it with the other hand? Good luck with that.

As for the two handed stance, that's assuming you can GET to a two-handed stance. If you're carrying for self defense a two handed stance may not always be able to obtain.

if your hand gun does have an external safety and you chose to carry with safety off, that's fine.
But I personally would still reach for the safety first to confirm it's status.
If I am in a pocket carry mode, and my alertness level tells me to step it up a notch, I call it yellow, myself. I will check the safety lever, sometimes disengage. and I will make sure my magazine is properly locked in. And partially slip the gun out of it's pocket holster.

Originally Posted by VAMarine

The big issue with the slide mounted safety/decockers is that when doing malfunction drills it is very easy to re-engage the safety mechanism without knowing it.

Beretta evidently addressed that issue with the Storm's safety/decocker. The PX4's pronounced wings make it virtually impossible to re-engage the safety while doing malfunction drills, or at least I haven't found a way. I still personally prefer the "G" model's. The first DA pull is enough reassurance for me.