I'm a big fan of safeties. Regardless of how much you practice, sh!t happens. I want to have muscle memory to draw my pistol and pull the safety down while I'm extending the pistol out in front of me. I have a xd9 I keep on my night stand and for that I don't want that safety. I want to pick up a gun and pull the trigger. It also has a light on the rail so I'm not messing with light switches in the middle of the night.

For me at least, I keep my finger straight and rested on the trigger guard until I have my target in my sights. I can't say that's how it would play out in a real situation but that's how I've prepared myself.

ditto

I wear with a right hand shell on the right hip.

I carry a sig p238 every day in an office environment. Crossbreed mini-tuck is my holster of choice. It doesn't print and conceals easily under a golf shirt or similar clothes. I've never been made while carrying. Sig didn't offer a 9mm in this size when I bought mine, but they do now and my brother has one... It is fantastic. I would totally recommend the sig (either one) to anyone considering concealed carry. The only downside to the crossbreed is the belt loops that came with mine aren't all that great. They wore holes in my pants until I hammered down the tab below the bolt. Also they had plastic hooks that went under the belt for dress shirts when you want to tuck them in, but I'd prefer to have that type of clip in steel rather than plastic.

All very valid points. That was initially my first concern too, but in the same discussion I don't really want to waste critical time deactivating a safety. I'm torn between both arguments.

Like I said, I apreciate both arguments. Ultimately, the greatest safety is located between your ears. And between having an extra safety vs extra time (even if it's only .5 seconds), I think I would generally take the reaction time.

I'm honestly not a big fan of revolvers for whatever reason. But since I'm 6' 2" and about 220, I'm not too worried about concealment. I think I could conceal a full size 1911 no problem if I had the right holster for it.

^^ x3. I'm the exact same way. Finger straight and off the trigger until I'm 100% ready to fire.

The Gen4 Glocks do have a round indicator on it. It's not as nice as the XD, but nonetheless it's there. I personally don't really care for round indicators since I do traditional brass checks anyway.

I can't give any advice for beginners because it all depends on maturity and whether you feel comfortable or not, but I will say I do not care for handguns with safeties as a concealed carry handgun. Reason being is, your fine motors skills go out the window under stressful conditions. Everything becomes muscle memory, but even with muscle memory things can become different. I have heard in order to get your draw to become somewhat muscle memory, it requires 500 repetitions, but 1000+ repetitions are recommended. Even then, unless you've experienced a similar stressful condition it'll be hard to tell how you react. I look at it as having one less thing to worry about before going bang.

After I bought a Glock, I got rid of my H&K USP and my Kimber 1911 (regretfully, I will never sell a gun ever again). I no longer own any handguns that have external safeties. My handguns are as follows:

Glock 23
Glock 27
S&W M&P .40 Full Size

I just recently picked up the Glock 27 as my backup gun. I almost bought an M&P Shield due to the size, but had a couple issues with it, including the external safety. The external safety wasn't so much of an issue because I could always leave it off, but I had issues with my index finger pressing the magazine release during operation causing the magazine to come loose in turn not chambering the next rounds (BIG problem).

Anyway, that's my two cents on the topic of safeties, but to contribute to the IWB thread portion I currently carry my Glock 23 in a High Noon Mr.Softy Lowride. I've been carrying with that for about 3-4 years now, and recently purchased a SHTFgear.com holster for my Glock 27 which looks pretty promising. Google reviews about the holster and see for yourself. I haven't received it in the mail yet, but I have high hopes for it since I've never tried a hybrid holster before.

I have a Colt CCO. It's about the same size as a G30 or a G19--except that it has a 4.25" barrel, so it has much more accuracy and reach for the size.

Depending on the magazine, it either holds 6+1 or 7+1 of 45 ACP.

It's thin and the frame is alloy so it's lightweight. The trigger is a single action job with a 4.5# pull. The trigger is perfect. I can draw and have all seven rounds in the 10 ring at 7 yards in less than 3-4 seconds.

I have never liked the striker fired, trigger safety guns because the triggers suck, the barrels are super short and you're getting shotgun spreads at 7-10 yards, and the lack of an external safety bothers me for a gun that's getting holstered and unholstered several times a day. I practice trigger discipline and never touch the trigger unless I'm about to fire--but to me there's too much that can go wrong when wearing a trigger safety gun IWB (shirt can bunch up against the trigger, or something) that can cause a ND. I think that guns like that are better as open carry service pistols, where nothing can interfere with the trigger when holstering it into a rigid, external holster.

If you are using a proper holster, I can't see how your shirt would ever bind the trigger, especially the dual stage types with 5+ lbs of pull. The biggest risk is squeezing it yourself. But that exists even with 1911s... like this dote.

Soft cheap-ass holster some idiot gets at Wal-Mart or Cabela's for his Glock 22 (like those Blackhawk!!! holsters) will bunch up on itself and pull the trigger.

5.5 pounds is nothing.

im also in the NO safety camp.
altho, my carry piece does have a safety, its also a de-cocker, I use that and keep it chambered. always.

Yup I agree there. A molded holster or firm material gives you the best chance to not shoot your pecker off.

Thought about this thread when I read the story.

Man accidentally fires gun in Athens restaurant | Online Athens

my alien gear holster finally showed up the other day. it was a few day short of a full month.

I haven't been able to use it yet, still waiting to get some larger pants, so it fits.

I did slide it into place, just to see how it fit. it felt pretty good, I think im going to like it.

I have to say, its a very nice holster. thick leather, and quality fasteners and hardware. it also came with a little bag of extra screws/nuts/spacers, and an allen wrench.

when I ordered it, I also got some leather belt loops, in case I didn't like the steel clips, or if they bothered me. unfortunately, these were somehow backordered. im not sure how they didn't have a 6" strip of leather, but ok.

i use a cheap nylon iwb by blackhawk for my gov't size 1911. it's comfortable when driving, although it IS moderately difficult to access at that time. however, when working, which is primarily walking in the woods with 45 lbs of gear, it's a comfortable carry piece/setup, and iwb keeps it relatively clean and free of tree debris.

i'm not large, but i can cc that full-size pretty well. i also don't have much concern about reholstering. i just want it in the same place, with decent retention, and moderate comfort.

for owb carry, i use a sig kydex with adjustable cant.