[Alpo]

Every SIG I have ever handled (and those were all at the gun shop. I've never shot one. Don't like how they feel in my hand) every one had a "decocker". You push this lever down, it drops the hammer. You remove your thumb and the lever comes back up, under spring tension.

No safety - decocker.

So, I'm reading this book, and the guy has a "SIG SAUER P226", in 40, and it has a safety. An actual "move the lever HERE and it is ON SAFE, and move the lever THERE and it is OFF SAFE".

Now, in books I've seen safeties on Glocks, on S&W Model 10s, and on Colt Single Actions. I'm fully aware that many many authors are morons, when it comes to guns.

But - I'm not a SIG guy. So I don't know. Maybe a P226 has one. Maybe.

Does it?

 

[CCHolderinMaine]

No external safety. Decocker enables 2 internal safeties that prevent it from going off by dropping it, or flicking the hammer. Gunsmiths here could spell out exactly what's going on there. But, if you don't want it to go off, don't pull the trigger, cause there's nothing there to stop you. My 226 is my favorite pistol, including 1911's. It just feels perfect in my hands, and has never, ever malfunctioned. I really recommend it highly.

 

[Alpo]

So you're saying it does work the way I was thinking? You push the lever down, it decocks, you remove your thumb, the lever comes back up by itself and it's ready to go? There is no way to "put the safety on", and set it down and some fool pick it up and pull the trigger and it WON'T go bang?

 

[Bindernut]

You're pretty much right on the money Alpo. The P-family SIGs don't have an external safety lever, just that decocker. There is an internal firing pin block safety, that is not released until the trigger is pulled to the sear release position. but otherwise, yes it works just like an good old-fashioned DA revolver...no external safety to remove before firing, just pull the trigger.

As I was told when going through orientation, this is one reason why the SIG was/is a popular choice when law enforcement agencies started switching from revolvers to autos...in the pre-Glock days anyways. The same mechanics apply to both types....pull the trigger and it goes bang. The only major transition is the SA follow-up shots (unless you have a DAO version).

I don't have a problem with either one being ready for action in that mode, but if you're used to a "traditional" DA/SA autoloader with an external decocker/safety that stays in the ON poition until you move it I suppose it could take some getting used to.
My first exposure to DA/SA autos was the SIG P-series so I guess I never had that other habit ingrained into my brain.

And actually, the Walther P5 has a very similar decocker system. Although the Walther also incorporated the slide release into the same lever.
IIRC, that type of safety was part of the spec list for the German police trials but I'm not positive.

 

[CCHolderinMaine]

So you're saying it does work the way I was thinking? You push the lever down, it decocks, you remove your thumb, the lever comes back up by itself and it's ready to go? There is no way to "put the safety on", and set it down and some fool pick it up and pull the trigger and it WON'T go bang?

Exactly. If you pull the trigger, it goes bang.

If the gun is cocked the decocker will lower the hammer. There is no "position" to put it in that prevents the trigger from working.

 

[Alpo]

This same author, in another book, has the hero lower the hammer on his 1911 and put the safety on. Then, noticing another guy waving his Glock around, without the safety on, asks him to, and the other guy pushes the button.

So, while the stories are pretty good, this guy don't seem to know jack about guns.

 

[Doug.38PR]

Yes. It's that object right in between your ears and behind your eyes.

 

[jondar]

I wonder if someone devised a way to put one on a Sig?? When I was contemplating buying a Glock, someone on another forum gave me the name of an entity that would put a manual safety on a Glock for about $250. That would make for a rather expensive Glock and I didn't pursue it. That's the only way I would even consider one is with an external safety.

 

[CampingJosh]

I wonder if someone devised a way to put one on a Sig?? When I was contemplating buying a Glock, someone on another forum gave me the name of an entity that would put a manual safety on a Glock for about $250. That would make for a rather expensive Glock and I didn't pursue it. That's the only way I would even consider one is with an external safety.

Probably could be done. SIG's little .22 Mosquito has the same decocker and a manual safety.

Different strokes, I guess. I dislike manual safeties on handguns.

 

[Clipper]

Bindernut 'splained the code to all. My P220 is as safe as any revolver with the decocker utilized, I don't have any problems with the "safety" on my revolvers, same with the Sig...It does go bang when you press the trigger, it won't when you don't.

 

[CCHolderinMaine]

I wonder if someone devised a way to put one on a Sig?? When I was contemplating buying a Glock, someone on another forum gave me the name of an entity that would put a manual safety on a Glock for about $250. That would make for a rather expensive Glock and I didn't pursue it. That's the only way I would even consider one is with an external safety.

My SIG 226 is perfectly safe and effective. If the gun is loaded, and I don't want it to go bang, I do not pull the trigger. If I do pull the trigger, it goes bang every single time.