External Glock Safety

Whether you're a veteran user or a first time buyer, the Glock safety stands out as a rare design complete with its benefits and drawbacks. The term "external safety" refers to a mechanism that the shooter manipulates on the outside of the firearm to disable its firing ability. Glock employs a safety attached to the trigger to reduce the possibility of discharge due to accidental trigger motion.

  1. Function

    • Glock's external safety consists of a spring-loaded lever that protrudes from the bottom half of the trigger. The lever controls a locking mechanism that prevents backward motion of the trigger unless an object depresses the lever. The shooter's finger squeezes the lever to disengage the lock with each trigger pull. If the safety is in working order, any pressure against the trigger that does not fully depress the lever will not pull the trigger.

    Misconceptions

    • Though it might appear that the trigger lever is the weapon's only safety, it is part of a larger safety apparatus, which the gun manufacturer Glock calls its "safe action" trigger system. This keeps the firearm only partially cocked when a round is in the chamber so that, if the weapon drops or otherwise takes an impact, it is unlikely to fire. Pulling the trigger fully cocks the weapon, disengages a block on the firing pin and an internal trigger safety, then drops a striker to fire the round.

    Benefits

    • The external safety is a major factor in giving the Glock a short, light and consistent trigger pull, according to Firearms Research and Instruction. Its design gives the weapon the ability to disengage all safety measures as a natural consequence of pulling the trigger. This minimizes the actions necessary to operate the weapon and allows the shooter to draw and fire more quickly.

    Criticism

    • According to an article in the Washington Post, the Washington, D.C., Police Department has had more than 120 accidental discharges resulting in nine injuries and one death since adopting Glock 9mm pistols in 1988. The Post links the accidents with Glock's external safety design, citing an FBI report stating that the firearms have a "high potential for unintentional shots."

    Comparison

    • Other external safeties include grip safeties and manual safeties. Grip safeties consist of a spring-loaded lever that protrudes from the handle and prevents operation of the trigger, hammer or firing pin. These are similar to Glock safeties in that they do not require an action other than properly handling and firing the weapon to disengage. A manual safety consists of a switch usually accessible with the shooter's thumb. These toggle between an on-and-off position and require their own deliberate action to disable.