The ONLY time it is used is for unloading, and I believe it is a good feature. My grandson is 18 and fully capable of safely handling firearms. I only mentioned him because his Marlin is the only rifle he uses. While I prefer a bolt gun, I like that cross bolt safety for unloading when I choose to carry a lever gun. There's something about unloading a lever gun in freezing cold weather with gloves on that endears me to that extra safety.
