Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Auto Safety on an O/U

Is it a good idea? Would you buy a shotgun without it?

On a field gun, I'd want an auto safety. On a target gun, not so much. I've had guns with and without auto safeties and after almost 60 years of shotgunning, that's where I've ended up.

Would try to avoid buying a gun with one. None of my other guns has such a deal; why would I want one on a double? Pay attention to what you’re doing, the status of your gun, and the direction it’s pointed, all the time.

Do semi-autos and pump shotguns have auto safeties?

I can’t stand them, and they can create a terrible and dangerous muscle memory. If you subconsciously rely on the auto safety, you may be less inclined to manually put it back on when you should.

A classic example is hunting pheasants, such as when a hen flushes. Most people, me included, subconsciously push the safety off as we start to mount the gun. In this case, you have identified the hen, brought the gun down and have not opened the gun. I’ve been out with folks who could never remember to put it back on.

I’ll take them manual all day long.

Both of my O/U's Browning White lightning and Cesar Guerini have manual safeties. I have a friend that will not buy a o/u with an auto safety. SMH

I have hunted for over 50 years with side by side, O/U and semi autos and have never had an AD. A Remington 700 1972 model is the only gun that ever did that.

I usually carry o/u and side by sides open when hunting with dogs.

I have the with and without, if given the option, I will always take them without

Pretty simple to have it removed. Just had it done on a little Spanish 20 sxs.

Doesn't bother me either way. I don't mess with the safety, I use it how it is.

I prefer manual safeties. And I prefer no safeties on power tools.

I removed the auto safety on a Berretta 686 20/28 ga two barrel set. Easy job. I've left them in place on my AYA #2 bird gun and a few other SxS's.

If you subconsciously rely on a safety - manual or auto - to keep your finger off the trigger the real issue is a rule two violation. Still have a M-21 with an autosafety. Like it fine.

But I always range-tested new acquisitions before taking them into the field. Minimum 100 shells. Mostly for fit, but also to work out kinks like an autosafety, heavier trigger pulls, etc. Few rounds of skeet built enough muscle memory. About like switching to double triggers or pumps.

Given the choice - rather not. If it's not able to be disabled - I'd move on to something else.

Person in question was concerned about the gun going off when closing the shotgun if it did not have an automatic safety.

Sounds like a knowledge deficiency - especially safety rule 2 - and/or perhaps a mechanical issue.

A gun with a sear problem needs attention before any further use. Once saw a person using a mechanical safety as a secondary trigger.

I don’t care one way or the other. If I can’t manage a variety of safeties on my guns I probably shouldn’t be allowed to have guns.

For the record, about half my double guns (sxs and o/u’s) have auto safeties. My sporting clays gun has a manual safety that’s almost never on and my trap gun has no safety at all.

My Ithaca 100 has one on it. Not a big deal.

Agree that if I cannot manage different safeties on different guns then I probably hadn’t oughta own one.

Just from my experience as a gunsmith, I've had several owners over the years who brought their shotguns in to have me remove/disconnect those auto-safeties.. IMHO, they're a true pita - especially for those into clay target sports..

I agree absolutely

PITA when shooting clay targets, redo the safety every time.

I deactivated several that I owned.

HM