Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters "Backward safety ?"

I doubt if anyone here had been born when the last exposed hammer gun design was introduced. And bolt rifles were invented nearly 40 years before the 1st lever action. For most of us moving the safety forward is just more natural.

I can't explain why, but if I have a lever gun in my hands I don't even have to think about pulling the hammer back before shooting. But with a bolt action the safety is just supposed to go forward. When I had a CZ 452 it was a problem. Same with cross bolt safeties on most repeating shotguns and many rifles. I'm used to the safety behind the trigger guard, the ones in the front throw me off.

And the backwards safety/decocker on most DA/SA pistols was something I never really liked. A 1911 style safety is just more natural for me.

Drover: Maybe YOU should direct your inquiry to CZ as they "decided" to change that "bassackwards" safety on their newer models.
Yeah ask CZ why they changed that abberation?
I know I refused to buy any of their rimfire models until they "corrected" this anomaly!
Forward is fire on the vast majority of American Rifles and Rifles sold in America.
I did buy a pair of used CZ "bassackwards" safety rimfire Rifles at give-away prices but only to turn them for a profit NOT for my use.
I did buy a new CZ 457 Varmint rimfire with the corrected safety.
FORWARD is fire!
PERIOD!
But as the french say - to each their own.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Then I guess you wouldn't like this trigger:



It's a pre-war Pacific double set trigger. The front trigger is pushed forward to set the rear trigger. It only fires if set, simply pulling the rear trigger won't fire it. Krag converted to single shot, chambered for .22 Maximum Lovell, built by Hervey Lovell circa 1939.

Then there's Martinis, most of which don't possess a safety:



Protocol when hunting is to keep a round up the spout with the breech opened. Snap it shut when wanting to shoot. .357 Maximum, maker unknown.

If a safety that operates backwards from a 700 style gives a fella fits he might take up knitting or golf.

I'll be damned. I never knew such existed. You are right, that would be awkward for me. Especially if I needed to engage in instinctive shooting.

Make sure you’re familiar with a different style safety than what you are used to. A missed opportunity due to fiddling with a safety will haunt a hunter for a long time.
Please don’t ask.

When I bought my 452 by the 3rd squirrel it was 2nd nature.

My Remington Model 34 NRA target has a "backwards" safety. After shooting it for a while, it makes "recent" safeties seem backwards.

Then, there's the pre-tang safety Savage 99s....

Yea I don’t get it - l have a bunch of CZs (old and new)and other types of rifles/shotguns that have a “backwards” safety (or like some other here no safety at all) and have yet to not remember how they function when in use - guess it’s just too much thinking for some?

PennDog

Yep

If different than your normal stuff, just means you have to czech it more often 😉

Ha!! Best comment yet! They are all "normal" if you practise and pay attention to what you're doing. I have four CZ rifles with the "pull to fire" safeties mixed in with a bunch of push to fire rifles. And some exposed hammer guns. No problem for me to switch between any of them.

yeah. But you can walk and chew gum at the same time.....

I believe it was Seyfried who said in an article something along the lines that a safety was just a crutch to make some feel good about having a gun in their hands. If you can’t handle any firearm without some mechanical block to curtail a kaboom, I’m with 10guage and think one should take up something akin to crochet.

I wonder how a guy goes from shooting a CZ with a backwards safety to shooting a Winchester 1300 with the safety in front of the trigger.

Used 'em. don't like 'em. won't own one. Forward is always "go".

I have no problem using tang, side lever safeties, thumb-cockers (my '94, & ML.) or the R to L push button ones (Win 1200). Or "backwards" ones, but I bet a left-hand shooter would have a time with that 1200..... . I've no problem going from one safety style to another on my familiarized guns (the key). I don't even hav to think of it anymore.

I really, really hate "backwards" safeties. I just do. It's counter-intuitive to me, and why have a gun with a "safety" you don't like, and might make a muscle-memory mistake with.

Sue me.

Muscle memory has it's place - why fook with the odds, but YMMV, especially if that fooked up safety is on the only gun you own and carry frequently.

Plus, with some exceptions, I don't carry hot unless shooting is imminent, just because I don't trust safeties of any sort very much. Having a backwards one is just one more thing on the negative side.

The reason: It is like cocking a hammer. The rest are a$$ backwards.

Years ago, L C Smith had a safety that worked whether pulled or pushed. The problem was you could never be sure when it was on safe. I worked with a fellow that lost part of his hand by lifting his LC by the muzzle. He shouldn't have done that but thirteen year olds sometimes make poor decisions.
I prefer to push safties forward or down, and pull hammers back, but I'm and old dog that doesn't enjoy learning new tricks.
Bfly

No issues with my CZ 204 varmint. I simply look at the safety when I load it and my thumb goes to autopilot when I pick it up. Same as switching back and forth between my 870 and 1100. Have never tried to pump the auto or not pump the pump. Same thing with my single trigger vs double triggered double/OU shotguns. I never have to think about it. Guess that’s why I never took up the knitting needles.