Anyone else have this problem?

8181 Views 8 Replies 4 Participants Last post by trmpt63529, Nov 6, 2008

Greathounder

Discussion Starter · Apr 19, 2006

I had a Kimber Ultra Carry and a buddy has a different carry model, we both have the same problem. The safety goes off, while being carried. Mine had the safety on one side, his has the ambi safety, we have both had the problem of discovering the safety off, when it should be cocked and locked. It's kinda scary to check and find it's ready to go. :x I've never had that problem with my Auto Ord 1911 and he's never had the problem with his Springfield or Colt. His was back to the factory and mine was to a local repair facility.

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Paul F.

· #2 · Apr 19, 2006

Are you sure it isn't the over-sized safety? A lot of holsters are not made for them. :wink: If they are (an assumption) ambi-safeties... that's another problem. :?

Check your holsters and see how they rub and ride. :wink:

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uglydog

· #3 · Apr 19, 2006

I have had this happen with my Springfield Ultra Carry when carrying IWB as it has a slightly larger safety than normal and would catch on my T-shirt or skin while moving around. I found that I had to change the position of the gun to lessen this occurance. I moved it behind the hip but depending on body shape you might find a different position to be better. I also found that an IWB holster that had a sweat shield between me and the gun reduced this occurance to nothing as did a switch to a belt carry holster. Ambidextrious safeties are renowned for this happening and is one reason I don't use them. You could also switch to a thinner safety but that might make it harder to disengage under stress.

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Greathounder

Discussion Starter · #4 · Apr 20, 2006

I know he had several holsters and I had a belt slide, a kidex paddle and even a desantos. I finally sold the gun. It scared the stuff out of me. I now carry either a S&W snubby or a Glock or a Sig. My friend is thinking about selling his.
It seems that if the gun was designed as a carry gun, this shouldn't happen.

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uglydog

· #5 · Apr 20, 2006

This is a common and well known "problem" with extended safeties like on your buddy's and your former guns. The gun manufacturers know this but the buying public insists on this feature as their action shooting heroes have this feature and the magazine pundits rave about it. The only cures are as mentioned above, replace the thumb safety with a less obtrusive one or get a holster that protects the safety from catching on the body or clothing. After all, specialized equipment is not made to be used with run of the mill accessories.
The original IWB holster for my Ultra Carry was a plain suede Bianchi IWB with single belt clip. This regularly allowed the safety to disengage as provided little more than a pocket for the gun to ride in. The single clip also let the gun swivel a fair bit as I moved about which didn't help matters either. A switch to an Uncle Mike's equivalent never released the safety as it covered the whole side of the gun but it was a high ride model and the single clip had troubles staying on the belt. That was a different problem. A switch to a Galco USA (Ultimate Second Amendment) was better as it rode lower but still it had a single belt clip and no sweat guard which allowed the safety to disengage twice in in one year that I recall. I finally ponied up the money and bought a Tucker "The Answer". This is the style of holster these guns (excluding ami-safety) were made to be carried in. The dual clips hold the holster and gun in one place to help prevent safety disengagement and the sweat shield between the body and the whole gun is extra protection. A less expensive model by Crossbreed is available which is very similar and I'm sure there are others.
For outside waistband carry, I have had a problem with only one holster and that was a Fobus paddle. Not surprisingly it does not fully enclose the pistol nor the safety ending about at the front of the grip. It also angles the gun towards the body slightly which increases the odds of an inadvertant release. All my other belt holsters have a retention strap which protects the safety very well. Hope this all helps your buddy with his present gun.

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Greathounder

Discussion Starter · #6 · Apr 20, 2006

Thanks, I'll tell him tonight at work. He did have his gun back to the factory for this problem. Seems like they would have put a smaller safety on it.
I just printed your reply, so I get it right. Thanks again...Bill

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uglydog

· #7 · Apr 20, 2006

Hope it helps. As for the safety, the manufacturers would like to put on a slimmer one but buyers seeing this is the "In" thing on the combat circuits demand an extended safety so the manufacturers put it on. Writers gush over how great it is and how one won't fumble disengaging it under stress increasing demand. I don't think most writers carry that much and have little idea how different the street is from the range. Those whose views I trust point out the benefit/risks of various "improvements" and what their purpose really is. It takes a bit of study to determine what constitutes a good carry gun for an individual, buying a gun named "The Best Gosh Darndest Carry Gun" is not necessarily it. Like many others I learned the hard way.

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Greathounder

Discussion Starter · #8 · Apr 21, 2006

I know what you mean, about it being a learning thing. And no one ever said education was cheap. :roll: He said he is having his dealer call Kimber about putting a smaller safety on it. I still have my Auto Ordinance, so I could make him a belt slide with a sweat guard. I told him to get a Glock, he said he'd rather carry a club.

I bought my Kimber before I had a ccw, so it was a range gun to start. But I knew we were getting the ccw, so that is why I bought it. It would do 1 1/4" at 25 ydds in the Ransom rest. That's even better than my AO comp gun.
I was carring either my Glock 19 or 36, but a while ago, I found a new old stock S&W upside down shoulder holster for the 940 or the body guard. So I switch off. Thanks again for the information from both of us....Bill

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trmpt63529

· #9 · Nov 6, 2008

same problem here and i rarely carry sits inbetween my seats and i've knocked the safety off that way kinda scarey

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