"I don't carry a Glock because they don't have a safety". "You'll shoot your dick off!". "Don't Glock yourself". These are just a few things people say when you mention carrying a Glock handgun, especially when using the appendix concealment position. Is there some validity to the above statements? Sure; guns area dangerous, and using them improperly can certainly result in unwanted perforations. However, proper technique can mitigate nearly all risk. If proper technique is not enough for you, fret not. Tau Development Group has a solution for you with the Striker Control Device (SCD).
Glock Functionality
Before we explain the SCD, we must first explain how Glocks function, in simple terms. Some may find this shocking, but Glocks completely lack a manual safety lever. All of the safeties are passive, internal, safeties designed to prevent firing when the gun is dropped. One of these safeties is a partially cocked striker. The act of pressing the trigger drives the striker reward, fully cocking the gun before firing.
However, if the trigger is fully pressed, the gun will fire so long as it is loaded and in properly working order. This is true whether it's a trigger finger, shirt tail, or floppy holster pressing the trigger. Where shooters most often run into trouble is when holstering their pistol. Problems can be magnified under stress, such as during training or after a defensive gun use. This is where the SCD comes into play.
What is the Tau Development Group Striker Control Device?
The Striker Control Device is a passive safety device, made specifically for use on Glock handguns. It is a hinged, replacement slide cover plate, easily installed by the end user. Once the trigger is pressed, the rearward traveling striker impinges upon the hinged SCD plate, pushing it slightly reward. Without pressure on the trigger, the plate remains flush with the rear of the slide. To take advantage of this, shooters should rest their firing hand thumb on the slide cover plate during holstering. The slight movement of the SCD provides a tactile reference for the shooter, alerting them to something pressing the trigger. From here, shooters can slowly stop the holstering process, re-draw their firearm, clear the holster, and resume holstering the gun.
It is possible to prevent rearward travel of the trigger by applying enough pressure to the SCD, but this is not a practice that I recommend. My suggestion is simply using the Striker Control Device as a warning, then rectifying the issue causing pressure on the trigger. Battling between the trigger and SCD is a recipe for disaster.
Context
Some folks think the SCD is a newfangled concept. That couldn't be further from the truth. Simply look back to the days when hammer fired guns were all the rage. For most shooters, myself included, pinning the hammer with the firing hand thumb was, and remains, a common practice. Why do this? To ensure your trigger isn't being pressed, just as with the Striker Control Device.
Is It Reliable?
Absolutely. Is it possible that the SCD could cause issue with your gun? Certainly. Is it likely? No, not very.
Personally, I've fired roughly 4,000 rounds across three different Glocks equipped with Striker Control Devices. The combined round count of other Primer Peak staff takes this up to 26,000 rounds without issue. These have been used in several classes to include my Rangemaster Advanced Instructor course and Sentinel Concepts Handgun Elements. They've endured rain, dust, sweat, and freezing cold without a hiccup. Every Glock I own features an SCD. I trust my life to them daily.
Don't take our word for it. Craig Douglas, Chuck Haggard, and others have been using SCDs on both live ammunition and Simunition guns for years. Combined round counts reach over a million rounds fired, with no stoppages attributable to the Striker Control Device. If that's not high enough praise, I don't know what is.
Final Thoughts on the Tau Development Group Striker Control Device
If you carry a Glock, you should install a Striker Control Device. I thought the hype was overblown until briefly moving away from the Glock in 2020 for review purposes. Every time I went to holster the other gun, a nagging "what if?" thought popped into my mind. You lose nothing in terms of Glock reliability, and gain a massive boost in risk mitigation.
The SCD is available for most Glocks on the market to include slimline models and older generations. They retail for $89.99 and are frequently on sale. You can buy yours >>HERE<<
Support My Work
If you made it this far, thanks for reading! Writing isn't my full-time profession, and nearly everything I do comes out of my own pocket. Between ammunition, tuition, range fees and more, expenses add up fast. If you like what I have to offer, consider making a donation to my Patreon.
Every bit helps bring more work like this to you, and contributes to shortened timelines or more in-depth work on my part. You'll also have more direct access to me, offering suggestions for future projects, looking behind the scenes, and getting early access to some content. You can find my Patreon >>HERE<<
Are they still making these? Out of stock for months...
I was just discussing this in a few groups. It sounds like supply chain issues from a friend of the company. Though a total lack of social media presence is concerning.
We've had them installed on two Glocks (Gen 3 19 and Gen 5 17) for over a year. No failures, no faults no problems. Great at what it does, particularly when holstering in odd or awkward positions.