Michael Savage totally wrong on Zimmerman case facts

Some of you may be fans of radio host Michael Savage, but I can’t let his totally incorrect information concerning the facts about George Zimmerman’s firearm – a Kel-Tec PF-9 – stand.

From the Daily Caller.

“Zimmerman was carrying a Kel Tec semi-automatic 9mm handgun,” Savage said. “So? Big deal. It is a big deal because he had a bullet chambered in the gun and he had the safety off… Had he not chambered a round prior to meeting Trayvon, and had he not taken the safety off, even if Trayvon, during the altercation even if Trayvon had tried to grab the gun away from Zimmerman — had that gun not been chambered with a round and safety off, Trayvon Martin would have had to use two hands. You can’t do it with one hand.”

Savage has no idea what he’s talking about. (I’m not sure if he’s corrected himself since his broadcast Tuesday night.)

There is no manual safety on a Kel-Tec PF-9
The Kel-Tec PF-9 does not have a manual safety and it is a double-action only handgun. The pull of the trigger – similar to a revolver – both cocks and releases the hammer. Yes, there are a few double-action semi-automatic pistols with a manual safety. An example would be a Smith & Wesson Shield, but it’s there as a choice for the customer. They can use it or not use it, the gun is no more or less safe with or without it because it’s a double-action trigger. Revolvers are double-action, and as a general rule, none of them have a manual safety.

It is perfectly acceptable to carry a firearm with a round in the chamber
If you need to fire a gun in self-defense, the last thing you want to do is rack the slide. It takes way too much time to do so and your non-dominate hand may not be available. Guns with a manual safety – similar to a single action 1911 design – have a safety placed near the thumb that does not require any deviation from the normal draw of the handgun and it can be completed with one hand if necessary. Law enforcement carries with one in the chamber. Those I know and those I’ve trained with all carry with one in the chamber.

Savage thinks Zimmerman should be convicted of manslaughter even though he’s been charged with second degree murder. His second point that leads him to his suggestion Zimmerman must be convicted of manslaughter is the 911 phone call and what Zimmerman said – supposedly a racial slur – but it turns out that’s probably not the case at all and it was thoroughly discussed back in April 2012.

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Steve McGough

Steve's a part-time conservative blogger. Steve grew up in Connecticut and has lived in Washington, D.C. and the Bahamas. He resides in Connecticut, where he’s comfortable six months of the year.

8 Comments

  1. Linda Mae on July 4, 2013 at 10:15 pm

    I’ve followed this case since it exploded on to the media stage.? My brother was in FL when it happened.? There was a small flurry of interest and then waned.? It’s a perfect case of Alinsky’s rule -? don’t let a good crisis go to waste.
    I’ve listened to the 911 dispatch and read the transcript.? I watched the entire 6 minute police video of George getting out of the cruiser, collapsing against the garage wall to get his balance, pushing off the wall with his foot and then following the cops into the building.
    ?
    I looked at the overview of the condo property.? If Travon was afraid, he would have gone straight to his dad’s girlfriend’s place but he did not.
    I also checked out the media’s manipulation of the facts.? Sickening.
    This is a prime case to develop into race riots – which will need police action.? The Russians?
    It was a tragedy for both families.? What happened?? Tray was acting like a common 17 year old young male – testosterone on steroids.? Had he just smoked?? His choice of Skittles and iced tea has been pointed out as the favorite of those with drug-induced munchies.? Jorge watched him-Tray responded by confrontation. Who knows what happened exactly? The…



  2. ricbee on July 4, 2013 at 11:02 pm

    When I carry my automatic I don’t chamber a round until I walk out the door into any potentially dangerous environment or see some sort of threat from afar. If I was Zimmerman,it would have been hanging in my hand & I’d have blown him away before he got close enough to touch me.



  3. JollyRoger on July 5, 2013 at 10:36 am

    It’s a case of knuckle-head on knuckle-head crime. ?An overconfident little putz with a gun and a young black kid with testosterone-poisoning who probably had a chip on his shoulder from being stalked by mall cops all his life.



    • brassavola on July 7, 2013 at 3:36 pm

      This young black kid actually had drugs in his system and was far from quire boy…..and “knuckle -head putz” had the right to part of neighborhood watch and try to prevent crime in the area…..Are you being stalked by cops? Sounds like it!



  4. brassavola on July 7, 2013 at 3:29 pm

    I stopped listening to Savage after hearing him time and time again vilifying other talk show hosts and creating a name for each…Sean Hannity is wallbanger, Rush Limbaugh is a golfer and Glenn Beck who nearly died after being overdosed after his hemorrhoid surgery was branded by Savage – Hemorrhoids with eyes …That actually did it for me…I don’t have to listen to Savage to be subjected to constant venomous remarks -what makes him different from Main stream media, nor am I interested to his never ending bragging how smart, how brilliant he is , what he ate and how often he eliminated after….



    • ricbee on July 7, 2013 at 5:07 pm

      The Russki-hooey leaves me cold too…when he comes on I change the station.



    • brassavola on July 14, 2013 at 11:18 am

      Standing 5 feet 4 inches tall Michael Savage has a typical Napoleon inferiority problem constantly trying to convince his audience how brilliant he is ..and to end the insult to the injury he is being IGNORED by all talk show hosts and that might hurt him like hell…that is why he is constantly making remarks about each one of them….There is nothing original or worth listening to and I was upset that his show took 2 hours( 9-11) from John Bachelor’s show on weekdays…which aires (11pm -1am? now)
      That is the show I enjoy and would recommend to his exceptionally broad and accurate presentation of current as well as historical events with well informed guests.



    • ricbee on July 14, 2013 at 10:01 pm

      5’4″ huh? That explains a lot,dziehuje….



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