I am going to disagree with your "safer" claim for the Screw-Lock. I have been using Ball Locks for about 6 years now and have never had the third action get stuck once! I think this is a pretty good testament to the quality of the locking mechanism. It too has a simple visual check with the green ball, similar to the "red dead" band. However I could never, even if I tried, forget to lock them. I am going to make the claim of my own that the Ball Lock is safer than the Screw Gate.