M&P9 with thumb safety

[SeaSoldier]

How many of you are running an M&P9 with the thumb safety? Any unforseen drawbacks? Would you buy one again with a thumb safety? Any problems with after market parts on an M&P9 with the thumb safety. Can the thumb safety be removed later if not wanted? Coming from 1911 & BHP pistols I can't see any down side to an M&P with a thumb safety. Your input will be appreciated.

[Alpha Sierra]

Coming from 1911 & BHP pistols I can't see any down side to an M&P with a thumb safety. Your input will be appreciated.
My input: Objectively, the M&P was designed to be perfectly safe without any manual external safeties.

It is an unnecessary appendage that serves no useful purpose other than limiting your holster choices and add more steps to the pistol's manual of arms.

Subjectively, coming from a revolver background I see no upsides to an external lever that must be manipulated before the handgun fires. Pull trigger -> go boom is how I like them.

Pass on it.

[Ed L.]

I'm running one with the safety and like it.

But I have the gun set up with a Bowie LX trigger job which gives the trigger about a 4-4.5lb break with no pretravel.

[SpeedRacer]

My carry gun is an M&P-9 thumb safety model. The thumb safety works fine, feels good and familiar if you are a 1911 shooter.

One thing to consider is holsters...there's right around ZERO off-the-shelf holsters for the thumb safety model. I had to modify a CTAC to work and eventually had a custom leather rig made.

I did eventually take the safety off, and yes the gun still functions 100% you just end up with a couple open holes in the frame. This was purely a personal decision I made after attending a couple defensive handgun trainings. I wouldn't buy one again, but not because there's anything wrong with the pistol.

Thumb safety or not, the IMPORTANT thing here is that you decided on the M&P. They are great guns! :D

[Ed L.]

My original holster was a Desantis that I ordered from S&W.

I recently got a Raven.

Both work fine with the thumb safety.

[SeaSoldier]

I have a Raven on order for a G19 along with pouch's. I will most likely order a set up for an M&P as well and let them know about the thumb safety. I would imagine if they modify the holster for a thumb safety it will also work for an M&P without a thumb safety.

[BrianC]

My input: Objectively, the M&P was designed to be perfectly safe without any manual external safeties.

It is an unnecessary appendage that serves no useful purpose other than limiting your holster choices and add more steps to the pistol's manual of arms.

Subjectively, coming from a revolver background I see no upsides to an external lever that must be manipulated before the handgun fires. Pull trigger -> go boom is how I like them.

Pass on it.

My thoughts exactly.

[chadbag]

For all the Costa fanboys out there

When I shot Chris's M&P 9mm, it had a thumb safety.

a thumb safety for AIWB gives a measure of peace ;-)

My M&P 9 is without

[MeatPuppet]

Mine is on order, with a thumb safety. For those click-boom folks, the safety is disengaged as the gun comes out of the holster, no issues when the trigger gets pulled.

[jmoore]

First - to answer your query - I love it! The safety can get in the way a bit when doing a quick slide rack, but not enough to bother me. If wanted - the off-hand side of the lever can be ground off, if that is of concern. If I had to be nit-picky, I would ask for a little more positive detent to it - a la 1911 safeties.

You'll find followers for all of the above (though I can't understand why anyone would drink that pepsi stuff!!!!:) Similarly - some are scared to hell of carrying a condition 1 1911, which doesn't bother me in the slightest. Like they say - opinions vary:)

While I have 40+ years of both revolver and 1911 background, I have to say that I would never carry my Glock because of the lack of an affirmative safety. ( A moot point, BTW - as I live in that hell-hole known as Illinois.) Perhaps it's because I'm one of those academic "professor types" - teaching pathophysiology & forensics. I have a tendancy to analyse things more than perhaps is necessary.

90+% of the folks advocating no safety on a Glock/MP platform state something along the lines of the operator being the best safety, i.e., don't put your finger on the trigger til you are on target and ready to shoot (Rule 3 for some of us.) I agree completely. If, however, you look at actual NDs with these weapons - many are either holstering related or occur during a grab at a dropped weapon. While it is easy to say that both of these are training issues (again, true) - the fact of the matter is that humans are human - and I prefer a safety to be present if I ever become too human.

Part of the reason I frequent this list more than any other is that I get the feeling that the listers are, for the most part, a highly trained, highly knowledgeable group of shooters - often with tons of experience. Please note that many - though not all - feel that the affirmative safety is not needed on the platform being discussed. (As a side note - I LOVE the portion of the new SWAT Magazine TV show where they interview the trainers and ask thier opinions on certain TTPs. It's amazing the wide disparity of answers!!!!)

So - to recap. I, personally, really like the safety - wouldn't have the gun any other way. As I am waiting for a few more Apex goodies to come out, I will likely swap out a lot of the internals, resulting in a smoother and possibly lighter trigger (mine is terrible, btw.) If things do lighten up a bit - I will feel even better about having the safety.

As always - YMMV.

Stay safe!

jm

[calvin118]

I just got an M&P9 with safety (thanks Grant). I like the feature and am happy to have it. I have a very large hand, and can easily ride the safety. I have other M&P models without the safety, and frankly don't notice the difference while shooting. To me, the safety is an extra layer of security during holstering and other sensitive times that comes with very little cost. If one was concerned about the extra step of disengaging the safety, they could turn it on during holstering and turn it off once the gun was secure. Some people with smaller hands have stated that it is in the way of their grip or accidentally gets knocked up/on during live fire. Everybody is different, and that's why we have options.

The gun has no problem fitting in my MTAC holster.

[Jay Cunningham]

If you choose AIWB as a method of carry an external safety is a really good idea. I didn't originally understand but I understand now.

[RadioActivity]

I have nothing but M&P's with thumb safeties. I sold my only M&P without one (Purchased before they were available) not too long ago to a friend.

For me, all of my handguns (except range fun guns) are 1911's or M&P's format. So, instead of looking at it like having an "extra" step I view it as having one less training issue. There is uniformity to my weapon manipulation skills. I carry an M&P40, M&P9c, Springfield Armory EMP 9mm (1911 format), and 5'' 1911.

There really isn't a thought process to sweeping the safety off, its just how you hold the weapon. Just as you have proper form in a thumbs forward shooting grip, there is proper form in your thumbs placement over the safety. So just the act of placing my hand on the pistol sweeps the safety off...

Finally, if you for whatever reason, don't want to keep it...it is only a few minutes to change it out and it leaves only two tiny superficial holes...

I'd recommend it, it gives you options. Options are good.

[Alpha Sierra]

In the interest of full disclosure not only do I not have a 1911 or a HP, I have no intentions of doing so.

That manual safety thing again..........

[SeaSoldier]

Thank you for taking the time to respond. I have decided to go with the thumb safety.

[Vinh]

Folks that regard safety manipulation as a discrete, separate or additional step are poorly trained. If it does not go on and off automatically without thought then professional intervention (or less time on the internet :D) may be indicated.

I am reluctant to bring this up because I don't want to give ammo to the folks against thumb-safeties, but I did discover one tiny issue that seems to be specific to the M&P.

It is theoretically possible to manipulate the gun in such a manner that results in failure to fire. If someone forgets :rolleyes: to disengage the safety, pulls the trigger hard and keeps it held back while finally finding the safety, the trigger bar jumps to the right side of the gun and misses the sear.

Now of course this would never happen to M4C shooters, but I figure there are folks somewhere out there that would be able to pull this off under stress.

[DocGKR]

I am currently qual'd on 1911's and 9 mm Glocks.

Having said that, I strongly prefer having a manual safety on a pistol that is used for uniformed LE use; I have twice seen officers' lives potentially saved when another person gained control of an officer's pistol, but the engaged manual safety prevented the weapon from firing--I don't like to think about the outcome if the pistols involved had been a Glock, Sig, XD, revolver, etc... If I ever go back on uniformed Patrol duties, I plan on carrying an M&P40 w/manual safety. In addition, as noted above, for AIWB carry a manual safety is a prudent item. FWIW, after trying both types, every M&P I now use has a manual safety.

[SpeedRacer]

It is theoretically possible to manipulate the gun in such a manner that results in failure to fire. If someone forgets :rolleyes: to disengage the safety, pulls the trigger hard and keeps it held back while finally finding the safety, the trigger bar jumps to the right side of the gun and misses the sear.

Now of course this would never happen to M4C shooters, but I figure there are folks somewhere out there that would be able to pull this off under stress.

I'm glad you brought this up, I had meant to mention it. I found this out as well while dry firing, and is one of the reasons I removed my safety. Your timing doesn't need to be off by much to make this happen.

IMHO this is a significant issue, and one of the reasons I removed my thumb safety. I assume everything that can go wrong WILL go wrong when the SHTF, so I like my guns stupid simple.

[Alpha Sierra]

Folks that regard safety manipulation as a discrete, separate or additional step are poorly trained.
Or they are fully aware of the fact that the manipulation of the safety can become an integral part of the drawstroke yet choose handguns that omit a step that need not be there at all.

[Magsz]

Safeties exist on modern fighting rifles and no one complains about those.

Granted, these rifles dont have as many passive safeties as modern handguns but still, i regard the use of an external safety as no more complicated to use as any safety on any rifle. If you train with it, it will become second nature.

Also, if you're using a proper grip, the use and deactivation of a thumb safety becomes even easier, especially under stress when your grip on that handgun could crush a planet.

Its a personal preference thing. If you like it, awesome, if you dont...awesome.

[Jay Cunningham]

Safeties exist on modern fighting rifles and no one complains about those.

There is a difference. Rifles are not kept in holsters that cover their trigger guards.

[williejc]

Years ago people debated whether or not to deactivate the 1911 grip safety by pinning it in the fire position. I don't hear this issue anymore. Another raging issue was the magazine safety, which is said to offer advantage in the gun grab situation. There was a time before concealed carry permits in Texas that when traveling with kids and spending nights away from home, I would use this technique with the Browning HP: One in the chamber, cocked and locked without magazine, which rode in a pouch on my belt. The pistol was in a readily accessible zipper rug.

I drink the GLK beverage along with some HK juice and have not yet bought a SW MP. Because of the Glocks, my MP purchase will lack the safety to keep things consistent. The MP safety malfunction described here disturbs me.

Williejc

[Magsz]

There is a difference. Rifles are not kept in holsters that cover their trigger guards.

Pfft, i dont know about you but i have a belt mounted raven holster for my 16 inch barreled AR!!! Gotta carry something a little larger down here in South Florida! Everyone always asks why i walk with a limp.

No, in all seriousness, you're very right but im simply using that comparison in reference to presentation. When the guns are out and on target and manipulation of the safety comes into play, there is no difference between the platforms.

[noops]

Sorry to partially threadjack, but will a M&P 9mm or MP9c WITH the safety work ok with a leather holster for a MP that doesn't have it? Like say a Buhlman or Milt Sparks VM2? Or is it going to be unsafe?

[DocGKR]

I've run M&P's w/safeties in 6004's, Raven Phantoms. CCC Loopers, Kramer vert scabbards and IWB #2 holsters without any major problems. Sometimes you need to slightly shave or warm & re-shape Kydex; with leather, stick the holster in a plastic bag and shove it into the holster for a week or so and it usually molds nicely to the safety if that was an issue.