I've only been into handguns a little over a year. One of the first guns I purchased was a Gen 4 Glock 19. I really haven't had any major complaints about it as a nightstand/occasional carry (in a Day Planner holster) gun.

However, like all new shooters do I guess, I'm going through a period of re-evaluation -- what I like and am really looking for. I've come to not be all that comfortable with the fact that the Glock doesn't have a manual external safety, other than the trigger safety. I know, keep your finger off the trigger... I get that. It's just a comfort level thing with me.

I'm considering moving from the Glock to either the XDm or M&P platforms. Both of them are available with some kind of external safety (thumb or grip).

My question is, what from your perspective would be the advantages of the M&P line? Because whichever I choose (SA or S&W), I will likely add other guns from the same line. Thanks in advance!

To me its none. I like Glock and M&P just fine but in my personal experience Glock has been better. I'm not a fan of external safeties on guns that don't need them so either one I chose wouldn't have one.

I have always trained with an external thumb safety so I prefer platforms that offer that to me. What also drew me to the M&P line was that the grip angle and size of the grip was very close to the Browning Hi-Power which is one of my favorite platforms.

Some people don't care for external safeties - that's their prerogative. I am used to them so they don't bother me. No one is forcing you to use it anyways. LOL

I recommend that you rent examples from each platform and decide what feels best for you. I think the M&P is a great platform for me. I could not say if it will be for you.

If you feel safer/more confident with external safeties on a handgun, then by all means get one that meets YOUR criteria. Going from one platform/design to another takes training to build muscle memory for use.

How would you feel carrying a 1911 45 auto in condition 1-"cocked & locked"? Makes some feel very uneasy; until you understand the design and fundamentals of the 1911 and all the safeties involved. This is how I carry my 1911.

How would you feel carrying a double action revolver? This is where the striker fired pistol design is similar. I've always been a revolver guy, but was unsure about how safe a polymer, striker fired auto would be. Now I have 5 and NONE of them have external safeties. This was MY choice. The last thing I want to have to think about is whether I thumbed off the safety, and is the pistol ready to fire?

Since you're relatively new to handguns, I'm sure some of your tastes will change over time. Your familiar and at least some what comfortable with a Glock; do you have children at home and that is one of your concerns? Something happen recently or someone say something to make you question/be uncomfortable with the Glock or pistols with no external safeties in general? Whatever it is, find something that makes you comfortable, regardless what brand it may be.

Myself, been a big S&W fan for a lot of years; Ruger, too. Have had the opportunity to shoot an XDs, PPQ and PX4 and hoping to get to shoot a buddy's new 92FS. If you can rent a few, by all means try as many as you can; that can be part of the fun and a valuable learning experience!

Be safe and let us know how it turns out :-) Oh yeah, SD9VE, SD40VE, M&P FS 9mm, 40 S&W and 45 auto and my dad's Model 10-8 38 Special revolver; in addition to my Ruger SR1911 and Browning Buck Mark 22. Gotta love 'em all LOL!

I have the M&P .40 caliber Shield with an external safety. I don't really have a problem with the safety. As you practice your draw you become accustomed to thumbing it off. Just as easy as NOT having your finger on the trigger until you complete the draw and decide to shoot. I have used it both ways. I do prefer the extra level of safety.

Using a 1911 cocked and ready is similar when the safety is engaged. You still have to thumb the safety off. Just a fraction of a second on either that takes places as you draw from the holster and line up the sight picture. I would not use a 1911 cocked without the safety engaged.

I was at the range this morning practicing with both.

How it feels in my hand. That's the advantage I feel the M&P has.

I have a full size M&P 45 and a Shield 9mm. My son has a Glock 19. The factory trigger to me is much better on the Glock than the factory trigger on the M&P 45 I think. The factory trigger on the Shield is fine for me. The trigger can be improved on the M&P easy enough. I would do like MyDads38 suggested above and rent some pistols at the range before you buy another one.

An m&p with an apex trigger in my opinion is everything a glock is and more. Even a stock m&p with a broken in trigger. Something just feels right when you hold an m&p, at least for me. Not to mention they have a great appearance. In the end, you honestly can't go wrong with an m&p just like you can't go wrong with a glock or most modern polymer striker fired wonders.

My preference is a true DA pistol with no safety engaged. TDA has the trigger transition that a lot of folks don't like, but DAO is available, as well.

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Because of the metric system?

Don't depend on any safety to keep you from discharging the gun, learn how to use a pistol, then keep your finger off the bang switch until your ready to shoot.

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John

If you understand the Glock fire control... you will know there is no feasible way to make that pistol fire other than by pulling the trigger.

If the lack of safety causes you concern during holstering your pistol, then that is another story... But no manner of bumps, jars, drops, or impacts will make that pistol fire. At least not any feasible/reasonable scenarios. Too many redundant features to prevent such an occurrence.

The M&P is similar, and highly unlikely to go off from any impacts, but I would give the edge to Glock for such things.


If you think a safety will help prevent you from unintentionally pulling the trigger under stress... Think again.

Standard practice is to disable the safety as you draw the pistol... So by the time you have the pistol in a firing position, the safety is disabled... off... inoperative.

A safety that is off can not prevent you from letting your finger stray to the trigger when it shouldn't...


If you still want a safety, then by all means, get one.


As far as advantages of the M&P...

I prefer the way the M&P feels in my hand, though the gen 4 Glocks improved the feel for me a great deal, and I like Glocks now, when before I had a strong dislike of them.

Its all about ergos, and feel... The trigger can be a big factor.

Its all personal preference.

If i was going to buy a Pistol I would go to the top and get an H&K the P30 series whether the full size or the s model. I understand cost is always an inhibitor but I have the s model as one of my only 2 semi auto's in the safe and I have not a bad word to say on it.

By no means am I beating up S&W as they all work fine.

Just my 2 cents

Pete

Advantages of M&P over glock:
-made in USA
-lifetime warranty
-metal sights
-beefier internal chassis
-captured steel guide rod
-ergos
-looks
-less expensive

My first handgun was a M&P 9mm FS without a safety. What I love about this gun is that it has a very natural point of aim, a low bore axis and a customizable grip with 3 backstraps, all of which contribute to make it a sweet shooter. Loved it so much, I got the same gun in 45 ACP.

I have also since acquired several other guns, including a Sig Sauer P229 as well as a CZ 75 P-01, both in 9mm, and unlike the striker fired M&P, both are DA/SA. If you have not tried Double-Action/Single-Action guns, you might find that this eases your concerns about the lack of a safety. The first shot is double-Action which is equivalent to racking the slide on the Glock or M&P. Every subsequent shot is single-action. The weight of the double-action trigger pull is considerably greater than the single-action. Some shooters do not care for, or have difficulty adjusting to the different trigger pull, however you would need to experience this for yourself to decide. The ergonomics of the CZ are phenomenal, although the aluminum frame is slightly heavier to carry than the polymers.

Whatever your next gun turns out to be, it probably will not be your last. Searching for that next better gun is always an interesting process. Enjoy it.

Take a Glock, & M&P pistol apart, & lay them out side by side. See how similar they look? When the Sigma's were first made [earlier version of the M&P], Glock sued them, & they settled, because of copyright infringements. It really boils down to what feels more comfortable in your hand. GARY

Had three Glocks, good enough firearms but they didn't feel right in my hand. Along came the M&P, with the small adaptor feel great in my hand. I now have no Glocks and two M&P's both full size in 9mm non external safety and .45ACP with external safety. Here's my take on the external safety, study's have shown that if someone gets your gun on average they can fire a non external safety pistol in 1.5 seconds, a external safety pistol takes 16.8 seconds. There have been a lot of LEO "saves" due to the use of external safety pistols. I know, manly he men that we are nobody is going to get our sidearm, it happens! Once again however it all comes down to personal choice.

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Stay safe people!

In addition to these, I think the M&P has a subjectively better quality feel to the gun. Glocks are sort of rough and uneven down at the end of the magwell. The grip feels thin. In comparison, the M&P feels like a higher quality gun, at least to me. I comparison-shopped them both for a long time. I've owned the Shield for a year, and just recently bought a full size M&P.

I bought mine with a thumb safety. I also like 1911s, and will probably get an M&P 45 one day, and I like to have the same manual of arms. Despite some negative reports about the M&P's thumb safety being either cheesy or prone to either engage or disengage when you do or don't want it to, I find it to have a very positive "click" and it's quite easy to sweep off with my thumb, and it remains off for me. I'm rather liking it.

I also like that the slide on the M&P is stainless steel. It's also Melonited. It's just simply not going to corrode...ever. I find the Melonite finish to be extremely wear-resistant.

I hear bad guys are more scared of the m&p brand. Go ahead make my day punk

When my daughter used to ask me what my favorite color was I'd always say I like them all. Took her a while to get her head around this. There are advantages and disadvantages to every gun none are perfect but my M&P is great and I wouldn't sell it but I also like my H&K P30 and my Sig P226 and my...............
Guns are lonely if they don't have friends.

If they grab your pistol from your hands after you have drawn it, and the safety is on... You're using it wrong... Or you had the foresight to engage it just before the struggle started.

You disengage a safety as you draw the weapon. Not after...

Now if they grip the pistol from you while you are not looking, while it is still holstered, then yeah, a safety might help.

My question is... Who was the subjects in the study? Average Joes on the street most likely.

Sure the average person might not know basic firearm use... And an opportunist attacker might not be gun savy... But any experienced criminal is probably going to have at least some familiarity with firearms, and can figure out a safety quicker.

I am a big fan of studies and the scientific method... But studies are useless in isolation. And you need to design one properly to factor out things that can skew results.


Yes a safety can slow down the average person, but for 16 seconds on average... I am less likely to trust that.

Lots of great advice here - thanks everyone. Several of you mentioned the DA/SA platform. I think I may look more into that - hasn't really been on my radar. I've heard a lot of good things about CZ and Sig along those lines. But thanks for the info about M&P - very helpful!

There is one advantage to the M&P that relates directly to the OP that hasn't been mentioned yet.

The M&P can be bought with a thumb safety. Then, if you decide you don't like the thumb safety, it can be removed. It takes minimal effort and doesn't affect the function of the gun at all. Simply remove it and it becomes the same as the models that don't have it.

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Freedom isn't free.