I know this has been discussed but my question is a little different. There doesn't seem to be a lot of holster options out there for the 3.6" version. Any suggestions for the holster options for either OWB or IWB carry?

Foxtrotconcealment for IWB. You will have to email him, because it's not yet in his catalog. I got one from him, and it fits perfectly!

I use a Don Hume JIT holster. It only holds the middle part so barrel length is not a factor. Pretty cheap too.

Concealment express now offers 3.6” dedicated non tuck IWB. They also have a minimalist tuckable that will work with all size 2.0 M&P

I just got both a tuckable and non tuck for 3.6” from Foxtrot concealment. Excellent company to work with. I have not yet had long enough to determine if I will keep one or both of these. As they fit the gun, but I am not crazy about the retention. At least on these, it is lots of friction and not a audible “click” and positive retention on the trigger guard like how my concealment express IWB fits my 9mm shield.

Bianchi #5 Black Widow, can carry all three sizes.
Denis

Ipd1253

I have a Comp-Tac Neutral . That model is a discontinued model but they still have a MTAC and Ultra Max that use the same Hybrid build design and quality leather back side and the old m&p hybrids fit a the new 2.0 models . Want a 3.6 compact holster and you can buy a m&p9c holster !! The holster runs slightly long and the .10 length difference will never matter . MY wife carried a 4.25" in her old 9C rig Order it with the "slide " feature and the bottom of the holster does not have the curled in edge so a longer slide will fit .

I went over to our LGS to check this out for my self with a new 2.0 in our old m&p hybrid

To bad s&w has the weights of the 3.5" screwed up to know what it really weights . They say it heavier than a 4" model by 1.9 oz ?? I would much rather conceal a 4" stol over a 3.5 or 3.6 " when ever thing else if the same and the longer pistol with a couple ounce barrel weight along with longer sight radius make for a better shooter and may carry tighter to the body with a longer holster too .

Now something many less experienced concealed carry folks my over look a longer holster tends to give you a tighter fit against the body thanks to simple leverage .

Is the 4” really that much better than the 3.6? I would rather have the shorter barrel, but right now the 4” models are actually available, and for under $400.

M&P9 M2.0 3.6" bbl in a Tagua 'pancake' holster. The perfect size hi-cap EDC pistol as far as I'm concerned.

A couple more things, then I’m ready to buy. Can anyone who has both the 1.0 9c and the 2.0 9c tell me whether the grip sizes are the same? (I will be using the small backstrap.).
Between the 3.6 and the 4.0, is there any appreciable difference in slide racking ability?

The grip on the 9c is shorter, by a finger. Other than that, they are very similar, except you get more sizes of inserts with the 2.0.

The shorter grip on the 9c is slightly more covert, but the 2.0 isn't bad for all the bullets it holds! They are both good carry pieces, IMHO!

The recoil springs are so similar in length and weight, that the difference is negligible if any racking difference at all. You can actually put the 2.0 spring in the 9c, but the 9c spring is just slightly short to fit well in the other.

I thought I wanted one with a safety, but my hands are so small I think I won’t be able to swipe it easily enough.
I’m leaning towards the 3.6, no safety——and deciding whether to buy from grabagun or locally for $50 more. Are there any good ready-made owb holsters for the 3.6?

IMHO, the difference is insignificant. Plus there are more aftermarket parts and accessories as well as the 4" is usually $50 or more cheaper than the 3.6". Unless you appendix carry, I don't see the point other than the 3.6 is the current flavor of the month... I got the 4" and will add the G26 sized M&P to my collection when it's released. I personally have no interest in the 3.6".

The safety on the 9c and the 2.0 are identical, and very easy to swipe off with your thumb. I have thumb safeties on both, and the safety is a non issue. Very easy to swipe off with your thumb. If you can get your thumb on the grip, you can swipe the safety. I have used safeties for over 60 years, and it is just automatic to swipe off as I draw. Practice, practice, practice.

Just as a point of information, I buy compacts for concealed carry for a reason - "smaller size." 3.6 is smaller than 4.0.

If I wanted larger, I would just buy full sized. MHO

When I bought mine, with rebates, the 3.6 and the 4.0 were the same price at Sportsmansoutdoorsuperstore

There is still a rebate available if you are LEO or ex Military. If not, just wait awhile, and a rebate will be back within 6 months.

One more thing - since you were considering the 9c and the 2.0.

The grip is longer on the 2.0 and the trigger is notably better. The longer grip is a good trade off for the much better trigger. The added grip size is not that much harder to hide, but it is there.

I have both, and if I could only keep one, it would be the 2.0.

I have lots of choices for concealed carry, with compact frames. Ruger RAP 9 Compact, M&P 9c, M&P 9 3.6 2.0, Taurus PT111G2 9. They all have their places.

Taurus is by far the most comfortable and gets carried the most, Ruger is the prettiest and heaviest and slightly largest (but it's my favorite,) the two Smiths are probably the most sensible considering size, comfort, weight, the 2.0 slightly winning out. They are all dependable and shoot well. Prices range from $200 to $300, utilizing sale prices and rebates. And, when I bought the Taurus, I also got a free year added to my NRA Membership. Are you willing to pay more to get it now - that's up to you! I've always had other guns to carry, so waiting was not an issue.

My choice if I could only keep one of my compacts, would probably be the Smith 3.6" 2.0!

Have you held the 3.6"? To me, there's a real difference between it and the 4". The 3.6" is the perfect length point, IMO. I can't get over how well this gun is balanced.


As far as "aftermarket parts and accessories," the only "incompatible" ones might be holsters. Everything else is the same between the two guns.

Well, I just ordered a 3.6” with safety from Sportsman’s Outdoor Superstore! I would have gotten it without the safety, but that would have cost me $40 more. I think I’ll like the safety. $425 after the FFL fee!
So now, a holster? OWB for me...

On a side note, when I wanted to order from grabagun yesterday, they added on NC sales tax. Today my FFL said that NC is requiring that now, but Sportsman’s didn’t charge tax. Great!

I’m glad I got one with a safety because it looks like I won‘t find an OWB holster any time soon.

To each their own. But i would never consider a self defense ccw gun with a thumb safety. Especially The M&P line. For me every time I manipulate the slide the stuoid thumb safety is annoying and in The way and flips the switch back to safe. So if fixing a malfunction, the dang thing is back on safe when I want to shoot.

In defensive shooting class I have seen hundreds of times people fumbling and bumbling the stupid safety. Or in timed and stressful situations and reloads etc forget or accidentally flip the safety back off and cant fire their weapon.

In life of death situations where adrenaline is high and brain in overload, a safety is nust one more thing that can go wrong and may cost you your life. For ccw the gun should never be outside the holster unless it is to be used under life and death circumstances.

Juat my opinion. But I have seen with my own eyes so many failures of the shooters being able to fire the weapon under stress (at the range and not even in real life where fear of death is present) that I will never carry a gun that has a manual thumb safety.

Again that is MY experience and preference.

Before Glock graced the world with its presence, virtually all semi auto pistols had safeties. Millions of them carried and used successfully. 30 years later, a whole new generation believes they have become liabilities.

For every one example you can show me where a safety got somebody killed, I’ll show you 20 where it saved a person. Virtually all ND deaths, particularly among children, would be prevented with one.

Safeties are fine. Just like I don’t forget to step on the brake before shifting into drive, I don’t forget to disengage the safety. And since 99.9% of us will never use a gun in a self defense situation, yet 100% of us handle a loaded weapon on any given day, I choose a safety.

And I don’t see how manipulating the slide on a frame mounted safety that has to be flipped up to engage is likely. On a slide mounted safety line the 3rd gens or Berettas, I can see it, although I’ve never done it. But I just tried to engage my safety on the Compact 2.0 by manipulating the slide and I just don’t see how I could do it.

I get your point, but I can deal with the safety. It was a lot cheaper, and not having much money, that made a difference to me. I think it’s going to work out fine.

I guess you missed that whole Sig line, which never had a safety. And my guess is, no, you can't "show me 20" where a thumb-safety saved a person. And you're "virtually all ND deaths would be prevented with one" is ridiculous, and absolutely unverified--and unverifiable. With the exception of the Shield, where the safety is so small it is easily ignored, a thumb safety on an M&P is a redundant, lawyer-appeasing addition.



IMO it has no place on a serious firearm, but that's just me.

The 2.0 compact both have the same height /grip length so your ability to conceal it will be the same . The 4" version offers a longer slide and sight radius and little more slide weight and all these should allow for better accuracy and fast shots on target . Other wise make some boy big choices and buy one of them Hey , when you decide you really do want a larger model then you can buy a 4.25 full size .

$50 is a lot cheaper? Really. For a gun that may last a lifetime.

$50 is the equivalent cost of about two boxes of premium SD ammunition. Over the lifetime of the gun, $50 is totally inconsequential. One week of a daily coffee would cover the price difference.

That said. How would converting the pistol to be equivalent to the manufacturer stock no thumb safety version in any way be susceptible to lawsuit?

I hear over and over again how modifyimgna mag, or a trigger or anything on a ccw gun will be somehow bad and used against you. Show me the significant number of law suits and convictions of said modifications (short of hair trigger trigger pulls less than 5 lbs) and then you may convince me.

But if your state allows for the additional capacity, and within state laws for trigger pull or other state laws. You will be OK.

There is zero logic for a 4 lb trigfer pull on a 1911 to be OK, but somehow modified gun to 5.5 lb trigger pull on an M&P is somehow horribly dangerous. Changing the trigger itself for a different reset and the result that the shooter is more accurate has a logical result that the gun has increases safety, not decreased as there is less risk of collateral damage for inaccurate shots.

Again show me the proof that reasonable and within the law modifications actually reault in convictions. And maybe it will change my mind. Until then, all the talk about risk is just that. Talk and fear mongering.

Yes, $50 is cheaper. That!s a fact. And yes, that matters to me.

I was cleaning my 2.0 Compact today, so I racked the slide exactly 100 times, trying many different holds. Tried it both right and left handed . Not once, did the safety engage!

See post #19.

Here's my 'Universal Safety'. It works perfectly on every firearm that I own!

I had a UBG Regulator for my original 9c. It was a great OWB holster. Nate says the 2.0 3.6” works in it, but does anyone have both of these to measure the comparable widths?

Shoulda gotten a 4” so I could get a holster!

I imagine the 3.6 will fit in a holster designed for the 4" pistol. The only difference is the slide length, and that's less than half an inch.

__________________
Or something like that . . .

Doesn't a 3.6" fit in a 4" holster?

I’m sure it does, but like a previous poster said, I got the 3.6” for a reason. Eventually there will be more holster options.

I said virtually all semi autos had a safety. Virtually, as in most. I know SIG didn’t. I owned a 226 once.

Will a safety prevent ALL ND’s? Course not. Particularly among those who carry a gun with a safety disengaged. But there is no doubt they lessen the possibility. Particularly when holstering, when a large percentage of ND’s happen. And exact numbers are hard to come by, because avoiding an ND would never make the paper. But the one where the 2 year old shot his mother with a Shield in Walmart did. I guarantee you that 2 year old didn’t figure out how to disengage the safety. It was either off or the no safety model. I bet Plaxico Burris wishes that Glock had a safety.

Carry one without a safety if you want. Hundreds of thousands, and probably millions, of people disagree with you. They’re no less protected than you are. You’ve just convinced yourself they’re a liability. And I still cannot figure out how you engage an M&P safety while racking the slide. Your thumb must be pushing up from under the safety. Maybe a little hyperbole?

And just how is the thumb safety lawyer appeasing? They are sold in every state in the country, not just those they require a manual safety. I live in PA and I could have either model. Plenty of people choose them that way.

Thumb Safeties will continue to be an individual choice as long as firearms are made.

I learned on safeties back in the 50's, more than 60 years ago, and the Military reinforced that in the 60's, more than 50 years ago.

To me, flicking a safety off is a total non issue. It's just automatic, and it still enables another level of, well, safety!

Full disclosure: I changed my order from 3.6” with safety to 3.6” without safety. I went to bed thinking about it, and I woke up knowing I wanted to change it. Not because I dislike safeties—-I LIKE the idea of a safety, and I was happy to have one on my M&P 22 compact. Not because I believe the only safety is “between my ears” etc etc . Not because I think I am more human or less human than anyone else, and more or less prone to accidents.
I thought about training, which I will do, but I know I’m not going to practice my draw thousands of times to get used to swiping off the safety. I thought about my small hands, and I don’t want to have to alter my grip AT ALL to manipulate the safety. I want to grab the gun and go. I thought about aesthetics...yes, I did! I just like the look of the gun without the safety.
So, when given a choice, having a thumb safety is indeed up to the individual. All I know is I feel very comfortable with my decision.

Today, thumb safeties are the equivalent of a three speed manual shift lever on the steering column of a ‘56 Chevy.

Sure they work, and one has less experience if one does not know how to drive one.

This is 2018. My sports car now has a smooth 8-speed auto transmission that can give me up to 42 mpg.

We have progressed to different kinds of safeties on firearms in the century and a quarter since thumb safeties first appeared.

Secure your guns from unauthorized use. Then treat them as if they are always loaded and ready to fire. Train. Keep your finger off the trigger until,you are on target. Think. You’ll be fine, no matter which safety systems you choose.

I took my new 2.0 9c to the range today. 200 rounds of Federal American Eagle and 200 of Blazer Brass. No problems. I shot to the left, but I will work with some more before I start making adjustments. It’s probably me. It was bone dry when I got it, so I lightly lubed it exactly like the manual says. One odd thing that happened is that the audible reset that was present at the FFL disappeared right after the lube, and didn’t come back. I don’t care, but I do think it’s strange.
The palm of my hand between my thumb and forefinger is a little sore and red from the grips (and the small isn’t totally flush), but the gun shot great and I’m happy with it. Now the long wait for my holsters to arrive....

Have you tried changing the back strap to help with comfort.

I have the small one on, which is the right size. Good fit. Not perfectly flush on the gun, though, which is fine, kinda.

I don't see how a holster that is only four tenths of of an inch longer than it has to be is a problem.

NI’m waiting on a UBG Regulator.

I had no problems field stripping after purchase and after going to the range. I tried to field strip it today, and it hung up. The slide wouldn’t come up. Eventually it did. Tried a few more times, and it’s a little rough.
What causes this?
Also, is it normal for the RSA to be slightly unseated after taking off the slide?

Pistol is on the way to S&W. After the first clean and lube, it lost tactile and audible reset, though it did fire 200 rounds at the range with no problem. Between that and the field strip problem, Smith wanted it back. I hope I didn’t get a lemon!