Im a safety guy. My CCW is in the mail and I have a Bodyguard 380 but I want of course, more power but I do not want to give up having a safety. I will Carry the 380 with one in the pipe and safety on. With DA, I feel safe that the looooong trigger pull is my actual safety but Im not sure about the .40 M&P. Is it DA? SA? Anyone carry this thing concealed?

Thank you.

Frequent concern and question.
The M&P series have 3 internal safeties that prevent the gun from firing, even if dropped.
All 3 safeties are released by pulling the trigger, which also finishes cocking it and releasing the striker. Therefore having a holster that covers the trigger and keeping your finger out of the triggr guard until the taget is acquired are both vital for safety. Also, avoid holsters with a retention strap that can get into the trigger guard when reholstering.
The M&Ps are very safe when the correct handling precautions are observed; I like mine a lot.

Besides being a competition safety officer and match director, I am a safety fanatic.

__________________
Science plus Art

Carry in a proper holster which completely covers the trigger and you won't have any problems.

I regularly carry a Glock 19 or a Glock 22 with no safety issues whatever.

Like they said... X3....... I have 4 M&P's including 2 40's, compact and FS. Always got one in the pipe, it's the only way to carry

__________________
Jack C

I carried an M&P40c for a long time and loved it. The best holster I found was the Comp-Tac MTAC. I'd still have it today if it weren't for the fact that I'm just more comfortable with a revolver and now carry a S&W 638 (with a reload).

__________________
"I'm your huckleberry."

The only thing unsafe about that pistol is the shooter. Always remember what the others have said: Make sure your holster covers the trigger and make sure that when you draw your pistol, the trigger finger is along side of the frame and will be pointing at what you want to shoot until you acquire your target. Your trigger finger is your most positive safety.

Ditto what all of the previous posters have stated.

I'll probably receive alot of push back for the comment I'm about to make, but the only safety on a semi-auto pistol that makes any sense (to me) is when it's on a 1911 style pistol, i.e. "cocked and locked"/Condition 1.

The 40c like many of the other M&P semi-auto pistols, is a double action (DA), striker fired pistol (i.e. no hammer for SA). There have been many previous posts about the pros & cons of manual and mag safety equipped pistols, and whether or not there should be a round (ready) in the chamber (Condition 1 for a striker/DA) that you can search for on this forum. Also, there is a plethora of posts related to round/caliber "power".

My preference is no safety and pistol in the "ready-to-fire, just-pull-the trigger" condition (1).

__________________
MotorCityGun

My 4 1/4" barrel M&P 40 Pro conceals well under a coat, longish sweatshirt or loose sweater. It rides in a Galco Concealable belt holster condition one. It's a tad big for Summer (remember Summer) CCW so then I go to a Ruger SP101 snubby or PPK/S in a similar rig with my shirtail out.

__________________
LIVE FROM THE DAWGHOUSE

That's strange, my name is Heath, my CCW is in the mail, and I am also considering the M&P 40.. Weird!

On the issue at hand, I actually find external safeties to be a pain in the ***, having shot Glocks all my life, I find the internal locks to be more than sufficient in safety, as long as you're careful.

I forgot to mention that my EDC (summer & winter) is the 40c in a PSS kydex holster.
Product Evaluation of Personal Security Systems - Pancake Kydex Holster

__________________
MotorCityGun

Been carrying a 40c for over two years. It gets shot on a regular basis and I've never had a problem. Easy to care for, accurate and easy to conceal.

I have several M&Ps and love the way they feel. Probably my favorite automatic ever. I do carry the compact more. Both sizes feel good in a crossbreed super tuck.



I carry at about half way between the leg seam and right rear pocket on jeans. “3:30”. My favorite IWB holster for the M&P’S is a crossbreed. Great combination.

__________________
Shoot fast & live long
Warren

My everyday carry is an M&P 40 compact with 357 Sig barrel and a full size magazine for backup with X-Grip adapter.

IMO, the compact M&P is the perfect carry gun.

If you have room for the full size, the M&P 40 is one of the softest shooting 40's I ever shot.

You won't be disappointed with either.

Will the M&P40c fit in the same CTAC holster for the full size 40?

Should be no problem, I've been using all my FS holsters for my compact. I'm actually going to check out some for the compact ones though, makes things a little more compact..

__________________
Jack C

Hey Warren.,... looks like we're neighbors. Love my M&P's too, got 4 of them, no doubt more down the road. Just spoke with a friend from CT that shot a Colt 45 last week, said he didn't care for it, wasn't comfy.. told him I had just the 45 for for him...

By the way.. great picture..

__________________
Jack C

The only true safety I'm aware of is the connection between your brain and your booger hook.

That said, I carried a Glock 27 as my first CCW handgun, and it was a hand full.

Could have been as much to do with my lack of shooting experience.

I would only want a full frame in those larger calibers

I carry an M&P 40 on and off duty. Mine has the ambidextrous saftey. That is more of an officer safety issue than concealed carry one. That being said if the manual safety feels good for you on the bodyguard it might be a good option for you on the M&P. If you train and practice with it its just as fast as the one without the safety.

Mike

If the M&P is like the Glock it's NOT a double action --- and it's not for me. Having a manual safety on a Glock-like gun kinda makes it "cocked N locked" when carried --- that's not for me either. I also appreciate loooong DA type trigger pulls.

I wouldn't carry a double-action revolver with the hammer cocked --- and it won't go off either unless I touch the trigger.

One of the best lines I've heard was uttered by the Lady Agent on the Mentalist tv show re: the Glock. "The safety's in the trigger, it's almost like having no safety at all".

PS I don't use the safety at all on my DA/SA 3913 LS -- except to decock it.

I love the M&P .40, it seems like a couple years ago lots of people were saying the .40 would be dead and gone pretty soon but now it seems like more and more people are buying them. I always had more confidence in the .40 then the 9 mm and still do, but I think the nine is adequate.

I've been carrying an M&P40 Shield for the past 2-½ years and am perfectly confident with it.



The M&P Series of pistols are extremely safe to carry because they have multiple built-in safeties from the trigger safety which prevents it from being pulled by mistake, to the firing pin block with prevents the striker from impacting the firing pin unless the trigger has been pulled, as well as an optional frame mounted safety switch which prevents the trigger from being pulled fully to the rear while it is engaged.

The M&P Series is a precocked Double Action Striker-Fire design, ergo when charged, the striker is partially cocked, requiring a relatively short, light trigger pull to fully cock and release the striker. So it's sort of a hybrid between DA and SA since the striker cannot be fully cocked by pulling the trigger alone, yet isn't fully cocked when charged either.

__________________
Shooting Comfort is bilateral.

I like the Shield 2.0 in both 40 and 45 and have one of each. If you really want an external safety, just shop for the Massachusetts Compliant version - they're often a few bucks cheaper.

I really wanted one of those 110 Sports but you can't put the clip so you can carry it left-handed

__________________
Retired Career Security Guard

Guys, 12 year old thread and the OP hasn't been here in 8 years. Be safe out there after this thread is closed.

__________________
Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220