Safety or No safety M&P9 Shield

[Ron In MD]

I know that this is beating a dead horse, so please don't roast me too bad.
I searched, maybe not hard enough for threads pertaining to this, but didn't find any.

As the title says, which is preferred on the M&P9 Shield, safety or no safety.
Due to my age and where I am in life I don't carry. And I don't want to pay $350+ and 2 days for a W&C permit that I may not need in 3-4 years, but I do have a Shield the car when I travel, with no safety.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

 

[Marshal Tom]

I have a 1.0 Shield with it because that is all i could get at the time of purchase. I never use it, I'm a lefty and had it been available without it, I would have purchased without the safety.

 

[Dave Lively]

If your gun is going to have a round in the chamber it needs to either be in a holster that covers the trigger or have a manual safety. The holster also needs to be designed so the gun will no easily fall out, either fitting snugly or snapping in.

I prefer no safety and a holster for my carry gun. Its simpler in that it is a lot harder to forget to pull a gun out of a holster before firing it than it is to forget to take a safety off. Having a safety is one more opportunity to make a mistake before you can fire a gun. The biggest downside of relying on a holster is negligent discharges while putting a loaded gun back into the holster.

There are too many car break-ins in the Atlanta area to leave a gun in a car so I haven't given much thought to how I would carry one in a glovebox. A holster tied to something so the gun would come out when pulled would be an option. Most safeties are stiff enough that they would not slip off safe while sliding around in a glovebox. But I would still feel better with a gun in a holster instead of relying on a manual safety.

 

[garddogg56]

Safety,I have Grandchildren

 

[BSA1]

As the title says, which is preferred on the M&P9 Shield, safety or no safety.

The answer is yes.

I do have a Shield the car when I travel, with no safety.

Since you already have a Shield I don't understand your question. Are you considering trading or selling it?

 

[Tu_S]

When it comes down to it, I feel it's a matter of personal preference more than anything else.

Personally, after a few decades of either working the safety or de-cocker when holstering something, I prefer to have one on my carry guns, but do carry pistols that do not have one.

At the range and the type of shooting I do there, it really doesn't matter to me, I was trained the simple rule of having the slide locked back or flagging the things when putting something down.

 

[1778]

I have the new Shield with a safety for the times I want a safety. Like holstering or maybe unholstering and unloading or whatever. It's there for use. As opposed to not having it and wanting one. Also when i unholster at night my guns go directly into another holster on my night stand to guard against hitting the trigger in the dark or just for handling.

 

[M29since14]

I like a thumb safety. As an old hand around 1911s and Commanders the thumb safety decision is automatic for me - I want it. If you buy the safety model and decide you can't trust yourself, just don't use it. If you buy a non-safety model and decide later you would feel better having the safety, you're out of luck.

 

[lkabug]

There's been a lot of popcorn consumed while this question has been debated.
I got a custom to the 1911A1 while in the military. I prefer the safety. Not everyone agrees, but it works for me.

 

[kstewart61]

You can't have enough safety with a firearm so I say yes.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

 

[kbm6893]

I prefer a safety. All of my M&P's have them except a 2.0 subcompact j just bought used for a good price, but I intend to add one. My Shield Plus has one. I have an NYPD M&P Shield 1.0 that doesn't, but I don't carry it.

Only thing I wish, and I can't figure out why they're not offered, is an aftermarket slightly wider safety for the Shield. They offer everything else for the guns, but not that. The safeties on the larger M&P's are obnoxiously big, and don't need to be on both sides. Can't figure out why an aftermarket safety for the bigger ones isn't available, either.

 

[Ron In MD]

The answer is yes.



Since you already have a Shield I don't understand your question. Are you considering trading or selling it?

I'm thinking, nothing for sure yet, of buying another one and wanted a consensus of what others do that's all.

 

[Bozz10mm]

I've got 2 shields, a 9mm and 45 ACP, both with the thumb safety. I prefer having the thumb safety and practice draw and dry fire with it regularly. It has become second nature to flick the safety off during the draw.

I bought a S&W 9mm 2.0 Compact without the thumb safety. I kinda regret not getting the one with a safety.

 

[AppStFan]

I prefer the safety. I have three Shields and they all have the thumb safety. Before I retired my issued duty weapons were all equipped with a manual safety. I have no problem flipping the safety off during the draw stroke.

With that being said, I also have pistols that do not have a safety. The key is to have the weapon in a quality holster and to practice and train with what you carry.

 

[Dave Lively]

Do you have a round in the chamber and where in the car is the Shield? Glove box, center console, lock box, under the seat, holster like carrier?

I carry with a round in the chamber in a holster because having to chamber the round takes time, requires two hands and is another way for something to go wrong.

But if you will have time to retrieve the gun from under the seat or a glove box if you need it you will probably have time to rack the slide and chamber a round too. If you are worried about kids or grandkids finding the gun most of them will lack the strength to rack the slide, its more of a deterrent than a safety. And you would not have to go through the process of buying a new gun in what sounds like a restrictive state.

 

[markmiela]

Safety or No safety M&P9 Shield

If you aren't going to carry it why get a shield? Get a full size gun without a safety and put it in a safe when not in use.


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[Hawg Rider]

I have two EDC handguns (for different carry situations) and one is a Performance Center M&P9 Shield Plus...and yes, it has the thumb safety. Why? Because I mostly carry the Shield Plus in an AIWB (appendix) holster with a round in the chamber, and the safety gives me a little peace of mind that it provides another layer of safety against an accidental discharge that certainly would damage some necessary parts! All my EDC holsters completely cover the trigger guard, and I do practice my draw and fire (dry fire) technique with the safety. I just like the option of having it if I want to use it. Enjoy!

 

[USMCshooter]

Both of my Shields have them. My biggest concern is holstering and AD's. All of my holsters except one, allow me to holster with the safety on, then flick it off after it is secured. I mostly use Kydex holsters so I can look down through them to ensure they are clear before shoving the gun in. I really don't like the idea of having to remember to switch the safety off in an adrenaline situation.

 

[RobzGuns]

I'm thinking, nothing for sure yet, of buying another one and wanted a consensus of what others do that's all.

Since you already have one and what you have is working for you, I'd say, go for whichever is available for a good price.

When I got mine in Spring of 2012, there was no option... they all had Safeties. If there had been a option, I would have opted for a 'No Safety' version. As it is, the safety is unobtrusive enough that I have not seen the 'Need' to trade it for a NMS model.

As so many negligent discharges seem to happen during holstering (the old 'it must have gotten hung up on my shirt/jacket/drawstring/whatever' excuse), I engage the safety before holstering, then disengage it once the trigger guard is in the holster.

In short... don't overthink it... go for whatever is available at a good price.

 

[kbm6893]

I've got 2 shields, a 9mm and 45 ACP, both with the thumb safety. I prefer having the thumb safety and practice draw and dry fire with it regularly. It has become second nature to flick the safety off during the draw.

I bought a S&W 9mm 2.0 Compact without the thumb safety. I kinda regret not getting the one with a safety.

You can buy the safety, spring, and indent for about $50 and add the safety to your compact. Look at your gun. You can see on the frame where the plugs are installed.