I'm about to pull the trigger (just couldn't resist!) on an M&P 9 but I'm not sure which, if any, safeties I should opt for. I'm in WI, so this cannot be for CC (yet). This is for range use and some IDPA. I have a toddler and one on the way, but the gun is stored and secured well out of reach with a trigger lock and will soon be in a safe. So do I want/need the manual safety, or mag safety, etc.? Any info is appreciated. Thanks!

Talk about opening a can of worms! The safeties you mention are very much ingrained in personal preference and training. People can argue (with good foundation) the pros and cons of every option that can be put on an M&P. I personally always buy my M&P's with no manual safety and with the mag safety. But I am an LEO and might have different reasons than apply to you. I like being able to drop the mag in a struggle, release the gun and transition to my back up. But I also like the mag safety for at home use too. With or without either safety you cannot go wrong with an M&P.

And by the way, good luck on getting CC passed in Wi. I have family there and they were jumping with joy when the new Governor got elected.

I'm leaning towards both safeties, actually. But I've heard mixed reviews of the thumb safety on M&Ps. Some say its pretty soft and easy to accidentally (dis-)engage, others say its pretty solid and closer to a 1911. I'm new so I don't have any ingrained habits at this point, so I'm open to anything.

I'm also in WI, I went with the 4.25" M&P9 pro which comes without mag or thumb safety. I am comfortable with it because I've owned a Glock since the mid 90's and my academy , and reserve training has been with them. On the flip side I am also hopefully going to buy a 3rd Gen S&W with both mag and thumb saftey.

I would say get what YOU are comfortable with, and I hope we get CCW here soon.

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M&P .40, M&P 9c & Shield 45

I think I will go with the safeties. I guess I could always remove them if I hated them.

What part of WI are you in?

Down around the Milwaukee area

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M&P .40, M&P 9c & Shield 45

clockworkjon:

The thumb safety can be removed from an M&P in a few minutes, with a little skill, some prayer, and an 1/8" roll pin punch.... Nothing to it, but you do end up with a couple of rectangular cutouts in the frame.

I've found the thumb safety on my M&P40C to be a little soft, but the design is such that a couple minutes with a rat-tail file can fix that. Just do it carefully....

That said, the only reason I have one at all is that I'm a 1911 guy, and just don't feel right without it .... It's essentially unnecessary in this design. The trigger pull is close enough to a good DA revolver (which almost never comes with a thumb safety ) that it's really a non-issue.

I'm not sure I agree with the utility of the mag safety and mlk18's comments. Under that kind of stress, I'm not sure I could drop the magazine. Flipping on the thumb safety may be as good as I could get, and I don't think much of that. But you can train up to about anything, so.... (I'm a semi-retired rent-a-cop, among other things. I've been kicking this one around since my purchase of an M39 in about 1974. "YMMV" probably covers it....)

With kids in the house, you may want to think about the Hilary Lock, but at least learn how to rip it out. Should be reliable, and a great way to keep the little ones from actually doing anything with the gun except whacking each other on the head. I'd rather use a good lock on a safe of some kind, though, and keep one "hot" gun handy where the kids can't easily get to it. It's also important to teach them not to, but that's another story, and age-dependent. My daughter's 25 now, and I've never had any worries about her with a gun, but the only one that wasn't locked up (until she started shooting herself) was on my belt or equally controlled. I worried more about her friends....

Regards,

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Stu.

The M&P comes with EITHER a manual safety or a mag disconnect, but not both. I think that is stupid, and it's why I spent more on a third gen CS9 that comes with both options over an M&P. I have kids in the house, as well, and I am fanatical about safety. All my guns are stored seperately from their ammo, except for one (my home defense gun), and I chose a S&W 915 for that role. it has the mag disconnect and a manual safety. The gun is in a gunvault with a loaded mag, but it is not chambered. The safety is on. My son would have to somehow get into the safe, rack the slide (he lacks the strength to do this), and flick the safety off. That's as safe as I can make it. I think mag safeties are great, and I wish EVERY manufacturer at least offered them on their guns. Plenty of documented cases of them saving lives. No case of them causing a death that I have ever heard of. My favorite gun is the Beretta 92FS, and I own 2, but I don't leave them loaded. As for a trigger lock, on a home defense gun, I think that's a bad idea. I can get that gunvault open and the gun ready to go in seconds. I wouldn't wanna fumble with a key.

kbm6893:

Are you sure? There's no mechanical reason not to have both - the thumb safety is entirely elsewhere on the sear block, and shouldn't interfere in any way. (Add a qualified "IMHO" - I have one with a thumb safety and really didn't look as well as I should have.) Marketing?


I've got a CS45 here. The CS9 is a great choice, IMHO, but the M&P is cheaper .... Seems like a better gun, overall, too, but mostly 'cause the backwards thumb safety bothers me.

No kids here anymore if you don't count my daughter, who's now 25.... That's the way to do it, though, and what I did when she was younger.

Ouch.... Good thinking, but can you really open that gun vault quickly enough? And, of equal importance, get a round chambered? If, IMHO, you're going to use a "safe", the gun should be ready to go. Tough enough to get to the gun....

Mag safeties are a YMMV, IMHO.... I don't really like them, but wouldn't go goofy if I ended up with a gun I otherwise liked that had one....

Agreed on the Hilary Lock, though, but it may be a viable solution for some people with kids. I wouldn't want one.... That's a deal-breaker for me, as are external trigger locks, cable locks, etc., on a gun I'd want "ready" quickly. For "in the safe", or "in the workshop" - i.e., just storage, though, any old locking system that's going to keep the kids out is probably OK. I seem to collect those cable locks, and they all have different keys. It was a bit comforting when the kid was small.... Even if she had the whole system worked out, finding the right key was a problem for both of us ....

Regards,

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Stu.

I just got back from Cabelas where I got a chance to handle an M&P 45 with a thumb safety. Now assuming the external dimensions are same or close to that of the 9mm, I have to say I don't really like the location of the safety. It also sticks out kind of far, which I guess is why someone suggested filing it. Also, the guy there didn't even though 9s came with an optional safety. I had to show him a picture of one at Buds on my phone. That was satisfying!

So I think its no to the thumb safety at this point. Decisions decisions decisions...

Had a 9 with no safeties. sold it and bought a M&P9 with the thumb safety and couldn't be happier. Positive on off, plus I could never get comfortable with a gun like this without some sort of manual safety. Old habits die hard.

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Forum consigliere

Which Cabela's?
My .40 has the mag safety only. Couple of benefits with that.... You don't get the goofy writing on the side, and the mag safety is a snap to remove if you don't want it. The M&P .40 with mag safety costs $398 right now, so I think it's a heck of a bargain.

As for wanting a safety, well I've had plenty of pistols at the range with the safety on when I want them to go boom. For a self defense weapon, I don't want a safety. Sure you can train and sure the safety works well, but I worry that in a scuffle the safety can get knocked on, or if dropped it could flip on, or brushed against something.... I feel safer with no safety.

I'm sure, unless they made them in the last few months. I didn't mind paying more for the CS9. I'm not into plastic striker guns, anyway.

clockworkjon:

You can always remove it, or file it down a bit. Also, if you go with CT laser sights, you'll need to neuter the right side lever - basically remove the tab that would otherwise stick out.

The longer I play with the one I have, the less I like it, but pending the kid deciding not to move to New York, it'll probably stay where it is. The idea is that the 9mm Compact will go to her, and while I don't think she should have the thumb safety, in the end, it'll be her choice.

Buy two, they're small ....

(Seriously, I think the .45 IS a little bigger than the 9 or .40, but....)

Regards,

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Stu.

Got my MP9c couple months ago. I opted for the thumb safety mainly because I am so accustomed to them (I shoot my USP more than any other pistol I own). I also thought it would be wise to have it on a gun I carry. I realize many people say the thumb safety is redundant and unnecessary, but I like the extra safety feature- it's the only safety that prevents accidental trigger actuation by your finger. It seems there have been many accidents by shooters with A LOT more training than I will ever get (while drawing the weapon and/or bringing it to ready). My next MP will probably not have the thumb safety as it will primarily be a range gun. It really is a matter of preference, and in my case how I plan to use the weapon. Good luck!

The thumb safety on my MP9c is much easier to move than on my USP. Dont think this is a bad thing.

Not getting a safety device you may want because you're worried about the attitude of the 'Range Officer' in some competition event is bad judgement.

The only weapon I've ever had any anal retentive person require me to insert an empty mag to decock the weapon was a Browning High Power. Most of the folks who watch me actuate the trigger on my M&P don't realize-or care- the striker didn't release.

Get the weapon with the configuration YOU want and just deal with the idiots. It'll only be for a few minutes a match.

If you do IDPA or USPSA you won't want the safeties.

Also, some of the Apex kits are only for the safety-less models.

Good to know since I'd like to do IDPA. I also just put myself on the waiting list with my LGS for the Carry and Range kit and that does not come with the safety.

Question though: I understand the manual safety, I understand the mag safety, but what is an internal lock? Is that the same as a firing pin block?

Internal lock is the thing you turn with the little key.

Won't get in the way, you'll either use it or not.

Not useful at all for a home defense gun.

crispy:

IMHO, the Hilary Lock is really only useful as a replacement for a cable lock.... It's a little harder to lose, although keys is keys , and some of these tend to activate themselves. I don't know if the M&P version can, but you do hear stories about the one on S&W revolvers.

The good news is that, if you decide you don't need it, or don't trust it, you can remove it in about five minutes with the requisite 1/8" roll pin punch.

Around the house, for a gun that's in storage, particularly if you've got kids and the storage isn't all that great, it can be convenient. But, like any lock, some combination of fine motor skills and finding the key is necessary to get the gun into service should you need it.

Regards,

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Stu.

As far as the manual safety; if you are accustomed to having a gun like a 1911 or HK USP pistol, with a frame mounted safety, then go for it. If you are used to Glocks or some type of DAO gun, then maybe it's not for you.

If you holster the gun alot, the manual safety, if practiced with and always used, provides one more chance against an accidental discharge when holstering the gun.

kbm6893:

Really strange.... Gotta be marketing....

The CS45 was a surprise. I'm still not entirely sure what I was thinking.... But it shoots well, and the overall handling is fine, considering they seem to have forgotten a barrel entirely....

Recoil is straight back - not a real problem if you're used to a 1911 or something of that nature. Although some models have a rather flat and light grip, mine's got the "big rubber ball" style grip. BIG help....

(For the guys who've not run into one, it's sort of a PPK/S that's an inch thick. Kinda heavy too....)

Reliability, etc., is fine too.... I think the CS40 may be out of print, but last I looked, the CS9 and CS45 were still "new". Mine was used - full of mummified grease and dust bunnies big enough to raise.

Same backwards thumb safety as the M39 and it's descendants, but flat enough that it's sort of out of the way, and safe to carry with the safety off. (And it's not likely to move by itself.) Some models have just a decocker there - I don't recall whether that was "factory" or just a modification. I also can't see how anybody could shoot it with the slim grips but.... (The CS9 should be fine that way. Dunno about the CS40.)

Just IMHO, this gun should be bought in the CS40 configuration - an extra round or too, without losing much of the .45's capabilities. I'm not a great believer in the 9mm ....

Regards,

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Stu.

I just ordered my M&P 9c a cpl days ago and went with no manual or mag safety. I plan on using it for conceal carry gun, and I wanna be able to start shooting as quick as I can if the time ever comes. Even if it is just a fraction of a second sooner then with a safety, sometimes that fraction of a second may save your life. Just my .02

Greetings -

Just throwing my 2 cents in. I have a MP 45 FS, no safety but it does have the magazine disconnect which I like.

I also have a gun safe, which i would strongly consider esp. with kids in the house. I don't have kids, but love having the safe anyway.

I would imagine get the thumb safety if it makes you feel better, but beyond that and magazine disconnect, I would leave it alone. Kids in the house, just make sure the guns are locked up!

Best

Bob