Ambi safety on compact .40?

[kentuckyrifle]

I'm looking to buy a compact .40 M&P. I'm not sure if I want to buy it with or without the thumb safety. Anybody have any thoughts?

[cololab]

I intentionally bought my .40C without a thumb safety as I didn't feel that I needed one. Thus far, I don't regret my decision.

[SMMAssociates]

kentuckyrifle:

IMHO, the design doesn't require a thumb safety....

However, if you're a 1911 guy like me, it's convenient from a "training" standpoint. Which is why my 40C has one.

It's still generally easier to try to turn off a thumb safety that's not there, though, than to try to turn one off that you don't normally have to deal with, or, horrors, works "backwards" from what you're used to.

Everything you carry should work essentially the same way, with BUG's and other "odd" guns either being set up identically, or missing things like thumb safeties. Anything else could get you killed.

In my case, it's one of a couple of small 1911's when dressed up ("Wilderness Trainer" belt, and a good holster), and either an M&P40C (with thumb safety) on my grubby jeans, or an M&P40FS (without thumb safety). Both of the Tupperguns are light enough that any old belt is good enough (around the house! - use a good one "outside"), and forgetting that the Full Size lacks a thumb safety is a minor issue.

While IMHO it's not a really good idea to remove a manufacturer-supplied safety device (ask Mas Ayoob, but don't forget he's defending LEO's, which may be a more dangerous field in terms of civil suits where the thumb safety is an issue), it's almost kiddie stuff to remove the thumb safety on an M&P, and S&W will give you a couple of little plugs that cover the square hole in the grip frame that'll be left.

You can also easily switch the thing to left-side lever only (for right-handed shooters) to allow for some laser sight mounting methods.

Just IMHO, but unless you need the thumb safety for training/compatibility issues, or have "management" that insists, you probably can do without it. If you feel you still must have it, buy the gun with it. You can add one on in some cases, but it's a LOT easier to remove one, and then put it back if you change your mind!

Regards,

[arrowslinger#1]

I just picked up one without the thumb safety, my full size dosen't have one either, I don't miss it.

[kentuckyrifle]

Thanks for the input. I'll keep that in mind when deciding on my purchase.

[mrhornet]

My local shop has been looking for one for over a week with the safety with no luck, he has found them without. I know some places on line have them but I'm not in a big hurry so I am holding out for a while to see what he can get me. This may factor in depending on what you want for a wait time.