Has anyone had direct experience removing the ambidextrous thumb safety from an M&P 22?

I have read a good deal of folks saying they have done so, but haven't found any specific instructions or long term reports. Also a bit worried that the internal lever might somehow make its way to the safe position over time.

Thoughts? Too easy to bump to safe when releasing the slide, makes the gun so much wider, and the cheap plastic lever really ruins the otherwise solid feel of the gun.

Thanks.

Lawyers love guys like you. A law suit waiting to happen.

I have the M&P.22. S&W really dropped the ball on the safety lever by making it plastic. It does make it wider....I wonder if you can replace it with a metal one? Definitely not gonna remove it without replacing it with something.

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Lt. Dan, what R U doing here?

Why not see if you can have a SS one made.. Or maybe Someone here I'm SURE COULD MAKE SOME MONEY having some made. Sorry for the caps!.. Someone that took there M&P 22 safety lever off and could take it to a few machine shops that could be set up to make a bunch that I think would be sold easily .. I think it could be made easy not much to it. I didn't remove mine but I think the plastic safety lever goes on a steel square shaft on each side of the gun held in place by the frame..I'm Guessing here! Just a thought.. George

Empty gun, remove slide, remove the rollpin behind safety levers, pry up on assembly just enough to get the safety levers to clear frame and pull levers off. Make sure safety is in the off position, push assembly back into frame, install rollpin, install slide, enjoy pistol.

Thank you, sir!

At gdauth, respectfully:
a) most full-size M&Ps are sold without thumb safeties from the factory.
b) if I accidentally shoot someone with my own gun, safety or not, I likely deserve to be sued.

I have both a 9FS and 9C without any safeties and carry both with chambered ammo. The difference between them and the M&P22 is that they are striker fired and the very act of pulling the trigger finishes retracting the partially cocked striker and releases it. The M&P has an internal hammer that operates like a single action revolver with a bad trigger pull after the slide cocks it.

If you carry an M&P22 without the safety on or remove the safety, you rely on the trigger safety only. This is the same thing as carrying a M1911 cocked and unlocked (Condition Zero) and relying on the grip safety alone.

Both can probably be done without incident, but is it prudent to do so?

I agree 100%, but we should not be carrying a .22 in the first place. I removed the levers because they interfered with my grip. That and the thumb safety is questionable on this gun. It does not positively engage/disengage , it's ambiguous at best.

Thanks - some good points to ponder. Perhaps I'll only remove the left side lever. Thanks all.

The safety on the M&P 22 does nothing! It keeps one from pulling the trigger to fire the gun. Would help if trigger got snagged on something while holstering the gun.. Does not block hammer nor keep it from falling.. Yes it's a .22 not many will have this gun for a CCW and if they do IMO it should be carried with the chamber empty.. The Israel army used the Beretta mod.71 .22 for there elite and were trained to carry with a empty chamber. Such a easy slide pull on both of the guns Israel used the draw and punch method while cambering a round with almost no time lost.. Also with the M&P22 there is a firing pin block but no lock but that should help a few times with impact if dropped hard enough to jar the hammer into dropping. But IMO the the firing pin block it's not well made but will work a number of times if needed.. I still have my safeties on the gun, for now.. I'm on the fence about it..I am a 1911 guy and feel very safe with cocked and locked carry with a 1911.. For most the M&P 22 is a range gun for fun and training..Lots of good info in this thread Thank you everyone for posting .. George

Doesn't matter how easy the slide is to rack.What if you have 1 hand pinned or wounded to where you can't use.What are you going to do then rack it with your teeth?If you have the correct style sights you may have time to rack the slide by snagging it on your belt.Carrying a self defense firearm witout a chambered round is the same as carrying a hammer around.

No. To carry a unsafe CCW because it nmay be ones only choice is when it may be better carried unchambered! We could throw many reasons out there why or why not or "what if".. This is a .22!! Not may would nor should carry it as a CCW. But I do think 12 rounds of .22 sure beats a sharp stick or hammer.. I got my .45 chambered with a fractured and totally useless left elbow" it was turned completely backwards" It was a compact Colt 1911 with dual main springs. With will there is a way! George

Also just checked and the M&P .22. Slide is to light to chamber a round it can be done with one hand without snagging a sight on anything.. Simply keep you finger off the trigger and keep the top of the slide pressed to anything even you leg if need be it will fully chamber a round without effort." muzzle in safe direction of course" . But in the real world when a threat is there you will draw and chamber a round in the same motion like throwing a punch..

How quick did it take you do it one handed and was shooting at or attacking you?

Handguns Magazine (Dec 2012/January2013 issue) did an empty chamber test to add data to the carry question of chambered or not. Using several different pistols and several different testers, they found to draw, rack the slide back to chamber a round, and fire, took an average of less than 1/2 second longer, than with having the round already chambered. Their only negative was having to use two hands to rack the slide. They discussed racking using the rear sight. They found ways of making racking easier for one handed were to keep the hammer/striker cocked with the empty chamber and not using a fully loaded magazine, to reduce the upward pressure of the cartridges on the slide pick-up rail. Of course all their timings were in a test environment, not a real SD situation.

I carry loaded with my manual safety on. There is no right or wrong way to carry. Whether you use a manual safety or not. Whether you carry with one in the chamber or not. It is all up to personal preference. We are all individuals and each has their right to their opinion. The main thought is finger off the trigger until the decision to fire is reached.

Bob

I'm not sure about removing the safety lever on the M&P22 with the hammer design. I know the full size guns it can be removed very easily. What I did on mine was take a Dremel tool and slowly grind the levers down to where they were less obtrusive. I think it came out very nice. I even did the same thing to my 9C but shaped it more like a 1911 safety lever.
WK

Perhaps a picture of the finished product. I like the idea of the dremel to make it less obtrusive.
TJ

Checkout this YouTube video:
M&P22 Thumb Safety Removal - YouTube