I've been seriously contemplating getting a Shield in 9mm. The biggest question I have is whether to get it with the thumb safety.

Currently, my primary purpose for the Shield would be to have gun that's enjoyable to shoot. I find the Shield fits me really well, and I like trigger.

It's possible that a Shield could end up being a concealed carry gun for me in the near future. If that happens, I'm unsure about the question of a manual safety. I have read/heard a lot of debate on both sides of the issue. I'm wondering what folks here think about that?

Personally I do not like external safeties on defensive hand guns. Simpler the better in a high stress situation Im sure others will disagree with me.

There is no engineering or legal requirement to have a manual safety (that only blocks the trigger) on any M&P. It is available as an option for buyers that want them. Ask others whether you should get the option, and we will tell you what WE like, which changes nothing about your preferences. I prefer a defense gun that works like a revolver: draw and press the trigger. What do you prefer?

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Science plus Art

To go TS or NTS is a purely personal thing.
If most/all your pistols have a TS, go with what you're used to.
If none of your other pistols have a TS, get the NTS version.

Before the Shield, none of my other carry pistols had a TS and I would have said "I'll never have a CC pistol with a safety", but when it 1st came out, there was no NTS version.

The thing is... The Shield's TS is unobtrusive and more difficult to engage than it is to disengage, so there's no worries about accidentally engaging it if you simply choose to carry it in the off position (as so many of us do).

Now-a-days, I engage it while topping off to '+1' status, then disengage it when I holster it and leave it off. This has worked for the last 3.5yrs.

Really doesn't matter. While the TS is unnecessary, there could be some situation in which you might want to use it. Otherwise, just leave it off.

Although I don't have much time with my new shield, I bought one with the TS. Seems like as long as I train with what I carry (weapon and ammo) I will be conditioned to switch the TS off.

I agree with RobzGuns. I disengage the safety when the gun is holstered so it's ready to go if needed. The safety lever is small enough and stiff enough it will not be re-engaged by accident. When I'm not carrying the gun, I engage the safety for that added bit of comfort.

Bottom line (from my perspective): You don't need it, but you may well find there are times you like having it. If you choose to carry the gun with the safety engaged, practice with it regularly to make sure you can disengage it under pressure, it doesn't fall under the thumb like a lot of other safety levers do.

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Jim - M&P Pro 40L/Shield 40

I've come from almost 50 years of 1911 platforms, so a safety is a part of the drill. If there isn't one, I tend to get a moment of "why can't I move the fool thing", which is a moment lost to the opponent.

So, as others have said, buy what is comfortable for you to handle.

My Shield 9 has one, and I'm fine with it. I own larger handguns that don't have one, but they are range day guns.

As others have said, it's your choice. You'll get arguments for both sides. Been asked before and all the arguments have been posted before.

Choose what you are most comfortable and proficient with.

Having said that I chose a NTS. There are no isses with the TS I'm aware of, I simply prefer none.

Both my compact and full size MP's are NTS but neither has been carried yet. I have tossed around the idea of adding a Shield for the sole purpose of carry. That said i am considering a TS version; figure if i find more comfort in having a safety then it has one to use and train with. And if i dont need it i just wont engage it.
Still thinking on it though.....

I had been shooting pistols for about 35 years that did not have safeties so rather than train this old dog to operate a safety I opted for the NTS models.

If you do buy one with a thumb safety, whether you use it or not I would encourage you to train using the safety. I'm a firm believer in "Murphy's Law" that being "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong."

My Shield 40 has a TS, my Shield 9 does not. When I carry the 40, the TS is off so as to mimic the 9. Except for my 1911, none of my other pistols have safety's and that's the way I prefer it.

I bought the Shield 9 NTS early this year. I've been shooting the majority of my life and was trained from the start that a manual safety is only a backup to safe gun handling. If you obey the gun safety rules then you already know that your finger never, ever goes inside of the trigger guard until you are ready to shoot. With that in mind, the design of the Shield will not allow it to go off unless the trigger is pulled.

My wife who really hasn't done much shooting until the last year purchased the Shield with thumb safety because she felt it would be safer. She got her CCW back in March and has since taken a couple defensive handgun training courses. This has taken her shooting skills to a whole new level and she now carries her Shield with the safety off.

As others have said, it's really personal preference and in the end only you can make that decision. The Shield is definitely an excellent carry gun. It's lightweight and small but shoots like a much larger gun.

I just bought my Wife a NTS Shield 9mm. While she has shot many times with me, and is pretty proficient, I don't want her to even think about an extra step in a self defense situation. It was only $340 too! I am going to swap out the mag springs and followers with mag guts so she can have 10 rds.

I carry an XDs .45, but will be borrowing her Shield from time to time.

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USMC RETIRED

I bought mine used and it came with a safety, so i didn't get the choice. I leave it on most of the time, but if i wanted to i guess it could always be turned off and mimic having no safety.

Only get the TS version if you will carry it safety on. If you are not willing to do so then get the NTS version. The number of people who say they carry a TS version with the safety off is just bizarre.

The Shield was my first pistol without a thumb safety. I used to think that a thumb safeties were a required feature, but all future purchases will be no thumb safety if available. All of my pistols with thumb safeties are still carried safety on.

When you're in a very stressful situation___"I'm about to be killed"__ (Been there) all you'll be doing is pointing and pulling the trigger. If it won't pull..........
The decision is yours to make. The one poster mentioned how the manual safety is on the Shield. That's true but, simply not having one on a SD pistol stops the decisions making.
If you're just going to fire if for fun, get the one with the manual safety. You'll feel good.
For dedicated SD___ trigger only.
G'luck and welcome to shooting.

I got the non safety and regret it. If you slide the gun in the front pants pocket with a loaded chamber, you have a round waiting to go off pointed at you. You reach in the pocket in a hurry and pull the gun out and the trigger gets pulled before you clear your pants...boom, you just shot yourself. And if you think it can't happen, check out Youtube for the number of times cops have shot themselves with a Glock coming out of a holster. I prefer a safety.

I think it's more of a "personal thing". In my situation, I only have two semi-autos - a SR9 and a 9mm Shield. I'm older and have always been a "revolver" person - my usual CCW is a Smith Model 36 snub. I have carried the SR9 and I bought the Shield for both range and CCW. I can easily sweep the safety off with my thumb on the Shield. However, for CCW, I just will be using it with the safety off. The safety, at least on mine, is stiff enough that it has to be put on "on purpose". Yes, it could always accidentally get hit I suppose and some could use that as an argument against having one. But . . . I don't see that as an issue. If I had a weapon that the safety was so loose of slippery on that it didn't take an effort to put it on, thenI wouldn't be carrying it. And . . I have absolutely no complaints on my Shield at all . . functions perfectly with my reloads/lead cast and is a fun little gun to shoot.

Well, I'm really taking my time about the whole concealed carry thing. Frankly, I really have to admit that I'm just not sure I'm ready for that responsibility. I think I really share some of the concerns you raise.

I think I've come to conclude, however, that if I do decide to get a ccw permit, the best route for me would be to carry a revolver, such as a 642, or an LCR. Those things have such long heavy triggers that it seems highly unlikely that I would ever shoot it by accident.

Go with what you are used to. I don't own any guns with manual safeties. So, when I bought my Shield, I got the one without the safety. I like to keep all my carry guns similar in function so under stress they all work the same way.

My department trains us to carry with the safety disengaged, if our backup has one. In the old days when we provided our own weapons, we were told not to use external safties. I carry my Shield in a pocket holster, nothing else in the pocket.

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Saved by the grace of God

NO SAFETY.

A 442 and recently a .40 Shield No-Safety model are my primary carry. I personally could never master drawing a pistol and disengaging an external safety in a simulated stressful situation. I just want to be able to draw and fire without any sort of delay. My life my depend on it.

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The Oxygen Man
RRT/ NREMT-P

Safeties prevent accidental or negligent discharges. There is no debating this. Do they prevent ALL of them? Course not. But the sure lessen the chances of them.

How many of us have actually USED a firearm in a defensive encounter? Every time this topic gets brought up I always hear the "safeties can get you killed". First of all, if you practice drawing and disengaging a safety, the move is intuitive and automatic. I draw and unsafe my LC9-S probably 100 times a night. Sometimes I just put it down on the nightstand and do it. Takes less than 10 minutes. I don't even think about it. Most ND's happen during routine gun handling. I can find plenty of cases where a safety prevented an accident. Can't find any that it caused one.

Finally, on a striker fired weapon without a hammer to rest my thumb on, I wouldn't even consider a gun with no manual safety. The trigger on the LC9-S is scary light. The no safety version of that gun is crazy in my mind.

I had a shield once. Nice gun, but the safety was a tad too slim. The LC9-S safety has a little shelf that my finger found easier to manipulate. I also like the mag disconnect on it.

I found this out while handling pistols last week. Seems to me that while many folks love a hair trigger, this no safety, striker fired Ruger is flat out dangerous. Felt like a 3-4lb pull to me.

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USMC RETIRED

When I got my Shield, thumb safeties were all S&W made. I normally leave it disengaged, but years with a 1911 taught me to always sweep with my thumb regardless what auto pistol I'm carrying.

I personally would not/do not carry any firearm in a pants pocket-safety or not. I know this has been discussed in other threads/posts, and is personal preference for the individual. I don't, just my preference.

Secondly, in cases of Accidental/Negligent Discharges; the Trigger Finger was some where it SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN! If you draw a weapon-from a pocket or a holster-and your finger is on the trigger, you are probably going to shoot yourself! At that point, it's too late.

Proper and consistent training is the key to safe gun handling/use. If you don't train properly, if you don't train enough to build muscle memory; there will be more of a chance of an AD/ND and someone being hurt (or worse) in the process.

It takes more than just buying a handgun and firing it a few times to think you are ready to carry for a SD/PP situation. Training-correctly and consistently-is key for use of any firearm; whether informal plinking or CC use. Whether the gun has a safety or not. Sorry for the rant.....

Whatever floats your boat.

You can always not use a safety that you do have, but can't use a safety you don't have.

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- The Federalist #46 -

Buy an Apex trigger, now you have a safety.

No safety but unless I missed it I am the first left handed person to respond. The thumb safety on a shield just does not work for us lefties if you have to disengage it.

This. I do the exact same thing. I've never been a fan of TS but I kinda like the one on the shield, small and stiff.

b.guggenmos, hahaha, there are more of us than you think.
Sorry OP, personal preference but for me NTS.

This is absolutely the correct and all encompassing statement.
Whatever you train with is directly what you should be comfortable using/carrying.
Cannot be better stated.

I just bought a new Shield 9mm today, and opted for the TS. I just feel better about it. There really is no right or wrong answer. I just know I'll need to train with it so it becomes 2nd nature.

I actually like the safety on a small pistol like the Shield for administrative handling,loading,unloading,etc. But when it goes in the holster the safety comes off.

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Blessed be the Lord,my Rock

Works for me

I chose to purchase the 9mm Shield without the thumb safety for two reasons. The first one was that I wanted to make sure I was purchasing a newer manufacturered model and since S&W released the one without the thumb safety only recently, I was assured of getting a Shield that would have any upgraded features. Second, and more importantly for me, if I pull the Shield out in a self defense situation, I don't want to have to worry about releasing the safety. Obviously, that is the thought that Glock had when they developed their first models as law & enforcement wanted a replacement for revolvers and that may be one of the reasons they won the government contracts. So those are my thoughts. Regards, Elliot45

I've been checking this thread since I decided to get a Shield 9mm for CC. The only pistol I have now (and for the past 20 yrs) is a Ruger P90 with a TS. But that safety is down for safe, up for fire, opposite the Shield. So I've decided to go with NS for the Shield. The chance of confusion at the moment of truth swayed me. So thanks everyone for your opinions and advice!

When I bought my Shield, I really struggled with this decision. I went back and forth in my mind many times...TS or...NTS...back to TS, then NTS then TS.

Because of the slim recessed design of the Shield's thumb safety, I decided to go with the TS version (that way I could essentially carry either way) as others have said. However, when I went to the counter of the LGS/Range to do the transaction, all they had in inventory was the NTS version.

So, I wound up with the NTS--and am glad it worked out that way. I am totally comfortable conducting all operations perfectly and safely without having to think about and mess with the TS. My safety is, as many have said--between my ears; My finger never, ever gets inside the trigger guard until ready to shoot--always placed parallel to and just below the slide. Most importantly, if I ever have to engage a threat, I don't have to do anything but bring the pistol up and pull the trigger.

It is a personal decision that really depends on the shooter and additional factors (other handguns owned, experience and training). But the design of the Shield makes the decision not really that difficult either way. I love my NTS Shield--end of story.

I like the safety! I turn it on to holster and then turn it off. I like to have it on to handle the gun or pocket carry.

It is an option to use or not use that you will not have if you get one without a safety.

When I was researching the Shield I watched a video on YouTube in which the videographer inadvertently engaged the safety on his Shield while he was showing it at different angles and didn’t realize it.
I don’t think that only happens in YouTube videos. A safety is a mechanical device and mechanical devices malfunction .
I’ve had to draw a gun exactly one time in self defense in my life and that one time was enough to convince me that I don’t want to have to add any unnecessary steps (AKA opportunities to screw up) to the process.

It’s your life and your choice. You make the decision and you live with the consequences

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Retired Career Security Guard

For continuity, all my M&Ps have the thumb safety, to include my recently acquired Shield 9mm. It's second nature to automatically disengage the safety before firing. I'm a little surprised there are no aftermarket safeties out there. The design is pretty straight forward. I tweaked all my safeties to be more positive. Works good, lasts long time.

The shields ts always looks like it would dig into my side when cc. Is this a problem for anyone or am I over thinking??

Mine has a safety. I carry appendix in a holster. You can easily find more than a dozen reports of people accidentally shooting *themselves* with guns that don't have safeties- DEA agents and cops included. I have never seen a report of somebody getting injured or killed by *another person* because they used their own gun's safety.

I prefer the safety because i have kids and spend a lot of time putting them in car seats etc, there is a chance someone could get drop on me and pull my gun out. Instict will be to yank my gun and pull trigger. If they dont know to use thumb safety i have a fighting chance.

Ditto

I did not have a choice when I purchased my Shield 9mm in 2012.

The safety may prevent a young child from accidently discharging the weapon if it is carelessly left accessible to the toddler.

I would not be too concerned with the safety. You can glue the safety in the firing position if you are concerned.

Russ

The slide release and take-down lever actually stick out farther than the safety switch. No issues with mine.

For the last 20 years or so my carry guns have all been 1911 45ACPs with safeties. So when I bought my Shield 9mm, I got it with the thumb safety. When I draw the gun my thumb swipes the safety off. It's no problem and it's an automatic reaction. You won't be reading about me shooting myself in the leg or other parts of my body!!! And yes you shouldn't put your finger on the trigger until your ready to shoot but accidents do happen to the best of shooters!!!!

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gunfighter48
NRA Life Member

One of the big selling points for me getting my Shield 9mm was the fact that it had a safety. I like the safety on some of my guns, particularly, a small gun with a light trigger, such as the Shield, that may be carried in a pocket (in a pocket holster), or in some other hidden spot.

I carry Glocks 23/27 daily at work. My main off-duty/CCW carry is my LCR .357, none of which have safeties. It is no problem at all for me to transition to a gun with a safety on it. Of course my prior training with the 1911 may have helped me with that. But my point is, during stress training, I never forget the safety if a gun has one on it, never have to give it a conscience effort to remember it.

So for me, give me the safety. And if I ever decide I didn't want it.....I'd just switch it off!!!!

A completely individual choice. Whatever makes you feel comfortable with the pistol is the right choice for you . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .