external safety

[Rastoff]

Well BOTH my MP9C Apex and my SR1911 have a 1/16 free travel
The SR1911 breaks at 4.5 and the MP9C at 3.5
If that is not 1911 like I don't know what would be

None of my 1911s have more than 1/32" of slack, but that's not what I'm talking about.

The Apex FSS is a great upgrade. I recommend it all the time. Still, because of the single sided trigger bar, the M&P trigger feels a little "spongy". It will never be as good as a 1911 unless the trigger bar is dramatically changed.

 

[hokiefyd]

I've played with M&P manual safeties from pretty much all over the timeline. I was at a Cabelas yesterday and played with all 4 new M&P's they had that had manual safeties, they were all mush, felt weakly engaged in either position, and felt the same as the manual safety on my new M&P22Compact. Sadly the only positive information gleaned from the experience is that they were all as they were designed to be, which is not good.

That's disappointing. I guess I got lucky with mine. If it's off, it takes a reasonable amount of upward thumb pressure to engage it. Again, not quite as positive of an engagement as my Shield, but close. Very much on-par with how the safeties on my dad's STI 2011 and Smith 1911 feel in terms of effort to engage.

Disengaging all three is obviously pretty easy -- downward thumb pressure is much more natural than trying to lift something with the thumb.

 

[McE]

I don't think it's a matter of spring tension, it seems to be more about the travel pattern. Almost analogous to the trigger comparison between 1911 SA and striker fired.
M&P safety doesn't have a wall of resistance before breaking/ clicking into place, it starts moving soon as you put any pressure on it, and creeps over a longer hump. That's best as I can describe it.
A firmer spring won't change the travel pattern, just make it heavier, just like how a heavier trigger return spring won't change the distance and humps involved in the trigger pull.

 

[hokiefyd]

I understand that there are detents in the safety lever that can be deepened to achieve a more positive engagement, if one particular gun's safety feels loose. I guess I'll count my blessings that mine doesn't.

 

[itr674]

I would like an external safety and the applicable sear block, also.

Whether good or bad, I would like one, and have searched and not found any available.

Just purchased a brand new MP9 with mag safety thinking I could put just order the parts and install myself, but now after doing a lot of reading seems S&W does not like to change a gun once it is manufactured?

Took me a while to buy one and if the safety can't be had, well it will be traded or sold.

 

[hokiefyd]

Took me a while to buy one and if the safety can't be had, well it will be traded or sold.

Good luck in your search (I mean that with sincerity). I used the reverse logic with my purchase -- I bought mine as a range gun, and have plans for a flat Apex trigger in the future and perhaps some other trigger work. It's a fun gun for me. I didn't know, ultimately, the extent of what I'd do, so I bought one with the safety in case I went far with the gun. If the gun has a safety, it's fairly easy to remove it if you don't want it. But, yeah, it's more difficult to add one if you DO want it.

I bought it with the intention of removing it until I went "all the way" with the trigger work, but I actually enjoy it being there. I've shot a lot of 1911s, and this is very reminiscent to me of a 1911's safety. So I haven't removed it...and may not.

Have you confirmed that your sear housing is the old style? What is the build date of your gun? If it's within the last year or so, it may have the universal sear housing and all you'd need to add are the manual safety lever and spring/plunger. Does your frame have the (plugged) cut-outs for the safety lever? If so, then I bet you have the newer sear housing.

 

[kbm6893]

The safety in my Ruger SR9 engages with a solid click. I love that gun.

 

[Rastoff]

I would like an external safety and the applicable sear block, also.

The thumb safety on the M&P doesn't block the sear. It only prevents trigger movement.

 

[JM4151]

External safety for a M & P

I purchased a M & P 9 C a few years ago to have for my yearly firearms qualification.I always liked a safety on a handgun. I noticed that the safety lever was loose and that it would change position when it was being carried in a holster and it even changed position when the gun was being fired. I wrote several letters to Smith & Wesson. Two got answered and several others didn't They sent me parts and I even attempted to file the detentes deeper in the safety lever, without much success in making the safety stiffer. I got frustrated and while speaking with one of the service people at Smith, I was told that it was a design flaw and not much could be done with it. I even tried to reduce the size of the safety lever to be more like the Shield or Bodyguard, but that didn't work either. I was hoping that Smith had one in a smaller size that they could supply. I ended up trading the gun in and loosing more that $150.00. I purchased a Ruger SR C in 9 MM and that gun and safety, works fine. I was frustrated and disappointed with Smith & Wesson!! I can't understand how large agencies are purchasing these guns and not having problems with them. It has to be costing the company sales. I mentioned that in one of the letters that I wrote that wasn't answered.

 

[McE]

Just picked up my M&P22Compact and it actually has a very positive and appropriately clicky feel to it. I would be happy if I could find an M&P45 with that great of a safety, then I would throw in the Apex competition kit.

 

[Rastoff]

...I was told that it was a design flaw and not much could be done with it.

Someone at Smith told you it was a design flaw? Wow, that's strange.

Like I said before, the thumb safety on my 45 is fine. Yes, it's a shade lighter than my 1911s, but not by a lot. It will stay off if you hold the gun properly. It stays on when in the holster.

I just don't see the issue.

 

[Rastoff]

One more thing. The thumb safety on an M&P is largely superfluous. As long as the trigger is covered while in the holster, the gun CANNOT fire. The only benefit is when reholstering. If something managed to get in the trigger guard, the thumb safety could prevent the trigger from being pressed. If the owner is doing what they should be, this won't be an issue, but I can see the benefit under those circumstances.

 

[ggibson511960]

Cutting on Plastic???

How old is your gun? I'd say the best way to add the safety would be to install the new design sear housing (the assembly that holds the rear frame rails, the sear, the sear disconnect lever, etc). This new design sear housing has the provision for the manual safety integral to the design. With the new sear housing, you can simply include the manual safety levers with it (or not if one doesn't want them).

The safety levers will require modification to the frame: you'll have to provide the cut-outs that are present in new models (and plugged with No Thumb Safety models). I imagine this could be done pretty easily with careful work with a dremel tool and some light files/abrasive paper (with the sear housing removed).

I've done my share of drilling, cutting and filing on all kinds of polymers and plastics. The common end result of all these projects is bad surfacee finish, much attributable to operator clumsiness, but all partly due to the inherently soft surface of polymers as opposed to metal. I'm certain one could drill and shape a frame hole that would work, and the cutting tool marks would be partially hidden by the safety levers, but I wouldn't want a piece so altered. Knocking out a filler plug would be great, but cutting a hole? Not me. I would trade for a gun so configured rather than booger up mine.

 

[hokiefyd]

I've done my share of drilling, cutting and filing on all kinds of polymers and plastics. The common end result of all these projects is bad surfacee finish, much attributable to operator clumsiness, but all partly due to the inherently soft surface of polymers as opposed to metal. I'm certain one could drill and shape a frame hole that would work, and the cutting tool marks would be partially hidden by the safety levers, but I wouldn't want a piece so altered. Knocking out a filler plug would be great, but cutting a hole? Not me. I would trade for a gun so configured rather than booger up mine.

I agree with you. Fortunately, in this case, you don't have to cut a hole in the frame. All you have to do is notch it.

The manual safety mechanism lies entirely with the sear housing block at the rear of the pistol. The only interaction it has with the frame is riding in those clearance notches.

 

[itr674]

I would like an external safety and the applicable sear block, also. Took me a while to buy one and if the safety can't be had, well it will be traded or sold.

Trying one last time, does anyone have a safety lever for a M&P 9 they would sale me. My frame as the cut outs.
Still none at Speed Shooters and haven't been able to get through to S&W to see if they will sale me one...

 

[deeznuts]

Got this quote from another forum...

"S&W will not sell those parts. They will sell you the entire sear block fully assembled with the lever for $120+ just not the safety lever for $10."

If you m&p did not come with the safety S&W wont sell just the lever to you. I called and asked. Your best bet is finding someone that took theirs off and willing to give or sell it to you. Another is to wait for SSS to get it back it stock. Hope you find one.

 

[itr674]

deeznuts thanks for reply, I thought that would be the case. I will start looking a buyer...