Looking at the S&W M&P .40 to carry concealed. Your thoughts?

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C_Heath

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Im a safety guy. My CCW is in the mail and I have a Bodyguard 380 but I want of course, more power but I do not want to give up having a safety. I will Carry the 380 with one in the pipe and safety on. With DA, I feel safe that the looooong trigger pull is my actual safety but Im not sure about the .40 M&P. Is it DA? SA? Anyone carry this thing concealed?

Thank you.
 
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Frequent concern and question.
The M&P series have 3 internal safeties that prevent the gun from firing, even if dropped.
All 3 safeties are released by pulling the trigger, which also finishes cocking it and releasing the striker. Therefore having a holster that covers the trigger and keeping your finger out of the triggr guard until the taget is acquired are both vital for safety. Also, avoid holsters with a retention strap that can get into the trigger guard when reholstering.
The M&Ps are very safe when the correct handling precautions are observed; I like mine a lot.

Besides being a competition safety officer and match director, I am a safety fanatic.
 
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Carry in a proper holster which completely covers the trigger and you won't have any problems.

I regularly carry a Glock 19 or a Glock 22 with no safety issues whatever.
 
I carried an M&P40c for a long time and loved it. The best holster I found was the Comp-Tac MTAC. I'd still have it today if it weren't for the fact that I'm just more comfortable with a revolver and now carry a S&W 638 (with a reload).
 
The only thing unsafe about that pistol is the shooter. Always remember what the others have said: Make sure your holster covers the trigger and make sure that when you draw your pistol, the trigger finger is along side of the frame and will be pointing at what you want to shoot until you acquire your target. Your trigger finger is your most positive safety.
 
Ditto what all of the previous posters have stated.

I'll probably receive alot of push back for the comment I'm about to make, but the only safety on a semi-auto pistol that makes any sense (to me) is when it's on a 1911 style pistol, i.e. "cocked and locked"/Condition 1.

The 40c like many of the other M&P semi-auto pistols, is a double action (DA), striker fired pistol (i.e. no hammer for SA). There have been many previous posts about the pros & cons of manual and mag safety equipped pistols, and whether or not there should be a round (ready) in the chamber (Condition 1 for a striker/DA) that you can search for on this forum. Also, there is a plethora of posts related to round/caliber "power".

My preference is no safety and pistol in the "ready-to-fire, just-pull-the trigger" condition (1).
 
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My 4 1/4" barrel M&P 40 Pro conceals well under a coat, longish sweatshirt or loose sweater. It rides in a Galco Concealable belt holster condition one. It's a tad big for Summer (remember Summer) CCW so then I go to a Ruger SP101 snubby or PPK/S in a similar rig with my shirtail out.

MP40.jpg
 
Im a safety guy. My CCW is in the mail and I have a Bodyguard 380 but I want of course, more power but I do not want to give up having a safety. I will Carry the 380 with one in the pipe and safety on. With DA, I feel safe that the looooong trigger pull is my actual safety but Im not sure about the .40 M&P. Is it DA? SA? Anyone carry this thing concealed?

Thank you.

That's strange, my name is Heath, my CCW is in the mail, and I am also considering the M&P 40.. Weird!

On the issue at hand, I actually find external safeties to be a pain in the ***, having shot Glocks all my life, I find the internal locks to be more than sufficient in safety, as long as you're careful.
 
Ditto what all of the previous posters have stated.

I'll probably receive alot of push back for the comment I'm about to make, but the only safety on a semi-auto pistol that makes any sense (to me) is when it's on a 1911 style pistol, i.e. "cocked and locked"/Condition 1.

The 40c like many of the other M&P semi-auto pistols, is a double action (DA), striker fired pistol (i.e. no hammer for SA). There have been many previous posts about the pros & cons of manual and mag safety equipped pistols, and whether or not there should be a round (ready) in the chamber (Condition 1 for a striker/DA) that you can search for on this forum. Also, there is a plethora of posts related to round/caliber "power".

My preference is no safety and pistol in the "ready-to-fire, just-pull-the trigger" condition (1).

I forgot to mention that my EDC (summer & winter) is the 40c in a PSS kydex holster.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/concea...l-security-systems-pancake-kydex-holster.html
 
Been carrying a 40c for over two years. It gets shot on a regular basis and I've never had a problem. Easy to care for, accurate and easy to conceal.
 
I have several M&Ps and love the way they feel. Probably my favorite automatic ever. I do carry the compact more. Both sizes feel good in a crossbreed super tuck.

1009001lo.jpg


I carry at about half way between the leg seam and right rear pocket on jeans. “3:30”. My favorite IWB holster for the M&P’S is a crossbreed. Great combination.
 
My everyday carry is an M&P 40 compact with 357 Sig barrel and a full size magazine for backup with X-Grip adapter.

IMO, the compact M&P is the perfect carry gun.

If you have room for the full size, the M&P 40 is one of the softest shooting 40's I ever shot.

You won't be disappointed with either.
 
I have several M&Ps and love the way they feel. Probably my favorite automatic ever. I do carry the compact more. Both sizes feel good in a crossbreed super tuck.

1009001lo.jpg


I carry at about half way between the leg seam and right rear pocket on jeans. “3:30”. My favorite IWB holster for the M&P’S is a crossbreed. Great combination.

Hey Warren.,... looks like we're neighbors. Love my M&P's too, got 4 of them, no doubt more down the road. Just spoke with a friend from CT that shot a Colt 45 last week, said he didn't care for it, wasn't comfy.. told him I had just the 45 for for him... :D;)

By the way.. great picture..
 
The only true safety I'm aware of is the connection between your brain and your booger hook.

That said, I carried a Glock 27 as my first CCW handgun, and it was a hand full.

Could have been as much to do with my lack of shooting experience.

I would only want a full frame in those larger calibers
 
I carry an M&P 40 on and off duty. Mine has the ambidextrous saftey. That is more of an officer safety issue than concealed carry one. That being said if the manual safety feels good for you on the bodyguard it might be a good option for you on the M&P. If you train and practice with it its just as fast as the one without the safety.

Mike
 
Im a safety guy. My CCW is in the mail and I have a Bodyguard 380 but I want of course, more power but I do not want to give up having a safety. I will Carry the 380 with one in the pipe and safety on. With DA, I feel safe that the looooong trigger pull is my actual safety but Im not sure about the .40 M&P. Is it DA? SA? Anyone carry this thing concealed?

Thank you.

If the M&P is like the Glock it's NOT a double action --- and it's not for me. Having a manual safety on a Glock-like gun kinda makes it "cocked N locked" when carried --- that's not for me either. I also appreciate loooong DA type trigger pulls.

I wouldn't carry a double-action revolver with the hammer cocked --- and it won't go off either unless I touch the trigger.

One of the best lines I've heard was uttered by the Lady Agent on the Mentalist tv show re: the Glock. "The safety's in the trigger, it's almost like having no safety at all".

PS I don't use the safety at all on my DA/SA 3913 LS -- except to decock it.
 
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I love the M&P .40, it seems like a couple years ago lots of people were saying the .40 would be dead and gone pretty soon but now it seems like more and more people are buying them. I always had more confidence in the .40 then the 9 mm and still do, but I think the nine is adequate.
 
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