M&P advice sought

[silverstar1]

I am considering the purchase of a full-size M&P 40 and have found that they can be ordered with various features. So far, I have decided that I do not want the safety lever or lock but would like to buy one with the holster & mag holders. I would appreciate any feed-back on the above but especially on the optional magazine lock - it would seem to me that if you inadvertantly hit the magazine release in the middle of a gun fight or during a timed competition and your gun refused to fire the remaining round in the chamber, that would not be a good thing! Is the magazine lock desirable and why? Thanks.

 

[silverstar1]

I am considering the purchase of a full-size M&P 40 and have found that they can be ordered with various features. So far, I have decided that I do not want the safety lever or lock but would like to buy one with the holster & mag holders. I would appreciate any feed-back on the above but especially on the optional magazine lock - it would seem to me that if you inadvertantly hit the magazine release in the middle of a gun fight or during a timed competition and your gun refused to fire the remaining round in the chamber, that would not be a good thing! Is the magazine lock desirable and why? Thanks.

 

[EOD Guy]

I have a full-size M&P 40 and it has been 100% reliable. If you plan on using it for personal defense, I recommend you get it without the magazine disconnect and with night sights.

 

[swede4198]

I have a full size M&P .40 with night sights and a mag disconect. I have used this pistol in a competative tactical league for two years. I have never ejected a mag accidentally. The reason I perfer the disconnect is that if you get into a hand to hand fight, (bad planning) ejecting a mag will safety the gun and allow you to go for your knife while the bad guy wonders why the gun won't work.

 

[Firehouse]

Good idea, except that can work both ways.

 

[silverstar1]

I guess I am reluctant to go with the mag disconnect because I am a revolver guy and am not used to anything interfering with me firing a round when I pull the trigger. My intended use is personal defense in my house or car but due to it's size, probably not for concealed carry as I live in a warm climate and seldom wear a jacket or coat. Unless I receive information indicating unintended mag releases are a problem I don't suppose I will worry about it.

 

[Jim Watson]

My Plastic M&P 9mm does not have a magazine disconnect. Nor do any of my other service pistols, although my M52 and M41 target pistols do.

I am not a cop, if I am carrying a gun it is concealed and the need for the Ayoob Technique of dropping the magazine of a disconnect equipped gun as it is wrested out of my hand seems remote.

On the other hand, I have never inadventently dropped the magazine from a pistol, and I have had some with pretty big magazine catches.

On the gripping hand, I shoot a lot of IDPA and a disconnect gun is very aggravating to "unload and show clear".

 

[growr]

My Full size M&P .40 S&W has over 5000 rounds through it and has NEVER failed me in any manner at all. It is now my main match gun for USPSA and IDPA. It just keeps on getting better and better!! (Several local Died in the Wool Glock shooters have actually switched to M&P's after shooting a stage with mine.) Use it early and often you will NOT be disappointed!!!
Randy

 

[Mortech]

I own a full size M&P40 , I bought one of the early production maodels and I have had no problems with it . It did come with the mag safety which I was able to easily remove .

 

[silverstar1]

Thanks for the info everybody. The S&W site doesn't say anything about the magazine disconect except that it is optional for law enforcement/government. I sent them an e-mail requesting more info and will go from there. If I end up with one with a magazine disconnect and don't like it, I'll check back with Mortech to find out how to remove it. Thanks again.

 

[shawn mccarver]

Originally posted by silverstar1:
I am considering the purchase of a full-size M&P 40 and have found that they can be ordered with various features. So far, I have decided that I do not want the safety lever or lock but would like to buy one with the holster & mag holders. I would appreciate any feed-back on the above but especially on the optional magazine lock - it would seem to me that if you inadvertantly hit the magazine release in the middle of a gun fight or during a timed competition and your gun refused to fire the remaining round in the chamber, that would not be a good thing! Is the magazine lock desirable and why? Thanks.

It depends on your situation. Some argue the mag disconnect is like a "kill switch." Thus, if you are defending a gun grab, there are real documented cases where an officer pushed the mag release and the assailant could not kill the officer when the gun was taken away.

A friend of mine used to remove the mag, but leave the round in the chamber (it is very harmful to take an auto pistol round in and out of the chamber as the projectile (bullet) will be pushed down further into the cartridge case until pressures skyrocket.

Finally, some people just can't remember how to unload an auto, and they run the slide before removing the mag, and then remove the mag, thereby leaving one in the chamber. Disaster waiting to happen if you don't have the mag disconnect.

On the other hand, there is the crowd that wants to be able to fire the gun if the magazine is lost, or damaged, etc.

I think you must ask yourself which scenario is closer to your real life situation. Do you have kids around so it is better to have the mag out and deactivate the gun? Do you like to deactivate the gun without removing and re-chambering the round in the firing chamber each day? Will the gun be used by someone not completely up to speed, who may forget the order of things in the unloading process?

The holster/mag pouch combo sets were, I believe, only provided with the versions of the guns without locks and mag disconnect. However, if you want the type with the mag disconnect, just buy the gun and order the holster and mag pouch directly from Blade Tech. They supplied the ones to S&W for the holster package.

 

[rollback88]

Originally posted by swede4198:
The reason I perfer the disconnect is that if you get into a hand to hand fight, (bad planning) ejecting a mag will safety the gun and allow you to go for your knife while the bad guy wonders why the gun won't work.

Good point. I've just thought of the mag disconnect on my 9c as a hassle for cleaning (to dry fire and release the striker), but since it is my primary carry gun, your point is well taken.

--jcd