The Viking
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The M&P comes with and without the thumb safety. Mine does not have the thumb safety. I am wondering what the opinion is on the thumb safety and how you guys that have it like it?
Safeties
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dannybot
Member
I didn't realize that a safety was offered when I got mine, or I would have gotten one at that time. But now, since I have shot it, and gotten comfortable with it, and have started shooting USPSA matches, I am kind of glad I didn't, I have seen many competitors hit their frame safeties by accident.
In a competition, it only costs your pride, but if you are carrying, or using it for defense, do you want to risk that? The shooters I have seen do it were never all experienced shooters, and usually suspected some sort of malfunction or FTF, so invariably dropped their mag and racked the slide before checking the safety.
It seems to be when the heat gets turned up, people get dumb, so I like to keep things as simple as possible for me.
In a competition, it only costs your pride, but if you are carrying, or using it for defense, do you want to risk that? The shooters I have seen do it were never all experienced shooters, and usually suspected some sort of malfunction or FTF, so invariably dropped their mag and racked the slide before checking the safety.
It seems to be when the heat gets turned up, people get dumb, so I like to keep things as simple as possible for me.
On a carry gun, I prefer to keep it simple. Point and shoot. Right now I carry a 442 but I've been eyeballin' a M&P9c without a safety.
crofoot629
Absent Comrade
I sure like the frame mounted safety on my 1911's and the safety on my AR-15. And my pre 64 Model 70, and on and on.
With traing an ergonomicly placed safety is seemless in the operation of the firearm.
Emory
With traing an ergonomicly placed safety is seemless in the operation of the firearm.
Emory
danysw
Member
My safeties are my finger and my holster. My finger when the gun is in my hands and the holster when is not.
My first handgun with a safety was a S&W 645. Many years later, I got my first Glock, and I was a little nervous about it not having a safety.
In my mind, I was conditioned to push up the safety lever, with my thumb, when shooting the 645, so I had to retrain myself to skip that step with the Glock.
After some time and use I got used to no safety, and actually prefer not having one on a SD handgun, so when I got my first M&P, I decided to get it without the safety.
I recently traded for another M&P with the thumb safety, and it seems odd that the safety has to be pushed down to fire the gun, which is the opposite of the safety on the 645.
If I keep the M&P with the safety, I will probably remove it, along with the mag safety.
That's my personal preference.
In my mind, I was conditioned to push up the safety lever, with my thumb, when shooting the 645, so I had to retrain myself to skip that step with the Glock.
After some time and use I got used to no safety, and actually prefer not having one on a SD handgun, so when I got my first M&P, I decided to get it without the safety.
I recently traded for another M&P with the thumb safety, and it seems odd that the safety has to be pushed down to fire the gun, which is the opposite of the safety on the 645.
If I keep the M&P with the safety, I will probably remove it, along with the mag safety.
That's my personal preference.
Nakanokalronin
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I like the thumb safeties. I use it on my Shield, FS M&P and BG380. Why? Because I've trained that way with 1911s and the P238 that I used to carry. It's completely second nature to me so flicking them off is done without trying.
I never liked just having a trigger tab as a safety. Anything like a flap of a holster, jacket zipper, pull cord, or anything that get's caught in there has a chance of getting hooked. It's not about keeping your finger off the trigger, that's a given. It's the unknown aspect where something may just happen.
In either case, they come with or without them so choose what you want. Me, I wish they made an extended thumb safety for the Shield like on the FS models ,only single sided.
I never liked just having a trigger tab as a safety. Anything like a flap of a holster, jacket zipper, pull cord, or anything that get's caught in there has a chance of getting hooked. It's not about keeping your finger off the trigger, that's a given. It's the unknown aspect where something may just happen.
In either case, they come with or without them so choose what you want. Me, I wish they made an extended thumb safety for the Shield like on the FS models ,only single sided.
BowhuntnHoosier
Member
Dont like thumb safeties at all. I never use the one on my Shield. Safety is between your ears.
highaltitude
Member
I think it's a really good question and one I've struggled with myself most recently. I'm looking to add to my collection with a 9C and have elected to purchase it without the thumb safety. I'm not sure there is a right or wrong answer to this one.. but I'm new to guns and FWIW..here is the reasoning I used to make the decision;
(1) - I have never been trained to use a Safety (heck my first gun was purchased about 2 months ago ! ) and therefore I believe in an emotional situation the probabilities are very high that I would forget to turn it off. I believe we are all vulnerable to "overestimating" our skills.
(2) - I don't like the way the thumb safety sticks on out the gun making the probability higher than it could get caught and engage or disengage without me knowing it.. and in essence could end up being more dangerous for me.
(3) - I concluded that a good holster is a very good safety mechanism by itself because it covers the trigger. I have a remora on the way and plan on keeping the gun tucked away in that whether I'm carrying or not (don't have my CCW license yet anyway).
(4) - I'm making a commitment to always follow the safety rules with finger off the trigger etc etc. If I'm not ready to make this commitment or serious about it, then I should not own any guns...
(1) - I have never been trained to use a Safety (heck my first gun was purchased about 2 months ago ! ) and therefore I believe in an emotional situation the probabilities are very high that I would forget to turn it off. I believe we are all vulnerable to "overestimating" our skills.
(2) - I don't like the way the thumb safety sticks on out the gun making the probability higher than it could get caught and engage or disengage without me knowing it.. and in essence could end up being more dangerous for me.
(3) - I concluded that a good holster is a very good safety mechanism by itself because it covers the trigger. I have a remora on the way and plan on keeping the gun tucked away in that whether I'm carrying or not (don't have my CCW license yet anyway).
(4) - I'm making a commitment to always follow the safety rules with finger off the trigger etc etc. If I'm not ready to make this commitment or serious about it, then I should not own any guns...
1fly2ty
Member
Herbert
You have opened pandora's box! There have been so many articles about safeties, on the M&P series of pistol's on this forum it gets nauseating! There's guys that love them ,there's guys that hate them, and there's guy's that don't give a hoot if it has one or not. Eventually this will erupt into a full blown argument and the thread will be locked. Trust me if you like it buy it, I personally have handguns in both styles and I mentally adapt to whatever firearm I am using at the time, with 21 years in the military you learn to adapt! The M&P is a safe action pistol and as such should not need a safety, however S&W chose to produce them with & without safety's, Like Jeff Cooper once said about safety's on safe action pistols " it's a solution to non existent problem"!
You have opened pandora's box! There have been so many articles about safeties, on the M&P series of pistol's on this forum it gets nauseating! There's guys that love them ,there's guys that hate them, and there's guy's that don't give a hoot if it has one or not. Eventually this will erupt into a full blown argument and the thread will be locked. Trust me if you like it buy it, I personally have handguns in both styles and I mentally adapt to whatever firearm I am using at the time, with 21 years in the military you learn to adapt! The M&P is a safe action pistol and as such should not need a safety, however S&W chose to produce them with & without safety's, Like Jeff Cooper once said about safety's on safe action pistols " it's a solution to non existent problem"!
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JaPes
Member
External Safety v.s. No External Safety is a personal choice based upon preference and training. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. Regardless of the presence of an external safety or not, the most important safety is the thing between your ears that controls your trigger finger.
Personally, I'm comfortable either way. I'm used to manipulating & drawing a Glock with no safety (at a range because no CCW in IL). I'm equally comfortable manipulating and drawing a 1911. Flicking off the safety is instinctual.
My 9fs came with no safety. At the time of purchase, I didn't know they were available with one. My M&P 22 has the safety. If I had it to do over again, I'd opt for the safety because it gives me the option to use it.
Now if you want a real rumble in here, bring up the magazine safety option... yuck... I detest magazine safeties.
Personally, I'm comfortable either way. I'm used to manipulating & drawing a Glock with no safety (at a range because no CCW in IL). I'm equally comfortable manipulating and drawing a 1911. Flicking off the safety is instinctual.
My 9fs came with no safety. At the time of purchase, I didn't know they were available with one. My M&P 22 has the safety. If I had it to do over again, I'd opt for the safety because it gives me the option to use it.
Now if you want a real rumble in here, bring up the magazine safety option... yuck... I detest magazine safeties.
Arik
Member
Dont care for them on anything that is modern. 1911, BHP, stuff like that..ok.
M&Ps, Glocks, ARs, AKs, any S&W steel auto, dont care for safeties.
Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2
M&Ps, Glocks, ARs, AKs, any S&W steel auto, dont care for safeties.
Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2
DocSunShine
Member
Thumb safeties are unnecessary, the only reason it's not a dealbreaker with the shield is because it's so small. The batwings on regular M&Ps are an abortion.
MichiganScott
Member
The safety on the M&P series is an abomination fostered on gun owners by the nanny state government trying to protect us from ourselves and totally unnecessary by design.
Revolvers by design do not need a safety either.
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