Smith 952 - Magazine disconnect

[Peakbagr]

I started action pistol again and have begun using the 952.
At the conclusion of shooting stage, range officer commands clearing the gun, then dry firing before reholster. The gun has a magazine disconnect so it won't clear fire without a magazine. That involves taking out an empty mag, showing the range officer it has no ammo, inserting, and pulling trigger for a downrange 'click' to show the gun is safe. Are there good smiths who would be willing to remove the disconnect?

 

[Sevens]

Willing? Good question because it is willfully disabling a “safety device.”

If you were to remove your rear sight and also remove the spring and plunger in the slide, you could defeat the magazine disconnect yourself.

I will go ahead and say it — the magazine disconnect safety that exists on the 52 and 952 pistols just plain SUCKS. Not the entire concept of a magazine disconnect safety, but on two particular models that do not have a manual decocker, it was simply a dumb idea.

Truly, when you consider that a feature intended to promote safety asks or even urges the handler to stick a magazine in to an otherwise unloaded handgun simply to lower the hammer.

While I am ranting please consider that all the other (absolutely phenomenal) single action only target pistols that S&W designed, built and marketed that do not have any manual decocker are in fact not saddled with the Ill-conceived magazine disconnect safety. Namely the 745, 845, 4006 Limited, 3566 Limited, PPC-9, all the 945’s and the PC-1911’s. No manual decocker but no silly magazine disconnect safety.

 

[Peakbagr]

I have been shooting and competing in Action Pistol and Bullseye for years. I know the purpose of the magazine disconnect. For use in Action Pistol, having to swap in an unloaded mag and fire to clear the gun could lead to an unsafe situation while under pressure to fish out an unloaded mag with a half dozen people standing behind you impatient to have you get our of their way. With a safe full of guns without the disconnector, I should probably be loading them up and taking them to a gunsmith to have a mag disconnector installed, right?