So, my newly acquired M&P9 Shield has a manual/external safety on it. Does that mean it doesn’t have the normal internal safeties like the other M&P line of pistols or is the manual safety just added on to the gun on top of the other internal safeties?
Thanks!
It has all the normal safeties. You can also remove the external safety and in the future, there will be a frame plug for the hole.
C4
Ok good to know. Any negative effects if I just keep the safety off as long as my finger is off the trigger unless I want it to be?
I have had mine over a year - I never use the external safety. You will be find.
There is a firing pin safety inside to prevent it from going off if dropped as well
I carry safety off however I do use the safety when holstering IWB. I flip it off once holstered. It flat design and positive activation are perfect for my needs as I don’t worry bout it inadvertently flipping on while carrying.
None.
C4
Grant, this is great news! I just picked up a .40 shield and while the safety does not get in my way, I would just prefer it not be there. Any E.T.A. on the frame plug?
No ETA at this time. I just know that S&W is working on it for LE Shields.
C4
Is there information somewhere on how to properly remove the safety on the Shield?
Thanks for any info.
Just push out the rear pin, lift out the SHB and pull off the safety.
C4
Grant,
Thank you very much for the information. You have been a great resource for me for M&P info.
You are welcome.
C4
So I watched the only YouTube video about taking the safety off, and have another question. If you do just take the whole safety off, is there no chance for the pin that holds in the sear and the ejector to work itself out?
ETA: The video I linked is really unnecessarily long. He has to explain everything.
No as the safety does not retain that pin.
C4
OK, good to know. Thanks for the info.
In a regular M&P, this is correct, but in the Shield the safety does hold a pin underneath it. I would not remove the safety lever entirely, the pin will then be free to move. I was only in the guts of my Shield once, but it was readily apparent removal of the safety lever itself was not a good idea.
I pulled mine and just made a small kydex frame plug.
The rear sear pin can walk out a touch without the safety to block it so I just put a drop of loctite on the end of the pin to hold it in place. Has been perfect for a year of EDC now.
Incorrect. I am a certified armorer for the M&P,
so trust me when I say that the safety does NOT retain the pin.
C4
Nice plug
We’ll just agree to disagree then. I’m not an armorer, just an end user. I’m not motivated enough to take my gun apart again and take photos to show the pin movement issue safety lever removal introduces. Will the pin fall completely out? No. I’d just say the M&P is relatively easy to disassemble yourself with instructions readily available on the internet, and anyone contemplating safety removal should do the disassemble themselves and examine closely how the parts work and interconnect, making their own self-educated call. I’ve seen the “plug” shown above before on another gun forum (S&W or M&P), and it corrects the issue. I don’t like the safety myself, but it was clear complete removal was not an good option, and internal modification to disable was not an option (at least not until spare/replacement parts become readily available), and the plug was not an option (not for sale and I don’t have the skill to make my own). So, every time I pick up and put on the M&P Shield, I check to make sure the safety is off. If Glock would just make a comparable small single stack thin 9mm gun, I’d be completely happy. Those small fractions of inches in dimensions make a huge difference in feel.
See 07:18 on here