You probably just want to pick up both and just see how they fit your hand. Initially I wanted a TS because of the added security. However, after handling both I chose to get my 9c without it. For my hand size/grip the safety was just in the wrong place. I think moving it 1/4-1/2 either forwards or backwards would have made it ok, but in its current location it just didn’t work for me. YMMV
Of course if as guys are saying you can remove the TS and plug the hole then maybe you just get it with. You can try both configurations and then adjust accordingly
I work for Department that issues the 9mm M&P without the thumb safety, but mandates a magazine safety.
When we issued 3rd generation 5906’s the guns had safeties, but officers were trained to use it as a decocker. The concern was that officers might fail to take the safety off under stress.
With the DAO 5946’s, there was no safety, so when we transitioned to the M&P, it was not much of an issue. Also at the time of the transition, the thumb safety models had not been invented. (To give an idea of the time frame, the first three 9mm M&P’s to ever leave the factory were sent to us as T&E guns).
We have had two confirmed officer saves during weapon retention struggles, by officers dropping the magazine.
My personally owned M&P’s do not have the thumb safety. But I bought them before the safety was an option. At times I wouldn’t mind a safety though. Would be nice to have if the gun was going to be left in a night stand, in the tent while sleeping on a camping trip, carried W/O holster in you belt line (I still would use a holster though…) secured in a car when entering a non-gun environment for CCW, ect.
To the OP, I think that it all comes to a training issue and to individual preference. I would try to handle the same model, with and without.
The nice thing about the M&P line is that you do have a choice.
I know that handling them both is probably best but there are a total of two gun stores around here and neither stock M&P. Because of this I almost walked out with a Gen4 G17 the other day but was able to resist the impulse buy (just barely though).
I personally strongly prefer a TS. Just a small bit of added insurance. Train with it and it will become second nature to hit it off when the finger goes to the trigger. If you find you don’t like it on when initially carrying it, leave it in the off position. If it is a duty weapon I would also opt for the mag disconnect safety. There are countless documented cases of officers being saved by that device.
Doesn’t much matter to me except for use specific function. I often carry off body in a maxpedition briefcase that has a holster built in. For off body applications, I think thumb safety is a good extra measure (not definitive by any means). For on body, I’d be indifferent. It does seem nice to be able to buy the safety model and remove the safety.
Without, unless department mandated. The only M&P I have with it is the 45. It seems too flimsy and is easily engaged accidentally if you don’t ride it like 1911. I much prefer the other 3 without it.
My 45c came with a thumb safety, only because it was a super deal. Easy to remove, it really is just a bar and nothing else. And I believe the frame plugs can be had from Grant as well.
I would get a thumb safety if any of these conditions apply:
[ul]
[li]Open carry
[/li][li]Usually shoot a 1911 or condition 1 gun
[/li][li]kids in the vicinity (YMMV here)
[/li][li]AIWB carry
[/li][/ul]
Thumb safeties on striker-fired weapons with ~ 5 pound triggers are a good thing.
I owned an M&P .45 with the thumb safety. My beef was that it wasn’t placed as well as a 1911’s thumb safety and tended to sometimes interfere slightly with my ability to hit the slide release. I could have easily adapted with some training…but all my holsters were for non-safetied versions of the M&P. Rather than spend all that money I just stuck with the safety-less versions of the M&P.
Now that I’m carrying in an appendix holster, I would really REALLY like a safety on my M&P. Eventually I’ll probably get one.
Mr. Howe’s thoughts quoted above are worth careful consideration. People often speak about safety from a perspective of ideal conditions. The real world does not present ideal conditions terribly often. I carry my M&P’s with the ~ 5 pound trigger and no manual safety daily without fear, but I have gone out of my way to develop handling habits that minimize the danger of handling them, especially when reholstering. I wouldn’t mind a good ergonomically sound safety to go along with the handling practices.
Because you are at greater risk for someone trying to take away your exposed pistol; a manual safety gives you a touch more time to react and mitigate such an attack…
As I have stated before, I strongly prefer having a manual safety on a pistol that is used for uniformed LE use and other open carry; I have twice seen officers’ lives potentially saved when another person gained control of an officer’s pistol, but the engaged manual safety prevented the weapon from firing–I don’t like to think about the outcome if the pistols involved had been a Glock, Sig, XD, revolver, etc…
To be honest, I hadn’t even considered that aspect of it. I think that may have just settled it. I’ll get the TS and the plugs in case I don’t like it. Thanks for the help everyone.
That’s my thread at the M&P forum. The mod is pretty simple. The change in feel is pretty dramatic. The beauty of it is that you can adjust the tension to fit your wants or needs. I have mine set pretty stiff. I was at the range last night and the pistol got passed around the shop by the staff and they were all blown away.
Initially I chose the M&P 45 with the thumb safety because I thought the trigger would require a little work after dry firing it in the funshop. I found that after some dry firing with snap caps and putting some ammo down range that the trigger broke in very nicely. I would hasten to guess that just shooting it a few hundred rounds lightened the pull by 15-20%. Even more noticeable was how much smoother the trigger pull became. I have never owned any firearm that had such a dramatic break in period.
I did eventually send it off to Dan Burwell for his standard trigger job after hearing about so many favorable reviews of his work. I have to say that I agree with all of those positive comments. The trigger feels amazing and breaks as just under 5lbs measured from the middle of the trigger with a Lyman gauge. The reset is also much shorter and more positive as well. It is the closest thing to a good 1911 trigger I have felt on a striker fired pistol. It’s silky smooth and breaks like glass.
I have shot it in USPSA limited 10 as well as in local steel matches. I actually seem to shoot better with the 45 than my 9Pro which also has the Burwell standard trigger job.
Another thought…I have seen many who carry Glocks and ARs either fail to operate the safety on the AR (what I consider to be)properly because they shoot Glocks more and subconsciously have it in their minds no need to operate any safety at all. They forget to disengage it on the AR which obviously could be bad when a shot is needed.
Or they do not use the safety on the AR except when they are about to take both hands off of it and “let it hang” (if they engage it at all).
I know many here shoot and train a lot, others not as much. To me, for the average guy (and average cop) both weapons with the same manual of arms will ensure proper use on both systems.
I guess I should explain what my opinion of proper safety use should be. In the “hunt” (moving,searching) stationary and searching for a target or covering an opening or area - Safety on till target located, IDed and decision to fire. Done shooting, off target, completed your scan for secondary threats and/or moving again - Safety back on.
This was a good arguement made for finally getting other sidearms approved for us than just a Glock. Average cop does not practice enough on his time and his dime to get consistent with two operating systems.
