S&W M&P9c vs. other easily concealed handguns

[Big-Tex]

I plan to get one of these with safety as soon as I have the cash. If you decide to sell it let me know. I am carrying the Taurus 709 slim which has a thumb safety and I like having it. It also has a trigger safety. I have an M&P 9mm Pro for comp shooting that I love. I eventually would like the 9c for carry and want to keep the thumb safety. Can a smith make the safety a bit more positive?

B

I'm going to talk to a few and see if they can stiffen it up, and if not, take it off. I really like the gun, and I want to keep it. It's a tack driver for a sub-compact. I highly recommend it.

 

[DaveTec]

Take it in to a smith and have the safety removed and your good to go. I carry a M&P45 with no safety and also have a M&P 40c that has no safety and have never had a problem. I feel very comfortable carrying them and never worry about dropping them and having them go off.

I'm considering an MP40c. How do you like yours? (I have a full sized MP40 and love it.)

 

[TonyT]

I don't understand why the M&P comes with a safety. I thought the design was much like a Glock with no external safety required. I carried both a Glock 36 and a S&W 99 for a while - neither of them had external safeties. I recently switched to a Kahr PM-9 (also no external safety) since it's slim size allowed me to conceal more reliably.
The external safety on S&W M&P's might be a local requirement but I do believe it is required for it's use. My S&W M&P9 Pro which I use for IDPA does not have an external safety. For defesive purposes I prefer a gun which is safe in ready to fire condition and does not require the use of a manual safety. Thus the preference for the Kahr, S&W 99, S&W M&P or Glock. I would never carry a 1911 style handgun for defensive purposes although I do shoot them in single stack matches.
While I have used the Glock 36 and Glock 17 both for serious purposes and competition I prefer the ergonomics of the S&W 99 or S&W M&P line.

I have the M&P and I like the gun overall, but I don't love it. I have the one with the safety; problem is the safety engagement isn't as positive as I would like. It gets bumped off if I toss it on the bed, and if a little 2' toss can knock it off, what would happened if I was dropped in a struggle?

That's my only real complaint. So what should I do?

1) Ditch the 9mm and get a 1911?
2) Ditch the safety version and get a M&P without the safety?
2) Get a glock 36 and learn to point a glock?

What would you do?

Also, does anyone have experience with this guy? www.rijasservices.com

Thanks y'all.

 

[Big-Tex]

I don't understand why the M&P comes with a safety. I thought the design was much like a Glock with no external safety required. I carried both a Glock 36 and a S&W 99 for a while - neither of them had external safeties. I recently switched to a Kahr PM-9 (also no external safety) since it's slim size allowed me to conceal more reliably.
The external safety on S&W M&P's might be a local requirement but I do believe it is required for it's use. My S&W M&P9 Pro which I use for IDPA does not have an external safety. For defesive purposes I prefer a gun which is safe in ready to fire condition and does not require the use of a manual safety. Thus the preference for the Kahr, S&W 99, S&W M&P or Glock. I would never carry a 1911 style handgun for defensive purposes although I do shoot them in single stack matches.
While I have used the Glock 36 and Glock 17 both for serious purposes and competition I prefer the ergonomics of the S&W 99 or S&W M&P line.

I originaly purchased it thinking the safety would be nice for a gun that would ride in the glove box, but I've found myself constantly paranoid about it's conditions. I'd rather it not be there and my finger be the safety. Like you've said, for defensive carry, a safe in ready to fire condition is preferable.

 

[B96brig4CC]

Ive looked at a couple DIY tear downs. I think I'll try it. Have any of y'all done anything to increase the grip's "grippy-ness"? Grip tape? Stippeling?

I have stippled all of my back straps, front strap, mag release and the back of the slide. Very easy to do and looks great and feels even better.

 

[B96brig4CC]

I don't understand why the M&P comes with a safety. I thought the design was much like a Glock with no external safety required. I carried both a Glock 36 and a S&W 99 for a while - neither of them had external safeties. I recently switched to a Kahr PM-9 (also no external safety) since it's slim size allowed me to conceal more reliably.
The external safety on S&W M&P's might be a local requirement but I do believe it is required for it's use. My S&W M&P9 Pro which I use for IDPA does not have an external safety. For defesive purposes I prefer a gun which is safe in ready to fire condition and does not require the use of a manual safety. Thus the preference for the Kahr, S&W 99, S&W M&P or Glock. I would never carry a 1911 style handgun for defensive purposes although I do shoot them in single stack matches.
While I have used the Glock 36 and Glock 17 both for serious purposes and competition I prefer the ergonomics of the S&W 99 or S&W M&P line.

The safety was added as a requirement of the US military. They are just available to civilians with that variation too. I think otherwise they would not have even made them that way.

 

[Street Rat]

Ive looked at a couple DIY tear downs. I think I'll try it. Have any of y'all done anything to increase the grip's "grippy-ness"? Grip tape? Stippeling?

I had a 40c and had the stippling done by Accurate Iron (Mike) and made it much better. Then later decided I needed to trade it for a full size M&P40. This one just fits my hand like a glove.

 

[blutch]

What's wrong with having a thumb safety? It takes an eighth of a second to flip it down. I really like having it on my CCW and when I switch to the MP 9c I will get it with the thumb safety.

I feel better having it and cant see how it is "less ready to go" than one without... especially if you drill and practice with it.

B

 

[Spiff]

What's wrong with having a thumb safety? It takes an eighth of a second to flip it down.

It doesn't even take that long. Actually, it doesn't take any time at all. Disengaging the safety is all part of the draw stroke. Your right thumb's not doing anything else anyway.

 

[LightningCrash]

It doesn't even take that long. Actually, it doesn't take any time at all. Disengaging the safety is all part of the draw stroke. Your right thumb's not doing anything else anyway.

Some people don't disengage the thumb safety until extending the pistol to engage the threat.

ie, Remove from holster, assess the threat, extend while disengaging safety, fire.