Thumb safety on M&P

[DBagnall]

Hi all,

I have perhaps what may be a silly question but ultimately the only silly question is usually the one that doesn't get asked.

I have a S&W M&P .40 compact that I use for daily carry. I really like the M&P platform but I have never been big on safeties other than my trigger finger, of course. The gun I carry happens to have a thumb safety that I especially hate. The only reason I have one is that I got a really good deal on the gun. The safety seems to 1. always be in the way and 2. it isn't stiff at all so it is always engaging/disengaging with little or no effort/movement.

I want to know if it would be a horrible idea to remove the safety lever completely, or if I should cut my losses and maybe look to trade the gun for something without the annoying safety. I have seen various videos and what not showing that it can be done but I want to know if it could seriously be detrimental at all to the firearm.

Any input or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thank you,

-D

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[Nightshade]

If something were to happen you could be held liable for removing a safety device. let's here what other's have to say

 

[accessbob]

My suggestion is to either

a.) Sell the one with the safety and buy one without.
or
b.) Sell the one you have and buy the Shield .40 which does have the safety but it takes quite a bit of force to put on or take off and then just leave it off.

 

[iGun]

First off, do you like the M&P? If you don't love it then that might help in your decision.

 

[DBagnall]

My suggestion is to either

a.) Sell the one with the safety and buy one without.
or
b.) Sell the one you have and buy the Shield .40 which does have the safety but it takes quite a bit of force to put on or take off and then just leave it off.

My initial thinking was your option a. Sell it or offer it up for trade for something without. I have a buddy who is a Glock armorer and he thought that the lever assembly could just be lifted out. Hence the reasoning behind my question. The safety on this gun seems like it is a mere afterthought. It doesn't fit at all... Plus it protrudes a fair amount to the point that the original owner filed some material off so that he could more comfortably carry it.

I have certainly been eyeballing the Shields, reviews and feedback have been stellar and it is certainly on my list of guns to handle/acquire.

 

[DBagnall]

First off, do you like the M&P? If you don't love it then that might help in your decision.

I absolutely love the M&P! I just hate the thumb safety.... Thank God it doesn't have the magazine disco safety though, otherwise I would have passed on the gun altogether....

 

[iGun]

Guess I would trade it in on another M&P rather than mod it.

 

[DBagnall]

Guess I would trade it in on another M&P rather than mod it.

That is probably the more logical choice. It is just a pain to try and trade it.

 

[iGun]

A buddy's dad got a thumb safety ADDED to his Glock 17 at a gun show. It looked like someone with shaky hands took a Dremel to his frame, and the safety itself was flimsy. Ruined the gun as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Nwcid]

The safety on this gun seems like it is a mere afterthought. It doesn't fit at all...

Because it was. M&P is a gun that functions like a Glock. There is a large % of gun owners that think planes are going to fall from the sky and children will be born deformed if a gun does not have an external safety. S&W added a feel good piece to a perfectly good gun for that group.

 

[iGun]

I can understand the desire for a safety. Just dont need them myself. Safely holstering IWB a Glock type weapon requires some training and care. Also some people don't understand that the holster IS the safety, and leave their gun fully loaded in a pack or purse. So I guess I think S&W did a good thing by offering it with and without.