Is the thumb safety a detriment on the 45's?
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There is not enough positve enguagement for me with the safety. When you flip it up into safe, the "click" or positive enguagement is lame. Not enough for me to have very much faith in it. I bought mine without the safety and I love it. The trigger is all you need on this type of pistol.
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There is a segment of the firearms community that is way too cool to need a safety on their firearms. 'All the safety they need is between their ears.' This is something that you see a lot of in the Glock community. Although those with leg creases and perforated feet brought about by holstering accidents are a bit less militant about the uselessness of manual safeties than some of the others. :wink:
A safety is just one more tool used to lessen the possibility of accidents. It does not mean that you may shift your brain into neutral, nor - contrary to a Glock article of faith does the possession of a safety cause brain damage, pimples, or rot your teeth. Few if any 1911 owners have leg creases or perforated feet so they must be of some use. :wink:
Nor contrary to an article of faith does a safety slow you so much as a nanosecond. You simply get used to drawing normally (finger off the trigger) and during the rotation (bringing the muzzle up) your thumb slides down across the safety - finger still off the trigger. Total time lost - ZERO!
I will alway prefer a manual safety but then walking and chewing gum at the same time has never been an issue for me. 8)
A safety is just one more tool used to lessen the possibility of accidents. It does not mean that you may shift your brain into neutral, nor - contrary to a Glock article of faith does the possession of a safety cause brain damage, pimples, or rot your teeth. Few if any 1911 owners have leg creases or perforated feet so they must be of some use. :wink:
Nor contrary to an article of faith does a safety slow you so much as a nanosecond. You simply get used to drawing normally (finger off the trigger) and during the rotation (bringing the muzzle up) your thumb slides down across the safety - finger still off the trigger. Total time lost - ZERO!
I will alway prefer a manual safety but then walking and chewing gum at the same time has never been an issue for me. 8)
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As a devout, 1911 loyalist, I have to agree with sholling. I like my guns to have thumb safeties and I don't use their presence as an excuse for poor firearm handling and/or lack of training.
That being said, I just bought an M&P45 without the thumb safety. But I don't have any intention of carrying it. I had first set out to buy one with the safety, but all the reports of it lacking a positive engagement, coupled with the price (420) and immediate availability, I decided to go with this one. So, in this instance, I'm okay with it not having a thumb safety.
Like I said, it's not going to be a carry gun, I'm not going to have an absurdly light trigger job done, etc. In other words, I don't expect this to be a 1911. If I expected another 1911, I would have bought another 1911.
Chevy
That being said, I just bought an M&P45 without the thumb safety. But I don't have any intention of carrying it. I had first set out to buy one with the safety, but all the reports of it lacking a positive engagement, coupled with the price (420) and immediate availability, I decided to go with this one. So, in this instance, I'm okay with it not having a thumb safety.
Like I said, it's not going to be a carry gun, I'm not going to have an absurdly light trigger job done, etc. In other words, I don't expect this to be a 1911. If I expected another 1911, I would have bought another 1911.
Chevy
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hey, I have a 40 M&P and carry it alot and we all know they don't have safeties!!! Then again, I have a 45 M&p with one, go figure.
I don't know why, but i think ist because I'm a 1911er and having a thumb safety on a 45 seems natural to me.
Heck, all I know is it has never been engaged or disengaged unless I wanted it to, so it can never hurt to have one.
I don't know why, but i think ist because I'm a 1911er and having a thumb safety on a 45 seems natural to me.
Heck, all I know is it has never been engaged or disengaged unless I wanted it to, so it can never hurt to have one.
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I have one on my 45, but was in the same boat when I bought a 9c. But I would have preferred a safety on both. There have been some interesting rumblings on the S&W forums about the possibility of the safety being offered on more models next year, but nothing solid yet. I suspect we'll know more after SHOT.nc-gun-guy said:
After 25 years of shooting 1911s and also 20 shooting CZ-75s, I'm used to the thumb safety where it is. I bought the .45 version of the M&P because of the thumb safety; when loading my new M&P .40, I found myself trying to flick the thumb safety on. :roll: It's just something many of us are used to, and doesn't present any drawbacks while giving a safety advantage. You can even load and unload the chamber with the safety on - not something you can do with a 1911.
I own several handguns, including a 1911 45. My carry is a Kahr K9. The 45 is the only one with a external safety. I'm considering buying the M&P45 without the safety because even if you practice with that safety constantly, and most of us will not do this, during the time of severe stress you may not remember to take the safety off. I've known this to happen and have heard of this several other times. I've had guns pointed at me & during those times fine motor skills, like safety removal,can be forgotten or become clumsy to do. IMHO the best reason for a safety is if the gun is taken from you, your enemy may not be able to undo the safety.
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I'm like Chuck ... with the exception of two years with a Sig .45, I've been issued or have chosen to carry a 1911A1 throughout my adult life. As a result, i am very comfortable with a frame mounted thumb safety.
Additionally, given my paying job (17 yrs in L/E) I like a weapon with an external safety - as long as it is ergonomic. Its presence and use does not add time to employing the weapon - we use the safety on the AR series et al and on our shotguns.
Additionally, given my paying job (17 yrs in L/E) I like a weapon with an external safety - as long as it is ergonomic. Its presence and use does not add time to employing the weapon - we use the safety on the AR series et al and on our shotguns.
Many PD's have gone with issue guns without safeties. There must be a reason. I think safeties are fine for those who are well trained with them or for range use. Some actions, like the BHP & 1911's have single action triggers which require safeties.
The average person who needs a defensive handgun, & probably doesn't practice much, needs to keep it as simple as possible. Most cops I worked with took their guns out of the holster only when they had to qualify. Most civilians will shoot even less than that so a safe action like a M&P, Glock or XD may be best for them.
The average person who needs a defensive handgun, & probably doesn't practice much, needs to keep it as simple as possible. Most cops I worked with took their guns out of the holster only when they had to qualify. Most civilians will shoot even less than that so a safe action like a M&P, Glock or XD may be best for them.
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I have two (2) M&P45s, both black, both w safety.
Mine are great. Positive on/off, no problems w size, shape, or location.
I was issued the M1911A1 by Uncle Sam, as well as the M15/M9/M11. Have also carried BHPs, CZ75s, Glocks, SIGs. I prefer guns w manual safeties.
Might as well have the safety; my thumb is wiping it off even when it isn't there.
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Mine are great. Positive on/off, no problems w size, shape, or location.
I was issued the M1911A1 by Uncle Sam, as well as the M15/M9/M11. Have also carried BHPs, CZ75s, Glocks, SIGs. I prefer guns w manual safeties.
Might as well have the safety; my thumb is wiping it off even when it isn't there.
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I'm neutral about manual safetys even after 30+ years of 1911's. No I'm not one of the "Blackhawk down" safety between your ear's types either. That dumbass macho movie comment is probably responsible for a lot of AD's. I think the M&P .45 safety is not a bad one but it's located in a bad position for me which is why neither of my .45's have it. I shoot thumbs forward and it is directly in the way of my thumbs. I have even accidentally snicked the safety up when shooting because of this. It's too narrow to rest my thumb on top also and I don't want to shoot it that way anyway.
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