Compact with user friendly thumb safety

[Chuck Whitlock]

I have one coworker with an Equalizer, and another with a PC model Shield EZ. Both are fond of them.

[Norther]

I normally use a 1911. When I wanted something smaller, I chose a P365XL. The Armory Craft safety is a definite improvement, and very easy to install.

[gc70]

The manual safeties on S&W's full-size and compact pistols in M&P line, EZ pistols, and the Equalizer are quite satisfactory for those familiar with 1911 thumb safeties.

The S&W Shield's thumb safety is far too small for active use like a 1911 safety. However, I came to really like the Shield's safety. I started with the safety on when the gun was out of its holster for general handling. I would disengage the safety after the gun was holstered, so the gun was ready for immediate use. I would engage the safety before removing the gun from the holster if I did not intend to fire the gun.

[Navin Johnson]

Never really liked the safety on my M&P compact 2.0 (Position and softness.)

I put a glob of epoxy on my shield safety and it works much better

The M& P compact 22 has a fantastic thumb (Positioning, and the right amount of click) safety. When I got it, I was thinking how great it would be to have that size gun in 9 mm

The 365 with the aftermarkets safety looks like it would work well. I didn’t know they existed. I will probably get one for mine. The factory safety works OK.

[psalms144.1]

Another vote for the P365XL MS. Despite many others' comments, I have zero issues with the standard MS configuration, have never once "missed" it (on or off) including on dynamic, moving drills in hot weather when my hands were sweaty as crap.

Of course, I'm just one dumb goober on the internet, so my opinions are worth precisely what you're paying for them.

[JTMcC]

The list of usable options is bigger than I really expected so far.
That's good to hear.

[HCM]

Another vote for the P365XL MS. Despite many others' comments, I have zero issues with the standard MS configuration, have never once "missed" it (on or off) including on dynamic, moving drills in hot weather when my hands were sweaty as crap.

Of course, I'm just one dumb goober on the internet, so my opinions are worth precisely what you're paying for them.

For those who might have isssues with the stock 365 manual safetyArmory Craft makes an extended manual safety for the P365 series.

https://www.armorycraft.com/product-...xtended-safety

[frozentundra]

Never really liked the safety on my M&P compact 2.0 (Position and softness.)

I put a glob of epoxy on my shield safety and it works much better

The M& P compact 22 has a fantastic thumb (Positioning, and the right amount of click) safety. When I got it, I was thinking how great it would be to have that size gun in 9 mm

The 365 with the aftermarkets safety looks like it would work well. I didn’t know they existed. I will probably get one for mine. The factory safety works OK.

My daughter learned to shoot drills out of the holster with the M&P .22 compact some years ago. I always thought the ergonomics and thumb safety of that gun were wonderful. Like you, I wondered about what it would be like to have that form factor in 9mm.

We recently looked at an Equalizer in the store, and, at least from my limited initial impression, I thought it felt like a slightly enlarged .22 compact. For reference, we also have a 9mm 1.0 compact w/TS, a 2.0 4" compact sans TS, and used to have a Gen 1 shield w/TS. Handling the Equalizer immediately made me think of the .22 compact. In a good way. While I have some reservations about the grip safety, It should function much like a Striker Control Device on a Glock if one puts thumb to back of slide for re-holstering. Combined with the manual safety, that adds a couple extra layers of safety while re-holstering on the range. I like that.

I think I'll pick one up to try out.

[Lex Luthier]

My daughter learned to shoot drills out of the holster with the M&P .22 compact some years ago. I always thought the ergonomics and thumb safety of that gun were wonderful. Like you, I wondered about what it would be like to have that form factor in 9mm.

We recently looked at an Equalizer in the store, and, at least from my limited initial impression, I thought it felt like a slightly enlarged .22 compact. For reference, we also have a 9mm 1.0 compact w/TS, a 2.0 4" compact sans TS, and used to have a Gen 1 shield w/TS. Handling the Equalizer immediately made me think of the .22 compact. In a good way. While I have some reservations about the grip safety, It should function much like a Striker Control Device on a Glock if one puts thumb to back of slide for re-holstering. Combined with the manual safety, that adds a couple extra layers of safety while re-holstering on the range. I like that.

I think I'll pick one up to try out.

I quite liked to rental Equalizer I tried a few months back. The grip safety was less obtrusive than the ones on the Shield-EZ variants seemed to be.

[karandom]

Another vote for the P365 family with the Armory Craft manual safety. I definitely found it to be a solid improvement.

I actually found it more helpful with getting the safety back on. I never missed getting it off with the factory safety, but didn't feel like there was much margin and the Armory Craft certainly improved that. I found it much more annoying to get the safety on and now its zero issue. Strong recommend.