M&P 45 - 4.5 inch or 4 inch? Thumb safety or not?

[ranger]

I shoot a M&P Pro 9mm in competition and I CCW a M&P 9mm 4.25. I want to add a M&P 45. Looking for feedback on 4.5 in barrel or 4 inch barrel plus thumb safety or not.

Goal is to use M&P 45 in CDP IDPA and to add another pistol to collection - wondering if the 4.5 barrel is an advantage over 4.. I am set up to reload 45 and I have a large amount of lead projectiles on hand and other reloading supplies for 45.

Leaning against thumb safety as I do not have thumb safety on my other M&Ps. Thoughts?

[atbarr]

I'd want all of mine the same. I shoot Glocks and 1911's, it's real easy in a match to forget to release the safety.

[mcracco]

Definitely 4.5" with no safety (109306) if you will be shooting CDP. It's not a huge advantage with the longer sight radius but for those 25 yard shots it sure helps. BTW, I was shooting 9mm PRO 5" in ESP but for the last few months have been shooting CDP with the 4.5" 45. Trying to find a $500 bill around here so I can pick up a spare 45 for those big matches so I don't get bit by Murphy.

If you feel like throwing money at your 45, SSS makes a nice magwell and mag basepads that are CDP legal.

[bigfish]

Thumb safties or not? I would keep them all the same

[partyboy424]

Loved my 45 4.5 while I had it and could keep up in Limited 10 with it (uspsa) I like longer slides, I had an XD service that was 4 inches and I could definitely tell a difference in the sight radius length.

Always go no safety. I have a safety on only one gun that I own, and that's because I use it in an IWB holster and couldn't live with myself if my fat somehow set off the trigger while holstering. For everything else, my safety is my trigger finger.

[GlockCanMan]

4.5" and no safety.

[Jhp147]

To me, my 4.5 inch has much less muzzle rise than my 4 inch and both shoot 200 grain LSWC without stuttering. I'd stick with whatever safety system you are used to unless you just want to learn a new one.

[Son Of The Griz]

Of all the M&Ps I've owned, only my .45 mid-size came with a safety and I removed it fairly quickly after purchase (I installed the plugs). I wanted a little lower mass for carry without sacrificing capacity and love my middy M&P 45. The big ones are great guns. Hard to go wrong with either.

I found the thumb safety got in the way of remedial action drills, show clear, loading and unloading.

I'd say, especially right now, to get your hands on whatever you can (assuming no mag disco and no lock)... if you get one with a safety it's easy for a gunsmith to remove and if you don't, call yourself lucky.

[VMaxSplat]

I would keep them all the same. One of the reasons I love the M&P is because it can be had with thumb safeties, like my 1911s. The only M&P thumb safety I don't care for is the one on the Shield. Maybe APEX will make a "standard" profile safety for it someday.

Edited January 1, 2013 by VMaxSplat

[jcc7x7]

I went with the 4.5 cause it didn't make any difference carrying it. But the 1/2 in sight radius is appox 18% longer. Went w/o thumb safety even though I shoot alot of 1911's. IT's not a 1911 so why try to make it one JMO

[BillR1]

4.5", no thumb saftey on mine. it's an awesome CDP gun.