Help with actions relative to safety

[Yarg28]

I recently got a great deal on a new m&p9. No thumb safety, no magazine safety, 17rd, new in box. I just got my permit a week before.
I'm new to carrying. I shot a couple boxes and then put the gun in the closet until I could learn enough to feel safe and confident. I had no idea what I was in for.
I've read stickies about ammo, actions, triggers, and studied nuances of the major players.
Here is my problem; I don't want my gun to cause accidental grief ever. After really studying my S&W it appears that what I thought was a DAO is really a SA. No idea how people refer to it as a DAO. Maybe I'm wrong, but since S&W doesn't exactly offer a technical area on their web site, I have to go with what I've learned. So now I'm worried about the fact that the striker could move.
What is the absolute safest category (or even specific models) to carry assuming that I'm 100% safe in MY actions? I'm committed to being safe and have all the confidence in the world that I will be safe once I fully understand my firearm.
No way I have the guts to carry cocked an locked so SA is out.
I'm not worrying about ultra fine performance and splitting hairs. I want to learn enough to select one gun and learn every aspect of it. I would be happy to manage any shortcomings of a gun a long as I knew it was reliable and ultra safe.

I feel like I will never learn enough. Reading for days and every time I think I have it figured out, something new crops up.

Thanks for any help.

Gary

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[rammerjammer]

That gun will not go off until the trigger is pulled.

Carry chambered and give it time and it will become normal for you to carry a gun.

[Exacto]

It's actually a double action only, like a Glock. When you cycle the slide to put a round in the chamber, it only half cocks the striker. The action of pulling the trigger finishes the cocking process, then releases the striker as you pull the trigger. The pulling of the trigger performs two funtions, cocking and releasing the striker, hence it is a double action ,or safe action pistol. In a single action pistol,pulling the trigger only performs one function, it releases the hammer , you must cycle the slide to cock the gun, or manually cock the gun by pulling the hammer back with your thumb. The gun you have is as safe as any.

[ElArdilla]

Welcome! I'm also newish to carrying everyday so I can identify with the research that you are doing while trying to make your decisions. While I'm new to carrying concealed I'm not new to guns in general and like the posters above I have never seen a gun go off without help of the operator. With that in mind, find a gun that YOU feel will be safe. Have you considered possibly looking at revolvers? The long DAO of a S&W revolver is pretty safe in my mind, it takes some serious effort to shoot my girlfriend's bodyguard. My carry gun, an SR9c, has a thumb safety and magazine safety. It also can hold 17 rounds.

Personally I think the more complex the gun the less safe it becomes, but obviously I will not ever try to push that onto someone else. Glad you are finding whichever sidearm you are comfortable with and I thank you for taking the time to educate and prepare yourself responsibly.

Edit* when I say "bodyguard" I of course mean the handgun model....not an actual bodyguard.

[blanco64]

Welcome! I'm also newish to carrying everyday so I can identify with the research that you are doing while trying to make your decisions. While I'm new to carrying concealed I'm not new to guns in general and like the posters above I have never seen a gun go off without help of the operator. With that in mind, find a gun that YOU feel will be safe. Have you considered possibly looking at revolvers? The long DAO of a S&W revolver is pretty safe in my mind, it takes some serious effort to shoot my girlfriend's bodyguard. My carry gun, an SR9c, has a thumb safety and magazine safety. It also can hold 17 rounds.

Personally I think the more complex the gun the less safe it becomes, but obviously I will not ever try to push that onto someone else. Glad you are finding whichever sidearm you are comfortable with and I thank you for taking the time to educate and prepare yourself responsibly.

Edit* when I say "bodyguard" I of course mean the handgun model....not an actual bodyguard.

I LOL'd when I read your edit and then went back and read the post.

[BugDude]

Get a high quality holster that covers the trigger and retains the firearm properly. Chamber the gun and keep it in the holster at all times. Don't chamber, unchamber, rechamber, etc. The more you manipulate it, the odds of something going wrong increase. My carry gun stays loaded/chambered/holstered close to 100% of the time other than going to the range. Given that approach, regardless of action type, a properly holstered gun that isn't fidgeted with is the safest type.

[Dooger]

Get a high quality holster that covers the trigger and retains the firearm properly. Chamber the gun and keep it in the holster at all times. Don't chamber, unchamber, rechamber, etc. The more you manipulate it, the odds of something going wrong increase. My carry gun stays loaded/chambered/holstered close to 100% of the time other than going to the range. Given that approach, regardless of action type, a properly holstered gun that isn't fidgeted with is the safest type.

Yup!

You can also carry on an entry chamber for a while until you get more comfortable. Baby steps...

[Alex_C]

As others have mentioned, the firearm cannot be discharged until the trigger is pulled. It is physically impossible. S&W designed it that way. When "cocked", it is really only half-cocked. The action of pulling the trigger fully cocks the firearm, disengages the firing pin safety (a piece of metal that needs to be disengaged for the action to physically work) and finally actuates the sear to release the firing pin. That firing pin cannot physically touch a cartridge primer without the trigger being fully depressed. It is 100% safe to carry as long as you use a quality belt/holster that keeps the trigger covered.

[palmcoaster]

Welcome. The above post from dooger is a great piece for you. Carry with empty pipe until completely comfortable with your gear

[wondering]

I'm going to mirror what a lot of people are saying here...that pistol will not fire unless the trigger is pulled, so keep the trigger covered and keep your finger off it until you are aimed and ready to fire. Keep the pistol in some kind of holster at all times even if its just a pocket holster.

I'm new to CCW and have a Glock G26...I carry it with no round chambered till I get more comfortable and confident and I practice racking while drawing. Not everyone will agree with that but you have to carry how you feel comfortable.

[chasbo00]

To key to safe operation of your pistol is to keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot. Your pistol is well made and won't discharge by itself, even if dropped. Take care handling your pistol and keep it pointed in a safe direction. Pistols don't discharge by themselves - they discharge when being handled and someone presses the trigger.

[Mike1956]

Here is a worthwhile animation to better familiarize yourself with your pistol:
Smith and Wesson M&P

[Nmuskier]

You don't need a magazine safety (mag disconnect?). When you load a mag, you are preparing to shoot. When you drop a mag, you are either reloading or clearing the weapon. If you're reloading, you want the gun to be able to fire. If you're clearing the pistol, you're unloading the chamber anyway. Mag disconnects are for CA lawyers.

ALL the advice above are great posts: quality holster (and belt), trigger finger discipline, and carrying chamber loaded.

[GH]

I advise walking around your house with the gun holstered & round in the chamber for a few hours a day until you realize that nothing will go bang until you squeeze the trigger. When you're comfortable with that then go with it all the time.

As a word of caution - when handling your gun (reholstering, etc.) & you drop it, let it fall. DO NOT try to catch it! I believe that all pistol manufacturers have tested their handguns to insure they will not discharge when dropped. By trying to catch it your finger might catch the trigger. The best practice is not to drop your gun in the first place. Speaking of holstering - always make sure the holster & gun are clear of anything that may be dangling in such a manner as to catch the trigger. Fob on zipper pulls on jackets are a good example. A local LEO found that out when a toggle on his jacket sleeve pulled the trigger & he shot himself in the leg. Another had his off duty weapon tucked into his pants without a holster. The gun slipped down his leg & he tried catching it. It fired & pieces of the floor the bullet stuck hit a little girl. Lessons learned.

All in all carrying a chambered round is completely safe. All guns should be treated as if it was loaded & ready to fire with a mere touch of the trigger. That holds true even after you've cleared the gun & the closest magazine & ammo is a mile away in a locked safe.

[Eric357]

Exacto, thank you for this explanation. My wife and myself have been avoiding striker fire pistols even though many folks have assured us of their safety. You are the first person to give an actually explanation that makes sense. I never realized that striker fire pistols were in half cock and that pulling the trigger finished it. In my head I was visualizing that the gun was full cocked. Well this opens up a whole new areana of firearms for us.