Does my unicorn carry gun exist?

[Trey Veston]

Currently have three pistols I use for CCW in either IWB or OWB holsters. All have their strengths and weaknesses. Looking for a unicorn CCW pistol.

Current pistols along with their pros and cons:

Springfield Armory XDS 40



Pros:
- Very compact; my usual go to pistol in a Remora holster.
- .40 S&W is my favorite round
- Extremely accurate. Will do 1.75" groups at 25yds over and over with cheap ammo.
- Very reliable; never had a single issue.

Cons:
- Capacity. Only 6 rounds. I want more.
- No safety. I want one. Used to not care, but now I feel better with one.
- Trigger is heavy, but does have a clean break.

S&W M&P40c



Pros:
- Capacity. 10 rounds is my new minimum amount.
- .40 S&W
- Perfect size; Rides well IWB and is controllable under rapid fire.
- Decent trigger, but not great
- Reasonably accurate.
- Reliable

Cons:
- No safety
- Accuracy is finicky; occasionally meets my 2" at 25yd standard, but not consistently.
- Trigger is just so-so.
- Ergonomics not as good as my Glock.

Glock G19 Gen 5 MOS



Pros:
- Capacity! 15 rounds is awesome.
- Accurate
- Reliable
- Trigger is the best Glock trigger I've had.
- Wide variety of holsters and accessories available.

Cons:
- No safety.
- 9mm. I like the cost and shoot-ability of the 9mm, but I like bigger bullets and the .40 S&W.
- A little on the big side. Shrink it a half inch in length and height and it would be perfect, like the M&P40c.

So, my unicorn carry gun will have the following traits:

- .40 S&W
- At least 10rds of capacity.
- Manual safety
- Great trigger
- Extremely reliable.
- 25oz or less in weight.
- Capable of 2" or better at 25yds
- Under 7" overall length and 4.5" or less overall height.

I've searched and haven't found such a unicorn

 

[ClickClickD'oh]

You can get that M&P 40C with a safety on it.

 

[Trey Veston]

You can get that M&P 40C with a safety on it.

But only in the 2.0 version, correct? Which they increased the size of substantially.

 

[Boarhunter]

And APEX has an after-market trigger group (the FSS) that makes an M&P trigger close in feel to that of a 1911, but I recommend it only with the manual-safety model.


BOARHUNTER

 

[Trey Veston]

But only in the 2.0 version, correct? Which they increased the size of substantially.

Looks like they did make the 1.0 version with a safety...



I've just never seen one. Looked on Bud's Guns website and used the search function to narrow down all of the parameters and only the 2.0 showed up in results.

May have found the Unicorn...

 

[maxxhavoc]

Looks like your M&P 40 has square plugs where the safety should go. If so, you should be able to add one. I found my M&P9c at a good deal without a safety, I added it.

If the 40 is the same, go to Speed Shooters Specialties and buy par# 2022 and 1960. Those are the parts required to "fix" the 9c, the 40c is very similar...hopefully they are the same?

 

[MTMilitiaman]

It appears to be quite the unicorn.

The CZ 2075 RAMI almost meets qualifications but it .9 oz overweight and .2 inch too tall. And it's a 9mm.
https://cz-usa.com/product/cz-2075-rami-9mm-black-alloy-14-rd-mags/

The Walther PPQ M2 is available in .40 S&W and again almost meets your requirements, but is .2 inch too long, .8 inch too tall, and lacks a safety.
https://cz-usa.com/product/cz-2075-rami-9mm-black-alloy-14-rd-mags/

The FNS-40 Compact is in the same boat, a little tall and a fraction of an ounce heavy, and lacking a manual safety:
https://fnamerica.com/products/pistols/fns-40-compact/

While the FNX-40 is about 2.5 oz too heavy, a half an inch too long, and about an inch too tall, but has a safety and meets your requirements for caliber and capacity:
https://fnamerica.com/products/pistols/fnx-40/

Springfield Armory offers a XD-E with an external safety, but it is a single stack sub-compact available only in 9mm and .45, and doesn't meet your capacity requirements.
https://www.springfield-armory.com/products/xd-e-3-3-single-stack-9mm/

Not many strikers have safeties, and your rigid size requirements ensure it pretty much has to be a polymer striker to have a chance. Most sub-compacts also not available in .40 S&W. There are aftermarket safeties that can you could possibly add to a Glock 27. But either way you might be compromising on something.

 

[Trey Veston]

Found an M&P40c with the safety NIB on sale for $366 at Grab-A-Gun and ordered it...

 

[herrwalther]

M&P 40 1.0. With a safety, grip sleeve of your choice, and APEX trigger it would fit all your requirements.

 

[Trey Veston]

M&P 40 1.0. With a safety, grip sleeve of your choice, and APEX trigger it would fit all your requirements.

Just bought one.

 

[falmike]

Glad you found what you were looking for

 

[thomas15]

Just bought one.

Thank goodness!

 

[Mike J]

I hope it works well for you.

 

[Trey Veston]

Shouldn't be any surprises as I carried one, only without a safety, for about ten years. The one I bought with night sights in October already has a buyer at $300, and I get to transfer the night sights to the new pistol. Since I paid $350 for the last one, it will be a wash.