# Best way to carry a S&W 469?



## Starkiller1125 (Mar 31, 2017)

Hello, and good day. I'm new to this forum so pardon me if I should have posted this someplace else.

I've been shooting before I could ride a bike, so I know quite a bit about firearms and whatnot. I have also taken weapons training courses and recently have decided to carry a firearm. Here in Nebraska, I can open carry. Though, I have just signed up for CCW classes. I'm not about to get into the whole "open vs. concealed" debate. 

What I want to know is how I can best carry a somewhat old, yet reliable S&W 469. One of the instructors I studied under said that it's not the weapon you use, it's how well you can use it. Me, being primarily a rifle shooter, have only a couple handguns in my "arsenal". A S&W 469 and a S&W 986 9mm revolver. Obviously the carry choice would be the 469.

My questions are is if it's safer to carry the gun loaded and at half cock rather than loaded and on safe, which on the 469, is a decocker. To me, carrying on safe sounds safest but carrying on half cock shaves off that time needed to disengage the safety. On half cock, the hammer protrudes just enough that you can thumb it back and shoot single action. Half cock makes me a bit nervous since there's nothing stopping the hammer from hitting the firing pin should the sear somehow slip after undergoing a brutal motorcycle crash and whatnot or some such. I'm sure the hammer spring isn't strong enough to detonate the primer but taking the 469 off safe does just that sort of, it swings the hammer stop out of the way and allows the hammer to rest on the pin. Granted the hammer is shaved so there's virtually no hammer protruding from the slide to get bumped on something.

Anywho, thanks for your time reading this, any and all comments and advice are more than welcome!


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## rustygun (Apr 8, 2013)

Welcome to the site. It would be hard to offer advise not being familiar with that gun but I would have to say using the manual safety would be the best route because that is what it is designed to do. Get a good holster and practice your draw (safely).


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

I've got a 469 and a 669 it's stainless counterpart. I also have a Model 3913 which is the single stack version. 

Just chamber a round and use the safety/de-cocking lever to safely lower the hammer. Or you can just rack the slide with the lever down. Then disengage the safety/de-cocking lever and you will be good to go. There is no need to have the safety engaged on a DA/SA pistol. It's just another thing you have to do and remember if the gun is ever used in a life or death situation. Besides it's location on the slide makes it more difficult to operate under those circumstances than say a 1911 that has a frame mounted safety lever. As you have to push the lever up with your thumb as opposed to pushing it down.

The 469, 669 and 3913 are great semi auto's. Too bad S&W does not produce them anymore. I always wanted an ASP version but could not find one. The ASP (Armament Systems and Procedures) is a cut down version of the Model 39-2. The 3913 is a compact version of that model. It's the closest thing to an ASP.


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## Starkiller1125 (Mar 31, 2017)

Great info! Thanks! 

I have only one holster for my 469 and it's a DeSantis. It has a retention clip on the inward side that makes for fairly fast unholstering. I just have to put my palm on the pistols back strap, disengage the retention lever with my thumb and draw. That is an open carry holster. I've looked at the Urban Carry CCW holsters and they seem pretty legit. I don't know about the extra movements to grab the magnetic flap, pull it up and draw the firearm versus swinging a jacket out of the way and simply grabbing the firearm and drawing it with a traditional CCW holster. I will have to ask my CCW instructor and get his opinions on the situation.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Starkiller1125 said:


> ...[Is it] safer to carry the gun loaded and at half cock rather than loaded and on safe...On half cock, the hammer protrudes just enough that you can thumb it back and shoot single action...


It is *not* safe to carry this pistol "on half-cock," not least because "half-cock" is not a safety: It is a means of stopping the hammer, if it should slip off of the cock notch or out from under your thumb.
It is also *not* safe to try to thumb-cock a pistol which was not designed to be thumb cocked.

Trying to thumb-cock in a hurry or in a save-your-life panic almost guarantees that the hammer will slip or that the attempt to cock will otherwise fail.

The best way to use this pistol is in the manner in which it was designed to work.
(See *desertman*'s Post #3.)


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## Starkiller1125 (Mar 31, 2017)

That was one of my bigger concerns. My motorcycle is my primary mode of transportation so in the event of a crash I'd rather not have anything that can somehow jar loose and send a round thru my body as I'm tumbling down the street or plastered to the side of a vehicle.


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## SteamboatWillie (Jan 24, 2013)

Agree with desertman. I have a 459 and 659 (same type of decocker). I carried the 459 for a while and attended a few training classes with it. I found, and the instructors suggested, that it be carried chambered and decocked with the safety off as shown in the photo.


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## AZdave (Oct 23, 2015)

Starkiller1125 said:


> That was one of my bigger concerns. My motorcycle is my primary mode of transportation so in the event of a crash I'd rather not have anything that can somehow jar loose and send a round thru my body as I'm tumbling down the street or plastered to the side of a vehicle.


One of the reasons I gave up motorcycle riding.

So how often do you go off bike?
Sounds like a big problem.


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

Starkiller1125 said:


> That was one of my bigger concerns. My motorcycle is my primary mode of transportation so in the event of a crash I'd rather not have anything that can somehow jar loose and send a round thru my body *as I'm tumbling down the street or plastered to the side of a vehicle.*


I don't know, maybe it's just me? But if I were in that situation the least of my worries would be an accidental discharge of a firearm.


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## AZdave (Oct 23, 2015)

desertman said:


> I don't know, maybe it's just me? But if I were in that situation the least of my worries would be an accidental discharge of a firearm.


My thoughts, exactly!
Ah, but what is a broken collar bone or knee. Not as bad as a gunshot wound.


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

AZdave said:


> My thoughts, exactly!
> Ah, but what is a broken collar bone or knee. Not as bad as a gunshot wound.


Other than being killed or maimed by tumbling down the street or slammed against a vehicle as the result of a motorcycle accident. I wonder what the odds are of being additionally shot by your own gun falling to the ground as a result of that same accident? I'd say that you would really be one unlucky fella'. Maybe the answer would be to not ride a motorcycle while carrying a gun? My apologies to Starkiller1125 but you've really opened up a can of worms on this one.


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## Starkiller1125 (Mar 31, 2017)

AZdave said:


> Starkiller1125 said:
> 
> 
> > That was one of my bigger concerns. My motorcycle is my primary mode of transportation so in the event of a crash I'd rather not have anything that can somehow jar loose and send a round thru my body as I'm tumbling down the street or plastered to the side of a vehicle.
> ...


I never go off my bike. I have a car for thunderstorms but even then, I'll still ride as long as there's no hail or stupid crazy wind. You buy a bike to ride it, not to look at it in the garage when it's cold or raining.


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## Starkiller1125 (Mar 31, 2017)

desertman said:


> AZdave said:
> 
> 
> > My thoughts, exactly!
> ...


My concern was the impact of the ground or vehicle striking the firearm in its holster and firing. Not having it drop on the ground and fire.


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## AZdave (Oct 23, 2015)

Starkiller1125 said:


> I never go off my bike. I have a car for thunderstorms but even then, I'll still ride as long as there's no hail or stupid crazy wind. You buy a bike to ride it, not to look at it in the garage when it's cold or raining.


Well, I never planned to go off bike, but I have a number of times . 
Broken collar bone the worst.

I did ride my bike for winter quarter in Ohio to The OSU.
Froze my lcd watch, and some other parts.

That was before they had motorcycle armor like they have now.
I guess tumbling off a cycle could explain the series 80 inertial firing pin safety in a 1911.


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

Starkiller1125 said:


> My concern was the impact of the ground or vehicle striking the firearm in its holster and firing. Not having it drop on the ground and fire.


I guess what some of us are trying to say is that if you're involved in a serious motorcycle accident a handgun going off in a holster or falling out and striking whatever would be the least of your problems. Who's to say what it will hit and under what circumstances? It's not like you can plan for something like that and predetermine where it's going to land or where it will be pointed at when it does.

People have been carrying handguns under all kinds of conditions where their handguns get banged around and dropped. Chasing down criminals, combat conditions, rock climbing, hiking, skydiving etc. are but a few examples. I think that the only time that you'd have to worry is if the gun is being carried in a manner of which it was not designed or intended. Such as carrying it with the hammer cocked or in half cock with the safety off if applicable. There are many different designs of semi auto pistols SA's, DA/SA's, DA only, striker's etc. Some have firing pin blocks, some have only a safety, some have de-cocker/safeties such as your S&W 469, some have just a de-cocking lever such as a CZ P06. Some have a combination of these features. If carried in the manner of which the weapon was designed your chances of it going off accidentally are probably a billion to one. Unless of course the weapon is in a fire with a round in the chamber in which case it really wouldn't matter if the safety was on or not. As the heat would probably set it off.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

AZdave said:


> ...So how often do you go off bike?...


The motorcycle officer who sponged me up off of the pavement after mine, way back in 1965, told me that bike officers have at least one bad one, every year.
I said that it's a wonder that anybody does motorcycle duty.
He said that it's because the pay is so good.
I wonder if he was, um, pulling my leg. (That is, my left leg. The one that got destroyed.)


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## AZdave (Oct 23, 2015)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> I wonder if he was, um, pulling my leg. (That is, my left leg. The one that got destroyed.)


Sorry to hear that.

When my wife broke her shoulder one of the emt's did try to help her with her broken arm.
She did not like that.


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## Starkiller1125 (Mar 31, 2017)

AZdave said:


> Steve M1911A1 said:
> 
> 
> > I wonder if he was, um, pulling my leg. (That is, my left leg. The one that got destroyed.)
> ...


I've only been in four motorcycle crashes. One was my fault, I tried passing my cousins car on a road equal to the surface of the moon and my fork started speed wobbling. The bike flipped and I slid a hundred feet. I got back up, tried picking my bike back up but then some dude was telling me to lay down until the ambulance arrived. Nothing broke but if I didn't have a full face helmet, I would have the left side of my face right now. All the other times were stupid people not looking out for motorcycles. Shit happens and happens to the best of us.


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## Starkiller1125 (Mar 31, 2017)

Wouldn't have the left side of my face***


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## Doogan (Apr 14, 2017)

I own an S&W Model 439. It is the "service" model where you (I believe) have the 3.5" barrel weapon. Anyway, both are DAO firearms and have the same decocker safeties. I love my 439 and carry it sometimes when photographing old ghost towns here, in New Mexico. the 439 and 469 both have the 1911 design, as designed by John Moses Browning. If you are comfortable with the double action, I would recommend carrying it with the flip-up safety on and chambered. Surprisingly, right after 9-11, I elected to carry my 439 for contract counter intelligence work rather then my [then] Colt .45 1911 Defender!


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## Doogan (Apr 14, 2017)

If you're nostalgic, in many cases, S&W produced a leather holster along with the model of the pistol. For example: I own a Model 439 (2d generation Model 39). I found the original holster, manufactured by S&W in 1952 for the Model 39. I had to replace the Model 439 slide with a Model 39 slide in order to use the holster as the sights on the 439 would not permit the weapon to fit into the holster.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Doogan said:


> I own an S&W Model 439...I would recommend carrying it with the flip-up safety on and chambered...


I believe that the S&W double-action semi-auto can be carried perfectly safely with its hammer down on a loaded chamber, and its safety off.
In that condition, all that is needed in an emergency is a good sight picture and a steady trigger press.


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