Yada yada yada the external safety “turns itself on.” (1:56). Well, if storing the Smith & Wesson M&P Shield in a fanny pack unintentionally switches the external safety on (when you wanted the safety off) don’t carry the Smith & Wesson M&P Shield in a fanny pack. If withdrawing-the-gun-wise still sucks, you’re done. Generally speaking, given the possibility of “accidents” like this and the stupidization effects of an adrenalin dump, I won’t schlep an EDC (everyday carry) with an external safety. I don’t recommend that you do, either—unless all your guns have an external safety and you train relentlessly. That’s why I withheld the final star from the otherwise awesome Ruger LC9, whose Chiclet-sized external safety is a lot stickier than the Smith’s. Of course, you could glue the safety down or otherwise disable it, but good luck explaining that to a jury.