View Full Version : M&P 9 or 45
I know this has been discussed before, but with the recent M&P 9 accuracy issues I'm not sure if I should pull the trigger on one at this time. I am leaning towards the .45, but the ammo cost difference between the two is keeping me from fully deciding. I know the 9mm is a fine cartridge for self defense and with modern ammo the gap is closed but there still is a gap and I feel more comfortable with a bigger and heavier bullet. That said I would like some opinions on this and on a side note, I am trying to decide on the Full-size or Mid-size if I do go with the 45. I have read the Mid-size balances better, but the full-size has extra velocity and sight radius. Also the .40 is out of the question and I plan on reloading in the distant future.
Dos Cylindros
04-13-12, 22:08
Many users here and in other locations use the M&P 9 with no issues. I have no experience with the M&P9, owning only the M&P 40 (duty gun) and M&P 45 (home defense gun) but I doubt I would have a problem buying an M&P 9 if I felt the need to. That being said, go with the M&P 45, it is a proven performer and a time tested self defense round. 9mm, 40 S&W or 45 ACP, it really does not make a big differnence other than cost of ammo and how many rounds fit in the magazine. It's easy to reload 230 grain ball, and if all I had left to depend on was ball ammo then yes I would rather have 45 ACP.
You can buy 9mm barrels for the 40 cal guns. You just then need 9mm mags.
Mike from Texas
04-13-12, 22:25
The obvious answer is buy both. :)
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It sounds like you want the .45. I've shot the full size and it certainly is accurate. My question would be, can you afford to feed it? Taking up reloading in the distant future is fine, but how much ammo can you afford between now and then? If you can afford to regularly feed it and you want it, get it.
Regarding the 9mm; Now would be the time I would think about getting one. Last I heard, ETA on the Apex/Bar-sto barrel is June. That may have changed and I don't know it, but if not, that's only a couple months off. So the solution, if you need it, is near.
FChen17213
04-13-12, 23:39
The M&P 45 is a very accurate gun both from 1st hand experience and from everything I've read. As long as you can afford to feed it constantly, it should be the better of the two. I know the M&P 9 is a hit or miss. I had one that did have issues and one that didn't. I think lots of law enforcement agencies have gone to the M&P45 with satisfactory results.
As a side note, I don't think getting an M&P40 and converting it to 9mm will necessarily solve the issue. The problem stems from the rear of the barrel locking with the slide. It isn't very tight and the barrel dips almost immediately when you rack the slide. If someone added more to the rear of the barrel and carefully fit the barrel to the slide, the accuracy issues would be greatly diminished. I don't know much about M&Ps so someone correct me if I am wrong.
Yes Mike I will eventually buy both :cool:. Striker, From what I have seen I can shoot about 500 more rounds of 9mm than .45 for about the same price. That is what is keeping me from going out and buying the 45. Is there really that much of a difference in the two calibers? Would I be better off with the M&P 9 and get a 9c later and just stick with it as my only handgun cartridge? Sometimes I feel like I'm on a see-saw when trying to figure these things out.
PalmettoPrecision
04-14-12, 00:00
I bought an M&P 45 in August 2011. It has never given me any problems, very accurate, and after breaking in the trigger it is a crisp 4.1 pounds after take up (no kidding).
next purchase will be an M&P 9 as a suppressor host. (almost wish I would have gone this route first anyway) The 45 just isn't as satisfying with a can
I'd say go with the M&P9, cheaper to shoot, get some good self defense ammo (147 gr. Win. Rangers) and appreciate that 17+1 capacity. People get so caught up in caliber these days :dirol:
Yes Mike I will eventually buy both :cool:. Striker, From what I have seen I can shoot about 500 more rounds of 9mm than .45 for about the same price. That is what is keeping me from going out and buying the 45. Is there really that much of a difference in the two calibers? Would I be better off with the M&P 9 and get a 9c later and just stick with it as my only handgun cartridge? Sometimes I feel like I'm on a see-saw when trying to figure these things out.
Depends on you. Which do you shoot better? Which do you want? I shoot primarily 9mm because ammo is less expensive and I shoot a lot of rounds. Second, I trust it to save my life should I need it. I do own a couple of .45s, so I don't necessarily think you need to choose one over the other, but if I had to feed a .45 for all the rounds I shoot, I would be broke. So I'll go back to what I said before; if the cost of feeding the .45 is an issue, the 9mm is the better choice. Better to have a gun you shoot, than one that sits in the safe that you don't shoot. Just my opinion and ultimately it's your decision.
If you shoot a lot you should reload sooner than later, especially .45. I reload .45 cheaper than you can buy factory 9mm. Plus, no one near me can keep .45 in stock.
It surprises me that so many here don't do it.
Hogsgunwild
04-14-12, 10:34
I highly recommend the Midsize 45. It is an incredible shooter and I see no reason to carry the extra weight of a full size when the mid shoots so well.
As much as I want to like my full sized 9MM, I cannot. It mostly sits in the safe awaiting Apex to fix it with a Bar-Sto barrel. The groups at 25 yards are about twice as wide as what my 45 midsize is capable of.
With that said, I really like my 9MM compact and have been carrying it a majority of the time these days. I enjoy it at the range and when I need my accuracy fix, out comes the 45 midsize (or my 45 compact as I can now shoot it nearly as accurately as my midsize 45).
It has been a crap-shoot on buying a FS 9MM that has issues or not so you could just roll the dice. If you don't shoot past 15 yards much in the first place, then, the FS 9MM would probably be just fine.
If I could do it all over again, I would have bought my two 45s and 9MM compact and then waited on S&W to get their shit together on the 9MM. With all of my 17 round magazines, the Apex FSS and trigger kit and I-Dot night sights I have a lot of money wrapped up in
what I think is still a sub-standard gun (that I don't really care to use until it is right).
Stuff like this is just the way it is sometimes. With guns I am used to dealing with problems and sometimes fixing lemons as well. Hopefully you can gain some insight from my dilemma but in hind-sight I wish I had purchase the Walther PPQ (which I went ahead and ordered two days ago) instead of the M&P 9MM FS.
It's all good because at some point my M&P 9MM FS will be what I wanted it to be in the first place and back in my rotation and I imagine that the Walther was a must have anyhow just to see what it's all about and will remain a good range gun at the very least.
If you shoot a lot you should reload sooner than later, especially .45. I reload .45 cheaper than you can buy factory 9mm. Plus, no one near me can keep .45 in stock.
It surprises me that so many here don't do it.
I've never understood that myself...I've been reloading for almost 32 yrs..Right now, it's the only way I can afford to shoot on a regular basis.I've probably saved thousand's of dollars doing it.
I highly recommend the Midsize 45. It is an incredible shooter and I see no reason to carry the extra weight of a full size when the mid shoots so well.
What are the benifits of your mid size over the compact that you could also use 10 rounders and an x grip with? I preferred the grip of the compact with the pinky mag to the others. I dont feel the beavertail is necessary.
I recently went through this decision process so I will share my thinking process. Hopefully it helps.
I ended up ordering a 45 FS with a thumb safety. Here was my rationale:
I already reload for .45 and shoot 1911's.
I also already own a compact 1911 that is the same size as the m&p 45 compact.
The thumb safety does not need to be used and can be removed; but you cant add one later.
I want to shoot CDP class for IDPA but can also shoot ESP and SSP with it.
The 9mm has accuracy issues.
If I wanted a modern 45 primarily for CCW I would have bought the compact.
If I could only have one pistol to do everything and wanted a M&P I would go with the .40 and wait for the new 9mm barrels and swap them if that was an option. Then I would have a 9 and a 40.
If the accuracy issues were corrected or I didn't care about them I would get the 9.
If I end up liking the platform I intend to get a 9c as my primary CCW.
I've never understood that myself...I've been reloading for almost 32 yrs..Right now, it's the only way I can afford to shoot on a regular basis.I've probably saved thousand's of dollars doing it.
To the OP, I would advise getting into reloading before I bought any more guns if that is possible. It is extremely easy to reload pistol ammo. Shooting .45 at $6-7 a box with the ability to adjust loads and have ammo when ever I want keeps me shooting a lot.
Once you do I bet you will kick yourself for waiting so long.
Hogsgunwild
04-14-12, 12:10
Quote by OldState:
"What are the benifits of your mid size over the compact that you could also use 10 rounders and an x grip with? I preferred the grip of the compact with the pinky mag to the others. I dont feel the beavertail is necessary."
I agree. One could go with the 45C alone and be in good shape. The more I have practiced with my 45C, the more that I have closed the gap in any difference between the midsize and compact as far as accuracy goes. The extra grip length on my midsize is a benefit for my ease of shooting accurately and consistently. Nothing an X-grip wouldn't take care of I would think. I just bought both guns for spare / platform redundancy and as close as the two are this allowed me to buy two different models non-the-less. I do carry the 45C a lot more than the midsize now.
Gary1911A1
04-14-12, 12:18
Hard choice not knowing that much of your background. I had a M&P in 9MM, but it wasn't accurate at longer ranges. I thought it was me and not the pistol until I got a M&P45. If you reload a .45 would be a good choice. I have the full size 4.5 inch and the midsize is only a 1/2 inch shorter in the barrel so except for carry in an OWB I wouldn't be that concerned over it. If you don't reload and don't see yourself shooting much beyond 15 yards then go for the 9MM or as another posted just get both. If you're like me it may not matter as whatever one you get, you'll think you should of gotten the other one. Looking at getting a M&P in 9MM now.:)
Like Mike from Texas said, "get them both"...haha. I'm a big fan of the .45 acp also, but 9mm shouldn't be overlooked. I carry a full-size M&P45 everyday, both on and off-duty. I push it hard, and it hasn't let me down. It's been very reliable and very accurate, and I have no complaints. I own two M&P9's, which have been equally reliable and accurate. Although guys on this forum have had issues, both of my M&P9's are great.
Good luck with your decision.
I just picked up the M&P 9 with threaded barrel and stock barrel. At 500 rounds, while not much, it's been a fine pistol. I have only shot it with the threaded barrel as well since it's going to be a host only for now.
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Thanks for the help guys, I am going to go with the full size .45. I have one more question; Does the 9 compact have the same accuracy issues as the full size because I would like to pick one up for hot weather concealed carry. Here in Tennessee we have no law on open or concealed carry so I will carry the 45 most of the time since printing isn't much of an issue. The 9c will be nice though for a light carry option.
Hogsgunwild
04-15-12, 12:21
Thanks for the help guys, I am going to go with the full size .45. I have one more question; Does the 9 compact have the same accuracy issues as the full size because I would like to pick one up for hot weather concealed carry. Here in Tennessee we have no law on open or concealed carry so I will carry the 45 most of the time since printing isn't much of an issue. The 9c will be nice though for a light carry option.
Although I have read on forums that the 9MM compact does suffer from the same issues as some of the fullsize models, if the compacts do have accuracy issues, they are not as glaring as some of the fullsize's issues. Relative to each other, the fullsize issue (in some guns) is blatant. The compact seems not so far off from what a 3.5" barreled gun is supposed to be capable of at 25 yards. In another thread, a couple of months ago, at least a two owners (myself included) determined that our M&P 9MM compacts could manage at least four inch groups at twenty five yards, fired supported. I believe they were both with hotter ammo. Not even expensive defensive ammo as I recall. My ammo was Sellier and Bellot ball which does seem to help my compact's accuracy a bit. It really helps in my fullsize due to it's velocity of 1280FPS.
Four inches at 25 yards, supported, is not earth shattering, but, I think it is adequate in a 3.5" barreled gun. I have time on a P2000SK and a Colt Defender that are both a good bit more accurate at 25 yards, but, the M&P compact is not a H&K or a 1911 and it does have plenty of attributes that make it well worth carrying, for me.
I hope someone else will verify if the compact was affected (even if it was to a smaller degree) with any of the fullsize models' accuracy issues.
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