View Full Version : M&P45 Vs. Glock 21SF, Which to buy?
I personally am a Smith & Wesson fan. I carry an M&P40 and the wife carries a M&P9c. For the last 6 years I have been in law enforcement and my agency carries the Glock 22, with mine being a Gen 2. You may say that this is an old gun and I shouldn't be carrying it on patrol but it works just as well as when it was new, with the exception of being able to utilize a gun mounted light. I understand that there are old school guys who say "who needs a light", but in my experiences I feel more comfortable utilizing one when needed and it can be hard in some situations and impossible while carrying a shield. I could trade in my service weapon for a newer model but it has sentimental value with me being the first firearm I was issued when I got into law enforcement.
I have now moved to a unit where I am able to carry an additional handgun if I prefer. In this new position, I now find myslf in those situations where a gun mounted light could be utilized with more frequency. I would like to move up to a .45, due to previous experiences shooting a G21SF. I shot well with the 21 and really enjoyed the reduced recoil from the G22. The G21SF also fit my hand well. On the other hand I am partial to the M&P series of pistols from owning them in my personal life. I enjoy the grip, and overall feel of the M&P series and trust in the handguns with my M&P40 having around 5,000+ rounds through it.
I plan on going to a local gun range sometime in the future to get some shooting time on the M&P45 but with an extremely hectic schedule i am not sure when that will be possible. So in the meantime I am looking for input from you ladies and gentleman who have shot both.
Thanks for any replies.
Having owned both, the G21SF has less felt recoil, to me. Not to mention you get 3 extra rounds.....
Street Survival
11-01-14, 13:06
M&P 45. The Glock is still too big for my hand.
dmaxfireman
11-01-14, 13:34
After owning both I favor the Glock in either the gen4 or gen3 SF frame.
BoringGuy45
11-01-14, 13:57
The M&P45 is best 45 I've personally felt. The Glock 21 is just not friendly to those of us who have medium to smaller hands. Even the Gen4 is still a bit bulky. The upside to the Glock is the out-of-the-box, factory trigger is still better than even the newer lines of M&Ps, and you get 3 more rounds.
I'm partial to the M&P45, but that's just me. Rent both at a range on the same day, the first one that feels right, buy it.
MountainRaven
11-01-14, 14:23
M&P.
If you're worried about three rounds, buy a 40 or a 9mm.
buckshot1220
11-01-14, 14:26
Take a look at the Gen4 21 as well. You get the same grip size as the 21SF, but with the larger mag release, better texture and double recoil spring (although I don't think the new recoil spring makes any difference in felt recoil).
On the other hand, since you like your M&P40 so much, why not just qualify and carry that?
Voodoo_Man
11-01-14, 14:35
My duty gun is a g3 g21sf
Best 45 ever.
Having owned both, the G21SF has less felt recoil, to me. Not to mention you get 3 extra rounds.....
This is my experience as well, with the exception that mine is a Gen4 21.
My duty gun is a G21 and I have no complaints. It wears a SF X300 24/7. That said, I'd carry my Gen 4 G21 if my agency allowed. I do feel like it has less recoil due to the double RSA. It also has the 4 different backstraps (2 with a beaver tail) if you need. As mentioned, the mag catch is larger/better/reversible.
I personally am a Smith & Wesson fan. I carry an M&P40 and the wife carries a M&P9c. For the last 6 years I have been in law enforcement and my agency carries the Glock 22, with mine being a Gen 2. You may say that this is an old gun and I shouldn't be carrying it on patrol but it works just as well as when it was new, with the exception of being able to utilize a gun mounted light. I understand that there are old school guys who say "who needs a light", but in my experiences I feel more comfortable utilizing one when needed and it can be hard in some situations and impossible while carrying a shield. I could trade in my service weapon for a newer model but it has sentimental value with me being the first firearm I was issued when I got into law enforcement.
I have now moved to a unit where I am able to carry an additional handgun if I prefer. In this new position, I now find myslf in those situations where a gun mounted light could be utilized with more frequency. I would like to move up to a .45, due to previous experiences shooting a G21SF. I shot well with the 21 and really enjoyed the reduced recoil from the G22. The G21SF also fit my hand well. On the other hand I am partial to the M&P series of pistols from owning them in my personal life. I enjoy the grip, and overall feel of the M&P series and trust in the handguns with my M&P40 having around 5,000+ rounds through it.
I plan on going to a local gun range sometime in the future to get some shooting time on the M&P45 but with an extremely hectic schedule i am not sure when that will be possible. So in the meantime I am looking for input from you ladies and gentleman who have shot both.
Thanks for any replies.
If you're happy with the M&P why not then error on the side of caution and stick with what you know, aside from that I have rather extensive experience with the G21, both the standard and the SF frames, but not the Gen4 frames. The Glock is a more proven design, it holds more ammo, and has a much better trigger out of the box, it also has an enormous amount of aftermarket support, with the M&P starting to narrow the gap somewhat. Then again I've never had an M&P blow up in my hands, which I definitely had happen with the last 21SF I owned. Such an experience tends to sour one's disposition, even if it may not have been entirely the Glock's fault. I have never heard of a KaBoomed M&P 45 auto...
Both are great guns, but the ergonomics of the M&P are far better than the G21. It is also made in America.
I have 3 M&P45's and very much enjoy the platform. However, I am among the significant few who continue to experience the dreaded "sticky follower" phenomenon with my full size 10-round magazines. This is a big issue for me, and I refuse to trust my life to a gun that has this type of malfunction. S&W needs to take a close look at this problem, fix it, and make the M&P45 one of the most accurate and comfortable polymer 45's on the market.
First of all hand size is a non-issue for me. I have smallish hands and wear S sized gloves and have no issues with the Gen4 G21 (no backstrap). It's the same as the G21SF. I carry the G21 for duty and did quite well with it during qualifications. I'm also running an Inforce APL on it. No issues as well toggling the light on and off even with the grip size.
Ok so what about the controls? No issues either releasing the mag or working the slide stop.
I don't have any experience with the M&P45 but I did finger bang one. Grip size was nice.
KentuckyWindage
11-02-14, 13:36
I have 3 M&P45's and very much enjoy the platform. However, I am among the significant few who continue to experience the dreaded "sticky follower" phenomenon with my full size 10-round magazines. This is a big issue for me, and I refuse to trust my life to a gun that has this type of malfunction. S&W needs to take a close look at this problem, fix it, and make the M&P45 one of the most accurate and comfortable polymer 45's on the market.
I agree with you and have had the failing mag springs in my 10 round and 14 round mags. Wolfff springs have came out with magizine springs for the m&p 45 mags and I feel they fix the problem of the "sticking follower" phenomenon.
Link
http://www.gunsprings.com/Semi-Auto%20Pistols/SMITH%20%26%20WESSON/M%26P%20SERIES%20-%20.45ACP/cID1/mID58/dID419
I agree with you and have had the failing mag springs in my 10 round and 14 round mags. Wolfff springs have came out with magizine springs for the m&p 45 mags and I feel they fix the problem of the "sticking follower" phenomenon.
Link
http://www.gunsprings.com/Semi-Auto%20Pistols/SMITH%20%26%20WESSON/M%26P%20SERIES%20-%20.45ACP/cID1/mID58/dID419
Thank you. A link on PF.com suggests that S&W has a new spring (painted black on one end) and follower that MAY fix the problem. Thus, it sounds like the spring is only part of the problem.
A quick test of your magazines for this problem is to load them to capacity, wait 2 weeks, and unload them to see if the follower sticks halfway through the mag.
teutonicpolymer
11-02-14, 23:19
Basically all of the .45 Glocks are incredibly eası to shoot
Even the little G36 is super easy to control
So yeah my vote is Glock
As an aside if you ever want to try 10mm and have a G21 you can just get a G20 which is arguably the best 10mm out there and then yoh have holsters and mag pouches usable for both guns
Go with a Glock 21 gen4, get Glock NS with it, add whatever light you favor and you're GTG.
Both are great. I carried a 21 for most of my career. But switched to the M&P in 10' due to it feeling and shooting a bit better. It feels like a glove. Still carry the 21 occasionally as I enjoy each pistol. However if it weren't for apex sears I don't think I would have ever considered the M&P. Ergos great, trigger sux. With apex they're are truly a great trigger. However I recently started carrying an HK45. Love it too. I like em all. Get both. Or start with an HK 200 rebate in Nov n December:cool:
My duty gun is a Glock 21 SF, I'd rather carry the 9mm, but we don't have the option, I hate 40cal.
I would say the only reason to go M&P over a glock would be if you want a manual safety.
My duty gun is a g3 g21sf
Best 45 ever.
THIS :D
After owning the MP45 for a while it was fine, but nothing to write home about. I wish I had bought the Glock 21 when I was was looking at both. I probably will buy a G21 eventually.
I have small hands and have owned both weapons. The Glock was a Gen 2 and I just didn't warm up to it. Since then I purchased a M&P 45 Midsize and love it!. The weapon feels like it was made for my hand. It is very accurate and the recoil doesn't bother me a bit. The only time it has was after running one of Vickers Advanced Handgun classes and shooting a 1000 round in 2 days. The one issue I had with my M&P was the slide release. It was very difficult to manipulate until I had it worked on. I haven't handled a Gen4 G21 so i can't make that comparison right now. I also carry a G19 and have been tempted to go to my LGS to try out the G21.
You gotta go with what you trust.
If you trust the M&P, then I say jus stick to that. Personally, I have never liked shooting them. Holding them, it's amazing. Shooting, though... I just don't care much for it.
I'm a G21 guy. I have a gen 4 that's been going strong for 4k rounds. The grip texture feels perfect, and I can't express how happy I've been with the factory beavertails. I can really dig into the gun without risk of contacting the slide. The trigger is great, and it's just a solid, comfy, easy-shooting handgun. 13+1 rounds of .45 ACP is hard to argue with, as well. And that's coming from a guy who's firmly in the 9mm camp.
I fired both quite a bit and bought the M&P45 Midsized. It fits like a glove (medium-large hands) and has worked without a hitch. It has a birthdate of 12/2013.
They're both good guns so you should shoot them both to see which you favor. Of course, since you own M&P, that should also weigh in your decision.
M&P 45 is seriously soft shooting
Street Survival
11-15-14, 16:43
Sensei,
I experienced the same magazine problems that you speak of, I ordered Wolf Magazine Springs and it corrected the problem. I neglected to say that I have also have the Apex Polished, FSS and aluminum trigger. This is one sweet shooting and extremely accurate 45. Very happy with it.
Gary1911A1
11-15-14, 17:26
I own both. The M&P Series is at it's best in .45ACP. Hard choice really. Shoot both and pick the one that shoots best for you. If both are about the same I'd get the M&P45 as except for the trigger mine was good to go out of the box with better sights and handling than the Glock21.
Owning both I have to give the nod to the G21. 3 extra rounds but more importantly Glocks fit my hand very well and I shoot them quite well and I have been shooting Glocks since '92 so I have a great comfort and experience level with Glocks. Nothing against the MP45 at all as I LOVE my M&P9 but for the big 45 I'll take the G21, either Gen 3 or Gen 4.
I have 3 M&P45's and very much enjoy the platform. However, I am among the significant few who continue to experience the dreaded "sticky follower" phenomenon with my full size 10-round magazines. This is a big issue for me, and I refuse to trust my life to a gun that has this type of malfunction. S&W needs to take a close look at this problem, fix it, and make the M&P45 one of the most accurate and comfortable polymer 45's on the market.
I always enjoyed shooting the M&P45 midsize that I had, though I carried it only in the woods and used it otherwise as a nightstand and range gun. However, when I made a serious effort to switch to it a while back as I liked the size of the pistol and was considering making it my primary carry, I started shooting it more. I started to experience this issue, and did so at least 3 or 4 times. After this, and some other research that made me decide to stick with my M&P9's for carry, I sold off the M&P45.
Has it been determined that the problem stems from follower issues? I found a website that linked these feed problems to the mag springs and that had supposedly been resolved. Different springs are color-coded differently and apparently springs with black paint on them do not suffer magazine problems like other color coded springs have.
KentuckyWindage
11-26-14, 07:14
Has it been determined that the problem stems from follower issues? I found a website that linked these feed problems to the mag springs and that had supposedly been resolved. Different springs are color-coded differently and apparently springs with black paint on them do not suffer magazine problems like other color coded springs have.
I have never read or heard of the magazine issue was related to the follower other then in this thread. Everything I have read leads to bad magazine springs. In my experience I called smith and they sent new updated spring and it has fixed my problem in all my 10 round mags and 8 round mags. So in my experience it was magazine springs. This is a sample size of 1. So it might not related to someone else. This is why I mention the Wolff springs earlier in this thread.
I have never read or heard of the magazine issue was related to the follower other then in this thread. Everything I have read leads to bad magazine springs. In my experience I called smith and they sent new updated spring and it has fixed my problem in all my 10 round mags and 8 round mags. So in my experience it was magazine springs. This is a sample size of 1. So it might not related to someone else. This is why I mention the Wolff springs earlier in this thread. what kind of issues do bad magazine springs create in the M and P? I've got the full size 45, and it seems that I'm having an abnormal number of failure to feeds. Purchased weapon last year. All different types of ammo. Smith magazines, 10 and 14 round mags. Sometimes I can smack the slide and it will go into battery, and sometimes I have to rack the slide. Just wondering if this might be related. I have a Glock 22 gen 4 and Glock 41 which fire 100% all the time. I really wanted to like the Smith and have carried their revolvers and pistols for over 35 years. I have lost confidence in it. I just started carrying the Glocks this year. I have no specific advice for the OP other than my experience with these .45-s.
This is good info. I think I'll call the factory and see what they have to say.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.