9mm or .45 M&P?

[Buckeye0311]

Hey all. So I am planning on purchasing a M&P in the next couple of months, and I need some help on buying a 9mm or a .45. I currently shoot and carry two .45, a 5" Springfield and a 4" Kimber SIS; so I like the idea of just staying with .45 and not having to buy anything else, but I like that 9mm is so much cheaper right now. What do you all think? Also, what is the felt recoil comparison between an all steel 1911 and a full size .45 M&P. Thanks.

[C4IGrant]

Hey all. So I am planning on purchasing a M&P in the next couple of months, and I need some help on buying a 9mm or a .45. I currently shoot and carry two .45, a 5" Springfield and a 4" Kimber SIS; so I like the idea of just staying with .45 and not having to buy anything else, but I like that 9mm is so much cheaper right now. What do you all think? Also, what is the felt recoil comparison between an all steel 1911 and a full size .45 M&P. Thanks.


I think the S&W M&P in 45 is the best polymer gun out there (especially the mid-framed model).

With that said, if you do not own a 9mm and like to shoot a lot, go with the 9.


C4

[Buckeye0311]

Grant, I own a Beretta 92 in 9mm, but I do not shoot that much any more. Is there a cause for the cost increase of .45 ammo that you know about? Is this increase going to continue? Thanks.

[Buckeye0311]

Grant, one more question for you...for now;) What makes the .45 M&P the best polymer gun? Thanks.

[MarshallDodge]

I would choose 9mm if you don't plan on reloading.

Grant is right on the midsize M&P45, that is a nice all around gun.

[C4IGrant]

Grant, one more question for you...for now;) What makes the .45 M&P the best polymer gun? Thanks.

Ergo's, cost, bore axis, models and reliability.


C4

[Buckeye0311]

John_Wayne777, thank you very much for all of your helpful info. You basically put into writing what I have been debating in my own head. I am soon to be a poor medical student, and the idea of cheaper ammo= more shooting (when I can;)) is a sound idea.

What about the external thumb safety? I think that I want one on my M&P so that when I switch from my 1911s to the M&P I will have commonality. What do you think about that. Not just John_Wayne777, but everybody.

Thanks again.

[Biggy]

I like the fullsize S&W M&P in 9mm. With the top rated JHP ammo of today you don't need the +P loadings to get great results and there is no penalty for having more rounds to shoot. In the end its still where you place the bullet. As for the manual thumb safety I don't use or want one, but if I were in enforcement (I) would probably have one.

[rh88]

I had the same dilemma recently. I have 2 1911's and a nice stash of .45 ammo, so I was swaying toward the M&P 45. With that being said I decided to go with the M&P9 fs. I'm glad I did. I shot 100 rounds this past weekend to try it out and really like the 9mm. Plus it was nice to pick up 500 rounds at the shop for $109. I'l probably end up with the .45 sooner or later anyway:D

[dojpros]

I really wanted to like the M & P in .45. However coming out of a hard core glock tradition, I ultimately went with a 21SF as a 45th birthday present to myself.

Having set that, I I were painting on a blank slate, I would get an M&P in a heartbeat. Given their relatively low cost and your proclivity for spending $ 1000 on a gun i.e. the Kimber SIS, when not simply buy one of each equipped with frame mounted safeties and drive on?

david of vcdgrips.com

[MarshallDodge]

What about the external thumb safety? I think that I want one on my M&P so that when I switch from my 1911s to the M&P I will have commonality. What do you think about that. Not just John_Wayne777, but everybody.

Thanks again.
The thumb safety is not in exact the same place as the 1911 so be sure to handle the M&P with the safety option before you make your purchase.

[ralph]

The thumb safety is not in exact the same place as the 1911 so be sure to handle the M&P with the safety option before you make your purchase.

MarshallDodge makes an excellant point..I have a Mid size.45, and it is very,very accurate, it also HAD (note the past tense) a thumb saftey. The thumb safteys on the M&P are not in the same place as a 1911, After a year of ignoring this fact, and telling myself I could "get used to it" I finally pulled it out, and ordered a set of frame plugs from S&W..

[John_Wayne777]

To add to the chorus about safeties, I personally don't have safeties on any of my M&P's. They are a nice feature as there are certain drawbacks to a handgun with a ~ 6 pound trigger and no manual safety, but it doesn't feel as good in the hand as a 1911 safety. It also complicates lasers on the M&P and can get in the way of using the slide release for some folks.

If you're not used to the non-safetied M&P's it's probably not a big deal, but I found going to the safetied version a bit too much of an adjustment in terms of handling and holsters compared to my other non-safetied M&P's.

I'd say handle one that has the safeties and see how you like it.

[RogerinTPA]

Agree with the Masses. 9mm with the M&P is the way to go to gain proficiency. The M&P45 FS with safety, was my first M&P purchase. It remains a great shooting platform, but due to cost, it has been regulated to bed stand duty, with the occasional quarterly fam fire. My M&P40, gets less shot as well, only a box or two a month. With my 2 other M&Ps (9 &9c), I'm able to shoot at least 800 to 1K per month.

[Buckeye0311]

Thanks all!!!!!! I will make sure to handle both options. I will let every one know when I finally decide.

dojpros, I'm not that rich, it was a graduation present from college:D, but maybe one day I can buy to guns at once. Man that would be the life.

[TehLlama]

Both are good options.

The only thing that really swayed me is the Arredondo modified M&P9 magazines - 22rds of awesome per stick, and if you might have the budget later to add a second, that can be in ACP.

Grant's setting me up with a Full Size M&P9 with all the Apex accoutrements, I can't wait.