View Full Version : Help me decide which M&P to get...
Mr. Goodtimes
08-09-10, 20:05
I recently shot my dads M&P 40 and really liked the pistol. The caliber im not a huge fan of. I'm used to shooting my 9mm Beretta 92 and .45 Colt 1911. The recoil was very snappy compared to either.
Money for ammo is not an issue... so that aside, which M&P would you go with? The 9mm or the .45?
How is accuracy with the 9mm? What is recoil like with the M&P 45's? Is is still a slow push like with the 1911 or is it snappy like the 40?
I recently shot my dads M&P 40 and really liked the pistol. The caliber im not a huge fan of. I'm used to shooting my 9mm Beretta 92 and .45 Colt 1911. The recoil was very snappy compared to either.
Money for ammo is not an issue... so that aside, which M&P would you go with? The 9mm or the .45?
How is accuracy with the 9mm? What is recoil like with the M&P 45's? Is is still a slow push like with the 1911 or is it snappy like the 40?
I own all 3... I can't decide what I like best..... they all shoot great, just about flawless. Shot 200 rds yesterday through the 40, another 60 rounds tonite.. I'd have shot 100 rounds.... cept I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOOT 50 ROUNDS THROUGH THE NEW BODYGUARD 380... ALSO VERY KEWL AND ON MY LIST.
You hit it right on, the 40 is very snappy using WWB, but also very accurate, about a quarter sized hole at 21ft. The 9 is the same without the kick and the 45... again, the same for accuracy with a different kick, guess I could call it a hard push back... :D I love em all and plan on getting the 40 compact next for CCW. Am hoping S&W gets the compact 45 legal in Mass someday... but it doesn't seem as though it is happening.. cause I want one of them too... :cool:
One more thing, I purchased a 9mm barrel for my 40 from Storm Lake, works great too... 2 guns for a little more than the price of one...
Go with the 9mm. You will be much happier in the end.
I just sold a couple of pistols to go to a single platform and I went with M&P 9mm's. I have a compact and a FS. IMO you can't go wrong with it.
GermanSynergy
08-09-10, 20:43
I have two full size M&P's in 9mm and love em. Reliable and accurate. G&R Tactical has the best deals going on M&P's
http://www.gandrtactical.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=209301
9mm here too, don't forget Apex. Grant set mine up, I shot a hundred through it today.. I need to get another for wifey..
I recently bought a full size 9 and do love the gun. BUT, if I were to do over again, I would get the 40 because you can get .357 and 9 barrels for it (along with the appropriate mags) and so you have your choice of shooters. Now that's a versatile gun!
I got my 9mm back in april and couldn't be any happier. For what I use the pistol for 9mm is a great round. High capacity, softer recoil, and cheaper ammo which imo makes for a great range gun.
I just picked up a .45 FS to carry on duty. Great gun. Been shooting a 9mm longslide for a few months before that. I am looking at picking up a regular 9mm slide and barrel soon and I might transition to carrying the 9mm on duty. While I am given practice ammo, its only 100 rounds per month and I tend to shoot that pretty quickly. with .45 being so expensive, even when I reload, I could get a lot more practice done with my 9mm.
The 9mm version also gives you 7 more rounds per mag. I don't really notice a recoil difference between the two. I guess if I had to pick between the two and ammo didn't matter then .45. If ammo cost is a factor then 9mm. I would not feel out gunned with either though.
Mr. Goodtimes
08-10-10, 10:58
whats the recoil like with the .45? Snappy or still a slow push?
whats the recoil like with the .45? Snappy or still a slow push?
It's like a slow push...my M&P 40 is snappy.
Alpha Sierra
08-10-10, 14:06
Get the M&P9.
I carry it almost exclusively now, and my 9c just sits in the gun room.
The way I dress 99% of the time supports absolute concealment of a full size pistol AND immediate access to it.
When it comes to pistol calibers, ammo capacity is king thus 9 mm > .45 ACP.
dwhitehorne
08-10-10, 14:44
Go with the 9mm. You will be much happier in the end.
This ^ I've owned all three calibers and prefer the 9mm also. I may also get a 9mm conversion barrel for my 40 at some point. David
I have been a big fan of the M&P 40 & 45 for several years now, but have stuck with 9 mm Glocks. Recently, I had the opportunity to use an M&P9 w/ambi safety, Apex duty kit, and full stippling. I have never shot any pistol better faster or more accurately in my life. It felt as though I was wielding a laser or proverbial 40w plasma weapon, as I could not miss and the targets looked like little rat holes instead of shotgun patterns, even in rapid fire. There were no malfunctions of any kind with the M&P9. The M&P9 is now my favorite 9 mm pistol, surpassing the custom Hi-Powers I used to love, as well as my utilitarian 9 mm Glocks.
If I had to choose one pistol to carry for the rest of my life, it would be an M&P9 w/ambi safety, Apex Duty kit, and Trijicon RMR RDS.
Mr. Goodtimes
08-20-10, 07:42
I appreciate all the replies in this thread. I actually ended up going with a V3 P30 9mm and couldnt be happier. I shoot the gun very well.
willowofwisp
08-20-10, 07:59
I appreciate all the replies in this thread. I actually ended up going with a V3 P30 9mm and couldnt be happier. I shoot the gun very well.
That's another great gun too
mass-diver
08-20-10, 08:25
When it comes to pistol calibers, ammo capacity is king thus 9 mm > .45 ACP.
This seems to be a theme on this board. I'm assume you are talking about in combat situations? Classic self defense situations (robbery etc) almost always take place at point blank range and involve a very limited number of shots.
Many, many people use firearms in self defense in this country, how many of this incidences call for firing 18 rounds? If you are carrying to defend yourself against the most likely scenario, you want the hardest hitting round you can find. Since you are going to fighting at talking distances, recoil doesn't really matter a whole lot either. If you can't hit a pie place at 4' that's a training issue, not a caliber issue.
This seems to be a theme on this board. I'm assume you are talking about in combat situations? Classic self defense situations (robbery etc) almost always take place at point blank range and involve a very limited number of shots.
I've become a huge fan of Doc's forums on here, and agree that there is really not that much difference between the popular calibers. I read a lot of Dr. Facklers stuff in the past, too. I am not new to this.
In my 23 years LEO experience, from what I have seen, that very little difference, can make a big difference. Statistically, the 9mm might be comparable to the .357, 40, or 45, but I am not comfortable with it. just call it what it is... Personal preference.
Many people are comfortable with 9mm. IMHO, given how close the rounds compare, I believe that comfort is the deciding factor. If you are more comfortable with the 9mm than you are with anything else, by all means carry it, and be secure doing so. There is nothing "wrong" with it, considering the modern ammo loads.
I love my M&P .40!
I have the M&P45 and, while is has functioned flawlessly, it never really felt right in my hand. I handled the 9 and the 40 at the last gun show and they felt a lot better. Perhaps the 45 is a bit too wide for my preference. I'll probably be picking up the 40 and eventually selling the 45.
I'd go for whatever you shoot better with, 9mm or .45acp, if I had to pick I'd say the 9mm though as I've had my fair share of broken parts with the M&P's and have since gone back to Glocks mostly, the added punishment from the .45 would have me slightly more weary I guess.
Caliber/stopping-power wars aside, whether one is better than the other when shooting at "combat" or "talking" distance is irrelevant IMO, because training for the mythical one-shot-stop is a recipe for disaster.
Fire as many shots as it takes to neutralize the threat, thus more the merrier IMHO, 124+124>230.
Well it sounds like you're not a fan of the .40S&W, so I guess that's out. The .40 is just one of those calibers that you either love or hate. I believe that with mild recoiling 180gr loads, that the M&P is best in .40S&W as it seems to have an excellent balance of atributes.
Otherwise, either the 9mm or .45acp will work well. I like larger calibers, so I'd pick .45acp if I were in your shoes.
I'd go for whatever you shoot better with, 9mm or .45acp, if I had to pick I'd say the 9mm though as I've had my fair share of broken parts with the M&P's and have since gone back to Glocks mostly, the added punishment from the .45 would have me slightly more weary I guess.
Caliber/stopping-power wars aside, whether one is better than the other when shooting at "combat" or "talking" distance is irrelevant IMO, because training for the mythical one-shot-stop is a recipe for disaster.
Fire as many shots as it takes to neutralize the threat, thus more the merrier IMHO, 124+124>230.
What type of broken parts and was this in recent manufactured M&Ps?
Thanks.
RogerinTPA
08-20-10, 20:40
I appreciate all the replies in this thread. I actually ended up going with a V3 P30 9mm and couldnt be happier. I shoot the gun very well.
Sounds like you need to change the title of this thread....
What type of broken parts and was this in recent manufactured M&Ps?
Thanks.
Not real recent... maybe 5 months back is when I went back to the darkside. I had 4 broken strikers and a broken trigger spring, and 1 bunk extractor over 2 M&Ps (that extractor pin is an absolute bitch if you ever need to change an extractor btw), and even after getting pretty darn good at the DIY Burwell trigger job (much better than what the Apex parts deliver actually) I was still missing the strong reset... I spent too much time talking to and waiting for S&W CS and it kind of put me off. I still like 'em I just had a bad run of luck with 'em I guess...
Not real recent... maybe 5 months back is when I went back to the darkside. I had 4 broken strikers and a broken trigger spring, and 1 bunk extractor over 2 M&Ps (that extractor pin is an absolute bitch if you ever need to change an extractor btw), and even after getting pretty darn good at the DIY Burwell trigger job (much better than what the Apex parts deliver actually) I was still missing the strong reset... I spent too much time talking to and waiting for S&W CS and it kind of put me off. I still like 'em I just had a bad run of luck with 'em I guess...
Thanks for the info. Was this with 9mm?
Mr. Goodtimes
08-20-10, 21:50
Not real recent... maybe 5 months back is when I went back to the darkside. I had 4 broken strikers and a broken trigger spring, and 1 bunk extractor over 2 M&Ps (that extractor pin is an absolute bitch if you ever need to change an extractor btw), and even after getting pretty darn good at the DIY Burwell trigger job (much better than what the Apex parts deliver actually) I was still missing the strong reset... I spent too much time talking to and waiting for S&W CS and it kind of put me off. I still like 'em I just had a bad run of luck with 'em I guess...
The broken striker problem is one of the things that sort of turned me away from the M&P's. It seems to be their biggest issue.
Thanks for the info. Was this with 9mm?
Yeah 2 separate but identical M&P9 FS's (no mag safety or internal locks).
The broken striker problem is one of the things that sort of turned me away from the M&P's. It seems to be their biggest issue.
FWIW, I went to the P30 for a little while and found that after really getting my thumbs-forward grip dialed in that I had a lot of trouble with riding the slide-release and hated the mag release... If you haven't fired it yet I'd dry-fire it a bunch and make sure those things don't nag you, f'ing great feeling grip with them though.
willowofwisp
08-20-10, 22:09
FWIW, I went to the P30 for a little while and found that after really getting my thumbs-forward grip dialed in that I had a lot of trouble with riding the slide-release and hated the mag release... If you haven't fired it yet I'd dry-fire it a bunch and make sure those things don't nag you, f'ing great feeling grip with them though.
I believe the fix for this was to swap it with a hk 45 slide release
I believe the fix for this was to swap it with a hk 45 slide release
Never even knew that was an option... kinda wish I'd known.
Get the M&P9.
my 9c just sits in the gun room.
When it comes to pistol calibers, ammo capacity is king
Never thought I'd find a pistol that forced my 1911 into the safe, but the M&P is now my carry gun of choice and also sits on the night stand w/ a weaponlight attached.
Tried the Compact but it just didn't "fit".
;) ;) ;)
Mr. Goodtimes
08-20-10, 22:39
FWIW, I went to the P30 for a little while and found that after really getting my thumbs-forward grip dialed in that I had a lot of trouble with riding the slide-release and hated the mag release... If you haven't fired it yet I'd dry-fire it a bunch and make sure those things don't nag you, f'ing great feeling grip with them though.
FWIW, I modified my thumbs forward grip a little and it fixed the problem. Riding the slide release was an initial problem I ran into. I love the mag release actually.
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