View Full Version : Lower overall cost of ownership; Glock v. M&P
Has anyone ever done a cost comparison over the life cycle of these guns? Let us use an arbitrary number of 60k rounds per pistol.
This would encompass spring replacements, magazines, sights and any other broken parts/parts replaced on schedule.
From what I can find, the M&P runs a higher cost of ownership based on the pricing for those parts. I just was wondering if I missed something.
I find that owning the M&P can be more expensive depending on your tastes for modification. After DCAEK, my M&P was more expensive than my Glock, but its just a sunk cost. Ever since, I haven't really spent much on it. However, one related issue is availability of parts. I've been trying to find a guide rod for my M&P9 for a long time..
Overall though, I'd say theyre about the same, especially if you dont mind the stock M&P.
Has anyone ever done a cost comparison over the life cycle of these guns? Let us use an arbitrary number of 60k rounds per pistol.
This would encompass spring replacements, magazines, sights and any other broken parts/parts replaced on schedule.
From what I can find, the M&P runs a higher cost of ownership based on the pricing for those parts. I just was wondering if I missed something.
If you're going to spend north of $12,000 on ammo ($200 per case as a rough number), who cares if one gun costs $100 more to equip initiall and maintain, the added cost is insignificant.
If you're going to spend north of $12,000 on ammo ($200 per case as a rough number), who cares if one gun costs $100 more to equip initiall and maintain, the added cost is insignificant.
To me the cost is significant. I'm getting ready to be married and we are sorting out our budgets. I want shooting to be a part of my budget and if that $100 is a cost of a every 3 months, 6 months or 12 months; those are costs I need to incorporate into my budget.
I can afford a $200 case of ammo a month, but buying another gun can create issues on the home front...and create a month or two without shooting.
And I too, have been having trouble finding a spare recoil assembly or recoil spring.
warpedcamshaft
10-01-11, 21:53
pistol-training.com does a bunch of endurance testing on guns.
Look at M&P Monday, and Gen 4 Friday. They do some pretty cool stuff.
To me the cost is significant. I'm getting ready to be married and we are sorting out our budgets. I want shooting to be a part of my budget and if that $100 is a cost of a every 3 months, 6 months or 12 months; those are costs I need to incorporate into my budget.
I can afford a $200 case of ammo a month, but buying another gun can create issues on the home front...and create a month or two without shooting.
And I too, have been having trouble finding a spare recoil assembly or recoil spring.
All you really need to replace regularly are springs, which are ~$50 / year if you're shooting ~12,000 rounds annually, for both platforms, and the costs are nearly identical.
Recoil spring $8 for each. Striker spring $3.40 for each, extractor spring or extractor depressor spring $3.00 each. $14.40 total for either, 2X annually = $28.80. Mag springs can be replaced once a year for a total cost of ~$5/mag, and I'll figure you have at least 4 so $20 annually. Total cost $48.80 annually for maintenance.
If something breaks or wears out, Glock parts are cheaper and more available.
However, if you ever break something non-user serviceable and need repair, or have an issue with your weapon you can't diagnose, Glock's warranty expires after 1 year and you still have to pay to send the gun in for repair, even in warranty (~$45 each time). Smith has a lifetime warranty and sends call tags.
So, costs of ownership are basically a wash.
Magazines, holsters, sights, drop-in triggers, barrels and springs are all similar in price, if you shop around.
Cost of maintenance or equipment is not a vaild reason to pick M&P over Glock or vice versa, and $4/month for general maintenance is insignificant compared to keeping the gun fed and shouldn't break your budget.
Try Speed Shooter Specialties for a replacement guide rod assembly, or just buy a SS guide rod and use ISMI springs in place of the factory assembly.
Dude,
If your worried about cost of ownership then shooting is probably not the sport for you.....
Dude,
If your worried about cost of ownership then shooting is probably not the sport for you.....
Totally agree. They are both basic handguns that will serve the same purpose for minimal cost of maintenance.
I bought a Glock 26 and an M&P 9c on the same day in January of 2009. I've since put over 12K rounds thru each.
I've replaced the spring/guide rod on each every year at about 8.50 each (although the first year Glock sent me a free one, then they stopped doing that)
The only modification I've done was to add steel rear sights to the Glock for 15.00. The M&P didn't need them, came with nice Novak sights.
I've bought other spare springs for each but have never used them. Also bought a spare striker for the M&P for 10.00 when people were having problems with them breaking but haven't used it yet.
I clean well after every range trip so when I detail stripped the frames of each after a year to check springs they were very clean. Haven't done that again. I do clean the striker channels/strikers every 6 months and they do need it.
Other than buying another few magazines for each, which were also about the same cost at the time, have spent my money on ammo and shooting.
That's what quality guns are all about and these are quality guns.
Dave
Not really some of the responses I was looking for, but some were good. Thank you.
It really doesn't appear that one has an overall cost of ownership higher than the other.
Prices between the two are like many said, quite insignificant. Bear in mind, glock parts are, without a doubt easier to find and obtain. Glock mags tend to be cheaper than M&P mags too.
If you have enough time / money to shoot one until it is no longer serviceable, the cost of the gun is not relevant.
Lucky Strike
10-02-11, 21:02
As others have said the difference between the two will be rather miniscule. The cost of ammo is gonna be the huge factor....so if you don't already then start reloading....you can cut that cost in about half.
From an organizational standpoint (and, to a more limited extent, the individual user standpoint, from most practical purposes/needs) the Glock platform is far easier to maintain if detailed disassembly/inspection/maintenance times are factored in.
That's not to say that between the two that one platform is "better" than another, it's simply a yardstick for comparison. Such criteria may or may not be valid, depending upon the individual/organization/resources concerned.
My personal preference is towards Glock. I acknowledge that the ergonomics of the M&P may well be superior in some areas, but I easily "conform to the tool" with my Glocks with practice and use, so for me, such ergonomically superior areas of the M&P are somewhat irrelevent-for other users, or users/agencies making a choice, they may well be highly pertinent.
While I'm not happy with the Gen4 quirks that have cropped up since their introduction(s), I'm reasonably certain that Glock will have them fully corrected in short order, if not in fact already. The Gen4 G21 SF seems to be quietly performing quite nicely since its introduction, for example, and the Gen4 G22 seem to be doing nicely as well. I've noticed from ongoing threads on this forum (and elsewhere) that the M&P also has some serious quirks-some resolved, some not-so-much, and requiring aftermarket ministrations/components.
Best, Jon
viperashes
10-04-11, 05:06
I don't own an M&P, but I do own 3 Glocks. My Gen2 G17 is probably north of 25,000 rounds and I'm CONSIDERING replacing the RSA in it. I hear good things about M&Ps once they have the APEX kit in them. Glocks, for me, are fine stock, but CAN be upgraded well with not only factory options but huge aftermarket support.
Also, if you're worried about cost of maintenance, right now, the normally $60 parts kits for Glocks are $20 at the Cabelas website and include: recoil spring assembly, minus connector (3.5 lb), two followers, two magazine floorplates, two magazine springs, trigger pin, trigger housing pin, locking block pin, trigger spring, extended slide stop, and extended magazine catch.
The minus connector by itself is usually about $20, so you're getting a complete rebuild kit, which includes upgrades (minus connector, extended mag catch and extended slide stop).
Dude,
If your worried about cost of ownership then shooting is probably not the sport for you.....
This makes no sense. Any hobby can get expensive. It is pretty stupid to say someone shouldn't include shooting as a sport because they want to know how to do it economically. Do you go dump on guys using 5.45 uppers because they are cheaper to feed than 5.56?
To the op's question glocks have a lower up front to me.Especially if you can get a gsssf/emt/leo/mil discount. Or buy a used one and save a few hundred. Seems like folks want more for a used M&P than Glock. Plus I've had better luck finding glock mags cheaper than M&Ps. It is a sample size of one but it is what I've found.
SeaSoldier
10-04-11, 07:09
Just wait until you want a Harley. :haha:
For me, the trigger sucks in the M&P and the grip angle (for me) sucks on the Glock. Both of those items need fixing in either gun, so it's pretty much a toss of the coin.
For me, caliber dictates which gun I run. For instance my 9mms are Glocks, while my 45s are M&Ps.
This debate is largely...worthless.
Both guns run out of the box. Both guns have a chance of coming slathered in factory lemonsauce.
Any additional costs beyond ancillary gear will be up to the shooter and should NOT be factored in.
There are TONS of great shooters out there rocking the hell out of a stock M&P or a stock Glock.
From a parts and maintenance standpoint, OEM parts are OEM parts. Some Glock parts are cheaper than M&P parts and vice versa.
The bottom line is that both guns require a little bit of upkeep at a very nominal cost.
IF you really want to tally up costs go ahead and get a copy of the armorers manuals for both guns and add up the cost of parts according to the recommended replacement schedule in each manual.
FChen17213
10-04-11, 20:10
I have both platforms and wound up going with the Glock. I think the Glock is going to be a cheaper platform to maintain and keep running. That being said, the vast majority of your cost is going to be ammo. If you shoot at least once a week, your ammo costs are going to dwarf the gun/replacement parts/magazine cost. I'm assuming that you plan on shooting at least 15,000-20k rounds a year. Generally, a case of 9mm ammo is going to run about $200. You do the math on that and obviously ammo will be the lion's share of cost.
That being said, the M&P and Glock cost about the same out of the box. I think we all agree that the M&P leaves alot to be desired straight out of the box whereas the Glock is fine....other than maybe replacement sights. With the Apex Sear and upgrade kit for the M&P, you're going to be higher than the Glock in terms of cost. Next, let's look at magazines. You can still get Glock mags for maybe 20 bucks or so per magazine if you are willing to shop around. M&P mags are going to definitely cost more. If you're a serious user, I would assume that you have at least 10-20 mags and are going to be replacing them on a regular basis. Once again, the M&P will cost more. For other parts like the recoil spring and small parts that may break from time to time, the Glock parts are generally going to be cheaper and more available.
Thus, I would go with the Glock in terms of cost. Even though the vast majority of the money will go into ammo, money's still money and a Glock could potentially save you a little money.
Both guns run out of the box. Both guns have a chance of coming slathered in factory lemonsauce.
Any additional costs beyond ancillary gear will be up to the shooter and should NOT be factored in.
From a parts and maintenance standpoint, OEM parts are OEM parts. Some Glock parts are cheaper than M&P parts and vice versa.
The bottom line is that both guns require a little bit of upkeep at a very nominal cost.
This is basically what I've found.
Advantage goes to gen2/gen3 Glocks as far as the pricing goes from my continued search. Not by much though.
I'll be sticking with my M&Ps.
Tomahawk_Ghost
10-05-11, 11:27
I own 3 Glocks and they're my goto guns. I like the M&Ps I've handled and might get one as my next gun.
The only thing that gets me about them is when you buy one you'll end up getting the Apex parts for it. Then you're opening up a can of worms with S&W lifetime warranty. It's hard for me to buy a new gun that I'm not totally happy with from the start.
I own 3 Glocks and they're my goto guns. I like the M&Ps I've handled and might get one as my next gun.
The only thing that gets me about them is when you buy one you'll end up getting the Apex parts for it. Then you're opening up a can of worms with S&W lifetime warranty. It's hard for me to buy a new gun that I'm not totally happy with from the start.
Apex parts are great. If i had my way and i was the CEO of S&W i would decree that the guns would come with them but the bottom line is that you dont NEED apex parts.
Its the same principle behind the - connector and a glock. You dont NEED that connector but ALOT of people like them.
There is a huge difference between want and need here people...i think we are losing the point of this thread...
...i think we are losing the point of this thread...
I'm not sure there was a valid point.
Shooting 60,000 rounds over 5 years, if that's the notional service life of a weapon as stated by the OP, and you spend ~$100 on Apex trigger kit for an M&P over a Glock, that's only $1.66 / month over the life of the weapon.
If you're budgeting down to the $2.00 level monthly in setting a budget, you're cutting it way too close or you're down into the detail so far that you'll never be able to live within that constraint month to month.
Stuff happens, things break, etc., and there needs to be more of a buffer to make a budget realistic.
I'm not sure there was a valid point.
Shooting 60,000 rounds over 5 years, if that's the notional service life of a weapon as stated by the OP, and you spend ~$100 on Apex trigger kit for an M&P over a Glock, that's only $1.38 / month over the life of the weapon.
If you're budgeting down to the $2.00 level monthly in setting a budget, you're cutting it way too close or you're down into the detail so far that you'll never be able to live within that constraint month to month.
Stuff happens, things break, etc., and there needs to be more of a buffer to make a budget realistic.
And...there you have it.
I didnt want to outright say this as there IS an academic point to the thread, at least on a large scale level but for the average Joe, even with a fleet of personally owned weapons, maintenance costs are simply maintenance costs. The difference in cost between maintaining either of these weapon platforms is marginal and a reality or fact of life.
From a department standpoint where every dime, penny, sheckle etc is counted, i can understand why someone would want to add up the costs of individual parts. Im too lazy to actually spreadsheet this out and do the math. :)
...If you're budgeting down to the $2.00 level monthly in setting a budget, you're cutting it way too close or you're down into the detail so far that you'll never be able to live within that constraint month to month...
Stated much better than I would have.
Also, if you're worried about cost of maintenance, right now, the normally $60 parts kits for Glocks are $20 at the Cabelas website and include: recoil spring assembly, minus connector (3.5 lb), two followers, two magazine floorplates, two magazine springs, trigger pin, trigger housing pin, locking block pin, trigger spring, extended slide stop, and extended magazine catch.
The minus connector by itself is usually about $20, so you're getting a complete rebuild kit, which includes upgrades (minus connector, extended mag catch and extended slide stop).
Hey, thanks for mentioning these (http://www.cabelas.com/product/Original-Glock-Parts-Kits/939569.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dglock%2Bkit%26x%3D0%26y%3D0%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=glock+kit&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products). I scooped up a few for my parts bin and for my friends. Great deal on OEM Glock parts - and as you said, the '-' connectors alone go for $20.
brushy bill
10-07-11, 18:05
Hey, thanks for mentioning these (http://www.cabelas.com/product/Original-Glock-Parts-Kits/939569.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dglock%2Bkit%26x%3D0%26y%3D0%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=glock+kit&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products). I scooped up a few for my parts bin and for my friends. Great deal on OEM Glock parts - and as you said, the '-' connectors alone go for $20.
Great price. However, looks like they only have them for the G21. Nothing for the 9mms.
And I too, have been having trouble finding a spare recoil assembly or recoil spring.
Get your guide rod assembly here:
http://www.speedshooterspecialties.com/catalog/search.php?submit=submit&categories=Smith+%26+Wesson+M%26P+9%2F40%2F357&subcategories=Guide+Rods
Great price. However, looks like they only have them for the G21. Nothing for the 9mms.
Wow, they went fast. When I ordered just a few days ago, they had the entire lineup in stock.
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