Lower overall cost of ownership; Glock v. M&P

[jwperry]

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.

[vincentk]

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.

[mizer67]

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.

[jwperry]

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]

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.

[mizer67]

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.

[Badger]

Dude,
If your worried about cost of ownership then shooting is probably not the sport for you.....

[Javelin]

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.

[DaveR]

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

[jwperry]

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.