Quote:
Originally Posted by 18DAI
I'm still sitting here stunned that any officer would choose a 40 or 9 over a 45! 
(Tongue firmly in cheek Fastbolt)  Regards 18DAI |
My impression - from observing who got what and why - was that the .40's ended up being issued to the average guy/gal who weren't exactly gun enthusiasts and who didn't express a preference for whatever they were issued.
There was also that group of folks who liked the Glock .40's, once the option was approved for personally-owned duty weapons. The Glocks I mostly saw being bought for uniform use were the G23 & G35, and the G27 was a popular off-duty choice.
When the M&P's were being handed out I was retired, but still serving as a reserve. When I went to get a new weapon the guy issuing them (an old friend) told me to pick whatever I wanted. I asked about inventory and he said that the 9's and .45's were hot choices and had waiting lines, but he had plenty of .40's stacked up. He told me to take a .45, if I wanted (being a .45 shooter, as well as the senior member on the instructor and armorer staff).
I told him to just hand me a .40 off the top of the nearest stack, because (1) I didn't care what caliber I carried; (2) I could shoot and run any of them well (and had carried all 3 calibers on & off-duty before retirement); and (3) I didn't want to take a weapon, as a lowly reserve, that someone among the regular staff was eagerly hoping to get issued to them.
I took that M&P 40 (which was oddly bone dry when I inspected it, versus being saturated with shipping oil like in days past) out to the shooting lines and ran a mix of current duty & 'range bin' ammo through it. It ran like a top and surprisingly was a tack-driver, especially with the 180gr HST we were transitioning to at that time (because it was the cheapest JHP, and readily available for immediate delivery by the pallet load
).
That was a rather nice duty weapon. The replaceable backstrap/palm swell inserts made it easy to fit to anyone's hand, and the steel sub-chassis in the frame (and grip angle) made it a very easy recoiling .40 to shoot. I could understand why the CHP chose it to replace their 4006TSW's.
Of course, a while later I handled and tried out one of the M&P 9 Compact 2.0's, and I decided it would be what I'd choose if I were still working. Great grip feel, balance, and the 2.0's stock trigger made it feel like I could finely cut my initials in the targets. Not bad. Made shooting at clothespins feel like cheating. Having a 15rd mag in the weapon, and 1-each of the 15 & 17rd mags on the belt (the mags came that way with that SKU number), it offered a sufficient duty load out for uniform or plainclothes use.
Time moves on ... Sigh ...