I have been a Glock 19 shooter and carrier for over 3 years. I was at my local gun shop today and finally held the M&P 9. I really like the grip and the slide serrations. My questions is that are the M&P 9's solid reliable guns. I have browsed the net and they look good on paper but I wanna know from actual users. I may have finally found a gun to replace my 19 and just want to know a little more about it.

I have about 300 rounds in mine. Only had it about a month.
I like the feel over the Glock I have. I haven't had any problems with it.

I don't own either, but I've shot them both and think they are both excellent guns. As far as accuracy and reliability goes, I think it's a toss-up, but the S&W definitely feels better to me, both in handling and in its trigger.
Chris

I think you will be happy with the M&P 9. I have a 9L, a 40 and 45. If you do indeed like the 9, you may very well want the others also.

My 40 now has over 4000 rounds through it, and it just keeps going.

I've owned my M&P9 fs for over 3 years and I take it to the range about every other week and have never had a problem except one or two jams during break in. I favor the M&P over my Glock 17 for carry but shoot the glock just a little bit better. I have the Apex USB and sear to install soon, so I just might favor the M&P over the glock.

Never had any troubles from mine sounds like a great idea

Had my MP9 FS for about 3 months and about 1000 rounds. No problems.

I don't have a 9mm M&P (yet) but I have had no issues with my M&P40 and I have put thousands of rounds through it.

It just fits my hand and points so well, I don't even know why it has sights on it.

Beyond that, I really like being able to field strip it without having to pull the trigger on a closed slide.

I will never give up my 5904 but I think the M&P pistols have to be one of the best things S&W has introduced in the last 10 years.

I'm at 614 rounds so far in my M&P9 FS that I got back around mid-Dec 2010. It's an Aug 2009 production model, so doesn't have some of the most current revisions in the newer models.

No problems thus far at all. I've cleaned it a few times, but nothing crazy.

Field stripping the M&P is just a little more hassle since you have to hit the sear disconnect on the inside to do it, and it's a bit too small to use your finger. They do include the little probe/tool in the grip for this purpose, but it's definitely not as quick to pop open as a Glock due to that added fiddling.

You should always chamber check every firearm before cleaning anyhow, closed slide or not... there is no excuse!

Field stripping the M&P pistol works just like a Glock.

Clear the pistol and flip the disassembly lever. Hand close the slide, pull the trigger, and remove the slide off the front of the frame.

No fiddling whatsoever and probably easier than finding the magic spot where the Glock disassembly levers disengage. I have no clue why S&W wants us to remove the pin securing the grip panel before field stripping. (Nor do I have a clue why it's necessary to have a warning on the pistol that it will fire without a magazine inserted.)

-- Chuck

I carried a 9C for about 15 months. Great little weapon and very accurate. I wouldnt have traded mine for a sack full of Glocks...but alas I had to get rid of it. Replaced it with a 686...

Thankks for the help guys. I was gonna get a 686 but I found out shooting my model 10 I am not as good as with semis. I plan on gettinf the Fullsize version first. If I like it and it does well I may ppick up the compact later on. Mainly just wanted to try something different than a Glock.

Personally, I would keep the G19. It's probably the best and most popular Glock made.

But I would also add an M&P9 to your collection. I have a few thousand rounds through mine and have never had a problem.

I dont own a 19 at this moment. I am trying to decide to go back with the 19 or give the M&P a try.I really like the feel of the M&P in my hand but just wanted some reviews from people with them.

The M&P 9 is as reliable and accurate as any Glock. If it fits your hand better, buy it.

I don't have an M&P 9mm yet (it's on order) but I have had the M&P .45 for 2 years, with several thousands of rounds through it, and could not be happier with the pistol. It has worked flawlessly. I can not remember a FTE or FTF, and I have run it fairly dirty in several competitions with no issues at all.

If the 9mm M&P fits, go for it. They are GREAT.

Is it possible for the M&P to NOT fit your hand better?

I have had my M&P9c for several years and several thousand rounds. It is also my primary carry friend. The only problem I have ever had is with the range ammo where I shoot. I have had several failure to fire rounds, the range master has had other complaints, they use handloaded ammo from an individual and the problem was with several different calibers. When I use the lawman brand I have never had even one problem, so I just avoid the range ammo.

No offense meant, but some answers:

A) There is a sear disconnect lever inside the pistol that you hit to eliminate the need to pull the trigger. Did you not read your owner manual... or is your's somehow different? The fact pressing the trigger to field strip the M&P is unneeded is actually one of the "features" of the pistol, which differentiates it from most pistols on the market.

B) Removing the "tool" in the grip panel is the device you use to manipulate the sear disconnect lever inside the pistol (again, did you not read your owner manual? )

C) The warning is there for the lawyers since some of the M&Ps have a magazine disconnect feature (for places like CA)... the ones w/o the magazine disconnect have the stamped lawyer-speak.

Hope that clarifies a few things and removes some incorrect info. If somehow there are models that do not have the sear disconnect lever, please let me know. AFAIK, they all have this "feature."

Just how many people do YOU know actually read the instructions? And does it really matter how it comes apart?

I don't think so.

Hey!

That's no way to talk to scootie.... He is right about the takedown tool and the fact you DO NOT fire the weapon to disassemble it.

I think it's great that he took the time to point out this error because we have had quite a few mistaken 'problems' with block owners thinking they need to pull the trigger on an M&P for stripping. If said M&P has a mag disconnect that would be deemed less safe.... having to insert a mag to fire the weapon.

Of course this is all wrong, as M&P's do NOT need to be fired to disassemble them.

And I sure read my owners manual!! Anyone who has not should read theirs before operating the weapon.

Off my soapbox....

Yes, read the owner's manual - especially with a new design.

Back to the topic, the M&P9 has been out long enough now that the initial stories of extraction problems and a few others (some of them "owner-induced") have gone away and I do not hear anything much about the pistols. I have several friends who own more than one, and who shoot them a lot more than I shoot mine. The only complaint I have heard is that some would prefer a barrel of higher quality, but they usually admit that the barrel that comes with the gun is perfectly adequate. Everyone always wants the best barrel they can get.

I had an early M&P9 and now have a 9L. Other than curing the trigger, which is a simple matter, I have had no complaints about either pistol. I just examined my brother's brand-new M&P9 (with thumb safety) and it was fine. Nice looking pistol - and not a terrible trigger on this particular gun.

thanks for all the advie guys. Where I live they run right in line with the price of Glocks. Just wanted to know more about them to see if it was worth getting. I will shoot it at the range and see how it really feels.

Express Police Supply has them for $398 with free shipping. How much is the Glock?

Or you could just leave the tool in the grip, pull the slide back, flip the lever down and pull the trigger to remove the slide without messing with the sear disconnect.

I'm not taking the tool out of the grip. I'm worried it will wear out and get sloppy. I just tried to take mine down by pulling the trigger and it works.... Is there any disadvantage to doing it that way?

Pulling the trigger is fine. That is what Glock owners do. Just make sure, of course, that there is no round in the chamber. The whole reason for pulling down the lever inside the frame is to allow the user to ensure that there is an empty chamber and to release the sear for easier take down. Instead of the tool, just use any small object that will fit into the frame to engage the release. As the old TV commercial used to say, "Try it...you'll like it"...

__________________
NRA Life Member

For those of us who are stuck with magazine disconnect, this is the easier path to field stripping... otherwise we'd have to clear the gun, then reinsert a magazine, close the slide, and then press the trigger.

It's arguably faster to use the sear disconnect... remove magazine, open/lock slide, check chamber, hit sear disconnect lever, hit takedown lever... slide comes off.

By forcing the user to open the slide and remove the magazine to engage the sear disconnect, S&W made sure you have to open the slide/chamber with no magazine present to field strip. It's a clever way to make field stripping "safer" for those who aren't inclined to follow proper safety practices in the first place.

As for reading the owner's manual... it sure strikes me as very irresponsible to not read the manual for such a potentially deadly device. In fact, if you read the manual enough to realize that S&W wanted you to pull the tool from the grip during field strip, what stopped you from comprehending what its purpose was? All to their own. I was just providing the obvious answer to a somewhat silly question.

Anyhow, to stop hijacking this thread, if the OP is comfortable with a Glock 19, they will likely be relatively happy (at the very least) with the M&P9.

Actually I have the mag disconnect. I just pressed that with a pen instead of using a magazine so I could try the trigger thing.

I don't pull the tool out. I find it easier to use a toothpick, my finger, or just about anything I have handy to drop the sear lever.

haha. nice. either way, you have to get in there with something small and either move the mag disco or the sear disco lever. your choice.

i can actually get in there with my pinky to move the sear disco lever if i'm not at my workbench for some reason.

i need to stop being lazy and just order the spring to disable the mag disco and stop worrying about it.

Hey, I didn't say he was wrong. Not at all. But does it really make a difference? NO.

I'm confused...I have the MP40 with the mag disconnect. I disassemble using the sear disco lever inside. But, I'd like to know how to disassemble it using the trigger method just because I want to know every little trick about my gun. I tried inserting an empty mag then pulling the trigger but then when you bring the slide back to release the take down lever it apparently cocks it again. So what exactly is the sequence here? Am I missing something? Does this only work on the guns without the magazine disconnect?

Actually I did read the owners manual and removing the frame tool (grip securing pin) and pushing a lever inside the pistol has gotta be the most lawyer-driven method I've yet seen. Assumes folks are too stupid to clear the pistol first -- Yeah there are lots of folks who are.

These gyrations are cumbersome, unnecessary and can be safely ignored provided the pistol is clear. If you think it's necessary to depress the sear deactivation lever (a vestige of the magazine safety?), use whatever is handy; no need to remove the tool.

For grins I grabbed the M&P manual. Other random items I frankly ignore:

Never load your pistol until you are sure of your target. (p.15)

...and these were in red!

Always use the lock...to secure your firearm. (p.7)

WARNING: Wear safety glasses every time you assemble or disassemble your firearm. Or magazine. (This appears several times.)

-- Chuck

If you have the mag disconnect safety, you must lift that before the weapon will fire. So to drop the sear without a magazine inside reach into the mag well with a pen or popsicle stick and lift the mag disco wire. Now the weapon will fire.