I was at one of my local Gunshops and got bitten by the gun bug again!

That's it! My next pistol will be either the M&P 9C or M&P 40C. Both great overall pistols, but I can't chose one over the other. I have all 9mm pistols in my collection so far. I have a Sigma SW9P, 1911 9mm and Taurus 905 9mm revolver so far. So I feel I'm pretty well familiar with the 9mm now. I've even done some reloading with the 9mm. It's just the right one for me, so far.

I fired a .40 glock. And I must say, I was a bit uncomfortable with the amount of recoil. my Brother in-law is really sold on the .40's as well. I'm guessing, I should just practice more with the .40 to be more familiar with it, and just grow into it. Those .40's are bigger and quite impressive, I must say.

So I would like some pros, cons and opinions on these 2 outstanding guns...

How much do you shoot? Have you priced the ammo?
We go out to shoot with 6 centerfire pistols. all but 2 are 9mm. It is easier to keep the correct ammo in the correct gun, with so many people shooting.

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I refuse to be a victim.

I'm out shooting at least once a month and have seen the mixup of loading a 9mm in a .40. Luckily no one got hurt. I'm not too concerned on the $ of .40 ammo yet!

Get the 40. Check out the other threads in the M&P section here, dealing with switching the 40 barrel to a 9mm barrel. You can go from a 40 to a 9 but not vice versa. According to what others have written, you can get a factory 9mm barrel for about $60, and simply drop it in as a replacement for the factory 40 barrel. You may not even need to buy 9mm magazines, as some claim the 40 mags work with 9mm ammo. This will give you a 2 caliber gun.

If you can reload for a 9mm you can reload for a 40. You can start out by loading lighter loads in the 40 and work up until you are comfortable with loads that equal factory ammunition. A lot of competition shooters load the 40 down to a 125 power factor, in order to be competitive with the guys who shoot 9mm's, but that's a topic for another discussion.

My plan is to buy the 40C, then buy the 9mm barrel.

Thanks wantsmoresmiths. I have not even thought of caliber conversion kits.

Completely agree, I've already ordered my 9mm barrel from Midway just waiting for it to get back in stock. I picked up 9mm mags too just to be safe, got those on sale $25 a piece. So for roughly $130 I have a whole new pistol when that barrel comes in. To me it doesn't make sense to go with the 9c when you can spend under $200 more and have both guns.

Once again, you guys are awesome! .40C is looking good, real good!

Hey guys, so what are the extended magazine options 14+1(.40) and 17+1(9mm) ?

The full size 40 I had was 15+1. 9mm I believe is 17+1

just buy the factory full size mags and XGRIP : Sub-Compact Handgun Magazine Adapters : Product List.

I own an MP 40 FS and have been looking for a smaller gun for CCW even though I can carry the 40 FS. I think the .40 S&W is the most reliable defensive round. But in the small size of the MP 40 C, the 40 kicks too much. I think the 9mm works best in the smaller and lighter guns, providing enough control for quick second or third shots if needed. I like the Ruger SR9C but will be considering the MP9C before making my decision. There is a lot to be said for keeping the trigger system similar between your guns. The Ruger trigger is nice but different.

I have the 40c with the SL 9mm conversion barrel. I also got the FS 9mm mags. It works great at the range, but I always change back to my 40 for SD. Changing my grip by placing my left pointer finger along the receiver made all the difference for me for shooting the 40. I can shoot almost as equally well with both...were it not for cost, I would stick with the 40 exclusively.

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Recovering Pacifist

So if I can buy 40 cal for $30.00/100 and 9mm for $27.00 /100 the difference is $3.00 or 3 cents a round now that adds up but you need to shoot 1000 rounds to save 30 bucks or 3000 rnds to save $90.00 the cost of a conversion barrel. you will be practicing with a different round then you would be carrying and to me that sounds like practice with one gun and carry another it just dont add up to me. But then thats me, and I love the 40 round.
Cracker

Go with the 45c! lol sorry but there has to be one guy in the bunch that tells you to go with something your not remotely interested in!

When I bought my first plastic gun (M&P) it was 9 or .40? Everyone has a 9mm these days and .40 has better terminal balistics...40 it was. It's a good gun and I shoot it well..now. Dealing with the snappy recoil impulse and the too heavy trigger that had 2 miles worth of over-travel took a lot to get used to. Especially since I was a die hard .45acp 1911 shooter.

I just love the big push/thump of the .45 round compared to the snap/crack of the .40 So if I were looking for a compact right now I would look long and hard at the 45c, heck everyone has a 9 or .40 and the .45 has better terminal ballistics!

I buy my .40 ammo for $250/1000 or 25 cents a round. So now you can shoot your .40 cheaper than your 9.

I stopped by one of my favorite Gunshops today. They have a new M&P 40C with two 10 round magazines for $498+tax. Right around $550 out the door.

So, how does $550 seem for the M&P 40C ?
Come to think of it, I could probably bring him down another $20.

$550? Shop around..... those are prices BEFORE Smith and Wesson did their price drop.

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Don't look, reload and shoot!

With a 40 M&P, you have the option later on to get S&W and/or Stormlake barrels and shoot 9mm or 357. You can even take the 40 to the range and shoot 9mm using the 40 magazines with the 9mm barrel dropped in, although you'll need 357 magazines to shoot 357 with that barrel dropped in.

With the 9mm handgun, as far as I know, your limited to just shooting 9mm.

Having the 'versatility option' with the 40 and the 40 arguably being superior to the 9mm in a self defense scenario (and the 357 perhaps the best of the bunch in self defense) makes the choice a no brainer for me.

Look around for a better price. Also see if there is a gun show near by soon, that's where I picked up my .40c for $400 and that was the first responder package (3 mags instead of two).

There are places around here selling them for $599

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M&P .40, M&P 9c & Shield 45

I buy 9 at walmart for $21-22/100, now 9 is back cheaper. LOL

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M&P .40, M&P 9c & Shield 45

I checked a few other places...Big box gun store had the M&P 40C for $499 and I saw a few online for $469.

And yeah, I've bought quite a few Federal 9mm 100 round boxes at Walmart for $19.99 while they last! I got about 12boxes of these on the shelf. I'm goin to the indoor range this weekend. A fun two to three hundred rounds. Not breaking the bank either.

If your sold on the 40, great. If not get the 9MM.

I went the 40 route. Bought conversion barrels and such. Then went back to the 9MM.

Why? I shoot the 9MM better in a compact. I'm willing to bet you will too. I'm not just talking comparing them shot for shot, but follow up shots. Sure bigger is better. But with handguns, there is a pretty good chance that you will need a second or third shot even with good placement.

Not trying to make this a caliber war, but I don't care what caliber a persons shoots, 2 or 3 solid hits with 9MM is better than one solid hit with a 40 or 45. And everyone that's been around the block a few times knows that in compact guns, the 9MM is easier to shoot and faster to get back on target.

It's your choice and either caliber will serve you well. But ask yourself......Do I really need another caliber? Do I really need to spend money on extra barrels and magazines?

I got caught up in the craziness and spent way too much money. And after all is said and done, caliber is just one part of the self defense equation.

A trained, praticed and determined individual with any service caliber gun would be a force to be reckoned with.

Good luck!

RATS!!!

$21 / 100 is a good price. I haven't checked recently how much a case of 1000 9mm is going for at my discount seller.

For pricing the 9mm and 40 go for $398 with 3 magazines for first responders, free shipping, Bud's Police Supply. If you're not a first responder I recommend joining your local volunteer fire department and getting in on this deal. I'd recommend joining the PD or Army, but their requirements are getting more stringent.

I don't have a 40c, but my 40FS shoots like my 9c, so I believe the 40c would be a handful. For the range I'd use full size mags in a 40c to make the shooting easier.

If you don't mind paying for shipping, Dana Safety Supply in Sugar Hill, GA has the 9c "first responder" package for $399.88 + tax, and they sell to civilians. I just picked one up on Friday (2/3) and it set me back a hair under $424 out the door.

Go here and click on their profile to get their contact info...

North East Georgia S&W M&P9C w/o Thumb Safety $399.88 + TAX

Are you a first responder or did you get the price as a civilian?

I'm a civilian. It's my understanding that S&W doesn't restrict the sales of their LE/responder packages like some other manufacturers do [cough]glock[/cough]. They may restrict which dealers are able to get the packages, though.

Yes!! oh you said or not &. I have both, you cannot go wrong with either one.. but my 357c is my fav.....

I buy federal 9mm for $19.95/100 and tulamo .45 for $29.95/100. My RIA 1911 eats the steel cased stuff just as well as the brass....don't have any .40cal, like the .45 better if i go large.

My 1911 RIA 9mm Tactical is one of my favorite pistols to shoot. There are way awesome firearms! I'll be shooting an easy 200 rounds through it this weekend!

I appreciate your comment and I really do like shooting 9mm's. I know I am most comfortable and quicker with the follow up shots. I'm just looking to take another step to a larger caliber. Get familiar with my own .40 and see where it goes from there.

Had a problem choosing myself, so I picked up the 9C. But I ran across a 40C lightly used for a song! That's right I got both!!

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RIP Shipmate

So, how different do they feel in terms of recoil and follow up shots. Which one do you like more?

I wish I could answer that question! Life, work and winter have taken a toll on my range time lately.

I picked up the 9C on Black Friday and the 40C a few weeks ago. Both of which were bought based on the reviews on this board, and the research I’ve done on which M&P I would want after all the bugs were worked out of the series. No lock, no thumb safety or internal lock were a must.

A friend on this Forum, mesinge2, however has done a video on the shooting of his M&P 40C, and is shows the answer to the “follow up shot” question you asked.

If I may...Thanks Mark!!

http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-m-p-pistols/224890-range-report-videos-m-p-40c.html

.40 S&W M&P-40c - YouTube

.40 S&W M&P-40c 1.wmv – YouTube

I hope this helps.

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RIP Shipmate

Thanks, Bob

If I were to compare the two I would say that the .40 does have more recoil but it is nothing that is overwhelming. And nothing like a 357 in a scandium snubbie.

While I don't have a 9mm M&P compact. I do have a 9mm Glock 26 so I can post a video of that and let you guys compare follow up shots between the Glock 26 (Baby Glock) and the .40S&W M&P compact with the same shooter:

9mm Glock 26 - YouTube

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NRA Certified Instructor

That is it the 40 M&P is the ultimate weapon it is in fact three guns in one for the added barrels of .357SIG or 9mm 9x19mm, what a great gun, there is almost no brains required to make a purchase of one or to own one with the extra barrels!

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59,M&P9,40,40C,357,(2)45,G26

My brother in-law let me borrow his Kahr!

I'm gonna take this to the range on Saturday. Feels good in my hands, Nice trigger and sights are OK. It has a slim profile that really helps for CCW, I like that alot. I think it holds 6 or 7 rounds single stacked.

I think the CW40 is about the same overall size of the 40C. So, it should give me an impression of the .40 in a compact pistol. This is gonna be fun!

I rented several 9mm guns as well as several 40 caliber guns before deciding on my M&P 40 FS. The 9mm guns shot fine, but I had more fun shooting the 40 caliber guns. I don't know if it was the extra power or what, but they were just more fun. I am glad I ended up with the .40 M&P. It is a blast to shoot and don't really have a desire to convert down to the 9mm barrel. You can't go wrong with either gun. They both shoot great. It will come down to what feels more comfortable in your hands.

Having owned both, the Kahr will have much more recoil.

HANG ON TO IT!

It will probably get you right in the web of your hand.

What he said ^^^^^^

You can't shoot a Kahr and expect a M&P to be as bad.

Man what a morning....

So I took the borrow Kahr CW40 to the indoor range. I purchased a box of 50 180gr American Eagle, enough rounds for this pistol. I actually shot pretty good with it at 3, 5, 7 and out to 10 yards. I can handle this.

I didn't do near as well with my Ruger LCP. All over the place and couldn't tell where I hitting. I just went to "point and shoot" with the LCP at 5 yards. Maybe I should try "point, shoot and throw". Nuff said.

I did pretty good with my 9mm Sigma, and excellent with my 9mm 1911.

So about an hour later im putting the down payment on my brand new Smith & Wesson M&P 40C with no regrets.

I should be done paying it off in a few weeks!

Awesome! I eagerly await the range report.

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NRA Certified Instructor

You will end up with both sooner or later. Either conversion or two guns.

I am hoping Walther (smiths homely cousin) does the PPQ in compact 9.

time to go have fun. I'll have a range report on it next

Thanks everyone for the great feedback!

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