Help me decide on an M&P

[bhappycattle]

Ok guys, I need some advice. I am seriously looking at M&P 9mm Pro CORE, 4.25".

I have lots of other polymer handguns including 3 Glock 19's (Gen 2, Gen 3 & Gen 4), Glock 30SF, Springfield XD 45 Service & XDs 45, HK USP 45 and a '09 S&W M&P 9mm LEO trade in. I bought a SIG P320 Compact last weekend, put 1 mag thru it and absolutely hated the way it shot and felt while shooting, so it's up for sale locally.

I like each pistol a lot and each has it's pro's and cons, but have tinkered and added or subtracted parts and sights on all of them to make them perform well for me except my M&P. I paid $290 for it and I handpicked it out of around 30 or so in the lot. It came with two well used mags that I replaced the base pads with 10-8 bases and picked up a couple more mags here on the EE and that's it. I since relegated my M&P to my desk gun at work since it was so cheap.

I have been a pretty diehard G19 user. I do not CC a G19 very often, I 97% of the time CC my XDs 45 and am happy with it. But I keep a G19, with a G17 17rd mag with a +2 extension (19rds total) and TLR-1 mounted on it, in the console of my pickup, ready to use in a instant, to shoot at a coyote or rabbit or whatever when I am out and about.

This afternoon was pretty slow at work so I pulled my M&P out from its mounted holster under my desk and began to fondle it. I took it down and inspected it thoroughly, did some dry fire drills an really gave it some thought. I went out to my pickup and got my Gen 3 G19 to compare it with my M&P. When I was done, I took my TLR-1 off my G19 and mounted it to my M&P and the G19 was put under my desk and the M&P is now my go to gun in my pickup.

The main reason I switched them out, well there are two reasons, every time I draw the M&P up, the sights are lined up clear and quickly. The other and probably more important reason was the feel and Grip. I have a Med blackstrap installed and it fits my hand like a glove. The gun just seems to be a perfect fit. It has the full size grip without the finger grooves and has close to the same compactness is length as my G19. It really feels like a extension of myself. I am now a real fan of the M&P.

So now I want another one. I have been thinking a lot about a mounted optic so the Pro CORE would be my best option since it has the capability to mount a RMR on it.

I can order one for $619 plus tax and have it in 2 to 3 days. What are your opinions, good or bad, on this gun. Anything I should know before I buy? Is there a better model? I have heard that the slide finish is not Melonite on the Pro CORE, is this true? Or is it just a dull finish vs the glossier finish on my '09 M&P. Please let me know you thoughts.

Thanks

[Bkreutz]

Here's a link to a thread I made a year and a half ago, it will tell you what I think about a CORE. 9mm Core at 60K

[mlk18]

I was just checking out the Pro/Core and Pro/Ported the other day at the LGS. Both were well made guns and were all M&P inside and out. The Pro/Ported (which does allow for an RDS as well) had a nicer trigger and built in adjustable over travel stop. Price difference was $30, which is less than the cost of an Apex hard sear. I am seriously considering buying the Pro/Ported along with a Wilson barrel for when I don't want porting. The good news is that whichever way you go, you made the right choice.

[shutupdata113]

Get an M&P 45c...it's the best of the bunch IMO and I've had 5 different M&Ps since "09