M&P 40C, what're your thoughts?
- Thread starter gunny4053
- Start date
Jamesatrange
Member
Around here that would cost $425.00 used so I feel it's a good deal. The 40c is on my to buy list. Every time I think I want to buy one there is a nice older Smith revolver in the case and that takes priority since it's not current production. Lol
78Staff
Member
Yep glad to hear all turned out well, I've been a bit MIA here as well - have been concentrating on AR's of late
. Gun Show was a bust, cheapest I could find was about $100 more than I could buy already... Shows are just not like they used to be
. Did find some .357Sig ammo, though.Went ahead and ordered one, also added a Storm Lake 9mm conversion barrel, DCAEK kit and some XGrip adapers as well as a few other accessories... I already have the Apex Trigger in my Full Size, I am thinking of moving it to the 40C and trying out the Flat Trigger in the FS since it already has the FSS kit.
. Not sure about adding the 357Sig barrel for the compact, not sure how much I would actually shoot it, to be honest. But I might do it still, just to have it
.
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gunny4053
US Veteran
I'd love to add the 9mm and .357 conversion barrels, three in one is awesome. I looked at the Apex site and noticed the flat triggers. I love them in the 1911's, so putting one in this M&PC would be nice. To me flat triggers just feel better.
78Staff
Member
Yeah, the only issue with the Flat Trigger, it required the FSS sear/kit which really isn't the best option for a carry piece. Some people may carry with the FSS kit, but imo the very short takeup and reset plus 2-4 lb trigger isn't what I want in a EDC, whether using the AEK or the Flat trigger. I believe you can use a different spring and get it closer to 4-5lbs, but I'd still feel more comfortable with the standard DCAEK kit for carry use, which improves takeup and reset over stock, but without getting crazy, and still gives you a 5-6 lbs trigger.
SpartanZeroOne
Member
I bought a new M&P 40c this past February. A friend of mine who is a local LEO bought one online a year before and when I shot his, I was surprised that I was noticeably more accurate with his 40c than my M&P 9 FS or my Shield 9mm. I knew I had to have one. I purchased my 40c from Sportsmans Outdoor Superstore and received GREAT service. The pistol was $419.99 and they even let me use a $40 pre-paid Master Card toward the purchase... I felt like I got a steal at $379.99 for a new 40c. They sell for $530 or more new in our local gun shops. IF YOU FOUND A NEW 40C IN THE MID $300 RANGE, DEFINITELY BUY IT!! You won't regret it. Of course, I could've kicked myself when, a month later, the "3 Free Magazine" special started!!
As for the 40c, I LOVE it! It's the best feeling .40 that I've ever shot. I'm guessing that has a lot to do with the low bore axis. So far I only have about 350 rounds through it, but most of that has been various different hollow point brands/grain sizes and the weapon has had ZERO malfunctions. This is even more impressive because I did not clean or oil the gun prior to first firing it (I did field strip and inspect it first). The 40c is currently my bedside/home defense gun and also my "woods" gun. I was told by several techs at S&W to "down load" the mags with only 7 or 8 rounds since it's my home defense weapon and the mags are continuously loaded - they said this would make the springs last longer. The 2 techs I spoke with suggested I swap the mag springs out every 2-3 years, depending on how often I use the weapon.
Buffalo Bore makes a .40 S&W round that's called the "Woodsman" - it's hard-cast and is supposed to be good for 4 legged predators. I was told by an employee at BB that the round was designed to handle anything up to a Northeastern Black Bear with "relative ease." I've been fortunate in that I haven't had to test their effectiveness against any woods predators, so I can only speculate.
In my opinion, the best feature of the 40c is the VERSATILITY. You can get a ".40 to 9mm" conversion barrel from Storm Lake and shoot 9mm. You can get a .357 SIG barrel and shoot that caliber. You can use full size M&P mags and there are also X-grip adapters to fill the empty space if you feel so inclined. The full size mags and x-grips make it feel like a FS M&P in your hand.
You will not regret your purchase if you decide to buy the M&P 40c!
As for the 40c, I LOVE it! It's the best feeling .40 that I've ever shot. I'm guessing that has a lot to do with the low bore axis. So far I only have about 350 rounds through it, but most of that has been various different hollow point brands/grain sizes and the weapon has had ZERO malfunctions. This is even more impressive because I did not clean or oil the gun prior to first firing it (I did field strip and inspect it first). The 40c is currently my bedside/home defense gun and also my "woods" gun. I was told by several techs at S&W to "down load" the mags with only 7 or 8 rounds since it's my home defense weapon and the mags are continuously loaded - they said this would make the springs last longer. The 2 techs I spoke with suggested I swap the mag springs out every 2-3 years, depending on how often I use the weapon.
Buffalo Bore makes a .40 S&W round that's called the "Woodsman" - it's hard-cast and is supposed to be good for 4 legged predators. I was told by an employee at BB that the round was designed to handle anything up to a Northeastern Black Bear with "relative ease." I've been fortunate in that I haven't had to test their effectiveness against any woods predators, so I can only speculate.
In my opinion, the best feature of the 40c is the VERSATILITY. You can get a ".40 to 9mm" conversion barrel from Storm Lake and shoot 9mm. You can get a .357 SIG barrel and shoot that caliber. You can use full size M&P mags and there are also X-grip adapters to fill the empty space if you feel so inclined. The full size mags and x-grips make it feel like a FS M&P in your hand.
You will not regret your purchase if you decide to buy the M&P 40c!
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gunny4053
US Veteran
I finally got around to taking a couple pics, so here she is.
Like new with all the goodies.
Resting in it's leather.
Like new with all the goodies.
Resting in it's leather.
jstanfield103
Member
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Nice, very nice. Congratulations on the 40C. I just picked up a 40 Pro Series. My first 40, I like the umph that 40 cal puts on steel plates.
SpartanZeroOne
Member
I finally got around to taking a couple pics, so here she is.
Like new with all the goodies.
Resting in it's leather.
Nice! What kind of ammo do you have loaded in the mag? Looks to be Hornady's Critical Defense or Critical Duty?
OP
gunny4053
US Veteran
The ammo in the spare mag are my reloads with Berry's plated 180 gr truncated flat nose. The rounds in the mag in the gun are 180gr Gold Dots.
78Staff
Member
I finally got around to taking a couple pics, so here she is.
Like new with all the goodies.
Resting in it's leather.
Good looking leather. I'm going with a MTAC for now, I need tuckability and had success with the MTAC with the Shield. Leather is just plain sweet, though - my 1911's typically ride in Milt Sparks IWB's. My 40c LE order came in today, not to steal thunder or anything
. I got a little excited because it appeared to be an older version, so thought I might get lucky with the older SHB that accepts an Apex RAM, but turned out not to be. Just a dusty box lol. Not that it really matters, this will basically be carry only so shooting to reset isn't an issue here. It has the latest trigger bar and slide stop, so the reset's not terrible anyway. DCAEK kit, trigger, and sights show up tomorrow, plus I have both 9mm and 357 barrels coming as well (yes, I caved on the 357 barrel ). No pics, it's already detail stripped and ready for mods.
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gunny4053
US Veteran
Yeah, leather is my personal preference. The holster I'm using is a DeSantis Cozy Partner, made for a Glock 30, but fits the 40 C pretty well. I'm actually considering an Alien Gear Cloak Tuck 3.0 for this one. I have a standard Alien Gear for my Beretta 92 Police Special, that carries and conceals very, very well. If I'm not tucking a shirt in around it, I have a Remora that works very well, especially under a loose Polo or T shirt. Plenty of options.
I was able to shoot it again today. Only one mag and using the small back strap, but my groups were much better, and closer to COM than before. I solved the sore trigger finger problem. After smoothing the molding seam and flattening the toe of the trigger, it felt much better, and I believe the accuracy improvement showed it. I'm reloading so this weekend my daughter and I can work on it some more. I was having some buyers remorse after the first time out, but I think this will work out with time and practice.
I'm adding an Agrip from Brooks Tactial to improve the grip, it still feels slick to me. Since they don't make one for the Compact, I'm going to try adapting one for the full size. The grip size between the C and the FS are about the same, other than length, so it should work. It arrives Monday, so Tuesday I should have success or be flat on my butt.
Glad to hear yours has arrived. Just couldn't resist that .357 could you? Let me know how that works out, I'm thinking about that option myself, although I'll probably get the 9mm conversion first.
I was able to shoot it again today. Only one mag and using the small back strap, but my groups were much better, and closer to COM than before. I solved the sore trigger finger problem. After smoothing the molding seam and flattening the toe of the trigger, it felt much better, and I believe the accuracy improvement showed it. I'm reloading so this weekend my daughter and I can work on it some more. I was having some buyers remorse after the first time out, but I think this will work out with time and practice.
I'm adding an Agrip from Brooks Tactial to improve the grip, it still feels slick to me. Since they don't make one for the Compact, I'm going to try adapting one for the full size. The grip size between the C and the FS are about the same, other than length, so it should work. It arrives Monday, so Tuesday I should have success or be flat on my butt.
Glad to hear yours has arrived. Just couldn't resist that .357 could you? Let me know how that works out, I'm thinking about that option myself, although I'll probably get the 9mm conversion first.
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gunny4053
US Veteran
Let me pop another question in here. The recoil spring in mine is painted yellow. Are there other options, and who makes replacement springs? It appears Wolff only has them for the FS.
Rastoff
US Veteran
There are no other factory recoil spring options. Part for the M&P line can be found here: Welcome to Speed Shooter Specialties
Even so, I don't think you'll want to change the RSA. The factory one in my 40c has worked flawlessly with 165 and 180 grain rounds.
Even so, I don't think you'll want to change the RSA. The factory one in my 40c has worked flawlessly with 165 and 180 grain rounds.
Seven For Sure
Member
78Staff
Member
Yeah, now the problem is between the FS and the Compact I have 4 extra barrels and am looking for a decent way to store them both at home and in the range bag... plus extras springs and the like for the Tungsten Guide rod on the FS. Maybe a 22 sized magazine holder, or a small plano like case, or a tool rollup, not sure yet.
Oddly enough, I actually like shooting the 357sig, so will be interesting to see how it performs in the compact.
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Seven For Sure
Member
Only the 9mm guys feel the need to interject the same old false statements to justify their choice of the weakest cartridge you can get in any M&P. I don't know where you buy ammo but if there's 9, there's 40. Not always the other way around. SD ammo is the same for 45, 9, 40, 357 sig. I'll pay $40 more a case for 40.
Let me guess - you 'train' with standard pressure 115 gr. ammo? And you carry +P or +P+ 124 gr.? You're a joker pal. Take your advice that is beyond useless to somebody who may actually know less about firearms than yourself. Your 'advice' and statements are actually harmful since you are regurgitating false information and/or flat out lies to make you feel better about your choice.
OP
gunny4053
US Veteran
Thanks for the link, Rastoff. I may order a spare from them, may never need it, but for the price why not. I'll have to have them put me on their "notify me" list for the .357 barrel. That's a really good price.
BBinFL
Member
I just bought my first ever S&W, the 40 Compact. My head swirls from the never-ending and sometimes heated debate over 40 versus 9, with a few 357 Sig fans out there too. Some of my buddies swear by the 9 mm and others swear by the 40. To me, it comes down to what you can shoot comfortably and accurately. I'm a pretty big guy and the 40 (or 357) doesn't knock me too much.
I decided to have it all ways, so I could discover for myself which I liked best in this one platform. I found an eBay seller offering Storm Lake 40-to-9 conversion barrels and also 357 Sig barrels for $129 each. Apparently it's next to impossible to find new original S&W barrels these days. I would have bought factory barrels as they are cheaper. But the Storm Lake barrels drop right in and fire beautifully. The 9mm is the more serious option for me, while the 357 Sig barrel was more just for kicks, quite literally. Of course, I bought some 9mm mags for the 9 mm barrel, while the 40 mags are labeled for 357 Sig use too. I have only popped maybe a 100 rounds of of 9mm and 357 Sig each through the gun so far. I had a couple of FTE events with the 9mm rounds, but that ammo was old and had a patina on the shells. The 357 fired with zero hitches.
By the way, you can download the parts lists for the variants of the Compact. The ejector, recoil guide rod and spring and most other critical parts are exactly the same between the 9mm and 40. The slides have different part numbers, but I'll bet the difference is only the "40" or "9" stamped on the side. The 357 Sig variant was no longer listed, but I'm sure it shares nearly everything with the 40 too.
So, I feel like I have three guns in one, for about $300 more. After much more practice with these variants, I will eventually select which one I choose to use for CCW, and settle in on it.
I decided to have it all ways, so I could discover for myself which I liked best in this one platform. I found an eBay seller offering Storm Lake 40-to-9 conversion barrels and also 357 Sig barrels for $129 each. Apparently it's next to impossible to find new original S&W barrels these days. I would have bought factory barrels as they are cheaper. But the Storm Lake barrels drop right in and fire beautifully. The 9mm is the more serious option for me, while the 357 Sig barrel was more just for kicks, quite literally. Of course, I bought some 9mm mags for the 9 mm barrel, while the 40 mags are labeled for 357 Sig use too. I have only popped maybe a 100 rounds of of 9mm and 357 Sig each through the gun so far. I had a couple of FTE events with the 9mm rounds, but that ammo was old and had a patina on the shells. The 357 fired with zero hitches.
By the way, you can download the parts lists for the variants of the Compact. The ejector, recoil guide rod and spring and most other critical parts are exactly the same between the 9mm and 40. The slides have different part numbers, but I'll bet the difference is only the "40" or "9" stamped on the side. The 357 Sig variant was no longer listed, but I'm sure it shares nearly everything with the 40 too.
So, I feel like I have three guns in one, for about $300 more. After much more practice with these variants, I will eventually select which one I choose to use for CCW, and settle in on it.
78Staff
Member
So here are some pics - DCAEK kit and trigger installed, along with .357sig barrel and I-dot pro sights. Even with the latest revision slidestop, reset is pretty nil. As stated before, this is a EDC so reset really isn't that critical to me here, but compared to shooting the FS with a RAM, for instance, it's a very noticeable difference. 9mm barrel and mags on the way as well, so mirrors my FS that I have setups for 9/40/357. Another thing I love about the M&P's .
Shown with flat, pinky extension, and FS mags with XGrip - one has stock baseplate, one has the Apex 10-8 - the XGrip works fine with both. Going in an MTAC IWB so will to start breaking it in tomorrow
.Shown with flat, pinky extension, and FS mags with XGrip - one has stock baseplate, one has the Apex 10-8 - the XGrip works fine with both. Going in an MTAC IWB so will to start breaking it in tomorrow
