I've shot the M&P45 before and liked it, but I was on the fence between it and a Glock 21. I like the way both of them shoot, the Glock had a better trigger (gasp) with better reset, the M&P was a little more svelte and I could shoot lead bullets in it without getting an aftermarket barrel. Tough decision....until....

I was at my FFL guy's store this morning and he had an M&P with the two barrels, one threaded for a suppressor. He's been trying to get me to buy a supressor, as that's a big part of his business and he wants everyone to have one I've never really felt a need to get one, go through the extra expense and hassle, until he convinced me to step out behind the shop and shoot his suppressed M&P45, the same model he had for sale. All it took was 8 shots and I was laughing like a little kid. Guess I'm an easy sell. So I started the paperwork and should have a suppressor to go along with this bad boy in a couple of months.

Here she is, unfired, which will change after tomorrow's range trip.

Had a chance to put about 50 rounds downrange today, both factory 230 gr. FMJ, and 230 and 200 gr. lead handloads. The range was very busy so I wasn't able to do any extensive testing.

Impressions:

Gun seemed to shoot 2-3 inches high from POA at 15 yards. Although, this was freehand, with wind, so the jury is definitely still out on that. I hope to get back out tomorrow and rest it on sandbags just to confirm sight zero. The pistol grouped well, though. Hand-sized groups with the ball ammo, 2-inch group with the 200 gr. LSWC handload.

No malfunctions at all. Even with the semi-wadcutter ammo. This is a welcome change from a Sig P220 I had which was a single shot gun with LSWC handloads.

Now, for the bad stuff. This trigger is horrendous. It measures a consistent 7.25 lbs. on my RCBS trigger pull scale. That's just way too heavy for anything that's not a double action revolver. Also, there is a lot of gravelly take up before you fully engage the sear. This is coming from the firing pin block plunger, which feels like it desperately needs polishing. The take up is nice and smooth with the slide off the frame, so it's definitely coming from the plunger actuation.

I understand that the triggers on these are supposed to improve with use, but I seriously doubt lots of firing is going to drop 2 lbs. off the trigger pull, smooth out all this grit, and improve the trigger reset. I'm even wondering if the trigger pull weight is out of spec (going to look it up on S&W website). Anyway, I've committed to putting 500 rounds through this gun before messing with the trigger, but I honestly see an Apex kit in the future. That, or I'll just sell the gun.

I like everything else about the gun, though.

[edit] I see now on S&W's website that trigger pull weight for the M&P45 is spec'd at 7 lbs. So I guess mine is right on.

One of these is on my list
I turned down one that had a really bad trigger compared to my 9 and 40 guns
My dealer hasn't found another in stock since

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PC semiauto collector

I put about 200 rounds through it today. I like the gun more than I did yesterday. The gun does shoot to the sights (confirmed off a sandbag rest). The trigger has improved somewhat with the amount of dry firing and shooting today, although it still has the gritty take-up (from the safety plunger), and the reset is soft and difficult to detect.

Shot back to back with my all-steel Colt Commander, I'd say this gun has less felt recoil, despite being quite a bit lighter. It is very easy to control, even with full power carry/duty ammo.

No failures of any kind, and it ejected brass consistently into a pile about 4 feet over and back from my right shoulder. This is a nice change from my 1911 that throws it into the next county.

Did you get the suppressor yet?