Advice on which M&P's to get

Mark in GA

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Hello all,

I have for many years been primarily a revolver guy but I have owned a few semi-autos through the years. Have owned a couple 1911's and a couple Kahr's at various times. The only semi-auto pistol I still have is a stainless Kimber Gold Match. I have fired Glocks, Berettas, and some older S&W semi's.

I have held several M&P Pistols at my LGS and fired my brother's M&P 40 FS, a M&P 45 FS, and an M&P 9c at the local range. They all shot well enough that I am tempted to pick up a few M&P's to add to my collection. My 1911 is really far too nice for carry so I feel like an M&P would be more practical to have. My EDC for the last number of years has been either an 640 or a 642. If I had an M&P, I would consider adding it to the carry mix.

I am thinking of maybe getting two or three M&P's over the coming 6 months. A full size (9, 40, or 45) and a compact of some flavor (Shield9, 9c, 40c). I do handload, so I can make ammo for any of them.

So, if limited to two which models should I get? And if three were possible, which three should I get?

Thanks,
Mark in GA
 
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If I was starting from your position, this is what I'd do.
I'd get the Shield for carry, thin, and light, a perfect CC gun. 9mm with 7 + 1 in the gun and an extra 8 round mag IMO is plenty enough ammo to carry.
Next I'd get the 40 FS, good for HD and range. Last time there was an ammo run, 40 still seemed to be pretty available, you just never know.
Then, instead of buying another gun, I'd buy a 9mm conversion barrel and mags for the FS so you can shoot either caliber.
With the money I saved not buying a 3rd gun, I'd buy extra ammo for both.
That's my .02
 
my first M&P was actually my first "non-.22", that being a 9c. I was starting to get in the market for a 9mm for training and potential carry needs, and this one sort of fell into my lap.
I've ran well over 1k rounds thru it in the year i've owned it, and really enjoy shooting it. That said, most of the time i use a full size mag (with adapter) as i prefer the larger grip 'feel'. I actually have been considering adding a FS9 to my little collection as more of a daily shooter. If i do that, then i'd have to decide if i keep the compact for future carry, or perhaps swap that for a shield.

Long story short, i'm glad i got the 9c for my first M&P as it seems for me to do a lot of things well. And I appreciate the flex i have with it. I can say i'll keep with the 9mm round regardless; as i enjoy range time that's the most economical for me at this stage and as of today i dont feel a need for 40 or 45. Just my .02.
 
Executive summary: First an M&P40 FS, then a 9mm Shield

Hello Mark,
I was in the same boat as you were about 4 years ago. I had shot a number of handguns, but was mostly a rifle and shotgun guy (I love skeet shooting). I had a Ruger Service Six in .357 which was very reliable and an old Thompson Auto Ordnance 1911 which was reliable with military ball ammo, but not much else. I have since found a cast bullet/load that will work reliably with this gun at an affordable price.

I wanted a HD gun that had more capacity than the revolver and could be reloaded more quickly but was more reliable than my 1911. I looked at both 9 and 40 guns by Springfield, FN, Glock, Ruger and S&W. Many weeks of research were spent at local gun shops, ranges and on the Internet. The Sigma/SD pistols first caught my eye because of their reliability, affordability and no-nonsense utility. No where near as expensive as a Glock, but not a Hipoint either. When it finally came to decision time, I figured for now, I wasn't going to buy another handgun for a while and an M&P was only about $150 more than the Sigma and felt the best in my hand over all the other guns so I chose it. I decided on the 40 caliber size because I knew the gun was designed around it and wasn't an "upsized 9", in fact the 9mm version was a "downsized 40".

After a couple of years of inconsistent accuracy (a good 200 round session followed by a "shotgun" pattern day at the range), I finally think I have this gun tamed to be able to shoot consistent 2" groups at 10 yards with magazine after magazine full of 40 caliber shots. The Apex FSS trigger helps, but for me, it was more of the "aim small, miss small" technique. I was centering the bullseye with the front dot. Centering on a 6 o'clock hold with a smaller bullseye gave me a consistency almost as good as the gun can shoot.

For a true concealed carry gun, the Shield is hard to beat. The main reason for an M&P owner to choose a Shield should be because it fits well for its purpose and it fits well in your hand when shooting. There is a slight advantage for staying in the same family in that the parts and action work the same between the Full Size, Compact and Shield. If you shoot a G26/27 better than a 9c or 40c, you shouldn't make "brand loyalty" choose one over the other. The Shield is noticeably thinner than the double stack Compacts or Glocks so that could make a difference.

My choice for the 9mm Shield over the 40 was multi-fold, some justified and some not. In a self-defence situation where I had to carry, I figured that modern commercial 9mm rounds work as well as 40's and if the need arises, I'd be able to follow up just a bit better with 9mm than with 40. That is certainly the case with my full size 40 when I convert it over to 9mm. One extra round doesn't seem like much, but you can never predict the situation you'd be in.

Finally, there have been enough seeds of doubt planted in the back of my head to be a little leery of the Shield in 40 whether it is from normal pressure loads blowing up the gun (unlikely) or whether the Shield 40 is less tolerant of bad ammo than the Shield 9 (more likely) and blowing up. If after many more years of reliable reports of no more Shield 40's blowing up, I figure I could easily trade the 9 for the 40 as seems possible today.

Just my 2 cents. Good luck in your decision. If you do decide to get the Full Size, seriously consider the Apex FSS kit. I resisted for over 3 years and it really did seem to help when I finally caved in and bought it. For carry, I'll leave my Shield stock for now.
 
I don't really see much advantage of .40S&W over 9mm but as stated above it's possible to change your barrel if you buy a .40S&W which is a good feature. I would recommend a 4.25" 9mm preferably Pro Series and a 9mm Shield. See how you get along with them and maybe go APEX. Then if you feel you need a .45ACP go for it. I don't like thumb safeties and they will prevent you from fitting an APEX RAM.
 
Be prepared for everyone's opinion...

Here is my 2 cents worth.. Find the gun that fits you hand the best. Find the caliber that you enjoy shooting the most. Some people love 40 S&W and some don't (I am among those who don't). Once you figure that out, research, research, research to figure out which gun will work the best for you.

For carry, I use the 9c. I enjoy the capacity and it is more accurate than my 5" Pro. (BTW, all my M&P's have Apex parts in them) However, with that said, I often find it too heavy when I am wearing light weight pants (I carry IWB) or shorts. I also enjoy wearing yoga pants and when I am wearing my yoga pants I carry it in a sticky holster. Because of the weight (1lbs 15.2 oz loaded) I always feel like it is going to fall through the pants to the ground. It never has, but it does not feel secure. Because of that, I am adding a Sig p938 to the rotation. Lighter weight, smaller, and it is also a 9mm. People have asked me why I did not just go with the Shield.. The answer is 2 fold.. I dislike the 40 S&W caliber and I wouldn't trust a 40 Shield based on past issues. The second part, is that the Shield just does not do it for me. I does not feel right in my hand and it does not excite me.

All that being said, we have M&P compacts, Pro's and a CORE in the house. We also have a M&P 15-22 AR and an M&P VTAC II AR. These guns happily joined their brothers and sisters when we bought them. We do not have any FS M&P's. Never felt the need. Thought about getting a 4.5" M&P 45, but I could not justify it when it holds fewer rounds than my 1911 hi cap 45.

I think that you will find that M&P's are good guns, with not so great triggers. Many of us have put Apex parts in them. The FSS kit makes the trigger feel like a 1911 trigger (it really does). Great for a range gun or a competition gun, not so great for a carry gun. In our 9c's I put the Apex DCAEK kit in (duty/carry kit) and I also replaced the triggers. That is just what we did. Lots of people also love their M&P's just the way they are.

Good luck and let us know what you decide.
Audra
 
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mark First off If you shoot that 1911 its good enough to wear. At least in my house pretty firearm get no special treatment .

You did not say if you plan on shooting any match's . If so buy a 40sw pro for that Core is great for bad eyes or fun guns but puts in open class and the average joe does not want to start there. The 45 compact really is not a compact. It's about the size of a glock mid size and the 9C is a simple good carry pistol. Buy 9mm barrel for the 40 for cheaper practice .

We have a 9c , 40sw full size 4.25" and a 4.25" core 9mm all have some apex parts. The pro/core need only a striker block change to smooth up the trigger pull .
 
I'm a 9mm guy. I believe the FBI's most recent study that confirms it is overall the best round. That said, I don't think you can go wrong with any of the M&P's. I have a shield and a pro in 9mm and a .22 compact and I wouldn't trade them for anything else.

Find the one that fits your hand and has the conceal ability you like. Depending on how you carry, every model of M&P is a candidate for carry.
 
Coastal Georgia can be hot and muggy unless you are standing on the beach. Unless you are a lifeguard, a FS pistol will become heavy and difficult to conceal once your shirt gets soaked with sweat. Buy a Shield, as it will be of more use year round than a bigger pistol. I bought two 9mm Shields, one for my daughter and the other for my D-I-L. I have no complaints with these guns.
 
I'm a 9/.45 kinda guy.

Started with a FS9 as my first striker fired pistol. Everything before had hammers.

Liked it a lot so bought a Compact 9.

Liked it so much, bought a Shield 9.

If not for the stupid CA laws, I'd have a .45C as well.
 
Like AGoyette, my full size and compact M&Ps fit my hand better and feel natural to grip and shoot. But I also wanted something thinner and lighter for summer carry and ended up getting a Shield. At first I didn't like the fit in my hand until I added the Hogue handall jr. - best $6 I ever spent. Now I shoot the Shield as well as my other M&Ps and feel good about carrying it. The other thing that I have done in all of my M&Ps is put in the APEX sear. I never felt like I needed the whole kit, but just the sear improved the trigger for me so I am very happy with it.

M&Ps are like potato chips - no one can have just one :)
 
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