M&P .40 compact--good LEO BUG?

[Maxpower]

Hi to all.

I am a brand new member to the forum but not when it comes to firearms. For years I have primarily been a Sig and 1911 guy. I have been a member of other gun boards before and have always gotten good advice so I thought I would start here.

I have just taken a job with the local PD and need to get a back up gun to go along with my duty weapon (Glock .45). I've owned the S&W 642 as a CCW before and after practicing like crazy have come to the conclusion that I can't shoot revolvers to save my life. Slick little gun but I just couldn't ever seem to get it down. However, during my research I have come across the M&P .40 compact. It seems to be the PERFECT substitute for any Glock (which I've never been a fan of but am going to learn b/c of work).

Anyways, would this be a viable back up gun to get in a belly band or other type holster to secure on my vest? It seems to be too heavy for ankle carry. I would love for it to be a little more in the "subcompact" size but I REALLY liked the feel of this pistol when I handled it in the local gun shop. 10 rds of .40, polymer, solid feel and the S&W reputation to boot. Hard to argue with.

I would appreciate any and all comments. Thanks and looking forward to contributing to the forum.

 

[MarshallDodge]

Is there one that you can try before you buy?

I have the M&P40 full-size and it shoots nice and soft by I would be concerned about recoil in the little gun. I have a Kahr P40 and it kicks hard.

Is 9mm an option for the BUG?

 

[pberry]

I have the M&P40c and I have a carry permit. I drop it in my right front pocket and go. Most of the cargo pants that I have will hide it, so I select the best pants when I am going to the store. We have had some problems in some parking lots around here.
I like my M&P40c very much. I've put about 3000 rounds through it and you can't tell it. It would make a very good back up gun. Maybe better than your service gun.
Phil

 

[Maxpower]

Is there one that you can try before you buy?

I have the M&P40 full-size and it shoots nice and soft by I would be concerned about recoil in the little gun. I have a Kahr P40 and it kicks hard.

Is 9mm an option for the BUG?

Hi MarshallDodge, thanks for your reply. I can't seem to find one to rent at any of my local ranges. I would love to shoot one before I purchased though I have the feeling I would like it either way.

9mm is definitely an option, we are authorized to carry anything from a .380 up to a .45. With my duty weapon being a glock .45 a logical choice for a BUG would be the Glock 30 but man I can't get excited about that gun. It seems huge in comparison to the M&P's

 

[Maxpower]

I have the M&P40c and I have a carry permit. I drop it in my right front pocket and go. Most of the cargo pants that I have will hide it, so I select the best pants when I am going to the store. We have had some problems in some parking lots around here.
I like my M&P40c very much. I've put about 3000 rounds through it and you can't tell it. It would make a very good back up gun. Maybe better than your service gun.
Phil

Pberry, that's encouraging that you can fit the M&P in your pocket. I was thinking it may be too small for pocket carry, although I would more than likely carry it elsewhere. Either way it seems like a great weapon and the feel of it was second to none. I shouldn't be allowed in the local gun shops, I always come out with a toy list that's MUCH longer than my budget would ever allow.

And yes, I tend to agree, the M&P would make an excellent duty weapon. I have been hearing of more and more agencies transitioning from Glock to S&W.

Thanks for the help guys, I'll take any input I can at this stage!

 

[Maxpower]

Also, I forgot to ask. You can get night sites on these pistols right? I haven't seen an option for nights on the S&W website or other online brokers I have looked at.

 

[pact40]

Maxpower, I am a LEO and I have been carrying a PPS 40 as a BUG. I like the PPS but I want a larger magazine cap. I ordered a SW MP 40C and should be in a few days. I will post my range results.

 

[pact40]

Maxpower, Forgot to say that I am getting with night sights.

 

[Maxpower]

Maxpower, I am a LEO and I have been carrying a PPS 40 as a BUG. I like the PPS but I want a larger magazine cap. I ordered a SW MP 40C and should be in a few days. I will post my range results.
Maxpower, Forgot to say that I am getting with night sights.

Hey Pact40, that info would be great! Funny you should mention the PPS, I actually handled one today. While incredibly slim, (I was shocked) I'm not a fan of the H&K style mag release. I could never get used to that on the P2000. It was a great gun but I sold it due to the release.

I would also like to hear about how you plan on carrying the M&P while on duty.

Thanks so much for your willingness to help!

 

[MarshallDodge]

It shows tritium sights as an option on smith & wesson's site.

Bowie Tactical has a good selection as well: Sights

 

[Maxpower]

It shows tritium sights as an option on smith & wesson's site.

Bowie Tactical has a good selection as well: Sights

You know, after I posted that I thought to myself "I bet I didn't look hard enough, there has to be a NS option". Thanks for letting me know.

Thanks for that link too.

 

[cxm]

The M&P compact is an excellent pistol...

Mine have proved accurate, reliable in the extreme, easy to carry and fun to shoot.

Only thing I would suggest is you try the M&P in .357SIG before you buy a .40.

FWIW

Chuck

 

[BigRich315]

I am not a LEO, I'm actually a GEMINI, but I can't help but add that the 40c is a great gun. It's been incredibly accurate, reliable, and concealable for me.

 

[Forsmithers]

M&P40C an ideal BUG

Maxpower, welcome to the forum. I think you'll find a number of threads in the forum related to the M&P compacts and there are MANY favorable reviews. I've got an M&P40C as an issued service pistol and I have been very happy with it. It also shoots better than its predecessor, a G23. And while I am a HUGE Smith fan I am also an advocate of LEO's carrying the same caliber as the service pistol and if possible, the same pistol in a compact size. I'll explain more in a minute.
Years ago I carried a Smith 6906 (12 shot compact 9mm) which you could also carry and shoot the longer 15 shot mags from the full size big brother, the 5906. In fact, when I transitioned from the M65 in .357 I carried 6 rounds in the cylinder and two speed loaders on my belt. When I began carrying the 6906 with the 15 shot magazines I jumped from carrying 18 rounds on my belt to 46! And if I couldn't handle it with 46 rounds I must have been in a world of trouble!
One of the huge benefits from carrying a compact version of your full size service pistol is that you can often use the larger magazines from the service pistol in the smaller gun, just not the other way around. When your BUG and service pistol are the same caliber you can interchange ammo should you have a problem with your service pistol in a firefight. When it's the same caliber you instantly have extra ammo on hand where as carrying a .40 BUG for a .45 the ammo is only good for the pistol in that caliber. See where I am going with this?

I'm attaching a few photos of my M&P40C with the various magazines inserted. It came from the factory with one magazine with a flat basepad and 2 with pinky rest basepads which are very comfy to shoot with most hands sizes. When the flat basepad is used it is extremely compact and you can hide the M&PC in pockets, in the waistband holsters, vest carrier, etc. The final picture shows the larger 15 shot magazine protruding about an inch past the grip. There are actually a few grip extenders on the market now that will extend the length and contour of the M&PC grip and it covers the longer 15 shot magazine. I don't have one yet but plan on using one when it is approved by my dept. My 6906 I mentioned at the top had the grip extender and it worked quite nicely for the magazine I kept in the pistol while in uniform. The two spare magazines I carried in the mag pouch were regular full size mags with no grip extenders.

As you've now found out, the M&P compact pistols are available with factory installed Trijicon (Novak) night sights and they work extremely well and do not create many snag issues. And one of the best things about the Smith vs. other BUG options is the LIFETIME warranty. And you can't beat the value! So ideally, you'd be carrying the full size M&P as your service pistol and the M&P40C as your BUG and who knows, maybe your dept. will trade in or authorize the M&P as a service pistol. Then you'd have the best of both worlds.

Good luck with your BUG decision and don't be a stranger on the forum. We're all in this together.

 

[EOD Guy]

The M&P40c is a good anything you want it to be. Superb pistol.

 

[maccpd]

I carry an M&P in 40 as my duty weapon and use a 40c as my off duty carry weapon. I think the 40c is a little big to use as a back-up and use my 442 as my back-up while on duty. One option might be a CS-40 or 45 if you can find one.

 

[mrt949]

Have both fullsize & compact in 40. I shoot the compact better than the fullsize .

 

[pact40]

Maxpower Picked up my compact 40 yesterday. Came with trijicon nite sites and three magazines. The M&P is slightly wider than my PPS, but I don't think that it will be an issue. I carry 95 percent of the time in an IWB holster off and on duty. On duty I have a DeSantis holster that sits deeper than most IWB holsters. The butt of the BUG is behind, and just below my spare magazine case . I tryed ankle holsters but its to hard to get to the BUG and the gun moves around to much for me. Hope to get to the range this weekend and will post my results.

 

[pact40]

Got to the range yesterday. I was very pleased with the overall performance of the gun. No problems! Very accurate and a smooth triger pull. I tryed two different rounds in the gun. Lawman 165 TMJ and PMC 180 FMJ. Both rounds fed without any problems. Forgot the duty ammo at home and will try it the next time.