akviper
Member
I recently received my M&P 45 mid size. I ordered it with the Apex DCAEK installed and Ameriglo Proglo sights with the serrated rear. I also ordered four extra 10 round magazines and a 14 round magazine to try out. I inspected the gun and cleaned it prior to shooting it.
Our weather was cold and clear. I broke the gun in with 250 of the filthy Remington UMC 230 grain hardball load. I also ran sixty of the Federal Hydra Shok 230 grain hollow point round for function testing.
The trigger was very crisp and felt much lighter than our stock M&P 9mm and the reset was much improved. The reset still has less "feel" than the Glock but is better than the stock 9mm. I requested the duty spring Apex set up as this is a carry gun.
After a few magazines I started downloading by one round. I download all my Glock mags by one round to ease insertion and extend the life of the magazines. The S&W 10 and 14 round mags were a tight fit with a full capacity load and very difficult to insert and lock in the gun with the slide forward. I read other threads suggesting loading the mags and letting the springs take a set but I much prefer the speed and easier reload with one round downloaded. I left two magazines loaded and will see if they take enough set to allow quick insertion of the magazines later. For now my spare mags and the mag in the gun are loaded with nine rounds.
The temperature was around 24 degrees F and I fired all 310 rounds without a single malfunction of any kind. I fired the Federal load for accuracy at twenty five yards with a five shot three inch group. Three of the rounds were touching but the other two opened it up. The pistol is obviously capable of better accuracy than I can manage. I fired from a supported rest for the accuracy target.
Recoil was not noticeable and double taps and hammers to the target were easy. I fired several failure to stop drills with monotonous results. In other words, the pistol is very ergonomic and easy to shoot well. I chose the small grip insert as it worked best for me.
I like the Ameriglo sights. The orange insert is easy and fast for my old eyes. The dirty Remington ammo mucked it up pretty quick. The front only night sight is the brightest of any I have. I was a bit put off not having a rear night sight but after a few presentations I line up the gun without problem.
The 14 round magazine functioned without problem but protrudes quite a bit from the bottom of the gun. It is more suited to open carry or home defense where concealment is not an issue. All magazine were sturdy and well built. As I mentioned above, getting the tenth or fourteenth round in the magazine required a very heavy insertion push to reliably seat the magazine in the gun with the slide forward. If leaving the magazine loaded for a few weeks does not create an easier reload I will opt to carry the magazines at one round less.
My current carry holster for the M&P is a Comp Tac Minotaur OWB. It pulls the full size butt into my body and allows me to conceal with a light jacket or untucked shirt. The full size grip is not an issue for me regarding concealment. The Kydex holsters are hard on the finish of the gun. After a couple of hundred presentation there is just a hint of wear on the front edges of the slide but it's not something I'm worried about. Any working gun will show wear no matter what the finish.
Bottom line, I'm very happy with my M&P 45 mid size and it replaced my Glock 23 as my daily carry gun. When it warms up a bit I will run another 500 or so rounds through it. YMMV but I'm a happy camper.
The photos below are the after 310 rounds. That Remington stuff is nasty.
Our weather was cold and clear. I broke the gun in with 250 of the filthy Remington UMC 230 grain hardball load. I also ran sixty of the Federal Hydra Shok 230 grain hollow point round for function testing.
The trigger was very crisp and felt much lighter than our stock M&P 9mm and the reset was much improved. The reset still has less "feel" than the Glock but is better than the stock 9mm. I requested the duty spring Apex set up as this is a carry gun.
After a few magazines I started downloading by one round. I download all my Glock mags by one round to ease insertion and extend the life of the magazines. The S&W 10 and 14 round mags were a tight fit with a full capacity load and very difficult to insert and lock in the gun with the slide forward. I read other threads suggesting loading the mags and letting the springs take a set but I much prefer the speed and easier reload with one round downloaded. I left two magazines loaded and will see if they take enough set to allow quick insertion of the magazines later. For now my spare mags and the mag in the gun are loaded with nine rounds.
The temperature was around 24 degrees F and I fired all 310 rounds without a single malfunction of any kind. I fired the Federal load for accuracy at twenty five yards with a five shot three inch group. Three of the rounds were touching but the other two opened it up. The pistol is obviously capable of better accuracy than I can manage. I fired from a supported rest for the accuracy target.
Recoil was not noticeable and double taps and hammers to the target were easy. I fired several failure to stop drills with monotonous results. In other words, the pistol is very ergonomic and easy to shoot well. I chose the small grip insert as it worked best for me.
I like the Ameriglo sights. The orange insert is easy and fast for my old eyes. The dirty Remington ammo mucked it up pretty quick. The front only night sight is the brightest of any I have. I was a bit put off not having a rear night sight but after a few presentations I line up the gun without problem.
The 14 round magazine functioned without problem but protrudes quite a bit from the bottom of the gun. It is more suited to open carry or home defense where concealment is not an issue. All magazine were sturdy and well built. As I mentioned above, getting the tenth or fourteenth round in the magazine required a very heavy insertion push to reliably seat the magazine in the gun with the slide forward. If leaving the magazine loaded for a few weeks does not create an easier reload I will opt to carry the magazines at one round less.
My current carry holster for the M&P is a Comp Tac Minotaur OWB. It pulls the full size butt into my body and allows me to conceal with a light jacket or untucked shirt. The full size grip is not an issue for me regarding concealment. The Kydex holsters are hard on the finish of the gun. After a couple of hundred presentation there is just a hint of wear on the front edges of the slide but it's not something I'm worried about. Any working gun will show wear no matter what the finish.
Bottom line, I'm very happy with my M&P 45 mid size and it replaced my Glock 23 as my daily carry gun. When it warms up a bit I will run another 500 or so rounds through it. YMMV but I'm a happy camper.
The photos below are the after 310 rounds. That Remington stuff is nasty.
Last edited:
