M&P Compact Questions / Confirmations

[snowdog]

Can you guys help an old fossil like me out? I've been looking into getting one of these M&P .40 or 9mm compacts. I have done my research and just need a few thing confirmed / answered.
1. I can use the Storm Lake 9mm barrel and convert a .40 cal M&P into a 9mm?
2. The mags are the same for .40 cal and 9mm?
3. The basic M&P compact pistol .40 cal and 9mm are the same?
4. There are two barrel lengths for the compact, 4.25 and 3.5?
5. What is the internal lock on these pistols? Is it like the S&W revolvers internal lock?
6. Thumb safety, any comments?
7. Mag safety, any comments?
8. Any other comments on what I should get or not get on it?

Background is that this will be a carry gun to replace my S&W 642 (I will use that as a BUG). Have own many other guns, mostly revolvers (.44 mags), two semis, colt .380 government and CZ-75 stainless 9mm (recoil ok for me on both).

Thanks for any input.

Snowdoggie

 

[JYogi]

1) Yes
2) No. .357 Sig and .40 cal mags are the same.
3) Yes mostly. I believe the .40 is thicker in some parts likely to support the .40 while the 9 mm is not built to support the .40
4) No, the compact is 3.5 Full size is 4.25 and Long is 5 in (think along the lines of Glock 26, 19 and 17.)
5) Sorry I can't say as I got mine with no locks or safeties. I only bought the older revolvers when I was looking for carry pieces as well as I don't like locks
6) Not for me but if it makes you feel better go for it.
7) Personal choice, I sure don't like it... If I am in a struggle and have control of my pistol and BG knocks the mag release well I guess I can try to beat him with the pistol but Id much rather be able to fire that last round right in between his eyes or into his heart. And if they get the pistol and I manage to drop the mag and they still fire so be it
8) Love my M&P! I went .357 Sig and never am gonna look back.
I used to try and carry a Glock but it was too boxy for me and I just never got good enough with the trigger that I carried it with confidence I usually ended up carrying a 1911 instead. If you like 9 mm get it! Safeties, if you liked carrying a Glock get the safety free M&P but if you feel you need some added comfort pick what suits you best.

 

[randyj]

JYogi

"8) Love my M&P! I went .357 Sig and never am gonna look back."

Could you share why you finally chose the .357 Sig round?

I have noticed in the various forums that I participate on..there is very little conversation regarding the .357 Sig.

I've also noted, that what little bit I have read on the forums regarding this caliber...I haven't really read anything negative per se'....mostly that it is to expensive to shoot, but it seems that everyone considers it a very FUN caliber to shoot.

I am not interested in starting yet another "caliber" debate, but rather was interested in what sold you on this round.

Thanks again.

 

[ken158]

Cost of ammo aside, the 357 SIG is like shooting a 357 Mag from an auto. Some LE in my area are using them and results have been extremely positive.

 

[JYogi]

1) This is NOT a debate 9 mm, .40 cal, .45 and .357 Sig are all GREAT rounds and you can't go wrong with any of them. New bullets have really done WONDERS for ammo over the past few years.

Cost of ammo aside.

.357 Sig is the auto version of .357 Mag.

It is carried by the inner core of Secret Service and many others out there.

It has great expansion and penetration yet there have not been any real issues with over penetration.

I do not like .40 cal. NEVER have, I am just tainted to bad experiences when the round was new and often too hot for barrels and caused some serious issues. So that being said if you like .40 thats GREAT as its a darn good round I just don't like it.

.357 Sig can do in its base loads what 9 mm needs +P+ to do

Now I do not think anything is wrong with carrying a 9 mm, .40 cal or .45. I still carry .45 often and if I had big enough hands to carry a double stack .45 and a bigger build to easily CCW it I would likely carry the .45 and leave a BIG HOLE!

.357 Sig is a snappy round and not for everyone. If you have proper grip control it should not be an issue for most.

Another reason I like shooting it is at indoor ranges those on either side of you tend to leave the range a little sooner than they planned as .357 Sig is not a quiet round! Also it can be a FLASHY round when they go off BUT if you get Speer Gold Dots this is not an issue at all, they use low flash ammo and their recoil is lower than other companies it seems. The Speer Gold Dots seem to be the brand of ammo to carry across the board these days!

Even if you want to carry 9 mm Id buy a .357 Sig or .40 as you can easily get a 9 mm barrel and magazines and then you have a pistol capable of firing either which is nice in case the world falls apart around us HAHA

 

[OKFC05]

A point often overlooked in the zeal to shoot many calibers from the same frame: 9mm slides do not quite match the .357/.40 slides. While a 9mm conversion barrel usually can be made to work well enough for the range, putting a 9mm barrel into a .40/.357 frame is just enough off to make defense use questionable (especially if my hide is at stake). I've seen several that misfeed only once every box or two, but that's just not good enough for me.
I want a carry 9mm pistol to shoot 1000 rounds with NO misfeeds--like my M&P 9mm.

 

[MotorCityGun]

A point often overlooked in the zeal to shoot many calibers from the same frame: 9mm slides do not quite match the .357/.40 slides. While a 9mm conversion barrel usually can be made to work well enough for the range, putting a 9mm barrel into a .40/.357 frame is just enough off to make defense use questionable (especially if my hide is at stake). I've seen several that misfeed only once every box or two, but that's just not good enough for me.
I want a carry 9mm pistol to shoot 1000 rounds with NO misfeeds--like my M&P 9mm.

Point well taken. If, and it's fairly sizable "if", I were to spend $150, minimum, for a 9mm barrel/mags for my 40c, it would ONLY be for range usage. 9mm ammo is about $4 to $5 cheaper per 50 rds than 40 S&W ammo. However, at this point in time, my once per month range visits has yet to make that big of difference in the cost of usage/practice.

 

[XAVMECH]

M&P safties

Bought an M&P .40 Compact awhile back. A bit snappy compared to my Sig 229, but like the size and feel. I ordered it without the magazine safety (Government and Lawyer induced warning scripted on the R. side of pistol), and the external safety.
I've got a couple of 1911's that I shoot, and have shot that design in different manufacturers over the years. An external safety won't keep you from shooting a hole someplace that you don't want one, but I feel a little safer with it on a striker fired pistol.
Bill

 

[MotorCityGun]

6. Thumb safety, any comments?
7. Mag safety, any comments?
8. Any other comments on what I should get or not get on it?

Background is that this will be a carry gun to replace my S&W 642 (I will use that as a BUG). Have own many other guns, mostly revolvers (.44 mags), two semis, colt .380 government and CZ-75 stainless 9mm (recoil ok for me on both).

6. Since this is going to be your CCW, I'm not sure why you would want to have a manual safety on it. Would you put a manual safety on one of your revolvers?
7. I do have a mag safety on mine. I'm not too concerned about losing or dropping the mag and being unable to fire the one in the chamber.
8a. You might consider CTC laser grips.
8b. When you get your gun/mags, you can call S&W 800 number for a free finger extension.

 

[silvercn]

6. Thumb safety, any comments?
7. Mag safety, any comments?
8. Any other comments on what I should get or not get on it?

Snowdoggie

6. My opinion is to NOT get the thumb safety.
Reason being, in a high stress, fast pace, SD situation,
the less actions you need to preform to engage your threat, the better.
*disclaimer: if you are use to shooting the 1911,
then the thumb safety might be in order as you may do this instinctyally.

7. Work gun has the mag safety, Personal carry does not.
I actually, prefer the mag safety. Reason being, mostly in a struggle.
Rare and rediclious situation (your wrestleing and fighting for th gun)
You can drop the mag and the gun becomes ineffective. apples and oranges.

8. I have the fullsize 9mm and it is an amazing shooter.
I also have the 45C and it is too, but I am much more efficient with the 9.
Go and put them in your hand and the gun will tell you within seconds.
GREAT FEEL and GREAT SHOOTERS!

 

[SMMAssociates]

Just IMHO, but if you're trained up on the 1911, or other guns that require a thumb safety, a BUG, spare, range gun, nightstand gun, etc., that lacks a thumb safety is no problem. It may be slightly disconcerting to try to switch off a thumb safety that's not there, but it beats having to remember to do it at all (if you're trained for a gun that lacks one), or having to remember that "this" gun's safety is backwards.

IMHO, some "backwards" safety guns (most of the S&W semi's that are pre-Tupperware and not 1911 clones) can be safely carried with the safety off, and some of those have thumb safety lever that's small and flat enough to miss reliably. These probably would be OK.

Trigger function's important but not critical, but, again, don't train up with an SA and switch to a DA or DAO.... Grip safeties are kinda individual. I've never had a problem either way. Mag release "tricks" are over-rated.... Just not likely to happen. The mag safety is useful for kid-proofing some guns, though....

What you never want to do is train up for no thumb safety and then depend on a gun that has one, regardless of whether it's "up" or "down", or train up on an "up" and grab a "down", or vice versa, except for that exception in the previous paragraph....

Regards,

 

[Backon4]

I understand that cost of ammo is usually a factor for most people but in the end you need to shoot what you are comfortable shooting. I choose and have chose .40 for the last 13 years. While prices have noticeably been more expensive than 9mm it is often the case that there is no 9mm but plenty of .40 on the shelves. So I stick with .40 and pay $2-3 more per box but can always find it. I still plan on getting a .357 sig barrel for my 40c just so I can try the round and see how I like it. I currently do not own a 9mm but my wife is finally beginning to show interest in shooting so I am considering a sd9 for her to shoot. She has shot my 40's but has a very hard time racking the slides and the recoil makes it harder for her to acquire the target on second and third shots. I equate it to me shooting my uncles 44 mag when I was 10.

As for safeties my 40c has none. I see both sides to every argument and simply chose mine based on the fact that I know, for me personally, when and if it ever comes time for me to have to pull the last thing on my mind would be safeties. When there are literally fractions of seconds between life and death I don't want to take a chance of forgetting and put myself or my family in jeopardy.

 

[snowdog]

Thanks for all the info guys, but could you fill me in a little more on #5 the internal lock.

Thanks again,
Snowdoggie

 

[SMMAssociates]

snowdog:

"Internal Lock"?

Are you referring to the "drop safety" or the "Hilary Lock"? ( )

The former is intended to keep the pistol from discharging if dropped. It also works a bit like the "hammer block" safeties in modern revolvers in that the trigger has to be more or less fully depressed before the gun will fire. The "drop safety" portion is a little bit on the "politically inspired" side but isn't the end of the world. It's also not an option....

The "Hilary Lock" is a "key" operated kiss up to the Clinton Administration. Turn the key off and the gun won't work.... Lose the key and the gun stays in whatever state it was in. Expect the BG to not have access to a key - priceless.... However they're not totally useless if you have kids and are lucky enough to not actually need the gun when you can't find the key or the lock breaks....

The "Hilary Lock" is an option.... I wouldn't buy one for a carry gun.... Probably harmless for a range gun.

The drop safety BTW mucks up the trigger pull a bit. It appears that the Apex kit (which can include a really nice drop safety plunger v.s. the one that S&W supplies) does a great job of improving that. The rest of the trigger "system" is pretty simple - not much that can be done with it other than a little polishing and lubrication. Apex's "Hard Sear" seems to help a bit there too.... (I've got 'em on two M&P's. Worth it....)

The "Hilary Lock" just blocks the sear as does the magazine safety if you get one. Probably no effect on the trigger system.

Regards