MP L/E guns the same as ?????

[triaxle]

Are the MP guns the same as the public guns at the gun shops ? Are they fired more rounds before they ship them ???????? Would a 10/2013 built L/E gun be good to go ????????????

 

[Captain Skippy]

I was a police officer for 27 years and while I've never seen an "issued" M&P I would guess the only difference would be the addition of night sights. Internally they would be the same. And quite honestly, most cops don't shoot their weapons as much as civilians do.

 

[N4KVE]

A LE gun is exactly the same as one you or I would buy. They usually come with an extra mag, & cost about $80 less than non LE guns. This is because new LE guns do not have excise tax built into the price. Here to get one, you need to show your LE ID. The store will make a copy of your ID to prove the gun was purchased by a cop. Same gun, just an extra mag, & federal excise tax exempt. GARY

 

[Autococker07]

About the worst you are going to see on a LE gun is more holster wear..... if you can deal with that, they are all usually in great shape.

 

[Lost Lake]

Every M&P I have ever bought has been an LE model. They are identical in every way except for the price. S&W discounts the price for first responders.... See if you qualify. Everyone from Ship captains to Private Eyes qualify for the discounts....

.

 

[USMC1188]

Yep, exactly the same as stated above.

I bought my LE M&P40 brand new back in 2010 for $300 out the door. I have the paperwork to prove it lol

 

[N4KVE]

The problem is these guns are only available at specific dealers who participate in the LE program. So if a cop here in Palm Beach County wanted a LE gun, he'd have to drive about 75 miles south to Lou's Gun Shop in Miami to get one. GARY

 

[Rastoff]

If you're talking about a new LE M&P, then it is identical to the non LE models. They just come with 3 mags instead of 2.

If you're talking about used, then it's no different from any other used gun. I agree with Captain Skippy that most LEs don't shoot their guns much. I've bought two that looked brand new.

 

[Bookin]

My understanding is different. They have a performance center sear and more strict QC standards. Plus the extra mag. That was from the mouth of an LE dealer who is a certified S&W armorer.

My recently purchased FS 40 has an October/2013 build date and it is good to go.

Are you getting a 9mm or 40?

 

[redrock]

I don't know either way, but it may be that an LE gun just sees the next engineering changes first (along with cheaper price, extra mags and NS). Grant of G&R Tactical (also a member here) recently posted a thread elsewhere with a photo of the latest & greatest new LE FS9 M&P with its PVD finish and new upgrades he describes as: "The trigger bar, slide catch, sear, SHB, barrel, sights and finish." SKU was 151215. He does have them in stock for those they qualify as first responders. There is a 40 version as well, but you'll have to order it.

 

[triaxle]

The one I looked at had a build date 10/13 with night sights no safe and I think the sku was 3xxxx etc

 

[QuanticoTactical]

The LE SKUs (generally the 3XXXXX SKUs, both rifle and pistol) undergo additional QC steps over the non-LE SKUs.

The LE guns sold to individual officers have the FET paid on them. The ONLY guns exempt for FET tax are guns sold to state/local AGENCIES (oddly, federal agencies pay the FET tax on guns they buy, but not the military).

The LE guns are less expensive because the manufacturer wants it that way. We are S&W's largest LE/Military distributor. We make less than $30/gun when we sell a M&P on the LE program.

 

[N4KVE]

Not where I work. Any cop who shows up with his ID gets a LE gun w/o FET built into the price. Since we pay $80 less for them, we pass the savings onto the cop. We make the same profit on LE guns as regular guns. We pay $80 less, so we sell them for $80 less. We are not a LE dealer, but from time to time, a distributor will call us up with some to sell. We then have to send a copy of the cop's ID to the distributor with the ser # of the gun to prove to the distributor that a cop did buy the gun. The cop still pays state sales tax. Other places may do it differently, but that's how we do it. The distributor who sells us these LE guns has no problem with that. GARY

 

[USMC1188]

The sku on my M&P40 is 309300, came with 3 magazines, with a first fire day of 03-08-2011. The receipt has a barcode saying SWLE309300. I do not know about any physical differences though. I cannot confirm or deny a better sear, but it definitely shoots like it was built to last

 

[ultra45]

With a 10/13 build date, your gun definitely has the Performance Center Sear and newer trigger bar. I believe the change came mid 2013. The trigger is far better with the PC sear than the older guns. It's a PC sear, just not fitted and polished, as in a PC gun.

 

[redrock]

The LE SKUs (generally the 3XXXXX SKUs, both rifle and pistol) undergo additional QC steps over the non-LE SKUs.

The LE guns sold to individual officers have the FET paid on them. The ONLY guns exempt for FET tax are guns sold to state/local AGENCIES (oddly, federal agencies pay the FET tax on guns they buy, but not the military).

The LE guns are less expensive because the manufacturer wants it that way. We are S&W's largest LE/Military distributor. We make less than $30/gun when we sell a M&P on the LE program.

I'm not doubting what you say, but I can recall similar claims of extra QC (even separate production area) for the Remington 870 Police shotguns, and some saying this was more manufacturer puffery than truth. Can you please elaborate on what exactly is done when the LE guns "undergo QC steps over non-LE SKUs"? Have you seen this first hand or have other evidence that gives you confidence claim of extra QC are true? Again, not douting you, but you seem to be in a unique position to know more about this than others, given your LE volume and inquiring minds do really want to know.

As for SKUs, the one I posted above appears to be correct after checking G&R's web site to verify. The SKU for LE M&P Shield 40 and 9 are listed as 180020 and 180021 respectively. Could that be interpreted to mean (based on the extra QC steps you mentioned) that perhaps only 3XXXXX SKUs go through the LE production line (if indeed it is a separate one) or extra QC?

 

[QuanticoTactical]

Regardless of what you think is happening, those are not FET out guns. If they are, then it is a violation of federal law. Whether a particular LE gun is tax out or in is indistinguishable by the packing it comes in. It's tax status appears to only be known to S&W, the ATF and God.

What you are buying are LE Program guns which a S&W LE distributor is sub-distributing. The most assuredly have FET in them. S&W drop ships FET tax out guns directly to departments ONLY after receiving a FET tax out certificate and matching PO for exactly the number of guns going to that department. Anyone who diverts tax out guns to individuals would be guilty of federal tax evasion.

Note: I am not saying whether the law is good or bad. Nor am I criticizing you for selling LE program guns (I actually think it is good!), I am just stating the law and how S&W (and most other manufacturers) handle FET tax out guns.

Not where I work. Any cop who shows up with his ID gets a LE gun w/o FET built into the price. Since we pay $80 less for them, we pass the savings onto the cop. We make the same profit on LE guns as regular guns. We pay $80 less, so we sell them for $80 less. We are not a LE dealer, but from time to time, a distributor will call us up with some to sell. We then have to send a copy of the cop's ID to the distributor with the ser # of the gun to prove to the distributor that a cop did buy the gun. The cop still pays state sales tax. Other places may do it differently, but that's how we do it. The distributor who sells us these LE guns has no problem with that. GARY

 

[QuanticoTactical]

You are extraordinarily observant!

Their is no LE SKU for the Shields. That is why they are 180020/1 respectively and why they only come with two magazines. The Shield is such a hit, S&W hasn't yet created a LE specific SKU with three magazines or the extra QC steps. But, they sell the commercial models into the LE market. Once they catch up with back orders and have excess production, look for them to come up with a 3xx model with three magazines.

As for the extra QC steps, although I have been to and toured their factory, I have neither seen them, nor have a I asked what they were during conversations with their LE/defense team. The reason I didn't ask is it didn't really bother to not know and I didn't think they would tell me.

Again, very observant on the Shield issue.

I'm not doubting what you say, but I can recall similar claims of extra QC (even separate production area) for the Remington 870 Police shotguns, and some saying this was more manufacturer puffery than truth. Can you please elaborate on what exactly is done when the LE guns "undergo QC steps over non-LE SKUs"? Have you seen this first hand or have other evidence that gives you confidence claim of extra QC are true? Again, not douting you, but you seem to be in a unique position to know more about this than others, given your LE volume and inquiring minds do really want to know.

As for SKUs, the one I posted above appears to be correct after checking G&R's web site to verify. The SKU for LE M&P Shield 40 and 9 are listed as 180020 and 180021 respectively. Could that be interpreted to mean (based on the extra QC steps you mentioned) that perhaps only 3XXXXX SKUs go through the LE production line (if indeed it is a separate one) or extra QC?

 

[N4KVE]

Regardless of what you think is happening, those are not FET out guns. If they are, then it is a violation of federal law. Whether a particular LE gun is tax out or in is indistinguishable by the packing it comes in. It's tax status appears to only be known to S&W, the ATF and God.

What you are buying are LE Program guns which a S&W LE distributor is sub-distributing. The most assuredly have FET in them. S&W drop ships FET tax out guns directly to departments ONLY after receiving a FET tax out certificate and matching PO for exactly the number of guns going to that department. Anyone who diverts tax out guns to individuals would be guilty of federal tax evasion.

Note: I am not saying whether the law is good or bad. Nor am I criticizing you for selling LE program guns (I actually think it is good!), I am just stating the law and how S&W (and most other manufacturers) handle FET tax out guns.

Thanks for the info. I am only repeating what the distributor tells us. I didn't think there was an extra $80 the distributor could eat. GARY

 

[triaxle]

The L.E guns have 3 mags and night sights and get a few more rounds fired at testing .