Need education

[ISCS Yoda]

Okay, let me start with basic information and prejudices.

1. I'm basically a revolver guy. Dinosaur. Luddite. I know.

2. Item 1 does not mean I never owned an automatic pistol. I have more than a few. 45, 380, 9mm, 22, S&W, Beretta, SIG, Walther, etc., and I know how to shoot them. Well.

3. As a rule, I do not like plastic handguns, okay, polymer. But, again, I have a couple. One is junk gun, not to be discussed, one is a SIG SP 2022, and it is a very fine handgun. But, again, see Luddite......

4. And 5. I really do not like modern, striker fired pistols, especially with tricky triggers......like Glocks, for example. All of my pitols except the nameless trash have hammers and are TDA or single action. See above. Dinosaur.

So, armed with those prejudices and information, please educate me on the new M&Ps or SDs with respect to the following narrow question:

Which M&P, or SD, is smaller, thinner, and lighter than my 6906? I can live with lower round count / I need a 100% reliable, compact, lightweight, thin, 9mm pistol for a particular concealed carry use. It has to beat my 6906 in weight, length, and width and for various reasons I insist on a Smith & Wesson. It need not be super light weight. It can be, obviously, striker fired. It can't have a Glock type trigger ( I can shoot Glocks well _ I just prefer not to).

Educate me please.

Many thanks.

 

[moose1953us]

look at the M&P 9C, i think you'll find it meets all your criteria. S&W has all the specs listed on their website so you can directly compare it to the dimensions of your 6906.
The M&P Shield also would work, but has a lower round count and honestly, seems to have a lot more issues than the 9C.

 

[MyDads38]

Being an old revolver/1911 guy myself, I just caught the polymer/striker fired bug last Aug. 2014. Since then, I now own 2-SD/VE series, 3-FS M&P's, 2-Shields and a new M&P Compact 22. BTW, S&W is my first choice in firearms also.

Except for the new 22 with only 130 rounds, all other center fire pistols have been trouble free and accurate-especially the Shields. I was never a "compact" kind of guy till I bought the Shield 40 as an impulse buy; I then bought the Shield 9 and am impressed with both. I now have the Shield 9 in my carry rotation and really enjoying it.

If you could rent the Shield or 9c you could see if either would fit your needs before purchase. Good luck in your choice

 

[Ballistic147]

Welcome fellow dinosaur! Never been much of a revolver guy myself but for years have owned hammer fired pistols and that is what I was used to. Early this year I picked up a Shield in 9mm and it really didn't take long at all to get a good feel for it. Then picked up a 40c a few weeks ago and really like it now too. I'm finding now that I can transition between striker fired and old school dinosaur stuff without issue.

Seems everything outside of a 1911 platform that would be considered ideal for CC has moved to striker fired so for me it was time to evolve. That being said, the Shield or the M&P compact series will be your best bet.

 

[PirateJim]

If thin and compact are the criteria, I would heartily recommend the Shield. It's a lot of gun in a small package. I just love mine.

One item I'm unsure about is what exactly constitutes a "tricky trigger?" The Glock (along with the after market Apex triggers for M&Ps) have the little hinged trigger safety in the center of the trigger face that has to be depressed for the gun to fire. The stock M&P trigger is hinged in the middle of the trigger such that the lower half has to be compressed to fire the gun. You really don't feel any of that going on though, and you don't feel the Glock-like rocker with your finger pad.

That said, though it is different, I have shot Glocks for years and have an Apex trigger in my Pro Series. I was at the range just yesterday and was toying with putting one in my Shield simply because the tactile feel of that rocker helps me assure I have my finger pad where I want it on the trigger. But I understand that it may not be everyone's cup of tea.

And, for the record... There's not a darn thing wrong with wheel guns.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

And, for the record... There's not a darn thing wrong with wheel guns.

That's for sure!

I'll check out those smaller S&Ws and let y'all know what works for me.

The stock M&P trigger is hinged in the middle of the trigger such that the lower half has to be compressed to fire the gun. You really don't feel any of that going on though, and you don't feel the Glock-like rocker with your finger pad.

I think it's that thing in the middle of the Glock triggers that I dislike. Other guns have them, also.

We shall see.....

Gracias.

 

[rattlesnakedaddy]

I came from revolvers myself, it's hard to beat a good K or L framed 357 magnum.

I've also owned a few auto's (Browning, Colt, Makarov, Ruger, Glock, S&W, Walther, HI Standard)

I currently have a full sized M&P 40, which is larger than you want as it is closer to a Commander sized 1911 than my 6906. I have looked at the M&P 40c in the store I go to, and it appears to be smaller than my 6906.

If you are looking at the M&P series, I would look into the compacts, as they may fit your size requirement. they will still be polymer, striker fired pistols with funky triggers though.

I will add that I find that the M&P trigger feels much better to me than my Glock triggers. The Glock safety can be felt when firing and can get annoying.


RSD

 

[aarontart]

That's for sure!

I'll check out those smaller S&Ws and let y'all know what works for me.



I think it's that thing in the middle of the Glock triggers that I dislike. Other guns have them, also.

We shall see.....

Gracias.

I know you want it to be a Smith and you can hate me for even suggesting something different but if you want a flat trigger you can get a sig p320 with no hinge or safety. I have not shot one, and I am only pointing this out because you have a sig sp2022 mentioned in your post.

 

[CB3]

I'm an old flintlock guy. I just love that pfffft-BANG-smokin' action. If you can't get it done with one shot, what makes one think having another 5 in a cap-and-ball revolver is going to make a difference?

I know some day I'm going to progress to smokeless powder, but that day just hasn't arrived yet. I realize it may help me see a second target if I have to reload and shoot another time.

I am satisfied with living in the past despite the advances of modern technology, especially when it comes to my personal defense. Being historic is more important to me than being adaptable. I figure when it's my time to go, I'm going to die with a flintlock just as quick as having a G17 with a happy stick. But that's just me. Other people may think differently.

Sarcasm mode off: I have and like modern revolvers. I have carried modern hammer fired semi-auto pistols. I now carry either a 9mm Shield or a FS M&P 9 with RDS, because it is state of the art self defense equipment that works really well--better than what I shot before. The (Apex) triggers are somewhat different than what I shot previously. They have taken a few hundred dry fires to get used to, just as the ergonomics of each gun are slightly different and take hundreds of practice draws and presentations to get used to. That's the minimum commitment I make to starting to learn my chosen self defense system.

Learning to shoot the RDS was a challenge, but well worth the effort for my 66 year old eyes. I value the ability to adapt to change a highly desirable trait. Five or eight years from now when self defense guns have evolved another leap, I will make the effort to adapt again.

Get a 9m Shield without a safety, and get an extra extended mag. Put in an Apex trigger. That's the gun you say you are looking for. Plenty reliable and accurate. If not, you got a fluke. Dump it and get a second one. It will work.

 

[McE]

Sorry for disregarding your preference for it being a S&W, but if you're a revolver guy making an entry into plastic semis, you just really need to get your hands on a Kahr and give it a feel.

No tricky trigger in actual construction or feel. The pull is downright smooth. A Kahr CM9 or PM9 will be smaller than the Shield. I played with these and came into it with a desire to want the Shield to win, but ended up with a PM9. It's the only 9mm that I care to comfortably pocket carry, and it disappears IWB. If you want a full handed grip then a CW9 is available.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Thanks, y'all. I plan to try a few.

M&P9c
Shield
CZ Rami BD (that I never heard of before today and probably can't find).
Kahr
SD (if the range has one)

All compared to my 6906. We'll see how it goes.


Much obliged.

 

[Arik]

Walther PPS

 

[Rastoff]

The Walther has the best out-of-the-box trigger.

That said, all the striker fired guns will have some trigger issue you probably won't like. Sorry, but that's just life in the modern world.

The M&P 9c does not fit your requirements. It is just as wide, or wider, than the 6906.

All of the M&Ps are lighter than your 6906.

The Shield is probably the closest M&P to your requirements.

 

[Deadeye Dick]

I love shooting revolvers... at the range. I'm not crazy about carrying one as a CCW tho I have on many occasions in the past.

Why would I intentionally carry something that holds fewer rounds, weighs, more and is more difficult to conceal than most any polymer framed compact or sub-compact semi-automatic pistol in the same power class.

Buy a good quality pistol, take the time to learn to shoot it well and you can't go wrong in my opinion.

Tupperware guns may not look as classy as a finely made steel and wood revolver but they have the advantage in every other area. When you CC nobody is supposed to see your gun anyway.