New to pistols

[tcfirerescue13]

Hi there,
I am in the process of obtaining my ccw permit and am trying to make a decision on what to buy. I have narrowed it down to the M&P line, but i dont know where to go from there.

I absolutly love the shield, but dont want to be on a waiting list for 3 months trying to get one.

Since it would be my first pistol do i full size, compact, or sub compact. I know i will be CCing it mostly when i feel comfortable with shooting it.

I also dont see much of a difference between 9mm and 40s&w.

From what i have read so far you guys sure know alot.

Please help the FNG!!!

 

[1bdvet]

Take your choice, I bought 9mm Compact has my first, comfortable ammo is cheaper then 40cal.
Top is the pro, then the Compact and last the Shield.

 

[Old cop]

I've been CCW 40+ years and suggest buying something small and light enough that will not get left behind b/c of weight and size. I'm a revolver guy but if I were in your place the Shield would be my choice, even if you have to wait. Next might be the 9C, but that cannot be pocket carried (the Shield is on the cusp of being too big too) if that is important.

 

[Armed Babysitter]

Since it would be my first pistol do i full size, compact, or sub compact. I know i will be CCing it mostly when i feel comfortable with shooting it.

Since it's your first pistol, I would recommend either the full size or compact 9mm. Why not the Shield? Because becoming proficient with a pistol takes time and practice, and trying to learn the fundamentals of pistol shooting with a single stack, pocket sized gun with a short sight radius is like trying to win the Baja 1000 in a 1976 Chevy Chevette with a flat tire.

I can conceal a full size, so I do, but that doesn't mean everyone can. If you can swing it financially, I would opt for a full size and a compact. Good luck in your decision making.

 

[StatesRightist]

The shield etc are nice guns, but one point I think is missing, the smaller the gun, the harder it is to shoot well. Old Cop is right, from a size standpoint and ease of carry, the shield is better.

However, if you search the forum, you can find multiple "my shield is shooting poorly" posts and in almost all of the cases, it turns out as predicted, it's not the gun, it's the shooter. Small guns accentuate every flaw in shooting style, especially trigger pull.

My advice is buy the full sized 9mm, learn to shoot it well, master the trigger and then buy yourself a second gun, the shield or a nice short barreled revolver for CCW. It's not a bad thing to have a high capacity home defense gun, which the shield is poorly suited for and down the road, a specialized CCW gun. JMO.

You hit send first Armed Babysitter and beat me to the thought..nice job lol.

 

[NashvilleMike]

I bought my son a 9c for his 21st birthday four years ago. It's a darn good carry gun, dependable and accurate.

 

[Arik]

Dont skim on the holster and belt, they make a world of difference when it comes to comfort. At first you will not really be comfortable anyway since youre not used to the weight and feel but a proper gun belt and a holster with good retention and weight spread will make a world of difference.

I used to use a rinky dink avg walmart quality belt and holster, after all a belt is a belt and a holster is a holster, and because of that i only carried small light 9mm. After i finally broke down and bought a gun specific belt and a real holster and realized how dumb i was all these years, i sold all my small guns and now my daily carry and my smallest lightest gun is a Glock 19. I have no problem carrying full size guns all day.

 

[shield]

I bought my son a 9c for his 21st birthday four years ago. It's a darn good carry gun, dependable and accurate.

LOL, I did the same thing this year for my son's 21st . I carry the Shield, and agree it took a lot of practice to get accurate with it.

 

[ponchsox]

The question I would ask is you do you plan on carrying? The Shield os great for a IWB holster. The M&P9c can be used in either a IWB holster or OWB holster. Neither is ideal for pocket carry. They are both great guns and you can't go wrong either way in 9mm.

 

[M&P Freak]

Kudos to you for wanting to become armed and NOT dangerous. Your question is a good one. I believe the M&P platform is a good choice for the new shooter.

In the poll, I went with the full size 9mm. My reasoning is two-fold:

First, the 9mm is easier to shoot and better to learn with. It is also a very good round, is fun to shoot and less expensive to shoot. All good things.

Second, small guns are hard to shoot. Often, much harder to shoot than larger ones. Seasoned shooters can have a hard time being accurate with smaller guns. New shooters often get frustrated when they cannot shoot accurately. New shooters with small guns have a tough row to hoe, ask me how I know! Been there, done that.

The full-size M&P9 makes a fantastic first pistol in my humble opinion. It can be carried, but that should be a secondary concern.

 

[tcfirerescue13]

You guys are awsome. Keep the advice coming, its helping ease my decision. Still haven't made one though.

 

[danysw]

If I have to pick just one M&P would be the 9C. It could be concealable well, it could be used at range because is accurate, it could be a good HD with the extended mag. Ammo is cheaper but deadly too. My vote is for the M&P 9C

 

[Maddmax]

I'd highly recommend the FS 9 (or FS 9L). Good sight radius over the "c" Longer barrel will also shoot better. FS has a better full grip feeling (control) over the stuby "c" too. It's a great "first time" handgun to start out on.

 

[srings]

As a noob, I know what you are going through now. I bought a FS 9 first (glad I did) and then the Shield. I put about 600 rds through the FS (along with some good handgun training classes) to get started on proper technique. When I finally got the Shield (about 2 weeks ago) and took it to shoot...it was not great...not horrible but not good enough. And that was after some descent noob shooting with the FS. So back in the bag goes the Shield back to the FS to really hone my skills. Maybe in a couple of months I'll bring the Shield back out to run some ammo through it and not forget the feel (b/c man o man is it fun to shoot). The shield will at the end of the day be my carry gun. Have fun getting the right gun for you, bro!

 

[MP22]

Welcome to the forum. Go with the M&P 9 full....jmo.

 

[snubbyfan]

I'd say get the M&P 9 full size. Get some training, lotsa practice and once you become proficient with it then you can get a smaller more concealable gun. I agree with the others in that 9mm ammo is cheaper and practice is more affordable. Also, a smaller gun is more difficult to shot accurately and can get frustrating. Don't forget a quality concealment holster and belt.
Dry fire practice and laser trainers both help with trigger control.

 

[AZ115]

I will suggest the M&P 9c. It's not that much smaller than the full size M&P. It shoots just as good and the smaller size does help to CCW.

I personally went with the 40c and got the 9c barrel so I can practice, practice , practice. I am very happy with the 40c. I feel no need for a full size M&P or the shield.

 

[Gunsmart]

I personally went with the 40c and got the 9c barrel so I can practice, practice , practice. I am very happy with the 40c. I feel no need for a full size M&P or the shield.

Where did you get the barrel conversion?

 

[catcus-jack]

The Shield would be my last choice.It gives up way too much to the Full size 9 or even the 9c.My 1st choice would be the Full size 9.In the right holster very easy to carry concealed.Better sight radius,more ammo capacity,more available acc.The FS 9 and 9c have a light rail the shield does not.With todays ammo the 9mm is just as effective as the 40 and practice ammo is much cheaper.

 

[tcfirerescue13]

Amount of rounds I can fit doesn't matter. I live in new York and ot os limited to 10+1 on any pistol

 

[Armed Babysitter]

Amount of rounds I can fit doesn't matter. I live in new York and ot os limited to 10+1 on any pistol

Well if you ever feel like leaving New York and their gun laws, we'd welcome you here in the United States!

 

[NucPhysics]

Learn to shoot first with a full size then get a smaller gun for CCW. Guns are like tools - the right tool for the right job.

Don't feel bad about developing experience first before branching out. Everyone, even the top shooters in the world, started in the same spot; at ground zero. With the right attitude, training and practice, you will do great and be better satisfied with whatever choices you eventually make - even if they are different than other shooters. Everyone finds their own niche.

 

[catcus-jack]

Learn to shoot first with a full size then get a smaller gun for CCW. Guns are like tools - the right tool for the right job.

Don't feel bad about developing experience first before branching out. Everyone, even the top shooters in the world, started in the same spot; at ground zero. With the right attitude, training and practice, you will do great and be better satisfied with whatever choices you eventually make - even if they are different than other shooters. Everyone finds their own niche.

Why limit yourself to a small gun for ccw?I much prefer a full size for ccw.Buy a good holster belt combo and you can conceal a full size just fine.

 

[WR Moore]

There isn't really a significant size difference between the full size and compact versions of the M&P. Therefore, the full size piece will have higher capacity (OK, not relevant to you), and longer sight radius and all around be easier to handle. Should you ever need it, you will wish you had something like a 12 gauge shotgun.

So far as concealment, one dresses around the weapon and with good selection of holster, belt and clothing, one can hide almost anything. There are some limitations depending upon your body shape, but really, the full size M&P simply isn't that big.

I'll join the 9mm crowd, it's ecomonical and generally available. Simply put, if you put the bullets in a vital area, diameter, velocity and design of the bullet don't matter. Likewise, if you don't put the bullets in a vital area, the diameter, velocity and design of the bullet don't matter.

 

[Twoboxer]

I was in your situation a few months ago. I got my permit, but honestly wasn't sure if I would carry. And there was no way to figure that out BEFORE I learned a lot more about "pistols and me".

But I *did* know I would want at least a house gun, and something that would help me learn to shoot. I settled on the M&P9 FS, and shot it a lot.

After shooting the FS and molesting lots of other guns, I decided that I would *never* carry anything other than a pocket gun often enough to make it worthwhile. So I bought a Ruger LCP. Great fit in a pocket, VERY difficult to shoot well. And not really fun to practice with either.

Next I bought a S&W 1911, and this 45 ACP instantly became my favorite target weapon. The weight and ergos keep the recoils close enough to not matter, and I am much more accurate with the 1911 than the M&P9. Had I known all this from the gitgo, the 1911 certainly could have been my first "house" gun. 8 45 ACP vs 17 9mm rounds in one mag . . . either one really works.

Long story short . . . Advice #1: I'd start with the M&P9FS and find your own way from there. Your experience may come to match mine . . . or it may not. That weapon will always find *some* use in your hands, and ammo for it should be available as long as any ammo is available

Advice #2: If you aren't already a pistol shooter, do NOT start with a Shield or anything that small or smaller. You (and/or your friends or SO) may not have a lot of fun with a pistol that small as a starter.

 

[bp231986]

They are all good guns. i myself would stick with the nines, but thats me, and who im i? not you

 

[Harley Al]

I bought several handguns before I found the one I wanted. I got my concealed carry permit about a year ago. With my build 5'10" 160lb. I could not carry a full size pistol with that long of a grip. The length is not a big deal, its the grip. I have a .380 bodyguard for pocket carry, and a M&P 9mm compact. I really like the compact! That is the one I would suggest. You can buy full size mag for the range if you wanted larger capacity. Just my opinion. Take it for what its worth.

 

[Lost Lake]

Like Harley I also bought several guns before I decided I needed several more. Each one is my favorite.

The 9c is a proven performer. The 40c can be made into a 9c with a stock $65 9mm barrel. The compacts can use full size mags with an x-grip adapter to fill in the void, or without if you prefer. Nothing else is needed. The .40 mags will work with 9mm rounds. There is so much versatility to the M&P lineup that you can't go wrong.

My advice if this is the first gun and you want to carry it with a 10 round limit in your state, is the 9c. If you want to bump up to a 40c and get the 9mm barrel for practice that would be a great choice too. Third pick advice from me would be the 45c. You go up in practice cost but what a nice gun!

Your second gun could be a 40FS, which you could then get .357 and 9mm barrels for.

Or if you want to forget all this fantastic plastic, go with a 3913 (stainless) or 3914 (blued) single stack 9mm. These bad boys are generally considered the finest concealed carry weapons made since man first tucked a rock in his loin cloth. Lightweight frame with stainless slides and all metal construction with reliability that is phenomenal. These guns are not made any more because S&W bumped their corporate head, but they can be found new-in-box for $500.

 

[yacobid]

The two guys who posted that they use the 9mm barrel conversion....... can you confirm that all you need is a stock replacement barrel? The .40 mags work without issue?

Also a few have mentioned that the stock "rifleing" <-- cant spell affects accuracy after 25 yards and either s&w have a possible design change coming soon or some after market barrels fix this as well.

Personally I am looking at either the M&P 9c or the Wathers PPQ for my first but really like the verisitility of getting the .40 with a barrel conversion if it is really that easy

 

[Lost Lake]

If you search for 40 9 conversion you will find a lot of posts.

The barrel is stock, drops right in. Those who have paid double for 'conversion' barrels from outside manufacturers have had more problems than those who buy the factory barrel it seems.

The .40 mag will work until the last round when the follower rides too high and locks the action open with one round remaining in the magazine. It is okay for range use though if you don't want to buy new 9mm mags.