Silversmok3
Member
Conflict is an inherent part of human life. We try to avoid it wherever we can, but the occasion can come where the only way to solve a problem is head to head fight.
Or given the sides in this post, perhaps a "magazine to magazine" showdown is a better term.
My range visit set out to settle a debate; which gun is better? The M&P9 , with its high tech lightweight polymer frame and ergonomic grips. A well received effort which is so popular that the marketers of "Perfection" stand worried for their revenue.
In the other corner, we have the evolved version of one of the original wondernine pistols, in the form of the aluminum frame 5903.A standby which has kept many a lawman and citizen safe for nearly two decades, the 5903 represents a solid and well made pistol with a traditional trigger, traditional ergonomics, and the legacy of American industry behind it.
I thus set out with a box of 9mm UMC rounds and my trigger finger to accomplish the mission of providing a semi scientific comparison of the two firearms.
Scientific field testing can be hard, dreary work.
The first gun at the line is the 5903.
Target was placed at approximately 25 feet at the indoor range. A Shoot N C target was stuck to the paper for ease of group comparison.All targets were placed at the same distance, and the pistols were shot with a two-handed high grip Weaver stance.
I fired the 5903 using a controlled rapid fire set of 16 rounds, with the mag fully loaded and a round in the chamber. The first shot was taken with the weapon decocked in Double Action .Here is the pattern in close up detail:
With no functional issues detected I loaded five rounds and shot slow fire with the first shot in Double action as before.
As for the M&P9, the gun held its own despite the operator leaning on the shots during the rapid fire drill.
Once the comparison phase was over I ran another 100 rounds through the 5903 before calling it a day.
We of course cannot conclude without the obligatory "after" picture of the test hardware.
Conclusions.
1. I need practice.
2. Shooting both pistols back to back reveals the honest reason our beloved 3rd Generation pistols aren't popular anymore. The 5903 is a firearm based on a gun that was originally designed in the 1960, and it shows its age in the ergonomics. Accuracy is reflected not just in what the pistol is capable of achieving but is also reflected in how the gun handles in hand. A weapon which cant be gripped right won't be shot right, and the import of that connection was demonstrated loud and clear. Both guns fit and handle in my hands just fine, but accurately rolling a Double Action trigger with the 5903 is much harder to do than pressing a striker based trigger in the M&P. The newer pistol may not stir the soul like its forebear, but accurately employing it is significantly easier to accomplish in comparison. I would put it as being similar to parallel parking a 1980s Cadillac Fleetwood versus a 2008 Toyota Camry. Both cars are capable of maneuvering into a space, but the Cadillac will take much more work to park than the newer vehicle.The M&P flatly stated is much easier to shoot.
3. Trigger pull. Here is where the M&P falls flat. My stock trigger has a a crisp break and easy takeup, but such joys are hard to savor when the break is unpredictable. With the M&P it feels like I am building trigger pressure for ages until the trigger actually breaks , as if the gun is second guessing my decision to shoot. The 5903 , even in double action, never has this problem. The DA pull is heavy enough to influence my shot placement, but that's a shooter issue which can be resolved though practice. Single action is as it should be-crisp, clean, and no creep or uncertain break. Its no 1911 , but a $3000 custom build this gun is not.
4. This hurts to type , but Id don't have the luxury of yielding to my affinity for old-school firearms.The M&P is a better firearm for the modern age and marketplace. A new shooter can buy an M&P and within perhaps 150 rounds they'll get the hang of shooting it well to defend themselves with. Add to that the fact that there are no safeties or external levers on that piece and we see that an M&P represents a concept which is very close to "buy and shoot".
The 3rd Generation pistol, on the other side, requires practice. Assuming the ergonomics fit-which realistically for many it wont-the double action first pull requires dedicated practice to learn. I won't claim to have done that , and professional shooters who have learned to work with the Double Action pull didn't get that way overnight. Proper grip is important because unlike the M&P it will not just point itself at the target, so that's another learning curve to adapt to. It makes a great gun for collecting purposes, and certainly works well as a defensive firearm, but shooting it well will take dedication and practice.
I aim to help others in posting this, so proceed to critique this post if it in any way is inaccurate or if there are questions about this comparison.
Safe and happy shooting.
Smok3
