S&W M&P Pistol Query

[9.3X62AL]

This thread was prompted by Creeker's video-enhanced posting on another section of the site. His pistols were two variants of the Smith & Wesson M&P pistol series in 9mm.

These handguns have been out there for some time. I admit to being put off by them due in large part to their articulated trigger, reminiscent of the excreble S&W Sigma pistol line. I may have been a mite too judgemental initially.......a couple questions occur to me regarding these arms.

1) How reliable have these pistols been in buyer usage?

2) S&W barrels tend to be VERY lead-friendly.......has this been the case with the M&P pistols?

Thank you!

 

[Creeker]

1. Both my pistols work great. The only failure being are they won't go into battery with .358" diameter boolits seated to the same OAL as the same boolit at .357". I've loaded & shot Speer Gold Dots & Hornady XTP jacketed bullets with no problems, zero.

2. Both my barrels seem to be very smooth & I have no leading with LBT Blue Soft or Carnauba Red lubed boolits sized at .357".

I love the 9C & trust my life with it & will say the same with the Pro 9 but I've not found a load with accuracy to suit me for the longer pistol.

 

[9.3X62AL]

Thank you, Creeker.

.357" sizing has worked well in all of my current 9mm pistols. My old shop has authorized several variants of the M&P pistol line for service, as well as Ruger GP-100 and SP-101 wheelguns. I'm assessing a sub-compact bottom-feeder of some kind for CCW, and the SIG P-239 is too short for my big ol' paws. Might be awright for the 9mm, but our authorized 9mm load won't stop a motivated jackrabbit--so I want a 40 S&W or 45 ACP. THOSE loads are SUPERB. That extended magazine on the M&P compacts might make the grade--gotta hold hands with one to verify, though.

 

[Creeker]

I have a magazines with & without the extension & the extension makes a big difference. My hands aren't large so I can shoot without the extension as least using the 9MM cartridge.

 

[Ian]

I don't know about the sub-compacts, but if they're half as good as the full-size M&Ps I would recommend them without hesitation.

APEX makes drop-in triggers for the newer models if you want to change the spongy, flexy jointed trigger and also get a lighter, shorter pull. The factory triggers are plenty serviceable and I wouldn't change one out on a carry gun. I would change the sights, though. The later model guns have a block on the top rear of the slide that can be removed for reflex optic mounting, if you so desire. Excellent little bonus. The light rail under the barrel is also very handy for TLR-2 or whatever your favorite is, makes one of these a great house gun.

Throats tend to be short in all of the ones I've loaded for, which is .40 and .45 but not 9mm. DO NOT shoot steel cased ammo in them because it will seize in the chamber, seen it several times with Wolf in the 9mms.

If a Glock 17 and a Colt 1911 had a baby, it would be the M&P with the best of both worlds except the trigger.

 

[freebullet]

I ran around 5-6k through an m&p9 4" service model. It was very ergonomic & never failed. I traded it off in favor of the xd. The trigger was the sticking point. It just wasn't as accurate in my hand as the xd.
I shot beside a younger gal at frontsight who was using the 9sc. She had numerous failures, and from the looks of it I would attribute it to low quality ammo.

Mine did fine with .356 anylead. The plastic is on the thin side in some spots compared to the xd. If the trigger were more to my liking I may have kept it.

 

[Creeker]

The trigger on my 9C leaves little to be desired on a carry gun but my Pro model could use some help.