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How good is the S&W M&P .40?

autoxr84

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2010
Messages
51
Location
Nicholasville, Kentucky
I was looking to get that for my next pistol and was wondering what people thought about it. I currently own the S&W Sigma 9mm. Any comments on how these two compare or how the M&P is in general? Thanks!!!
 
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Fallschirjmäger

Active member
Joined
Aug 4, 2007
Messages
3,823
Location
Cumming, Georgia, USA
I quite fond of my full-size M&P .40, it's replaced a G23 as my daily carry. I have medium size hands but use the large grip inserts as I found that they lessened the perceived recoil (that took a bit to get used to, but it's made a difference.)
 

emtechnik

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2011
Messages
44
Location
Maple Valley, WA
can't speak for the .40 FS, but I love my M&P9c! For it's price, I believe it is head and shoulders above it's direct competitors (XD's and Glocks specifically).
 

rotorhead

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2010
Messages
862
Location
FL
I love it. Beautiful gun that shoots great.

Well worth getting it in my opinion.
 

RJB1075

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2008
Messages
12
Location
, ,
I have a compact M&P in .357 sig. I absolutely love it. Im a big guy with smaller sized hands and it fits me perfectly. I wanted the .357 but I also bought a .40 cal barrel for it. It is an easy change at the range to shoot much less expensive ammo.
 

SouthernBoy

Regular Member
Joined
May 12, 2007
Messages
5,837
Location
Western Prince William County, Virginia, USA
I bought an M&P40 in December of '09 and it is part of my carry stable. Not one of my primary carry guns, that is reserved for one of my 3G Glock 23's, but certainly a gun I would, and have on occasion, carry. It has a great feel to it, is comfortable, does a fine job of handling the .40S&W, and is pretty darned accurate. They do tend to come with rather poor triggers (the action is a SAO (Single Action Only) hybrid), but there is something I found that was simple to correct the trigger on my M&P40.

After carefully examining the internals and how the trigger works in conjunction with the striker safety and the sear, I began a process of working the trigger many times. First, make sure the gun is not loaded. Check this again. Then what I would do was to pull the trigger for one dry fire, then just start pulling the trigger rapidly hundreds of times at a sitting. I have probably done this over 6,000 times to date. The result was a natural smoothing out of the trigger bar, the tang on the bar that rides on the striker safety, and the sear. Of course, I cleaned it before starting this. The trigger now feels much better and more smooth and predictable. It definitely made a difference with my M&P40.

These are good guns and do make a fine carry piece. I am not sorry one bit I bought it. However, my primary G23 still takes first place on my side when I reach for a carry gun.
 

ElW75

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2010
Messages
44
Location
Alexandria, Virginia, USA
I have a full size M&P 9 with the Apex Tactical Spring Kit and Warren Tactical Night Sites, it is my daily carry and I have had zero problems. I have fed close to 3000 rounds through it with no FTE, FTE, or anything else (including a 2-day course with around 1200 rounds, dirt, grime, etc). IMO it is an amazing weapon and as reliable as can be. A similar setup 40 is going to be my next purchase.
 

autoxr84

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2010
Messages
51
Location
Nicholasville, Kentucky
After carefully examining the internals and how the trigger works in conjunction with the striker safety and the sear, I began a process of working the trigger many times. First, make sure the gun is not loaded. Check this again. Then what I would do was to pull the trigger for one dry fire, then just start pulling the trigger rapidly hundreds of times at a sitting. I have probably done this over 6,000 times to date. The result was a natural smoothing out of the trigger bar, the tang on the bar that rides on the striker safety, and the sear. Of course, I cleaned it before starting this. The trigger now feels much better and more smooth and predictable. It definitely made a difference with my M&P40.

So just dry fire it once and just never fully reset the trigger? :confused:

If that works I wonder if it would help my Sigma...? Or is the trigger just foo-barred from the get go! :p
 

SouthernBoy

Regular Member
Joined
May 12, 2007
Messages
5,837
Location
Western Prince William County, Virginia, USA
So just dry fire it once and just never fully reset the trigger? :confused:

If that works I wonder if it would help my Sigma...? Or is the trigger just foo-barred from the get go! :p

Here's what I do after having checked its state of battery. I release the striker by drying firing the gun. At this point the striker is at rest and the trigger can be moved freely from rest to its fully rearward position. Now I just started rapidly pulling and releasing the trigger. All this does is to wear the contact points and smooth them out by wearing down any obtuse asperities at those points of contact. What I wound up with was a distinctly better and smooth trigger action and am quite pleased with the results.

The action is somewhat unique with this gun, much like that of the Springfield Armory XD series and unlike that of the Glock action. When the gun cycles and is ready to fire, the striker is in a fully cocked position. This means that all the trigger needs to do is to cam down the sear to free up the striker so that it can fire a cartridge. Of course, the trigger bar also releases the striker safety while doing this, but that action does not fall under the description of the trigger's action definition.

I like the M&P design quite a bit and as I mentioned, I am happy I bought one. The feel in the hand is pretty much second to none for me. It is larger than the Glock 19/23 models and heavier as well. But it is a fine piece to carry in my opinion. And one other thing I have been told. The frame has a steel skeleton. If someone knows better, please correct me on this as I only heard it and do not know it to be fact. The only think I specifically do not like about the gun is the slide stop. If you are of a mind to use this to release the slide, it is quite hard and takes a bit of thumb pressure. This is because the stop indent is at a 90 degree angle to the slide. The indent should have been cut at an angle such as that on the Glock slides. I have thought about filing this a little bit but I don't want to risk damaging the gun (liability issues).

Finally, one of the nicest things about my M&P40 is the way it handles the .40S&W cartridge. This is not a hard recoiling round but in some guns, many people complain of the "snap" they feel with it (yes, that is the word they use frequently on GlockTalk). The M&P does have noticeably less felt recoil than does the Glock 23 in my hand and is very comfortable to shoot. I contribute this mostly to the grip design.

As for the Sig, I am not at all familiar with their actions and design so I cannot answer that question.
 
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autoxr84

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2010
Messages
51
Location
Nicholasville, Kentucky
Ahhhhh.... Now I got ya!

I see what your saying now. You gotta forgive my KY education! LOL But once I get the funds that will be my next purchase! Thanks for the input everyone! And thanks for the tips on it SouthernBoy!
 
Joined
Mar 20, 2010
Messages
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Location
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Mr H

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
286
Location
AA Co., Maryland, USA
I was looking to get that for my next pistol and was wondering what people thought about it. I currently own the S&W Sigma 9mm. Any comments on how these two compare or how the M&P is in general? Thanks!!!

My son recommended it to me when I was ready to get back to shooting. He would have used his M&P as his duty weapon, if he could have.

I've put nearly 2000 rounds through mine, with zero failures.

Great feel, easy handling, and the multiple backstraps make it comfortable.
 

Mr H

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
286
Location
AA Co., Maryland, USA
<<The M&P does have noticeably less felt recoil than does the Glock 23 in my hand and is very comfortable to shoot. I contribute this mostly to the grip design>>

I agree, and have been told that this is mainly due to the wider angle of the grip (not as upright to the barrel line), which takes the recoil more in-and-down, rather than straight back. I think I'm describing that OK...
 
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