Of the two, I like the M&P a lot better.. lower bore axis (less top heavy), feels better in the hand, and -not sure on this- better capacity. That said, due to the mag drop problems I've had with mine (been through 4 mag catches and two trips back to S&W - there now in fact) and many others have had, I'm not able to give a green light recommendation on the M&P. I'd give S&W another year and see if they've licked the mag drop problem before giving full green light on the gun. Many M&P owners haven't experienced the mag drop problem but it can be guestimated (from the M&P forum) that up to as many as 18-20% of owners have! That's not a good thing. Like I said, S&W has tried four mag catches on my M&P, able to stop the mag drop problem only for a few hundred rounds each time. The gun is back with them as of this writing for a second trip. I'm hoping they replace the frame this time. While they have been awesome in responding to the problems, they don't seem to have figured out the cause as yet. Many guns are afflicted with this issue. Visit the mp-pistol.com forum for more details.
Do check out the USP Compact... superb gun and can be carried cocked and locked like a 1911 (very nice if you are accustomed to the 1911 as many of us are.) And don't overlook Glock's awesome 23... it doesn't feel quite as nice in the hand and the trigger isn't as nice as the M&P, but the gun has a 14 round capacity, is quite compact, stone reliable, tough as nails... something you (like countless others) can definitely rely on. Aftermarket support in parts, accessories, and services for Glocks is remarkable. IAfter installing a 3.5# connector and smooth-faced trigger, the guns became much more enjoyable to shoot than stock. I wasn't too enamored with them when I first bought and shot them, but with time and experience have found that one can grow to really appreciate Glocks... now I have a 29, 30 19, and 23. The 19 and 23 are close to the ideal carry guns... size, weight, capacity, reliability, simplicity... tough to beat.
