92FS or S&W M&P?

Status
Not open for further replies.
H

HippieMagic

Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2006
Messages
359
Location
West Virginia
I know I asked before in a similar thread but I am finally getting danerously close to the time to go order the gun. I am using the internet more than likely because it seems like nobody around here has ANY auto worth buying for a decent price. I had originally settled on the M&P 40 but when I couldn't find it and I found the ammo($35 per box heh) I decided it may not be the best time to purchase that caliber. That made me think about the .357SIG caliber which seems like the only one I can find the M&P chambered in thinking that I could shoot it since the ammo is more readily availible and I saw that it was $25 a box but I couldn't tell if it was 50 or 100 which makes me really wonder if this is the best route.

Then I started playing Resident Evil 5(go figure) and the starting gun is a 92F which when thinking over calibers it did pop into my mind as a decent 9mm but I had no clue how much it actually cost. So last night after hopping around online I find out that the 92FS is actually only $20 more than the M&P and seems to have a pretty healthy track record however the availibility of 9mm ammo kinda worries me... it seems like it is never anywhere to be found. This just made things confusing though so to ask my question...

If you were able to get the M&P or the 92FS which one would you pick? Is the 92FS a good gun to actually have as a first handgun purchase? I haven't really heard anything bad about it so if you know of anything let me know please... Would you go with the .357SIG M&P or 9mm 92FS? What about CCW is the 92 easy to conceal? it kinda looks thinner...
 
As a first gun, both work fine. It really comes down to your commitment to learn your platform of choice & developing good technique.
 
The S&W makes a good gun, but the 92 FS is a combat proven classic. Check out the movies, TV shows, video games - half the guns you see will be the venerable Beretta 92FS. (M-9 in military speak)

Awesome first gun. Easy to disassemble and clean. In 9mm, very little recoil due to the nice size of the gun. Accurate and reliable. Not very expensive to acquire, lots of aftermarket accessories available. Storied history. Not a conceabable weapon but that's what Seecamps are for. (If you have small hands - look for the Vertec version of the Beretta which solved the long trigger reach issue. Very 1911-like.)

Good luck and happy shooting!
 
COD4 has the M9 in it! Also the USP 45, M1911, and Desert Eagle.
What price did you see the 92FS?
 
I saw the 92FS for $540 shipped in Blued and I believe Matte Black is like $20 more than that. The M&P is $524 and I am sure I could find a 92FS cheaper I didn't really look I just hopped on bud's gun shop and looked for it to get the general idea.

I mean when we are talking CCW I don't think either gun would really be easy to conceal but I dress like most 20 somethings around my age so I could conceal a larger handgun a little easier than someone who wears more form fitting clothing.

The 92FS seems a lot easier to find around shops and the caliber size/power difference is so small I really don't see the "man stopping" difference in 9mm/40sw/357sig. I don't really want to go over $550 since I do have to pay the $25 transfer fee.
 
I've had a 92 for a few years. I bought a XDm9 for my wife, now I'm trying to get her to trade with me.......
 
Both are popular guns for a reason. Handle both personally and see which fits better. They have a different feel to them and are apples and oranges on poly versus steel. Both have compact versions as well for concealment. Also, odds are over time you'll want something smaller for summer carry or deeper concealment ect., anyway. As far as long term 9mm availability and price, - 9mm should be minimal worry compared to some others. Get what you'll use the most (i.e., what you'll actually purchase ammunition for (afford) not what seems manly or cool)
 
Here's mine when I bought it. Since then I've added CT Laser grips, TLR-2 tactical light, stainless guide rod, D spring, skelitized hammer, and 18 round mags. (Working on new pic.)

3412014215_b308bdb9e6.png

Notice how the backstrap of the grip is straight, like most 1911s. This allows for a much easier trigger reach, and consequent trigger control. Sweet!
 
Ive had my 92F for a few years now and have had no malfunctions using hot and mild reloads, factory loads and soviet ammo. It eats anything i put through it and is pretty accurate to boot. I felt the barrel on the M&P sat a little to high above my hand, which is going to inrease its felt recoil.

If you like polymer framed pistols, Beretta makes a their PX4 Storm and its a beauty. Its recoil is less than the 92F using the same ammo. In my hands, its more accurate as well.

If youre worried about ammo avaliability, i would stay away from the 357Sig, unless you start reloading. Usually, its quite a bit more expensive and it hasnt been around as long as the 40S&W let alone the 9mm. Youre gonna find more more manufacturers produce 40S&W and 9mm than 357sig
 
I found a decently priced .40S&W M&P with Night Sights but still that $35 a box for plinking ammo hurts a little... I have 100 rounds of .40 sitting beside me but that price tag for the next 100 is haunting me.

Call me crazy but I feel safer with the 92F design... It seems like a safer design than a striker fired gun to me. I know accidental discharges are pretty rare now in general but I don't know... I get my mind set on one thing and the next thing you know something else comes along and makes me question it... I seriously hate shopping for guns...

What is a good place to look at some NIB 92s? I prefer a new gun... it is my first handgun so I would rather get a new one than a used one just to say I am the first owner... Warrenty helps too.
 
sounds like you're mostly set on the beretta, but since you haven't done it yet: i have both guns you're looking at and i far and away prefer the smith. in fact, the beretta doesn't even make my top-5 list of guns i own.

my wife did a lot of shooting and feeling and whatever, and she decided on the m&p. of all the guns she's shot and messed around w/, the beretta was her second favorite, but the gun she paid for was the smith...

overall, you won't go wrong either way, but i think the smith is a better gun.
 
I learned on a Beretta 92 almost as old as I am, so I'm going to recommend it.

Yes, it is a large gun. But if you're not going to Concealed Carry it, the size is hardly an issue, and I rather enjoyed the way it feels in my hand. (Although, if you're a big person with baggy clothing you could probably wear it concealed with the right holster.)

Hell, the 92 weighs LESS than an m1911 by about 150-200grams.

All in all, it's qualities add up to make a wonderful weapon I'd recommend to anyone, especially as a first weapon.
 
Haha well so far this thread isn't helping at all. I am still not totally decided... I think I have gone back to either my original .40 or 9mm choices... I would actually get a 226 if I could find a good enough price on it. The only problem is I would definitely not find one new for a reasonable price and I have no clue about the used price of one... I know I like them but I hate their price...

If I get a poly I am pretty deadset on the M&P. I am just not sure if I want hammer or striker fired... 9mm or .40... The world would be easier without so many choices when it comes to guns...
 
What you are going to have to do is go to the gunshop.

Find both of the guns, the S&W M and P (I have one in .45) and get the 92.

Try both guns in hand and decide for yourself which gun feels best to you.

I found the 92 to be a turkey hanging off my finger by weight. But that is just me. It's a nice weapon as they all are. I would have gone for the 1911 if I could afford one at the time I made my first handgun buy.
 
I may try to find an M&P 9 too... is there any good gunshop websites other than buds or gunbroker? I don't really have the ability to go handle them here because none of the shops(including Cabela's) have either one...
 
Beretta 92FS + Hogue rubber finger groove grips = sweet weapon.

Happens to fit me very well and I can shoot it very accurately, not to mention I haven't had any failure in well over a thousand rounds.

I love it.

guns044.jpg

Lasermax guide rod laser is also pretty cool. :)
 
People keep saying it is huge but what is the size difference in a 92FS and M&P? I thought they were about the same size with a little more heft on the 92s side of things...
 
From my own experience the M&P is a much lighter gun, Ive had a person tell me that the gun to him was a feather weight and he was packing a 92.

It's almost like a bowling ball. My brother likes to throw big 16 pound balls while I opted for the light 12 pounds. he was a lefty and hooks em while I pound it straight into the pocket. Now I like em heavier because older - slower but when it gets there, it's like a mack truck mashing pins. Without too much consious effort trying to control the ball during delivery.

If bowling makes sense great. If not, ignore.
 
I have owned both a 92FS and an M&P. Both chambered in 9mm. I sold the 92 and still have the M&P.

The 92 is a very good handgun. Mine ran 100% for me. My wife could get it to stovepipe, but I think that was a limp wrist problem and not the gun, as I could never get that gun to jam. BUT -- the gun is large. The grip is big, it is hard for me to reach the mag release without significantly shifting my grip. Also, I realized after quite a few years that I do not like traditional DA/SA actions. The difference in trigger pull from first to second shot was something I never got used to. The gun I had also had the front sight integral with the slide, not the dovetail front sight as some of them have now. This limited my ability to change sights around, such as adding a fiber optic to the front. I also realized over time that I didn't like the safety/decocker up on the slide. It wasn't within friendly reach of my fingers.

The first time I shot the M&P I was really impressed. Accurate, low muzzle flip and it felt very good in my hand. I purchased one soon after, did a trigger job on it and replaced the sights to my liking. The gun has also been 100% reliable. The controls are much easier for me to reach and I shoot the gun faster than the Beretta. Accuracy may have went to the 92 (a slight edge) but I can do speed reloads much faster with the M&P due to the mag release being within reach -- and I can get back on the target faster.

These are just my observations. Your mileage may vary. But when I looked at both of these guns and said to myself "which one would you want to take to an IDPA match or a USPSA production match and be competitive?", the M&P was the far and away winner.
 
i love the 92fs myself easy to maintain and i just love the look and feel even if im not as happy with the 9mm cartrige i had 5 mags with mine 2 10 1 15 and 2 17s and i loved carrying mine in the field in a safariland thigh rig!
 
The Beretta 92 is going to weigh 4 or 5 oz more than the M&P, which just for range use, isnt a big deal. The extra weight is going to help the recoil. Plus, the 92 has a different sound and feel to it when the slide goes back. I have yet to run across another firearm that feels/sounds like it. Not saying the M&P isnt bad, but it hasnt been around as long and doesnt have the track record the 92 does, atleast from what ive seen.

If you want a polymer pistol, get the PX4 Storm. Its truly an awesome pistol and is very, very under appreciated. They come standard w/ super lumi-nova night sights which will last 30 minutes with short exposure to any kind of light.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beretta_Px4
 
Beretta 92 all the way!

You can break it down & put it back together in less then 10 seconds! Its a well proven platform and extremely reliable!

Parts are pretty cheap & widely available. Mec-Gar makes flush fit 18rd & 20rd mags for it. Low recoil & very accurate with its single action trigger.

Just realize the Beretta is def a big & heavy gun when compared to the majority of polymer striker pistols. This is what makes it so accurate and robust. None of that matters if its purpose is to serve in your vehicle or home.

Although it can be a CCW if absolutely necessary, the size/weight will ultimately lead you to rethink your options.
Just my opinion.

Also don't forget the almost identical yet cheaper Taurus PT92 as an option. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taurus_PT92
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

T
  • Locked
Beretta M9A1/92FS
Replies
9
Views
2K
kmrcstintn
K
C
  • Locked
9mm 92FS
Replies
14
Views
614
cleetus03
C
H
  • Locked
Impulse Buy, M&P 9, Bad Decision?
Replies
24
Views
1K
Kingofthehill
K
Snowdog
  • Locked
Heavier springs for M&P compact (or lack thereof)
Replies
0
Views
219
Snowdog
Snowdog
G
  • Locked
Help me decide: S&W M&P in 9mm or .45
Replies
17
Views
920
kd7nqb
K
Back
Top