Choice between the M&P40 and M&P45 - your thoughts?

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DHart

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TO start with, it might be helpful to know that I already have quite a number of pistols of varying
sizes in both .40 and in .45. And I reload all my practice ammo in both calibers as well. For defense
use, I use 230 gr. HST and Gold Dots in .45 and 180 gr. HST/GD/Ranger in .40.

I am equally comfortable with either caliber as a defense round doing virtually as effective
a job with well placed rounds. So this is not a choice between which caliber is better; it's about
the guns themselves, how they feel, shoot, reliability, and to try to decide if the M&P45 has some
factors which make it a clear winner in spite of the significant capacity difference.

Though odds are that 11 rounds would probably suffice should a safe-living civilian be so
unfortunate as to have to defend oneself with a gun - but odds are, well, just odds. One has no
clue just what one might have to come up against, nor how many missed/mis-placed rounds
might occur...so having 15+1 is clearly a preferrable place to be when confronting an unimaginably
evil situation than 10+1 is. Reloads are not considered here.

I'm a bit torn between the M&P40 and the M&P45. I like the way M&P guns feel, handle, and shoot
(based on shooting my M&P 40C).

I much prefer the 15+1 capacity of the 40 to the (relatively) paltry 10+1 capacity of the
.45. The guns are about the same size, roughly, I believe. Given the choice between
15+1 and 10+1 in a defense gun, I would always go with the higher capacity given other
factors are not considerably different... and in this comparison, I don't think the other factors
are significantly different to me. Since I'm already deeply into both calibers with numerous other
guns.

I well know with owning numerous guns in both calibers that .45 has more of a push and
.40 more of a snap. That snap can be relatively tamed in a platform which handles it well,
as I know the M&P does.

I like both calibers, when they are fired from good platforms that handle them well.

SO that leads me leaning toward the M&P40 (I already have an M&P 40C) for it's capacity.
But before making that choice I was wondering if there might be any compelling reason
someone here might offer as to why I should go with the M&P45 instead. Is it notably more
reliable? Is it notably much more comfortable to shoot? Is it notably more accurate?
Or are both of these guns relatively similar in these factors?

Anyone who has shot both extensively, or especially anyone who owns both guns: your
thoughts are especially welcomed.

Thanks, in advance, for sharing your considered thoughts on this!
 
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