M&P .40 Compact

[Coronach]

I got to shoot one the other day. I was only able to put about 100 rounds through it, so I didn't get to really wring it out. Basics below:

No malfunctions of any kind.

Good hand-feel and ergonomics. Imagine a M&P full size with all the excess bits chopped off. No pinkie dangle. No slide bite.

Very pointable. not quite the same as the full-size gun, but not far off, either. Just a little different.

10+1 capacity.

Reasonably slim, no protrusions to catch on clothing or print. Seemed to conceal well for a pistol of its size.

Slightly snappier recoil than the M&P fullsize. However, the fullsize M&P is a pussycat, and the compact is certainly not bad.

The magazine's pinky-rest wanted to pinch my pinkie under recoil (or slide function, couldn't say for sure). Not bad, not even painful, but it was startling the first time.

Trigger seemed very similar to the full-size trigger (ie, very good for a duty gun, but won't impress the 1911 crowd). It felt like there was a little trigger slap. Like the pinkie pinch, it wasn't bad, but was unexpected.

Doubletaps seemed a bit slower than the M&P fullsize, but that probably has more to do with my lack of familiarity with the weapon than any issues with the trigger or balance/pointability.

My conclusion? Like the M&P full-size, the real question will be reliabilty and durability. If it works like it should, it will be a great weapon.

Mike

 

[AZGlock13]

Coronach, Thanks for the great report. I have been eyeing the M&P9c and M&P40c (leaning towards the .40) a lot lately. The M&P compacts look like great carry pistols (I'm always looking for an additional carry pistol ).

 

[thinkat]

I checked out the compact model Saturday. I really wanted it, but half of my pinky was hanging off. I was disappointed, but I do like the full size.

 

[Coronach]

Thinkat-

You either have very large hands, or you did not have the magazine inserted when you were handling it. I actually have room to spare on the grip, but with no magazine in the gun my pinkie will dangle.

Mike

 

[nwilliams]

I'm planning on picking one of these up by the end of the month, I need a new carry gun and I think the M&P is one of the finest looking guns to come out in years and I keep hearing great things about them! Although I'm going with the full size .40.

 

[zahc]

You either have very large hands, or you did not have the magazine inserted when you were handling it. I actually have room to spare on the grip, but with no magazine in the gun my pinkie will dangle.

My pinky dangles on my 9mm, unless it's the magazine that has the little extender on it.

 

[Coronach]

Ah.

Do they make mags without the extender? If so, yes, I imagine my pinkie would dangle. The magazine I shot had the extender in place.

Mike

 

[rogerjames]

I held both the M&P and the XD subcompacts. Pinky dangled on the XD but not on the M&P. Is there a magazine extension for the XD that would provide a similar grip? I am considering both of these weapons in either 9mm or .40 for my primary CCW and I am having difficulty deciding. The M&P seems slightly narrower but a touch longer. XD does not require takedown tool, M&P does. M&P has interchangeable backstraps for customized grip, weight is similar, within an oz. I have shot a standard XD9, liked it. Have not fired either subcompacts. Reliability is definitely a major factor/concern. Any more opinions, experiences, etc. would be appreciated.

 

[SJUHockey10]

The M&P doesn't *necessarily* require a takedown tool. I can get my fingers inside easily enough to manipulate the strut without using the little tool, but I would imagine it depends on the size of one's hands.

 

[rbernie]

Do they make mags without the extender? If so, yes, I imagine my pinkie would dangle. The magazine I shot had the extender in place.

As I understand things, the Compact comes with two mags; one with extender and one without.

I've not seen the 40S&W Compact; they're not in my neck of the woods yet. If I get a Compact (which I may not, since I don't find the size of the standard version objectionable) it'd have to be in 40S&W, so I'm glad to hear that they'e starting to appear.

I'm planning on picking one of these up by the end of the month, I need a new carry gun and I think the M&P is one of the finest looking guns to come out in years and I keep hearing great things about them! Although I'm going with the full size .40.

I picked up my first one about three months ago. I now have five of 'em; three 40S&W in carry/HD rotation and two 9mm in the range bag. I'm very pleased with the platform, and I've sold off just about everything save the CZs and the P220s in favor of the M&P. The only downer so far has been the spotty availability of extra 9mm mags; the 40S&W mags are out there, but the 9mm versions are hard to find.

 

[rbernie]

The M&P seems slightly narrower but a touch longer.

The M&P has a much more 'organic' feel to me, and the rounder edges are really appreciated. More importantly, the M&P feels less 'top heavy' than the XD. The balance isn't noticed so much in shooting at a single target from the bench, but is quite discernable in pointing/target acquisition and tracking. IMO, the M&P is a far more user-friendly tool in that regard. The M&P also seems to have a faster trigger reset than I recall the XD having, although it's been a bit since I shot an XD and my memory could be faulty.

XD does not require takedown tool, M&P does.

The M&P doesn't need a takedown tool, unless you count your pinky nail as a tool.

M&P has interchangeable backstraps for customized grip,

This is a huge benefit. You cannot believe how different the pistol can feel and point just by swapping backstraps.

Reliability is definitely a major factor/concern.

I've not had any reliability issues with mine, although mine haven't seen but a few thousand rounds each at best. It's early in the game to tell, but if there are issues I expect S&W to stand behind the pistol pretty aggressively. After all, this is the platform that they're using to get LEO sales. They're not likely to screw around over field reports - not if they want a shake in the procurement process...

I've owned XDs, and they're fine weapons. Neither choice will make you sad. In the end, it comes down to personal preference and local availability.

 

[rogerjames]

Thanks Rbernie. I don't have nails because I bite mine, uhh, nasty habit. Are you shooting the 9 or.40? .....Sorry, I guess if I had paid attention to your previous post I would know you own the 9.

 

[Coronach]

The M&P does not require a takedown tool. I doubt it even requires a pinky nail. Using a pen/cleaning rod/etc is easier, but if you really needed to take down the gun with no tools on hand, you could just stick your pinky in there and push the lever down.

The multiple backstrap system is quite helpful, as rbernie said. The fullsize gun handles very differently with different grips installed. I can only imagine the compact is the same way (I only got to play with the Medium grips).

I'm curious as to why the Compact comes with one grip-extended magazine and one non-extended one. Frankly, if I was carrying the Compact, I'd have one extended-grip magazine on board, and a full-size magazine in a pocket or pouch somewhere. I doubt the second compact magazine would see much use.

Mike

 

[Coronach]

Actually, someone should make a baseplate for fullsize magazines that provide a grip for use in a compact. So, if you're using the magazine in a compact, you have a full-size grip, and if you want to use the magazine in a full-sized gun, you just swap out the baseplate and put the standard one back on.

Even better would be something that wraps around the mag, and could be slipped on or off without removing the baseplate.

Mike

 

[DirksterG30]

I held both the M&P and the XD subcompacts. Pinky dangled on the XD but not on the M&P. Is there a magazine extension for the XD that would provide a similar grip?

Pearce makes an XD mag extension: http://www.pearcegrip.com/springxd.htm

 

[penman53]

M&P Compact 40

I just bought one of these little beauties Thursday night. I shot it this Saturday morning. 2 inch groups at 25 feet with 155 grain ball ammo.

Good enough for me.

Mark

 

[zahc]

I have always taken my M&P apart like my XD, by pulling trigger when the slide goes foreward. I thought that's how you were supposed to do it, I guess I should have read the directions. Am I damaging it by doing it this way?

 

[armed85]

No, you're not damaging it, but I advise you stick to the recommended way as it reduces the chance for an accidental discharge.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Originally posted by zahc:
My pinky dangles on my 9mm, unless it's the magazine that has the little extender on it.

If you use the flat-base magazine instead of the finger extension one, sure, your pinky will dangle. Put that dangling pinky to work by curling it up under the magazine floorplate and applying upward pressure, just like Colt SAA and snubnose revolver shooters have been doing for years. I find little difference in controllability between the two when actually shooting, if this is adhered to. I do prefer the extended for carry in a holster, as drawing from the holster is easier with a full three-finger grasp.

 

[tocuin]

Misfires on a brand new one

All,

Lurker for a while, finally registered. Here's a poser.

Picked up a spanking new M&P Compact .40 for the favorite first, and current, wife today. Ran 55 Federal full jacket, and 5 Hydroshocks through it to familiarize her with it. (She's up-gunning from her 642 Airweight. I do security work and there's this really persistent perp...)

Anyhow, on round number 34 (plain round) it went "click," not "bang." I was loading the clips full, so this was three down in a 10-loaded magazine. Called the range officer, he cleared the firearm, re-seated the round in the magazine, re-cycled the action and "bang." Hmmm, not the round.

I loded five Hydroshocks into a magazine and number 3 went "click." Same result with the range officer. "Bang" on the second try.

We're definitely not trusting it (1 for 30 on misfiring?!?!) for the evening out until this is resolved, but has anyone had a simmilar problem?

Thanks in advance,

At Your Service,

Thomas Quinn, CISSP
President, The Hollis Group, Inc.
tquinn<atsign>hollisgroup.com
610.889.7350

"When used properly, a 28 oz. ball peen hammer
permanently deletes most hard disk files."

(c) 2007, The Hollis Group, Inc.

 

[armed85]

When the gun goes "click" was the primer struck? Since this happened with two different lots of ammo, I assume that the primers are not being struck when the malfunction occurs.

It sounds like the gun fails to return to battery. However, I don't think the striker would function without the gun in full battery.

Have you cleaned the gun yet? It might be dry and needs some lubrication.

 

[armed85]

Double post

 

[Coronach]

If there is a click, the gun is in battery.

There are two potential issues here:

1. Hard primers, though I've never seen one with a Hydrashok.

2. Light primer strikes. I'm leaning towards this one.

If at all possible, continue to put some rounds through the gun, making note of malfunctions. That way, if this was a freak occurance, you won't see it again, and if it is something real we can better diagnose it. Plus, it's always helpful to talk to S&W with a real sense of what's wrong with the gun. They'll fix it.

Watch out for the dreaded Mag Drop. Neither of my M&Ps do it, but I've seen guns that do.

Mike

 

[choochboost]

I have 2 M&Ps - a fullsize 9mm and a compact .40. My fullsize had four light primer strikes before I hit the 500 round mark. But nothing since. I now have almost 2500 rounds through it. I've run over 1000 rounds through my compact and it has been flawless.

There are solutions for those who have an issue with the short grip on the compact. "luvmy40", a member at www.mp-pistol.com makes kydex sleeves for the fullsize mags to be used in the compacts. I wasn't interested in the long fullsize mags in my compact (or I would have purchased a fullsize int he first place) so I modded some CA 10-round fullsize mags to come up with a frankensteined medium length grip. Details here: http://mp-pistol.com/boards/viewtopic.php?p=57712#57712

 

[tocuin]

Great Advice, all!

All,

Thanks a bunch. FFAC (Favorite, First And Current) wife is in there cleaning the little guy furiuosly.

When George (RSO) cleared the firearm, both times he noticed no dimple or scratch on the primers at all. After a nights cogitating (translation: Sleeping on it.) I'm guessing some packing / shipping gunk is in there and keeping the firing pin from making a good strike.

Unusual though, because we handed the new gun to the store's armorer, who inspected, snap-capped, and oiled it prior to letting us onto the range.

Anyhow, thoroughly cleaned, it's going back to the range today (Gosh honey, we'll just have to go shootin' on TWO days this holiday weekend...) when two gunsmiths are in the store.

I'll let you all know.

BTW, does anyone know of a clip loader-assist that works with the 10-round "pinky-clips?" My old arthur-itic thumbs are complaining!

Dang, she shoots a LOT quicker than I load!

At Your Service,

Thomas Quinn, CISSP
President, The Hollis Group, Inc.
tquinn<atsign>hollisgroup.com
610.889.7350