S&W M&P 9c ?

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carikr

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Hi all, Im new to this website, but I just previously purchased a s&w m&p 9c for myself. My husband and I run a metal recycling company so I wanted some protection. I went yesterday and had my concealed weapons permit class- passed I missed one written and missed one on the shooting.
anyway. yesterday was the first time I had shot my m&p9c. to me it had a kick. (lol) I am a female. but everytime I would shoot it would kick up. my question is would this be the right gun for me? I want something that is small, compact, light, but will stop someone in case I get robbed, or something like that- not just make someone mad.
someone said the springfield xd ws just as good but not as much kick? this that true?
I do not know guns that good. I am not scared, I think I can get used to it, I just dont want to be in a bad situation. I am trying to join the local gun club now to see if I can go shooting more to get more comfortable with it.

if you have any suggestions please post them! thanks!
 
it's physics "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction"

There are two things you can do to deal with the kick, more properly called 'recoil'

#1 all things being equal, a heavier gun will recoil less. Go find a handgun that is bigger, longer, and uses more steel and less polymer

#2 'for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction' get a smaller initial action, i.e. get a smaller chambering. The problem is, the weaker the ammo the less able it is to stop a determined attacker. It is an issue of balance.

Now, it may be an issue that the gun does not fit your hand well, many women have small hands, and a 9mm built around a 15 shot magazine can be too wide, finding a gun built around a 7-9 shot magazine, where the rounds are stacked on top of eachother in a single column (rather than a double column like is needed to get 15) feels better even though it really recoils the same

for 'slim' 9mms look into the Smith and Wesson 3913 'ladysmith' and it's economy cousin the 908, also check out the Sig 239 and it's older brother the sig 225 (they were the standard west german police/military sidearm, but germany recently upgraded, and sold thousands of slightly used sig 225s as surplus, you can get a real deal on ones now) The Kahr K9 (go for all stainless steel, not polymer/steel version) is a wonderful singlestack gun designed more for concealed carry. Finally, Walther has a PPS, a very slim 9mm handgun.

If no matter what you think 9mm is going to kick to much, turn to 380. In a case where 380 is chosen for recoil levels rather than due to size (most people pick 380 in a small gun for concealed carry) I would suggest the Beretta cheetah
http://products.berettausa.com/frame_tabellaprodotti_2002.asp?sgmt=30&Model=Cheetah
note, 380 is also called 9mm short, and is just as wide as 9mm, it just uses less gunpowder and so the bullet is slower. I bring this up because there are 13 shot (10 shot in california) and 8 shot versions. If you have small hands, I think the 8 shot model would be best. The 8 shot is the model 85, that isn't clearly marked on beretta's webpage
 
I have the M&P9c. It has the lowest recoil of any compact polymer 9mm I've ever shot.

Honestly, only YOU can decide if it's the right gun for you. Hold it, feel it, shoot it, and see how it feels to you. If it feels right, you'll know it.
Since you already own it, I'd suggest practicing with it, and see if you get better as you practice more.

Oh, and don't fight the recoil. Resign yourself to the fact that it's going to happen and just let it happen. I think that the more I think about recoil, the harder a gun tends to recoil. When I just let it happen, it's easier.
 
loads/ammo

Hi
Welcome to the website.
The S&W military & police compact is a good model. In 9mmNATO you may want to use the Speer Gold Dot +P 124gr JHP load or the Remington Golden Saber +P 124gr JHP. The Speer round is issued in 9mm to NYPD sworn officers, ;). For your spare mags/reloads, think about a factory made/fresh FMJ 124gr load or the Federal EFMJ 9mmNATO round. When you need a reload in a critical incident you want to know the rounds have punch and will feed 100%! ;)
Keep your S&W pistol clean and check it often. Weapons are not toys, props or fashion statements. They are dangerous and require skill/respect!

Rusty
 
port it

buy a pair of bicycle riding gloves, most of those have some palm padding in them, that will help alot, then port the little puppy. It will help. My M & P 9 is one of the smoothest shootin handugns I own. recently got it back from Dave Bowie kand he did a trigger/action job on this gun that is just outstanding. My hat is off to him on this one, as my M & P originaly was a crappy trigger. to me this is just one nice well made handgun, that I can also shoot until the cows come home..
 
Which back strap were you using? Try the next larger size. The 9MM grip is small enough you may be able to use even the large one which has a wider center section and helps to reduce the feel of the recoil.

BTW, I love my M&P 9c. It is a very good choice. And to me the recoil of the XD feels to be harder than the M&P.
 
Carikr -

First, welcome to the Forum -- you picked a good one!

Second, the effort to join a shooting club is a good one. After you've had a chance to put 20,000 rounds down range, your comfort with the gun and your accuracy will be much better. If you enjoy it, you might consider trying out some of the shooting sports (USPSA or IDPA).

As far as gun choice, how/where do you intend to carry? My wife's favorite out of all my guns is the Beretta PX4 Storm. It has a rotating barrell system that really reduces recoil. Like the M&P, it has interchangeable back straps. With the small installed, it's a perfect fit for her.

I also have an M&P 9C that she hasn't shot yet. I may try to get her to the range with it tomorrow - I'll let you know how she likes it!

Good luck!

Jim
 
In 9mmNATO you may want to use the Speer Gold Dot +P 124gr JHP load or the Remington Golden Saber +P 124gr JHP....For your spare mags/reloads, think about a factory made/fresh FMJ 124gr load or the Federal EFMJ 9mmNATO round. When you need a reload in a critical incident you want to know the rounds have punch and will feed 100%!
Click to expand...

HUH!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? Your statement implies that the gun is more likely to function with EFMJ than with HP. But if HP isn't reliable, why the hell would you load it in the gun in the first place. Sorry but I fail to see the logic in this at all. The fact that you need a reload doesn't mean that the reload ammo should be more reliable than the carry ammo. It should ALL be 100%. The fact that you are reloading does not mean you are in serious need of reliability, but when it was just the first 13 rounds in the gun it was ok to have a failure.

If you actually believe what you said, please explain the logic behind it, because I am completely mistified.
 
Find a professional trainer and at the very least learn a proper grip or verify that your grip is correct.

The M&P9c is a great gun. But that doesn't mean it is the right gun for you. When you have all the technique basics down, then you can focus on which tool is best for you.

Congratulations on obtaining your carry permit. Sounds like you are making a wise decision.

Best of luck to you.
 
I just previously purchased a s&w m&p 9c for myself.
Click to expand...


Don't be in too big a hurry to rush to judgement on your new pistol. It will take a while for you to become accustomed to and comfortable with the M&P9C just as it would with any other handgun.

If you're finding the recoil objectionable, try shooting a lighter bullet, like Winchester 115 grain target rounds, commonly called "Winchester White Box" or WWB.

Something you can do to break in the trigger so that it functions more smoothly is to "dry fire" it. Just get a package of snap caps (dummy rounds made for practice firing) and put one in the chamber and fire it a hundred or more times while you're on the computer or talking on the phone or occupied with some other activity where you can keep one hand free to hold the pistol. Do this for a few days and the trigger will feel much better to you.

The M&P9c is a fine little pistol. Hang on to it for awhile and see if it doesn't grow on you. A lot. ;)
 
I have the M&P9c. It has the lowest recoil of any compact polymer 9mm I've ever shot.
Click to expand...

I do too. It really is a remarkably low-recoil gun.
 
The M&P 9c is a great gun and it might be difficult to find a 9mm semi-auto with less recoil.
I suggest you get some training and try getting used to the gun first. Also try shooting a variety of ammo, see how you like different weights/loads.
If you still find the recoil bothersome and still need a gun that is small and compact, you might want to consider a .380 (like the Bersa Thunder).

I find the XD to be a very nice but a tad too bulky for my taste. I have not shot one so I can't comment on its recoil.
The best gun/caliber for you is the one that fits you hand and that you can shoot accurately and you are the only one qualified to make this choice.

Edit: Forgot to mention but the M&P has a double stack magazine which can be a little on the thick side for some shooters with smaller hands.
If that's the case you might want to look into single stack mag 9mm semi autos like the Kahr CW9.
 
I find my own to be quite mild-recoiling. I am not female, but am of slight build (5-9, 148 lbs. with skinny arms). Any pistol is going to have muzzle flip when fired; you can't cheat Mr. Newton. ;) This gun also has a short grip, great for concealment but adding a little extra challenge as there is simply less to hold onto.

I am left wondering about your grasp on the gun. You need to hold it as high on the frame as possible, actually seeing a little ripple of flesh where it presses against the upper contours of the frame tang. You also must keep your wrist straight, not allowing it to twist independently of your forearm. When the gun fires your entire forearm, wrist and hand must remain straight, moving up and down like a long pump handle.
 
If you start to flinch before you pull the trigger in anticipation of the recoil, you might be shifting your grip a bit lower on the rear of the grip (beavertail if you need a term). If anyone you know has a semi-auto in .22, you might even want to get some range time with it until you get comfortable with the aspects of firing a handgun, and keeping it on target with follow up shots.
I'M 6'2", 225#, and I still practice with my .22's, not only to save a bit on the ammo, but you can get in some very effective range time and target practice without the shock to your hands.
 
Quote--------Hi
Welcome to the website.
The S&W military & police compact is a good model. In 9mmNATO you may want to use the Speer Gold Dot +P 124gr JHP load or the Remington Golden Saber +P 124gr JHP. The Speer round is issued in 9mm to NYPD sworn officers, . For your spare mags/reloads, think about a factory made/fresh FMJ 124gr load or the Federal EFMJ 9mmNATO round. When you need a reload in a critical incident you want to know the rounds have punch and will feed 100%!
Keep your S&W pistol clean and check it often. Weapons are not toys, props or fashion statements. They are dangerous and require skill/respect!

Rusty



OK, we have a woman here concerned about felt recoil and the first thing you suggest is +P ammo ???????????????? :what: You must have not read her concern in her post. BTW if you read the M&P manual, it suggests that you NOT use +P ammo especially in their old style revolvers and +P+ is absolutly NOT to be used in any of their weapons.

carikr

Heavy gun = less felt recoil
Light gun = more felt recoil
Heavy bullet = more felt recoil
Lighter bullet = less felt recoil
High bullet velocity = more felt recoil
Lower bullet velocity = less felt recoil
+P ammo = even more felt recoil in ANY of the above

physics 101

unfortunatly, you have to give something up to get something in this situation. reduced recoil can only be achieved by increasing the weight of the weapon / using a lighter bullet and or load / changing calibers to something smaller in a larger frame / heavier gun.
 
For your spare mags/reloads, think about a factory made/fresh FMJ 124gr load or the Federal EFMJ 9mmNATO round. When you need a reload in a critical incident you want to know the rounds have punch and will feed 100%!
Click to expand...

Please look at my post at post#8. I don't understand this and REALLY would like to. Why is it more important for a reload to function reliably than it is for the first 13 rounds in the gun to function reliably?

Is it really too much to ask that ALL my rounds feed, eject, and perform properly?
 
My wife has the same gun. She had a similar problem and I will echo what some others have said. Check your grip and have an instructor take a look at it. My wife was holding the gun a little low and too gently. Push the web of your hand up into the grip and hold it more like you are trying to choke a snake instead of simply hanging on to it.
 
Welcome to the forum, carikr. My wife recently purchased the same pistol, and she does very well with it. Having said that, no particular gun is right for everyone. Not that I'd suggest getting rid of the M&P; it could be that you need to acclimate yourself to the recoil, or maybe grip it differently.

I'd suggest you spend some time going through this website, written about defensive firearms from a woman's perspective: http://www.corneredcat.com/TOC.aspx

Good luck, and keep us posted on your progress.
 
Stick with your 9mm M&P for awhile. Most concede 9mm to be the minimum for self defense. Some will concede to .380. Of course a few will concede only to a .45 but that is another can of worms.

The M&P is, for the general public, a very ergonomic pistol...the changeable grips add to that feature. I have a full sized M&P 45 and as I have come to be familiar with the gun I have moved down in grip size...which for me at 6'7" would be counter-intuitive. Being female, there will be, I'd expect, a tendency to pick the small size grip. Perhaps, also counter-intuitive, you would want to try the medium or large size grip.

The 9mm packs a punch so there will always be some recoil but I think it a very good cartridge, your gun is a very good one, and I'll bet you can train yourself to be not only comfortable, but good with it.
 
I have two M&P 9mms. The compact is my carry gun. It has been flawless through several hundred rounds. It is very reliable and accurate. I like to say that I can't imagine how good a handgun would have to be to replace it as my carry gun.
 
OK guys seriously. twice, I have seen the recommendation to use more reliable ammo in the reload than what you have in the gun, and twice I have asked why someone would want to do this.
I have not gotten an answer. I hate to derail the thread, but I'd really REALLY like to know. Not being a wise-guy. I'm genuinely curious.
Feel free to PM me if you don't want to derail.
 
Ben, I think they're considering a "more reliable" round to be ball ammo, hence the 9mmNATO or a 124gr. Maybe if you expect to need extra penetration through walls or extremely heavy clothing, this would be a smart thing to do, but the current market premium HP's are more than enough to serious harm to a person even through heavy clothing, not to mention the quality and reliability are a lot better than mil-spec 9mm.

I might carry a spare mag staggered "just in case...", but the carry mag is going to be uniform HP's.
 
Ben, I think they're considering a "more reliable" round to be ball ammo, hence the 9mmNATO or a 124gr. Maybe if you expect to need extra penetration through walls or extremely heavy clothing, this would be a smart thing to do, but the current market premium HP's are more than enough to serious harm to a person even through heavy clothing, not to mention the quality and reliability are a lot better than mil-spec 9mm.

I might carry a spare mag staggered "just in case...", but the carry mag is going to be uniform HP's.
__________________
"Watch your six and stay chromed!"

AMEN !!!
 
You will get used to it.

I have two MP's, a 9mm compact and a 40 caliber. I really like them both. My next pistol will be the MP 9 Pro.
Recoil is sometime a issue with new shooters but usually only for a short time. 9mm recoil is pretty light once you get used to it and learn proper shooting techniques. When my wife first started shooting she would only shoot my 22 pistol, but now she has her own S & W TRR8 357 magnum, a Sprinfield 1911 Micro Compact in 45 caliber, a S & W 642 snub nose 38 (a real wrist snapper) and a 9mm Baby Desert Eagle. She is a pretty small woman at 5'2" and about 110 pounds but she is proficient with all her pistols and doen't even think about recoil now (except with the 642). There is a forum that specializes in MP information at;
http://mp-pistol.com/boards/index.php?http://mp-pistol.com/boards/
Your MP 9 compact is one of the best auto loaders on the market today.:D
 
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