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M&P compact 9mm

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 8:11 am
by wgoforth
Anyone carry an M&P compact 9mm? Opinions?

Re: M&P compact 9mm

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 8:24 am
by Divided Attention
Middle Age Russ and I both carry 9C. I love mine - will let him speak for himself, but sure he is happy with his. I recently carried more than 15 hours at a livestock event dealing with animals, equipment and never an issue. As far as shooting, enjoy it thoroughly. The only "change' I have made is night sights. MAR did a trigger job, and he loves it, but I am used to a revolver trigger, so am happy with my "factory" trigger - mine was also much smoother out of the box than his.

Mine has been back once for rust on the slide and take down lever - totally a cosmetic issue, and S&W customer service was awesome. I must have mean sweat combined with something in the Tucker leather that is hard on the slide and lever because I am rusting again. I just sent them an email for suggestions. I am considering getting the slide and lever duracoated. I can highly recommend the M&P 9C!

Re: M&P compact 9mm

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 8:29 am
by williamkevin
I carry one in .40 (same size frame as 9mm) and love it! Similar in size to the G26. Very reliable gun in my opinion. I only have about 300 rounds through my compact, but I have 7700 rounds through my full size 9mm without a single pistol-related stopage.

The only thing that may need work is the trigger. M&P triggers leave a lot to be desired. If you're a 1911 guy, you won't like the trigger very much, but there are things that can be done to GREATLY improve the trigger.

Overall great gun in my opinion.

Re: M&P compact 9mm

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 9:10 am
by johncanfield
The M&P 9 compact is my primary carry piece. Here's a video of me putting the very first magazine through our then new M&P. The serrations (grip) on the rear of the slide are the best I've ever handled, it's really easy to field-strip and I seem to have a natural point of aim with it. I have never had a single feed/eject issue for the 500-600 rounds we've put through it except:

At the recent Texas Concealed Hand Assn convention I signed up for the Saturday morning fun shoot and while shooting at one timed target, I had a couple of fail to feeds. I was flabbergasted since the M&P has performed like a Rolex, now I'm wondering if I was limp-wristing it under the pressure of the timer and competition. Another trip or three to the range will tell the tale.

FWIW, I had a bad primer on one casing (fail to fire) and now I'm wondering if the FTFeed was the ammo. It's Remington UMC target but I only have 800 rounds of it left :shock: .

Re: M&P compact 9mm

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 9:40 am
by surferdaddy
While I don't have the 9, I do daily carry the m&p 40 compact. Best shooting "little" gun I've even owned. I should work for s&w because two of my buddies liked it so much that they got one themselves. I carry it in a galco king tuk. Don't tell anyone, but I sometimes stick it in my pocket holster.

Re: M&P compact 9mm

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 10:24 am
by Kadelic
I don't CC it yet, still waiting on my plastic, but I love my 9c. Though I didn't actually shoot any before I bought, the M&P felt more at home in my hand than the Glock or XD did at the shop.

Re: M&P compact 9mm

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 11:02 am
by A-R
I love my M&Ps, and had a 9C for a while but sold it off. I still have a full-size M&P9 and two M&P45s.

For me personally, I can conceal the full-size M&P just fine and thus was deciding between keeping the M&P9C or a Glock 26 and decided on the G26 because it is a bit smaller overall than M&P9C and fits better in an ankle holster (for the few times I carry that way). Also - in a strange twist of logic - the G26's standard 10-round mags work well for me when I take my dreaded family trip to Kalifornia to see the in-laws. The M&P9c's 12-round mags are banned in Leftyland and would necessitate buying extra 10-round only mags just for those trips.

The lack of the pronounced beavertail on the compact also contributed to me liking the full-size M&P better as a shooter - but this is minor quibbling for a carry gun.

That said, nothing at all wrong with the 9C. I would not hesitate to own/carry another one if I felt I needed it in my carry arsenal (but you can only own so many guns - or so I'm told :headscratch ). The light mount up front is definitely a plus over the baby Glock, as is the extra 2 rounds of standard mag capcity. I think the M&P9C makes a better overall gun for belt carry than a G26, but G26 is a bit more universal (easier ankle carry or even pocket carry in a pinch).

Comparing M&P lineup to Glock, the M&P9c fits sorta in between the G26 and G19 and the M&P9 full size fits sorta in between the G19 and G17.

On the rust issue, had this with my M&P9 full size as well. Sent it back to S&W and they sent me a brand new slide and brand new barrel. Seems there have been some bad batches of Melonite finish on some M&Ps. Still get some spot surface rust on the slide stop and take-down lever on hot summer days with plenty of sweat. Just need to remember to oil those parts regularly. Or, do what I just did: removed the parts from all three of my M&Ps and Duracoated them as a prep for coming summer months. Should fix the problem more permanently. S&W should Melonite these parts as well since it's a habitual problem I've heard with other M&P owners, but I guess it's a minor enough issue not to fuss with. The same parts are NOT Tenifer treated on Glocks either, but I've never had those parts rust on a Glock merely from sweat (though I've seen them rust on various torture tests when buried in rock salt, etc).

Re: M&P compact 9mm

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 11:04 am
by A-R
... oh and if you buy any M&P, definitely consider the fine trigger action upgrade parts from Apex Tactical

https://apextactical.com/store/product- ... cid11.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Reasonably easy self-install with good YouTube How-To videos direct from the manufacturer. Definitely improves the gritty, stiff factory trigger action.

Re: M&P compact 9mm

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 11:08 am
by LSL
As a total newbie, I qualified with M&P 9c, but when it came to buy and own, I chose a Springfield XDM 3.8 9c.

Both guns worked well for me, but XDM fit my hand better, and I am pleased with how it allows me to have a greater accuracy than I have developed skills for.

:txflag:

Re: M&P compact 9mm

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 11:24 am
by Crossfire
Have one, but don't carry it.

Nothing wrong with the gun. Lots of people like them. But, as a Glock person, I just can't get used to that weird M&P trigger.

Re: M&P compact 9mm

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 11:29 am
by wgoforth
Crossfire wrote:Have one, but don't carry it.

Nothing wrong with the gun. Lots of people like them. But, as a Glock person, I just can't get used to that weird M&P trigger.
As a Sig person, i can't get used to a Glock! :mrgreen:

Re: M&P compact 9mm

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 11:54 am
by v-rog
grass

Re: M&P compact 9mm

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 9:56 pm
by Middle Age Russ
Like Divided Attention said, I have and carry an M&P 9C. When we took our CHL class, she had already gotten hers, and I had already decided that it was the primary carry gun I wanted. Unlike hers, my example had a trigger that stacked a bit before the releasing the sear, and I upgraded it with the APEX DCAEK. I am very pleased with the change. I also had the sights changed out for TFO sights, visible day or night.

Through about 2,000 rounds, I can't point to any gun-related failures of any kind. I have had some failures that are easily explained by ammunition issues like light (too light) handloads. Ergonomically speaking, it feels "right" in the hand and points naturally. It also carries well and comfortably in a Comp-Tac M-Tac with a reasonably good belt. The feature set, performance, size and feel all make it the best choice for carry for me. YMMV, of course.

Re: M&P compact 9mm

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 9:57 pm
by gigag04
Regularly carry my wife's.

Re: M&P compact 9mm

Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 12:24 am
by wgoforth
gigag04 wrote:Regularly carry my wife's.
Even with knowing how to properly rack, there are many handguns my wife has problems manipulating the slide (and she teaches ladies the proper way to do it in class). Is the slide easy for your wife to rack?