As a reformed M&P fan, I feel that I have to provide a counter-opinion to her opinion. Don’t get me wrong – I think that the M&P pistol could certainly be a Glock-beater. It just isn’t at this point in time, as far as I am concerned (and this is coming from someone who has carried an M&P revolver for years and previously owned multiple M&P pistols).
In order to understand why I feel this way, let’s look at why Glock is successful, and where I feel the M&P falls short. While I will attempt to be factual, there will be a number of factors that rely significantly on opinion. I hate being anecdotal, but I will have to be in this case.
Glocks are, in no particular order:
– Reliable*
– Durable
– Reasonably accurate
– Cheap
– Easy to find all factory parts for
– Easy to service
– Shipped with a borderline acceptable trigger
M&Ps are, in no particular order:
– Reliable
– Durable
– Less accurate than Glocks*
– Cheap*
– Not easy to find all factory parts for
– Easy to service
– Shipped with a borderline unacceptable trigger
Let’s discuss the asterisks and differences.
– Certain models of Glock handguns are the gold standard for firearm reliability – other models of Glock handguns are dangerously unreliable. I would stake my reputation, however small it may be, on this statement. Note the lack of an asterisk for the M&P – in my experience, all M&P models seem to function very well.
– In my experience, M&Ps are less accurate than other factory handguns, such as Glocks. This is not an across-the-board rule, but I have had discussions with professional shooters who have made similar observations. The problem generally goes away with aftermarket barrels, they say. I know that my M&P9 Pro was simply unacceptable in terms of mid-to-long-range accuracy (25 to 150 yards).
– Glocks and M&Ps are priced similarly, although “blue label” Glocks sold to law enforcement and military personnel, as well as first responders, offer a bit of a price drop. S&W has law enforcement and military rebates, but that isn’t exactly the same thing, and I am not a fan of rebates. S&W gets an asterisk because while a (reliable) Glock is a great handgun out of the box, the M&P practically requires that extra money be spent in order to fix deficiencies. At a minimum, I would want a replacement barrel and trigger/sear/etc thingy – the cost of these parts would push the “cheap” M&P dangerously close to HK P30 territory.
– You can buy any Glock small part you want for your Glock handgun, but Smith & Wesson won’t sell certain parts to regular people. This is probably the biggest limiting factor for me regarding the M&P. I have little interest in aftermarket pistol components, or, at the very least, want factory spares on hand to serve as replacements. For all the excrement I may seem to shovel towards S&W in this article, I have a good amount of respect for the way a mechanical object was intended to be manufactured, assembled, and used by its designers, and wish to maintain a supply of factory replacement parts for firearms I own.
– The stock M&P trigger is not good at all. Before anyone says “Buy the Apex kit!” – read the above paragraph. Yes, it’s better in terms of trigger pull. But if I can shoot well with a factory trigger, I’m happy with it, which is why I prefer the Glock to the M&P in terms of trigger quality. As far as competition goes, none of the top competitors are using stock triggers, so this doesn’t really matter. But for duty and carry use, it is extremely relevant.
Now, she covers stuff that makes the M&P “better,” like the interchangeable grips and the ambi slide stop – and the grip angle, although that’s one thing that has never bothered me with the Glock. I can go back and forth between a Glock and a 1911 without any real problems. I do like the beavertail of the M&P, although the interchangeable backstraps do not really matter all that much to me – the only one with real appeal is the Glock beavertail backstrap that I’ve had for over a year and like quite a bit. As for ambidextrous stuff, I think that left handed people should be shamed and humiliated for being the freaks that they are, so I don’t care about that…just kidding. It’s a nice feature, but nothing that puts the M&P over the top for me, and it hardly stands out in the crop of modern polymer pistols.
So she isn’t wrong to like the M&P, and maybe I’m not right to like the Glock. What say you?
I’d add another evaluation category: easy to find accessories (holsters, sights, lights, lasers, etc) for.
Agree with pretty much everything you wrote. It’s unfortunate that the most popular 9mm versions of both platforms (Glock 19, full size M+P) appear to be beset w/ either reliability (Glock), or accuracy (M+P) issues.
While I haven’t shot one, it looks like the Walther PPQ may turn out to be the best of all worlds, but currently lacking in parts availability and aftermarket support.
Are you referring to the Gen4 glocks in regards to reliability?
Replacing the sear on my 9mm Pro has improved the trigger but completely destroyed the reliability. One dead trigger will totally undermine your confidence in the weapon, even if it is a range gun. Also, I see the palmswells as a negative due to their rounded shape. Even the small one (which I shaved as flat as possible) makes me feel like I am gripping a lightbulb.
Not a single item on Shelley’s table is any reason to buy an M&P over a Glock. They’re as relevant as the color of the case. Blue box: YES. Another category win for M&P.
To be fair to Shelley, she did sarcastically point out that the chart wasn’t exactly the greatest thing ever.
That said, I do prefer the blue S&W box to the black Glock box, especially in terms of durability for transporting a firearm by commercial air carrier.
S&W has authorized law enforcement dealers, such as Quantico Tactical and Buds Police who offer LE/MIL discounts regardless of rebates. At last check plain-jane M&P’s were listed at $398.
Which factory parts are you looking for specifically? Buying directly from the manufacturer doesn’t necessarily seem any better or more convenient than purchasing from somewhere like Brownells.
Sears, for example.
Brownells carries sear assemblies. However, your point is well taken; if a vendor is out of stock and you can’t get OEM from the manufacturer, you’re SOL.
Accuracy, Smacuracy…The M&P is just prettier. Seriously, I want a gun that out of the box fits my hand, is reliable, accurate and doesn’t take a smith to make the trigger right. Since I don’t carry my CZ 75 has suited me just fine.
CZ75 is crazy accurate, and if you want to carry, try the CZ P01.
And accuracy does count for a lot to me. That’s why I don’t carry glock, they don’t point right for me.
Another vote for the CZ75
Which Glocks have you found to be unreliable? Is it an issue of caliber or is it an issue of gen3 vs gen 4 or caliber vs size of the pistol? Thanks for all responses.
Glock 22 Gen 3s are the most problematic. The G36 is hit or miss. The G21 is also hit or miss (the G20 is not). 9mm Gen 4s can have problems, but the malfunctions aren’t as hard to clear as those that result from the use of a weaponlight with a G22 Gen 3 and hot ammo.
How so with the G3 G22? I agree the G36 is not reliable, or mine wasn’t rather.
I’ve got a Glock 22 Gen 3 for ~800 rounds. While that’s not a huge number of rounds I haven’t had any issues with it. Are you referring to the fact that it has a higher chance of kabooming on the operator for the fact that it is a higher pressure round?
No, I’m referring to malfunctions with weapon mounted lights (although they can manifest without the light as well). I have absolutely no concerns with .40 in the Glock 22, even with excessive bullet setback; I feel this way because I have performed experiments to that effect – with no negative results.
Thank you for sharing.. I stare at my Glock with suspicion now as it is my home defense gun wearing a Streamlight. I will do some research. Thanks Andrew.
I am a glock armorer. The TLR-1…when overtightened can cause the frames to flex. You shouldn’t have a problem with the TLR-3 or the Surefire X300…
I also am a glock armorer and carry an x300 on my issued Gen3 Model 22 and have not had any issues with it. Also have another x300 on an identical personally owned gun without problems. I shoot that gun about once a week for at least 50 rounds.
Even though it hasn’t been out very long, apparently the Gen 4 Glock 21 is very good, at least according to Gary Roberts. I generally take his word for it, the guy knows what he’s talking about and has pretty extensive industry contacts. I’ve seen problems with the Gen 3 Glock 23 and weapon lights as well as the 22, I can’t speak for the 31/32 but I would assume they would have similar issues since they’re practically the same gun firing a very similar cartridge (a slightly hotter cartridge to boot).
With all due respect to Doctor Roberts – and I hold him in very, very high esteem, and know that he doesn’t say things lightly – I would prefer to wait a bit on that one. Even with high round count/short time frame testing, weird incompatibility issues can crop up after longer periods of time…
Ha! As a shameful freak of nature, I generally agreed with you. Why buy a gun you have spend more money on just to get to “acceptable”? This used to be “normal” but we have moved passed that now. S&w can do better! They are close so why don’t they go for the gold?!
I agree with you 100%, I have a m&p 9 atm and will most likely trade it out for a glock 19. I WAS in the “oh I don’t like the grip and that and that etc.” camp, then I started shooting glocks and “saw the light” so to speak. I can shoot them a little better, the trigger out the box is better, and I don’t have to spend near HK prices to fix it, $80+ for Apex kit, $100-$150 for barrel, and then whatever much for night sights. Versus just really night sights, and what $30 for mag/slide releases if you so wish.
Basically go with what works for you, don’t believe the grip angel BS. Go to a range with rentals and shot both, wish I did that in the first place.
Okay here we go.
For me personally, I’m looking at this from an LTC, daily carry, self-defense piece, angle. I’ve carried a Glock (formerly a 1st Gen Model 23 and since ’99 a Model 30) and they just work. Owning a Glock is like having a hammer in the kitchen junk drawer. You may not be particularly fond of it, but when you need it, you just know it’ll do it’s job. It’s not fancy, and it’s not a particularly “fun” gun (I have .22s for that).
They’re ugly in a way that is (to me) rather endearing. They do not lend then selves to customization like a 1911 and they don’t have the soul of a deep blue Smith & Wesson Model 29, but they get the job done.
You can carry one every day, bang it against door frames, drop it, and generally abuse it and it will incur the typical wear that a firearm that’s carried on a daily basis will inevitably acquire and you won’t feel bad.
Did I mention that they just work?
The accuracy is more than acceptable for a self-defense handgun and once you learn to use the trigger re-set to your advantage, they shoot very well indeed.
Now, all the above is just my opinion and is based on, as I said having carried one for the past 14 years or so and put, oh jeez, I have no idea how many rounds downrange.
So, is the M&P a good gun? I’ve never shot one, so I personally can’t say. They seem to be doing something right as they (along with the XD Series from Springfield) sell very well and are extremely popular.
It all comes down to personal preference. People used to come into my store and ask me for “the best handgun”. Well.. best for what? Best for who?
Wow, wall of text. See this is why I’m not a professional writer – I never know how to end these things gracefully. So… yeah.
I don’t have a lot of time behind the M&P, but I do have some time comparing my 1911 to my Glock 19. I no longer buy into the grip-angle argument. I think it’s more accurately a matter of lowered bore-axis–i.e. Glock sights are much lower than a “standard” handgun like the 1911; therefore if you are used to the 1911’s ergos, it gives the illusion that your Glock is pointing up. I used to buy into this theory as well, until I realized that by leaning in a bit more and bringing my head down a touch, that the Glock was a more natural pointer than my 1911!
That’s just my $.02 though.
I also disagree with people who complain about the grip angle on Glocks. I rather enjoy it, especially in competition. I can stay on target better during fast shooting because it forces me to roll my wrists further forward to bring my front sight down on target. This slightly more exaggerated roll creates a wrist lock that helps reduce the muzzle flip of the gun. The reduced muzzle flip can also be attributed to the lower bore axis on Glocks when compared to many other pistols, but the exaggerated wrist lock also helps minimize this.
I wasn’t aware that Glock was selling maritime srpings cups to the general public now?
I’ve never had difficulty finding them…? I know my friend Nick at The Citizens Armory (he’s actually my real life friend) carries them.
Edit: I guess he doesn’t. I have a few and don’t know where I bought them, then.
A glock armorer can get you a set. Let me know if you want some.
Glockmeister usually has them in stock.
I begrudgingly bought my wife an M&P since it fit her hands better. The Gen 4 G19 is close to fitting but was not out when we got her the M&P. Additionally, I felt better about her having a thumb safety on her first handgun. I did snag the Apex Tactical kit to take the trigger from like an F- to a D+/C-, but I wasn’t happy having to spend more money to fix a trigger that still isn’t as good as a stock Glock’s. My Gen 2 G19 is going on 18 and is still bomb proof. We’ll see how this M&P fairs.
Stop being reasonable! It ruins my internetz experience!
About every month I go through a phase of migrating from .40 to .45. I’ve gone from having only 9mm handguns for a few years, then .45acp for several years, now the last few years have been to .40’s. I think .40 is probably perfect for me. But I still keep wanting that .45. So what I do is pull up specs for G21’s and G30s and then the M&P45 and M&P45cs. I end up staying put at .40 because my priority is carrying concealed and a second priority is recreation/training. The problem is weight. Between the two makers though, the problem is that the M&Ps are too heavy and have too little capacity. And yes, those 3 to 6 ounces is a huge diff as is the few less rounds. lol Glocks in .40 FTW!
your points would have been great, B4 the gen4 thing happened. + Swappables are easy, grip reductions arnt.
With regards to cost, don’t forget that most people replace the sights on a Glock since the stock ones are plastic and generally considered somewhat fragile.
I have a slight preference for the M&P (I have a M&P45) due to shooting it better. From what I’ve read, M&P .40s and .45s don’t have an accuracy problem; it’s mainly the 9mms.
Glocks also have the disadvantage that it’s generally considered unsafe to shoot lead bullets through the stock barrel, either because of the polygonal rifling or the short leade.
Also, as a note for aficionados of both: the MGW sight adjustment tool for M&Ps will also work for Glock rear sights as well.
So what would be the best full sized hand gun for someone not going to CC with it but practice with it and take it to firearm courses? I’m looking to buy my first hand gun and i’m stuck between a M&p and a Glock in 9mm.
Either the M&P9 or the Glock 19/17 Gen 3 would be a good choice.
Although I don’t own any Glocks–I’m an M&P fan–from an accuracy perspectIve I’d have to say at this time the Gen3 17/19s are a slightly better choice than the full-sized M&P9. S&W changed the barrel design when they introduced the compact 9, and unfortunately that seems to have caused a decrease in accuracy in a small but significant number of full-sized 9s when using the new barrel design. At this point it’s luck of the draw whether your full-size M&P9 will be reasonably accurate or not. Most will be, but some won’t, and it’s hit-or-miss whether customer service will fix it.
Now, if you want to look at 45s, the M&P wins hands down. 🙂
If I were in your shoes, I would buy a Gen4 Glock 19. I have rather small hands and it fits me perfect if i leave off any of the additional backstraps. Holsters, IWB and OWB, are easey to find. After market parts are plentifull. Mags are reasonably cheapish. I put on the necesary vickers slide stop and mag release along with some ameriglow Hackathorne fronts and single dot tritium yellow rear sights. This comes out to be the perfect carry gun. Buy more mags, have at least five. then order a solid kydex holster from personal security systems. they are top notch quality and customer service. reasonably priced too. So get a holster and two mag pouches on a steardy belt (wildness belt or my new atlas belt, low profile, love it for awb) and you’re all set. that’s just my 2 cents
I would tend to strongly disagree with the advice to buy a generation 4 Glock 19.
I have carried on and off duty the Glock model 22 Gen3, model 23 Gen3 and the model 19 Gen4. Out of those three firearms the only one I NEVER EVER had a malfunction with was the model 23. The 22 (my issued sidearm that I’m carrying right now) and the 19 had numerous malfunctions. The malfunctions in the model 22 were traced to bad magazine feed lips and once those were replaced it ran like a top, but the model 19 Gen4 I eventually sold after replacing the recoil assembly 3 times with “upgrades” from Glock. The pistol would fail to eject cases, and once even had one land in the ejection port backwards wedging the pistol firmly open. I suspect these malfunctions were due to the new dual recoil spring assembly as Andrew has noted in some of his highspeed video testing of this gun. I would rarely get through 50 rounds without some sort of malfunction with this pistol and I eventually lost confidence in it.
Like Andrew, I love many of the qualities of the Glock, the low price and availability, the abundance of spare parts, the relative durability and accuracy, but like anything else mechanical, they do break/fail/malfunction just as much as other brands of semiauto handguns.
Is it worth saying that the M&P is an American design manufactured in the USA? The two guns are so similar, I made that my deciding factor.
Yes, I can see that as a valid factor in a decision making process.
Does it not speak volumes about an American company that makes its guns here in the USA but doesn’t have as good of parts availablility as an Austrian company that sells its pistols here?
Doesn’t that bother anyone but me?
That is if you still count Moscowchussetts as part of the USA 🙂
The M&P borrows heavily from the Glock series…They break down very similar and they pretty much copied Glock’s safe action system. I run a glock 19 and the M&P 9. The girlfriend got the M&P. I wanted her to have a safety. I trained her of the M&P 22 which is as awesome handgun. I love my G19. It has the 3.5 lb connector with the NY trigger. It also has the siderlock trigger.
Glocks win because of their ubiquity. It’s much more important than most people assume.
I recently made the decision to consolidate my pistol calibers into just 9mm and .45. I am selling my .40’s, including a Gen 4 Glock 22. I have never had a single malfunction or stoppage with that Glock, my reasons for consolidation are ammo based and a topic for another discussion.
I decided that after much research and shooting it would come down to a Glock 17 and an M&P 9. I have long history with Glocks and shoot them incredibly well (Within reason for a striker fired defensive pistol). I really like the ergonomics and appearance of the M&P and own a .45 Compact that has been perfectly reliable.
What really scared me away from the 9mm M&P’s and led me to the decision of purchasing a Gen 3 Glock 17 in Flat Dark Earth, was the accuracy and even more specifically the early-unlocking issue. Not only is it completely unacceptable but also S&W’s inability to really remedy the issue made me feel like I am gambling with my purchase. Even without that issue like you were saying the accuracy is at best, poor. Add in the very strange and gritty trigger and I just couldn’t feel comfortable purchasing one.
The 9mm Glock series, especially the Generation 3 are in my opinion the best overall combination of reliability, accuracy, capacity and longevity currently available. I of course welcome a worthy competitor as I am sure we all do.
Thanks for the Article Andrew!
I agree fully with Andrew in the above post (as usual). Much of the information that I base my personally owned off duty carry firearms and my backup gun is based off of things I gleaned from this blog.
As a current owner of Glocks (2 model 22’s currently and formerly had a model 21, 23 and Gen4 19) and a former owner of M&P’s(M&P9 and 40c) I feel that I can speak to this issue a little bit.
These two pistols are mechanically very similar. They have a very similar striker fire system, very similar locking system and very similar fire control. The appearance and the little doodads that you can attach to the grip are cute and make people subjectively “feel good”, but I don’t think that the M&P has reached ripeness yet. It is a natural progression, feature wise, from the Glock family of handguns, but Glock is so firmly entrenched in the market with support from numerous companies with aftermarket parts and holsters and weapon mounted accessories and has such a loyal following that I just don’t see the advantage of having all those different backstraps and a (in my opinion) better looking pistol. The two M&P’s that I had also had an annoying tendency to rust after carrying IWB for a short period of time, which was unacceptable to me. It was that reason that I traded them in and started carrying Glocks again.
I have been tempted to buy another M&P as a range gun, but I just cannot do it with the abundance of cheap police trade in glocks out there. They do the same job, probably just as reliably and are super affordable.
As an aside to this argument, neither the M&P or the Glock would be my first choice as an off duty carry gun. I carry a S&W 1911pd Commander off duty and find it as reliable as any of my Glocks or M&P’s ever were and well, its a 1911.
One HUGE advantage that the S&W’s have over Glocks is customer support. I have had very positive experiences with S&W over the years (even having them mail me free magazine baseplates once when I asked for them) and have heard anecdotal evidence from many others who have positive things to say about their service. On the other hand, I have had very negative experiences with Glock’s customer, uh, department. I sent a gun in to them once to be refinished due to an issue from the factory with the finish not being applied correctly and it took them 6 months to return it to me. During that time, they lost it for a period of time, blamed the delay on rain(!) and basically treated me like an idiot. I also had an experience with an armorer instructor in which I was told that my Gen4 model 19 was not having the malfunctions that I was having because they don’t do that. My personal experiences with the two companies may not be indicators of anyone else’s experience, but I personally, will never attempt to have a Glock serviced by the manufacturer again.
Went with M&P’s for one reason, the thumb safety (everything else seemed to be, as Andrew has pointed out, pretty much the same). I ride by thumb over the safety when shooting, ride my thumb under the safety when holstering. Been doing that since I started using 1911’s in the 70’s (motor memory and all that). Never would have looked at the M&P’s if the Glocks had a thumb safety. Seems silly, M&P’s have thumb safeties, or not. Don’t understand why Glock does not do the exact same thing, give customers the choice even if you don’t think they really need it.
M&P’s should come from the factory with the Apex hard sear, one is installed in all my M&P’s (9’s and 45’s). Shot a Glock the other day…..did not notice the grip angle, so for me that is not an issue…….just the thumb safety.
There is no pistol caliber but 9mm Parabellum, and Glock is his prophet.
Because of the relative closeness in capability/reliability/etc, I used the only other factor not on this list: comfort/personal preference after test-fire. As much as this blog is about being “fact-based”, sometimes it comes down to subjectiveness. I had the opportunity to fire both a Glock and M&P in .40S&W and came away liking the M&P much better (maybe because of the grip angle, despite the squishy trigger). While I would use facts to winnow the field, I would never choose a gun without firing it.
I am spoiled, I hate most stock firearms, and I will pay to have the ones that matter the best possible. I know not everyone can afford to upgrade to the best sights, triggers, bbls or have their guns sent off for grip reductions….. but it is tough for me to weigh in on this one because for me it is all about availability of parts and service to upgrade and customize….so for me it is 1911 or Glock. I will caveat that with being stuck with service weapons we are not SUPPOSED to modify, it is important when it comes to stock usability.
I shot next to a short gal with small hands who was left handed. She was not particularly into guns either. She had no issues in mastering all the manipulations of the Glock 17. Ambi controls on the Glock would be nice but it really is just a matter of practice.
I don’t see how you get to the M&P being a superior gun.
As one of the freaks of nature I changed the magazine release button on my M&P to the “correct” side. What a friggen mistake! After 20 + years of muscle memory I could not do a decent mag change to save my life and went back to the right handed placement.
For me the Glocks are a better fit and my qual scores are better with a G19/17 than with the M&P 9 or Pro 9.
I wish it was different because I really think Julie G is one of the nicest people in the gun world but I’ll stick with the Glocks.
I have resonantly installed a Apex trigger kit in my m&p 9mm 4 inch, I too have had âdead triggersâ is this a flaw on the apex or is it just something that I have to live with, I really enjoyed the posting on why glock or why a m&p, there has been several great points made about both guns, thanks T
Was Glock but started competing with M&P 4 years ago and will never go back. Put Apex sear and RAM on each as a result my time dropped dramatically.
I like the overall feel of the M&P in my hand way better than Glock. I do agree about the trigger on the M&P though. I also agree about the accuracy. I thought I had gone backwards big time in my accuracy until others I knew shot the M&P and didn’t do well either. So I have to say that Glock is the better overall of the two.
The service given from a supplier; if it’s custemer frendly and up to date will help the particular make to be sold. If you get a bad imprestion form a dealer you usally won’t buy a certain make. In my country for the Glock has a good advatage on the M&P (no considering technical data).
M&P has stainless steel chassis imbedded in polymer frame to impart rigidity and offer a hard mount for pins. Glock no. M&P ambidextrious. Glock no. Glock loaded chamber “window”. Glock no. M&P is available with a 1911 style manual safety. Glock no. M&P comes with “decent” sights out of the box. Glock no. M&P has lower bore axis ratio. M&P has superior grip angle.
Gaston Glock designed his pistol around the 9mm (9×19) round. The Glock did not transition well to bigger bore and/or higher pressure rounds. There is a long history of problems with Glocks in .40 and .45, some to include catastrophic failures. This is well documented. From what I understand, Glock has “corrected” the defeciencies of pistols in those calibers that were allegedly the cause of those types of failures.
One of the paramount differences is the M&P was designed around the .40 S&W round, and has had no issues transitioning to other calibers to include 9mm, .357 SIG, and .45 ACP. Oh, and it is made in America by American workers employed by an American company.
Accuracy issues with the M&P seem to be isolated to the 9mm models. The .45 ACP is extremely accurate. This situation will be resolved in short order I would think. Besides, you have to be able to palm a basketball to carry a Glock 21. Talk about a brick.
Glock has had 25+ years to saturate the market with firearms and parts. Same with aftermarket items for the Glock. That is an unfair comparison in some respects. S&W and aftermarket manufacturers will come on line in greater numbers as time marches on. I carried a Glock for 20 years or so, and I would not hesitate to carry a 19 again, save for the fact the M&P is available. The M&P had a few minor growing pains early on, but Smith and Wesson really did their homework with this pistol. I think the M&P is a superior side arm on several fronts.
AMEN! When people compare, they tend to pick topics in which matter to THEM most. A lot of the time, picking ones that support their preference and make it appear to be superior. There are SO MANY factors in comparing these two pistols and I have not seen one instance where more than half were taken into account. As far as the facts go, I see that the M&P is better. The argument that Glock has more accessories and readily available parts is absurd and closed minded to not mention that the Glock has been out longer. I see Glock lovers changing to the M&P, 1st time buyers buying the M&P, and Glock lovers staying with that system but trying to find a justification not to move toward the M&P. For everyone to be defending Glock says a lot and for them to be compared, with Glock being around for so much longer is condemning. In a court of law, being that M&P is younger than Glock and taking into account the arguments on this page and many other (as evidence), the verdict would be that right now, they are close but in time M&P will be superior without question. Unless of course one of the two companies drastically changes design and/or other factors that have made these two pistols what they are. Hypothetically, we shall see. As of now, M&P.
GLOCK vs MP (what, no 1911?)
I just want to say that vanilla is MUCH superior to chocolate.
I don’t mean to necro-post, but I am considering this exact question right now (just turned 21).
Anyway, the point has been made that M&Ps are made in America … what no one has yet mentioned is that Glocks are as well. To the best of my knowledge, Glocks are now made in Smyrna, Georgia (I found this out when I went to fire both of these guns at a local gun range, I noticed that the Glock 19 I was shooting [and all the others I could see in the case] said “Made in Smyrna, Georgia”), so unless that is talking about the Georgia on the other side of the Atlantic, it seems to me that Glocks are also made in the USA by American workers (although not an American company). Hope that helps another newbie like me
Do your comments on factory triggers extend to the M&P Proline series? I have an M&P Pro 9 with a 5 lbs factory trigger and I find it a great reliable shooter and quite accurate. The ergonomics work far better for me over the Glock (and I can shoot better with the M&P) – and I have not found any difficulty re parts. Like most pistols, personal preference really makes the difference, but I’m a solid M&P fan when not using my 1911. Has anyone got any feedback on the M&P in 45? I’ve been looking at that too, but haven’t make that leap…yet.
My M&P9 Pro was better than the average M&P, but still not where I would like it to be. It also goes for a premium.
I have to disagree with a few points you made.
M&P’s have been found to be nearly JUST AS RELIABLE as Glocks.
“- Less accurate than Glocks*” This mainly depends on who is shooting it, if you grew up shooting Glocks, then try a M&P, yes obviously your accuracy will be off. They are still very accurate, you have to remember you’re trying to compare it to one of the top rated handguns in the world…
“- Cheap*” I wouldn’t really consider either gun cheap. M&P 9 full size new = $525-540 Glock 19 new= $550-575. But for the quality you get (with both) they are very much worth the money.
“- Not easy to find all factory parts for” I’ve had no troubles finding any parts for my M&P whatsoever, maybe not as simple as Glock, but much easier than most guns.
“- Shipped with a borderline unacceptable trigger.” I’ve heard quite a few people complain about the trigger. Some like it, some don’t. Most of the people who complain about the “gritty” feeling of it realize it normally goes away after you put 100-200 rounds through it. Personally I like the trigger, maybe I just got a good one, but yeah, they could have done a little extra work on it, admittedly trigger is a bit worse (compared to Glock)
I can tell you’re a “Glock guy”, and I am also a big fan even tho I don’t yet own one. But credit must be given were credit is due. The M&P should still be listed on one of the best handguns to purchase. It has an amazing grip, adjustable backstraps, much better slide serrations. I do however wish that it came with factory night sights. All being said, Glock and M&P are both wonderful guns.
So you’re going to comment on the merits of a Glock vs. M&P article without having owned a Glock? Interesting.
There are documented accuracy issues with M&P9s which you may wish to research. The rest of your comment is rife with inaccuracies as well, or you disagree with me only to make a 180 and then agree with me. You’re welcome to continue commenting here, but don’t do so from a pretend position of authority about matters upon which you are woefully ill-informed.
Where a particular gun is made is not a good reason to buy it (or not buy it) IMO. If you’re trying to buy a quality piece (which most of us are) you’ll need to do more research than to just find out where it was made. There is some good stuff made in the Asia, for example, and there is some absolute garbage made domestically.
If you’re allowing it to influence your decision because of your patriotism and desire to support American manufacturing… Don’t.
You’re buying gear that your life might depend on; do yourself a favor and be coldly analytical. Don’t let emotion sway such an important purchase.
My new M&P Shield 9 has a good trigger-smooth, short travel and resets smartly. After 100 rounds I see no need to change it. It’s also accurate out to 100 feet; I haven’t tested it at other distances. The Shield is very enjoyable to shoot.
well after shooting most of the 40 cals, XD, Glock, S&W MP at a range I found that a Glock 23 shot the best- dunno why? maybe size or weight… or even the grip feel… i bought it… after cleaning it, it looked simple and low cost… but in these times now the year 2013… plastic is a fact of our life.. used everyday.. used in hammer drills and in construction.. so I think a gun is the same as well.. the g23 performed great, polymer/plastic is the future – like it or not! Plastic/Polymer is here to stay, and over years from now be the steel of the future… (look at carbon fiber)…
I have been a Sig Sauer P-229 owner in .40 for over 9 years. No failures, still runs great, still looks great. I have looked into others. I have tried others but can’t justify going with anything else. I went with it over Glock, Beretta, S&W, H&K, Kimber and are glad I did. Sig Sauer are as good as it gets or at least the P-229 is!