New EDC gun, and a warning

[llmstratocaster]

So I just purchased an M&P Compact 9mm w/ manual safety and, after just one range trip it has taken the primary spot over my XD subcompact as my EDC. The trigger, the recoil, the weight, the footprint, it all makes for a more accurate and easier to conceal pistol than the XD. I really appreciate the ambi thumb safety on this thing too. And I really love my workhorse XD so my expectations were very high and the M&P exceded them. Today at the range the M&P was fed 200 rounds of a combination of Winchester white box FMJ and Blazer FMJ without a single malfunction. I also cleaned the gun meticulously before taking it to the range. What impressed me the most about this pistol is the trigger. It's smooth and doesn't have very much pretravel, unlike the XD which has quite a bit of travel. The reset on the M&P isn't as crisp as as the XD but all the other factors compensate for this. I also shot equally well with both the flush mag and the pinky extension mag, which was motivating. Even though the ext mag felt more comfortable, I will probably carry with the flush mag for that extra little bit of concealment.

The trigger brings me to something else. When I bought the gun, they had the display model and one NIB. I asked for the NIB model. While the salesman was getting the paperwork ready I took the NIB gun out and was feeling it out. I cocked it and dry fired it. I was shocked. The triggers on the display and NIB models were like night and day. The NIB trigger was extremely gritty and had a really long pull. Just to make sure I wasn't imagining things I had the clerk dry fire it, who then showed this to the manager. After feeling the differences for himself, the manager's exact words were "Well this ones going back to Smith. There's no way I would sell this gun to somebody." Needless to say, I left happily with the display pistol.

I suppose this sort of thing can transcend all gun types and manufacturers, but I felt my experience was compelling enough to share with you guys, especially if you're considering this gun. I also haven't purchased a whole lot of guns in my lifetime so take it with a grain of salt.

Here are some comparison pics for you guys. You can see that when it comes to the thickness, the XD and M&P are nearly identical. Although the M&P is longer, it's quite a bit shorter than the XD, which will hopefully make for less printing.

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[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Thunder71]

It would have broken in... the display one has probably been dry fired 100's of times.

[MilitaryArms]

It's hard to say if the pistol had a problem or not since we can't feel the trigger. What's good is that you checked the pistol over before buying it. I do the same, I always take a new gun out of the box and fully inspect it to make sure it's working as I expect before leaving the store. If in doubt about something, I'll compare it to another one if they have more than one available. You did good.

[ghost tracker]

Yep, part of the great purchase price available on models of GLOCK, M&P, SR9, etc., etc. is the absence of "fine tuning". So trigger contact-points aren't specifically polished on NIB guns. The good news is that with a minimal dry firing (or "wet" firing ) they smooth right up. That's one of the reasons why old S&W DA revolvers feel almost friction-free. There are few things better for a handgun than...SHOOTING it.

[llmstratocaster]

It wasn't so much the grittiness that concerning, but how long the travel was. It wasn't breaking until almost being pulled completely back. Is that also a "break in" thing? It was very significant. And for a manager of a gun shop who handles probably hundreds of guns per week to make a statement regarding sending a gun back, that says something. But I dunno. He could have just been being melodramatic, but I doubt that.

[RoadRunner71]

It wasn't so much the grittiness that concerning, but how long the travel was. It wasn't breaking until almost being pulled completely back. Is that also a "break in" thing? It was very significant. And for a manager of a gun shop who handles probably hundreds of guns per week to make a statement regarding sending a gun back, that says something. But I dunno. He could have just been being melodramatic, but I doubt that.

Call me a cynic, but I am willing to bet that as soon as you walked out the door, that other one became the new display model.



It's retail. Never believe anything a salesman tells you. It's usually BS.

[OldVet]

^^^^^

[Pioneer]

I had the opposite experience. I compared them and preferred the XD (no "M") sub compact over the M&P. What works for one, will not necessarily work for all.

[llmstratocaster]

I had the opposite experience. I compared them and preferred the XD (no "M") sub compact over the M&P. What works for one, will not necessarily work for all.

I'm beginning to wonder if I just got a really good one because this isn't the first time I've heard this. The M&P trigger has less travel, but the XD has a much more crisp reset. That's why I'm keeping both :)

[sixgun]

Congrats on the new pistol. I purchased the same gun and gave my xdsc to my son. I didnt like mine at first but after a few hundred rounds its broke in and shooting well. My trigger was gritty at first but is smoothing up now. There almost the same exact size but the m&p just seems smaller for some reason. And the recoil is mild compared to some of my other 9mms. Once I get it dialed in with my choice of carry ammo and get the galco king tuk holster broke in. It will be my new edc. Enjoy your new pistol.

[Lish]

I rented both the M&P and the XDsc to decide which I would purchase. I loved them both! Shot them side by side for well over an hour. For me it honestly came down to a coin toss. I took home the XD but to be honest would love to have both! :)

[llmstratocaster]

Congrats on the new pistol. I purchased the same gun and gave my xdsc to my son. I didnt like mine at first but after a few hundred rounds its broke in and shooting well. My trigger was gritty at first but is smoothing up now. There almost the same exact size but the m&p just seems smaller for some reason. And the recoil is mild compared to some of my other 9mms. Once I get it dialed in with my choice of carry ammo and get the galco king tuk holster broke in. It will be my new edc. Enjoy your new pistol.

It's a pretty deceptive little gun. They are very similar in size, but the M&P definitely has a smaller footprint and feels a little better in my hand.

[llmstratocaster]

I rented both the M&P and the XDsc to decide which I would purchase. I loved them both! Shot them side by side for well over an hour. For me it honestly came down to a coin toss. I took home the XD but to be honest would love to have both! :)

Well there was no bad choice to be made, really. I shoot well with both but the thumb safety on the M&P gives me a little more peace of mind when carrying. That was the tipping point, really. You got a great gun! Mine has yet to fail me.

[ghost tracker]

One of the common complains about the M&P trigger is a vague, mushy reset. Some are worse than others. Best solutions are; self-installed Apex trigger components OR send it off to Bowie Tactical for a trigger job. David (Bowie) can adjust the trigger "start" position with a long or short reach, depending on your preference & make the reset click like a Volvo door latch. Either solution will FIX your concern. You've made a GREAT pistol choice, but $500 pistols are seldom perfect out of the box. That's why Wilson Combat, Les Baer & Dawson Precision cost more up-front. Some things are still best addressed by...human hands.

[llmstratocaster]

Thanks for the Bowie recommendation. I'm happy with the trigger so far on the M&P, but I wouldn't mind having the trigger shortened on my XD.