Glock or S&W M&P?

i have the M&P 9mm has an awesome feel to it i much prefered the feel over the glock 17....i have only shot it 3 times so far and ive only ever shot handguns 5 times so im a total newb ive fired maybe 100 rnds through it and not a single problem yet so it seems reliable out of the box can't say anything aout the accuracy yet tho since i dont have much pratise with handguns;)......definatly go 9mm im jsut getting into reloading now myself and even 9mm gets expensive quick....
 
Had both and prefer the M&P. Just the way my hand fits into it, also my wife likes it due to the smaller backstrap option. The M&P trigger has also improved over the first 1k rounds. Another plus is no worries shooting cast lead in the M&P. Of course my used Generation 1 Glock had problems extracting, so maybe I'm biased.

Despite the above, if/when Glock goes into changeable backstraps, I can see their sales increasing significantly.
 
I'm a newbie, so this is just my inexperienced observation comparing the Glock 17 and M&P 9mm at the dealer the other day.</disclaimer>

I preferred the M&P's grip to the G17. It was more ergonomic (even without trying the other backstraps) and the G17's stippling felt like it was biting into my skin too much, wondered whether that would bother me after an extended shooting session, although I could see it aiding in keeping a firm grip on the gun. G17's grip felt like a block in comparison to the M&P which felt like it was designed to fit the human hand.

I preferred the position/operation of the slide lock of the M&P. It just felt easier to engage when trying to lock the slide back. I MUCH preferred the slide serrations on the M&P. I felt I had a much greater grip on the slide and there was no risk of it slipping out of my hand accidentally. The G17's serrations in comparison felt really lacking and I felt I had to grip the slide much firmer when racking the slide. Didn't help that it felt like there was a light coat of gun oil on the G17.

Regarding the mag disconnect, the way I see it, I'm only using this gun to punch holes in paper, and there's no reason why I'd need to do that with the mag out. Furthermore, it might just save mine or someone else's life if I'm ever stupid enough to try to field strip the gun with a round in the chamber using the trigger method rather than a tool.

I preferred the 3 dot sight of the M&P over the G17's front dot/rear square "U". Just seems like it'll be easier to line up 3 dots horizontally, although I'll have to hold off final judgement on that until I've had a chance to use it at the range.

Regarding using the tool to field strip, if you're only using it for sport, seems to me that you'll only be taking it apart to maintain it, in which case you'll have plenty of objects at your disposal to push the seer deactivation lever (cleaning brushes or a small screwdriver), so seems like a very minor issue for a sport shooter. If you're gonna use it in a combat situation, then I'd agree that's an issue, but then you can just pull the trigger anyway. As a side question, don't you have to pull the trigger on the Glock before field stripping? I thought it had to be decocked as well.

As I said, I'm a total newbie, just been doing a lot of reading and watching online videos to learn as much as I can. I've just this past weekend put a deposit down on an M&P as I'm still waiting for my PAL to arrive by mail. Would welcome anyone's comments if I've gotten anything wrong.
 
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Buying my first handgun here in a few weeks. I have them narrowed down to the glock or the M&P. Which is better? Which one is better for a rookie handgunner?
Neither one is better - they are different. I happen to prefer the M&P, but that doesn't mean a thing, nor should what anyone else prefers.

They have very different grips and very different triggers. What you need to do is - ideally - shoot both and decide which one feels better in your hand, which one feels like it has a better trigger pull. What feels great to one guy just doesn't feel quite right to the next. At the very least try and handle both side by side first.

The M&P does have interchangeable grip sizes which can help to get that "just right" feel, but it doesn't change the grip angle which is where many guys base their likes and dislikes. They have very different triggers; I think the M&P comes closest to a single action pistol's trigger, but you should decide which one you like the best, not what somebody else thinks.

M&P's have no warnings about shooting lead bullets through them. As a reloader, I prefer shooting the cheaper lead stuff to jacketed for practice, whether they're bullets I cast or bullets I bought. You can buy an aftermarket barrel for Glocks of course, but then you need to figure that into your purchase price.

On the other side of the coin, you can buy a .22 conversion kit for the Glock and, as far as I know so far, nobody has released one for the M&P yet. I have a conversion kit for my BHP, and I think they're a nice thing to have for a centerfire pistol - even more trigger time for cheaper.

As for caliber, if all you're shooting is paper, I'm at a loss as to why you would want a .40 over 9mm. I guess you'll get a few more biters now and then in competition, but I'm not sure I'd exchange that for the stronger recoil and increased reloading costs. I am very happy with the .40 in my BHP, but then I carry that handgun for self defense, not punching paper. If it was all about recreational/competitive shooting, I'd sell all my .40 S&W stuff in a heartbeat and replace it with 9mm.

I'll bet I'm not the only guy who suggested trying them both and selecting the one that fit YOU best... right?
 
Lets fact speak for itself (and guess what I use myself)

Internet research...

GLOCK:

Users

* Afghanistan: Secondary weapons of the Afghan National Police.
* Australia: Armament of certain Australian police forces. All Australian police services apart from the South Australian Police and Victoria Police use Glock pistols. A special Glock 17 outfitted with a M1911-style safety was designed specifically for the Tasmania Police.[27] The Western Australia Police have standardised on the Glock 22. Glock 17s are also issued to Australian Customs officers[28] and the Glock 19 is in service with the Royal Australian Air Force.
* Austria: The Glock 17 is the standard side arm of the Austrian Armed Forces, where it is known as the P80 (Pistole 80).[29]
* Belgium: Used by Belgian police and the Belgian State Security Service.[30]
* Brazil: The Federal Police Department issues all agents graduating from the National Police Academy a Glock 17 or Glock 19 or Glock 26 according to the agent's preference.
* Canada: Used by various police agencies in cities such as Edmonton, Toronto and Ottawa, as well as the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Police Service.
* Ecuador: Issued to all National Police officers, as well as various special police units such as the GOE and GIR.
* Finland: Used by Finnish police and border guard.
* Fiji: Tactical Response Unit[31]
* France: The Glock 17 is used by certain naval and parachute units of the French Army.[32]
* Germany: Various special units of the German Federal Police.
* Hong Kong: Special Duties Unit and G4 of the Hong Kong Police Force.
* Iceland: Icelandic National Police, the VĂ­kingasveitin, and the ICRU.
* India: Indian Army, special forces and Indian Police.
* Indonesia: Used by Indonesian Army Kopassus, the Indonesian National Police Force and Detachment 88.
* Iraq: Iraqi security forces.
* Israel: Glock 17s and Glock 19s are standard service pistols in certain Israeli military and paramilitary units (Yamam, Shayetet 13, Shabak, and private security firms).
* Italy: Glock 17s and Glock 19s are available to Italian special forces such as GIS, NOCS, "Col Moschin" Regiment, COMSUBIN, and to Intelligence and State Security personnel.
* Latvia: The Glock 17 is the standard sidearm of the Latvian Military and police.[33]
* Lithuania: The Glock 17 is the standard sidearm of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.[34]
* Malaysia: Mostly used by the Royal Malaysian Navy and Royal Malaysian Police (Pasukan Gerakan Khas).
* The Netherlands: Standard service pistol of the Military of the Netherlands (Glock 17)[35] and of the SWAT teams of the Dutch police (Glock 17).[36]
* New Zealand: The New Zealand Police carry the Glock 17 in situations where weapons are issued.
* Norway: In 1988 the Glock 17 was adopted as the Norwegian Army standard sidearm.
* Pakistan: Some units of Pakistan Army and Pakistan Air Force use the Glock 17 and its variants as a sidearm. e.g. the PROVOST Units and Military Police.
* Philippines: Used by the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation.
* Poland: Approx. 4,800 Glock 19 pistols acquired for the Polish police. The contract was awarded in 2007 and first deliveries were scheduled for October of the same year.[37]. Glock 17 pistols are the standard sidearm of the Polish Military Police and are frequently used by detectives of the Polish Police.
* Romania: Used by troops on deployment and several special operations units.
* Slovenia
* Spain: The Guardia Civil's UEI use the Glock 17.
* Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka Police.
* South Korea: Glock 19 used by South Korean Army and Blue House Securities.
* Sweden: The Swedish Armed Forces use two 9mm variants of the Glock – the Glock 17 and compact Glock 19, known locally as the Pistol 88 and Pistol 88B respectively.[38][39] The Swedish Customs Service as well as the Swedish Coast Guard also use Glock pistols as service weapons.[40]
* United Kingdom: Users include the Specialist Firearms Command of the London Metropolitan Police Service[41] and the Police Service of Northern Ireland.[42] Both services issue the Glock 17.
* United States: The Federal Bureau of Investigation issues all agents graduating from the FBI Academy a Glock 22 or Glock 23 according to the agent's preference, as does the Department of Treasury IRS Criminal Investigation Division[43] although the Glock 17 may be issued for FBI agents tasked with overseas assignments (because of the worldwide availability of the 9x19mm round). .40 caliber Glock pistols are issued to all new agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration,[44] and the Glock 19 remains the standard issue of the Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division. The New York City Police Department issues the Glock 19 for uniform carry as well as the Glock 26 for concealed carry to many of its officers. Kansas Highway Patrol issues Glock 21 pistols to its Troopers, chambered in the .45 ACP round. The Alaska State Troopers use the Glock 22 as a regular side arm[45], along with the Colt M4 and shotgun.


M&P:

Place of origin United States
Service history
In service 2005-
Used by Law enforcement worldwide (well...sure...yeah....just tell me where?)
 
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Various agencies have approved and issued the M&P in Canada and the states, Peel Regional in Canada comes to mind and the DEA in the states has just approved it for use by its officers, as well as many others. I also believe the US bought a fair number of them and gave them to the Iraqi Police very recently. The internet has tons of info, but it not always in one spot or up to date. YMMV
 
Lets fact speak for itself (and guess what I use myself)

Internet research...

GLOCK:

YADA YADA YADA

M&P:

Place of origin United States
Service history
In service 2005-
Used by Law enforcement worldwide (Really? Where?)

Gee, you really spent a lot of time doing that "Internet research":
Smith and Wesson M&P Pistols Adopted by 276 Police Departments: Thousands of M&P9, M&P357, M&P40, and M&P45 Ordered by Atlanta Police, Colorado State Police, and Other Departments

That link was right at the bottom of the Wikipedia article you did your "Research" on, and it's already a year old so I'm sure they've won a few more contracts since then. Besides, Glock has been out for 28 years and the M&P for 3-4. How many police departments had adopted Glocks in the first 3 years of it's existence?

This article goes into some specifics of forces outside the US that have adopted the M&P, and finished off with this:
Officials at several law enforcement agencies indicated that the M&P pistol incorporated key features including ambidextrous controls an enhanced ergonomics as important factors in their decision making process. During the testing and evaluation periods conducted by each of the agencies, the M&P pistol won high marks in both performance and accuracy.

Besides, it's fair to expect that in 23 years, someone was bound to make a few improvements, no? ;)
 
Gee, you really spent a lot of time doing that "Internet research":
Smith and Wesson M&P Pistols Adopted by 276 Police Departments: Thousands of M&P9, M&P357, M&P40, and M&P45 Ordered by Atlanta Police, Colorado State Police, and Other Departments

That link was right at the bottom of the Wikipedia article you did your "Research" on, and it's already a year old so I'm sure they've won a few more contracts since then.

True. But more to the point... why would anyone choose their handgun on the basis of which countries/agencies use it, rather than which handgun fits them best?

Are they planning on joining or serving with one of those militaries/agencies?

They're both excellent firearms, and both are used by agencies who are happy with their choice. But unlike the people who serve in those respective agencies and services, the individual has the advantage of choosing what works best FOR HIM.

Use the ability to choose between excellent firearms to your advantage.
 
Go for the glock, but get the model 20, and buy yourself a drop-in .40 barrel.

You can load .40 and shoot the hell out of it, and then for fun load up some potent 10mm loads to see what the .40 caliber is missing in terms of power and punch. You will then see why some people refer to the .40 as Short & Weak.

My $0.02..............
 
True. But more to the point... why would anyone choose their handgun on the basis of which countries/agencies use it, rather than which handgun fits them best?

Are they planning on joining or serving with one of those militaries/agencies?

They're both excellent firearms, and both are used by agencies who are happy with their choice. But unlike the people who serve in those respective agencies and services, the individual has the advantage of choosing what works best FOR HIM.

Use the ability to choose between excellent firearms to your advantage.

Well said Rick. My post was merely a response to edyshok's wikipedia copy/paste job just to show that the M&P has gotten widespread endorsements, but I agree with you that people shouldn't be basing their decision solely on those kinds of sales statistics. That kind of data might be useful to consider when making your short list however.
 
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Besides, Glock has been out for 28 years and the M&P for 3-4. How many police departments had adopted Glocks in the first 3 years of it's existence?

Besides, it's fair to expect that in 23 years, someone was bound to make a few improvements, no? ;)

Here we go...so we know that Glock been around for 28 years..... and as y wrote it had a few improvements, no?

So if you want to be a part of testing and research ... go with a newer product..

I had a choice, my choise was Glock because i like it better + all this years of improvements...that y surly can ignore...
 
Here we go...so we know that Glock been around for 28 years..... and as y wrote it had a few improvements, no?

So if you want to be a part of testing and research ... go with a newer product..

I had a choice, my choise was Glock because i like it better + all this years of improvements...that y surly can ignore...

Look, I'm not knocking Glock or saying that the M&P is better, but to ignore the innovations and improvements on the old design that others make would be silly, and to not give credit where its due shortsighted. As Rick suggested, you owe it to yourself to try them both and decide for yourself.

I'm not sure how long you've been a Glock fan, maybe it's been for longer than the M&P has been out, maybe not. If you've tried both and prefer the Glock, then that's great, but hopefully you didn't base your decision purely on the purchase decisions of others, because you might be missing out on something better for you. It's your hard earned money and it's in our best interests for companies to know they have to work hard for it. If everyone just bought what everyone else bought and assumed that there could never be anything better, then quality, selection and price would suffer. Competition is what drives innovation, quality and price drops, so embrace it!
 
Look, I'm not knocking Glock or saying that the M&P is better, but to ignore the innovations and improvements on the old design that others make would be silly, and to not give credit where its due shortsighted. As Rick suggested, you owe it to yourself to try them both and decide for yourself.

I'm not sure how long you've been a Glock fan, maybe it's been for longer than the M&P has been out, maybe not. If you've tried both and prefer the Glock, then that's great, but hopefully you didn't base your decision purely on the purchase decisions of others, because you might be missing out on something better for you. It's your hard earned money and it's in our best interests for companies to know they have to work hard for it. If everyone just bought what everyone else bought and assumed that there could never be anything better, then quality, selection and price would suffer. Competition is what drives innovation, quality and price drops, so embrace it!

I just like the Glock better that all...I don't have nothing against M&P, I'm pretty sure it's a fine product too.. It just a matter of personal preference I guess :cheers:
 
then for fun load up some potent 10mm loads to see what the .40 caliber is missing in terms of power and punch. You will then see why some people refer to the .40 as Short & Weak.
Oddly enough, none of whom are police services who find the .40 works just fine for the intended purpose. What makes it even more interesting is that with light bullets, service loads in the .40 S&W are analogous to the 125 gr. .357 Magnum load of such renown - which nobody ever considered calling "short and weak".

For those restricted to range use killing sheets of paper along with assorted tin cans and plastic pop bottles, the extra cost and recoil of the 10mm is an excellent place to put your shooting dollar! Not that I'm knocking it of course... I have a brother who persistently enjoys whacking holes in paper practically every other weekend with full power loads out of a .416 Rigby.

To each his own...
 
I just like the Glock better that all...I don't have nothing against M&P, I'm pretty sure it's a fine product too.. It just a matter of personal preference I guess :cheers:

That's cool. Besides Glock's excellent track record, are there any specific things about the Glock that you prefer over say the M&P (if you've tried one)? Is there anything you dislike or would like to see changed/improved on the Glock?

I'm sure any personal experience you can share would benefit the OP. I know I'm interested to hear about them.
 
Glock 23 with a 40-9 conversion barrel. You can shoot both calibers with 1 gun. M&P 9 isn't bad, but I personally shoot much better with the Glock.
 
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