Smith & Wesson??? "new" M&p??

[A4sForever]

Soooooo ..... What's going on at Smith & Wesson??? Are they for "real" again with some of their new offerings??? Will the "new" Smith M&P be an entrant in the competition for 645,000 units of a forthcoming Joint Combat Pistol??? Hmmmmm .... ????

This is coming on line in 40S&W, .357 SIG, and 9mm ... with a .45 ACP to follow, of course. The write-up in the current American Rifleman makes it sound like the greatest polymer-framed pistol to come down the line since Gaston Glock came up with the "plastic" pistol .... take into account, however, the article was written by Wiley Clapp (publish-or-perish Clapp ).

But still ......

.... Smith & Wesson M&P .40


TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Model: M&P
Caliber: .40S&W
Capacity: 15+1 Rounds
Barrel Length: 4.25"
Front Sight: Steel Ramp Dovetail Mount - Tritium Sights Optional
Rear Sight: Steel Novak® Lo-Mount Carry - Tritium Sights Optional
Trigger Pull: 6.5 lbs.
Trigger Travel: Rest to Fire .300 in.
Trigger Reset: Approx. .140 in.
Frame: Large
Finish: Slide and Barrel Black Melonite®, 68HRc
Overall Length: 7.5"
Material: Zytel Polymer Frame, Stainless Steel Barrel/Slide and Structural Components
Weight Empty (No Mag): 24.25 oz.
Overall Height: 5.5"
Width: 1.2"
Sight Length: 6.4"

AND THIS !!! ??? 3 models ??? What's up with that ??? ... now that Smith is in American hands again ???

 

[AllAmerican75]

I want one. . . . or all three. Man I wish I was 21.

 

[Fly Navy]

Not a fan of S&W autos... but that one looks intriguing... I'd like to shoot one.

 

[metro]

Their new M&P-15 had everything but the damn kitchen sink...and it's a handsome AR to boot. Don't particularly like their semiautos, either, I think they are all a bit clunky, or better done by someone else (in the case of their 1911s). But their revolvers? Muy bien! .500 S&W in 8"...lots of fun...for about 6 rounds.

 

[BlkPny]

A4s, remember the early S&W 9mm autos the SEALs used in Viet Nam? They cleaned up the ramps and feeds, fitted them with silencers, and used sub-sonic ammo in them. They called them "hush puppies", because they used them to shoot guard dogs in the VC camps.

They didn't seem to have too much trouble with them, but then again, they had the very best armorers I've ever seen. They were always offering to take our sidearms and work on them, clean them up, fit them with a silencer if we wanted. We were given a couple of cases of Browning Hi-Powers, still in the cosmoline, and they went crazy over them. Some very good trades were made.

 

[A4sForever]

Yeah ... it was the S&W Model 39, the first post WW2 semi-auto double action family that Smith & Wesson was putting out. They developed it sometime in the '50's and all follow on S&W semi autos were basically variations of the Model 39. One of my HS classmates was UDT/later SEAL and he said "they" liked the caliber (?), function, reliability, and its adaptability to "silencing". I never owned one, but one of the guys I flew with had one --- he loved it also.

I later had it's 3rd generation descendant, the Model 3913. I should never have sold it -- great little carry gun. Same goes for a Model 4513 I had. All worked flawlessly --- no malfunctions with any ammo right out of the box, but I never made myself "like" the slide mounted safety. I liked it's "decocker" function, but I preferred the Colt safety and thus stuck with Old Slabsides.



Left to right ... S&W Model's 39, 3913, and 4513

 

[BurghGuy]

Yeah, I picked up a S&W 5906 9mm semi-auto because the price was right and it was my first gun. I thought it was great at first, but now that I've gotten into shooting a bit more I realize that it's marginal at best, and it's excessively clunky, heavy, although fairly well balanced. Definitely reliable but not the best out there.

I've been looking to trade/sell it for something new recently, perhaps I'll hold out for this.

 

[othromas]

I went to a gun show here in Corpus today and was sorely disappointed in the selection, so my buddy and I checked out one of the gun stores off SPID. I was actually pretty intrigued by the S&W M&P .40; the grip felt good and the fact that it's completely ambidexterous is a big advantage since I should probably switch to shooting lefty (left eye dominant but right handed). I did remember that S&W isn't known for its semi-autos, though, so I wanted to see if anyone here has tried it to see what they think.

The only other handgun I've really liked so far is the Sig P226. It just seems to really fit my hand well. The only thing that's making me leery about getting it is that it's 9mm and everything I'm hearing makes it sound like .45 is the way to go. They had one P226 at the gun show that was pretty beat up that the guy said he'd let me have for $400; it was a former police gun that was it good working order (so he said) but didn't look real pretty. The gun shop had the same model with Hogue grips for about $575.

You all know a lot more about handguns and firearms in general than I do, so any help you can give me would be appreciated.

 

[FMRAM]

The only other handgun I've really liked so far is the Sig P226. It just seems to really fit my hand well. The only thing that's making me leery about getting it is that it's 9mm and everything I'm hearing makes it sound like .45 is the way to go. They had one P226 at the gun show that was pretty beat up that the guy said he'd let me have for $400; it was a former police gun that was it good working order (so he said) but didn't look real pretty. The gun shop had the same model with Hogue grips for about $575.

You all know a lot more about handguns and firearms in general than I do, so any help you can give me would be appreciated.

Fly Navy, how about fielding this one.

 

[Steve Wilkins]

I like that grip on the SW M&P .40....it looks very ergonomicish

 

[A4sForever]

......The only thing that's making me leery about getting it is that it's 9mm and everything I'm hearing makes it sound like .45 is the way to go. .....

Hit your target, hit your target, hit your target. And then ... hit your target.

If you do your part, you won't know the difference when I shove 2-3 rounds of 9mm up your nose vice .45 ACP ....

Cheers ...

 

[Steve Wilkins]

Hit your target, hit your target, hit your target. And then ... hit your target.

If you do your part, you won't know the difference when I shove 2-3 rounds of 9mm up your nose vice .45 ACP ....

Cheers ...

Concur with A4's. Personally, I like shooting the 9mm. I guarantee you'd be just as dead if I shot a 9mm at you rather than a .45.

 

[Snacks]

Plus, you'll be able to get 9mm when you deploy. The SOF guys probably aren't going to share their .45 ammo.

I agree with you Steve, I have and like shooting the 9mm. A hydroshok to the chest is going to hurt just as bad as ball .45.

 

[othromas]

I think I'm getting the drift here. Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[Fly Navy]

The only other handgun I've really liked so far is the Sig P226. It just seems to really fit my hand well. The only thing that's making me leery about getting it is that it's 9mm and everything I'm hearing makes it sound like .45 is the way to go. They had one P226 at the gun show that was pretty beat up that the guy said he'd let me have for $400; it was a former police gun that was it good working order (so he said) but didn't look real pretty. The gun shop had the same model with Hogue grips for about $575.

You all know a lot more about handguns and firearms in general than I do, so any help you can give me would be appreciated.

It doesn't matter. With good ammo, and more importantly an accurate shooter, it doesn't make a lick of difference. The 9mm vs .45 argument is a farse because it only considers FMJ ammunition. Like A4s says... hit your target.

Practical pistols are weak. Use a rifle.