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Old June 21, 2012, 07:11 PM   #1
C.O.M.
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Glock 23 or S&W M&P .40 FS

I am looking into getting a G23 or a M&P .40 fullsize. I know the size difference is minimal between the two. I know they are both really good guns. I am looking for info from those who own one of the two mentioned or both. Pro's,cons of each. I have a G19 so I am familiar with the Glock platform. But as I mentioned I am looking at the .40 in each. I have shot both and they both shoot well. I don't own a M&P but I like the looks of the gun and it feels great.

I will be happy with either choice, but I am looking to the owners of these two to compare pro's and con's of each gun. If you own both even better. If it is not to much to ask, can you list your likes or dislikes of the said guns?

I just want to get all my info together to make a informed decision. I am a very experienced shooter and shoot most platforms very well. I will use this gun for some competition, range time and home defense as well. I have a HK USP .40 FS and that is one nice gun and a great shooter. I have worked with my wife and youngest daughter on this platform, but looking to a more simple and easy to use choice like the Glock and M&P in case they also need to pick up the gun in self defense. They both like the ease of use of the G19, so this is another reason I want to pick up one of these in .40.
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Old June 21, 2012, 07:34 PM   #2
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I have had both; currently only have the G23. For me the grip angle of Glocks really helps minimize the 'snappy-ness' of the 40 round. So, my splits on the shot timer are always better with 40 caliber Glocks than other pistols. Hence, nowadays the only 40s I have are Glocks.

It may not be the same for you but that's what I've found...
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Old June 21, 2012, 07:44 PM   #3
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I have an M&P .40 and had a Glock 23 in the past. I no longer have any Glocks, I do have three M&Ps with a fourth coming in July. The grip angle on Glocks is all wrong for me, and that trigger safety bites my finger enough that Glocks are unpleasant to shoot. I carry my M&P full size pistols in an Aker leather OWB holster, my Shield in a Garrett Industries Silent Thunder OWB (not a big fan of IWB, can you tell? :-)
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Old June 21, 2012, 07:59 PM   #4
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I just bought both the G23 and the M&P COMPACT both in .40. Bought the Glock first and really liked it then I bought the S&W and prefer it over the Glock. I can group better with the Smith for some reason and it just feels better overall.
Also i'm a lefty so the ambidextrous features on the Smith are perfect!
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Old June 21, 2012, 08:18 PM   #5
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Thanks this is exactly what I am looking for in the responses. People giving their own reasons for why they like one better than the other. Keep it coming.
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Old June 21, 2012, 08:47 PM   #6
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glock 23 or M&P .40 fs

I have been carrying the M&P for 3 years. Love the gun, love the fit. Have fired over 1000 rounds. Never had a misfire, and it will eat anything I feed it. The only up grades I have done is to have Truglo TFO sights installed which for these old eyes made shooting alot easier. I wouldn't trade it for all the Glocks in the world.
 
Old June 21, 2012, 10:57 PM   #7
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I will throw out the Springfield Armory XD40 as well. That was my first handgun purchase and still my go-to gun. I have countless rounds thru it and have never had a failure of any kind with any brand. The grip safety isn't such a hit with a large portion of this forum, but being that it was my first firearm purchase and something that my wife had to feel comfortable with having around the house, I found the extra bit of safety features to be a bonus in my case. I actually went into my LGS dead set on buying the M&P40 and after speaking with the sales guy (who personally owned a M&P40), I walked away having purchased the XD. The only feature that the M&P had that I wish the standard XD had was the adjustable grip sizes for my wife to feel more comfortable with (the XDM comes with them). Any way you look at it, you will be buying a quality handgun, but dont discount the SA XD series until you try it, it may just be the exact thing you are looking for!

And ultimately, I may end up purchasing a M&P 9mm later on down the line anyway for the exact qualities I spoke of earlier (adjustable grips and the M&P has a 4.25" barrel as opposed to the 4" barrel of the XD).

As for the Glock, I had shot several previously and I already knew that they weren't right for me. So head to the store and play around with a few different guns to see what suits you best! One of them will be a match made in heaven !
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Old June 22, 2012, 01:14 PM   #8
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^^^^ because they have the cheapest price?

EDIT: this comment was directed towards a Glock fanboy comment which has since been removed/erased.

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Old June 22, 2012, 03:15 PM   #9
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The Gen 4 Glock in 40S&W area pleasure to shoot. I know they had a rocky start but they really got it right with the Gen 4. G23 is my vote.
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Old June 22, 2012, 04:51 PM   #10
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having owned both
Glock for sure...w 3.5lb connector
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Old June 23, 2012, 10:34 AM   #11
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M&P

Well, can't really go wrong with either. For your situation the M&P might have its benefits. You mentioned your wife and daughter shooting it. The capability of swapping out the backstraps might be nice, I'll assume you three have different sized hands. To me, the M&P is also much more comfortable to hold. Since the round does have a lot of felt recoil the more comfortable grips might be more forgiving for your wife and daughter? Just a thought. Also, M&P gives you the option of a manual safety.

Good luck with your decision.
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Old June 23, 2012, 10:52 AM   #12
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I love the way my G23 handles the .40, it is amazing how well it shoots.
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Old June 23, 2012, 06:18 PM   #13
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I really like the ergonomics of the M&P line. VERY comfortable pistol for those of us who don't like the swept angle on a glock grip, but want something striker fired.
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Old June 24, 2012, 03:33 AM   #14
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I wanted to like the M&P 40 but it just didn't work in my hands so I sold it.

Surprisingly the G23 works very well for me. I also think the G23 handles recoil better than the M&P.
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Old June 24, 2012, 01:59 PM   #15
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When I was in the market for a plastic gun I tried both. The Glock felt more like a block-like holding a 2"x4". To be fair, I'm not a very big guy and my hands aren't exactly large, but I definitely prefer the M&P. Not to say the Glock isn't an excellent gun, because it is, but it just didn't fit me as well as the M&P.
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Old June 24, 2012, 08:12 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by insomni
I really like the ergonomics of the M&P line. VERY comfortable pistol for those of us who don't like the swept angle on a glock grip, but want something striker fired.
Ditto. I was in the same situation (Glock vs M&P) and went with the M&P. The decision was easy after holding both.
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Old June 24, 2012, 08:28 PM   #17
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I have a Glock 21 and a M&P 40. Different calibers but i shoot the M&P much better than i do the Glock. The high drastic tang and narrow grip of the M&P allows much more control for me than the Glock does. Having shot the Glock 22 and now owning a M&P 40 for me the M&P 40 is a very very soft shooting 40. I guess it boils down to comfortability.
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Old June 24, 2012, 09:06 PM   #18
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When I held an M&P, I considered getting one.

When I shot an M&P, I was glad I got the Glock. The Glock definitely has less muzzle flip for any given load.
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Old June 24, 2012, 09:08 PM   #19
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That's a matter of grip, hand size, and personal opinion. Of the Glock 21 I own and the 22 i've shot my M&P has far less muzzle flip and is far more controllable.
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Old June 24, 2012, 10:45 PM   #20
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Quote:
That's a matter of grip, hand size, and personal opinion
Hand size, yeah I can dig that. Personal opinion? I can see why you might think that would be opinion. If I'm doing some kind of comparative analysis for a purchase though, I try to put a few hundred rounds of fam fire through each handgun and get tape of me shooting it at the end so I can actually compare muzzle flip directly, have permanent record of shot time, etc. The the Gen 4 34 and and especially 35 both cycled the slide much more parallel with the ground than the Gen 3 G34/35 and the M&P 9 pro /M&P .40. I had a good high grip on both the M&Ps and Glocks during the shoot. Not sure what you mean by "a matter of grip". I'm not holding the M&P halfway down the frame like a movie actor and then giving the Glocks a high death grip. I was interested in getting what I felt like the best weapons were and I got them, I didn't have any dog in the fight.
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Old June 24, 2012, 11:07 PM   #21
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I've shot both, but have only owned the M&P40, along with a M&P9.

The G23 is a good pistol. No fuss, straight up Glock reliability.

What sets the M&P apart is the better slide finish, and options such as thumb safety, interchangeable backstraps (now available on Gen4 glock IIRC ), and better overall ergonomics.

I would give the slight edge to the M&P, not because i'm biased but because I felt it was the better out of the 2. I wouldn't hesitate to own a Glock, but given the choice I would go with the M&P. It just felt better in the hand overall.
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Old June 24, 2012, 11:17 PM   #22
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Quote:
thumb safety
Lack of thumb safety on the Glock as a factory option for consumers kills me. Aftermarket options require defacing your frame and may ruin your trigger pull or reset in addition to being obnoxiously small.

No doubt we can than the endless ego of Gaston thinking he knows what size fits for all.
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Old June 24, 2012, 11:48 PM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Burner
Hand size, yeah I can dig that. Personal opinion? I can see why you might think that would be opinion. If I'm doing some kind of comparative analysis for a purchase though, I try to put a few hundred rounds of fam fire through each handgun and get tape of me shooting it at the end so I can actually compare muzzle flip directly, have permanent record of shot time, etc. The the Gen 4 34 and and especially 35 both cycled the slide much more parallel with the ground than the Gen 3 G34/35 and the M&P 9 pro /M&P .40. I had a good high grip on both the M&Ps and Glocks during the shoot. Not sure what you mean by "a matter of grip". I'm not holding the M&P halfway down the frame like a movie actor and then giving the Glocks a high death grip. I was interested in getting what I felt like the best weapons were and I got them, I didn't have any dog in the fight.
My point is for you, it has less muzzle flip, that doesn't subject the weapon itself to have less muzzle flip than a M&P 40. I can shoot a Glock 22 all day long and it still has more muzzle flip than my M&P 40, for me. Grip is subject to change (depending on the person) and is albeit a little different on every person, doesn't mean it's wrong nor did i accuse you of using a improper grip. I own a Glock and was merely stating that people shoot different weapons differently. There was no offense meant by it.
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Old June 25, 2012, 06:36 AM   #24
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Quote:
There was no offense meant by it.
No offense was taken. You put your point out there and I put my counterpoint out there.

Quote:
I can shoot a Glock 22 all day long and it still has more muzzle flip than my M&P 40
Is it a Gen 3 or a Gen 4 though? If you look at my post, I was talking only about the Gen 4. I do mention the Gen 3 but only to say the Gen 4 is better at mitigating muzzle flip. The compound RSA does make a difference.
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Old June 25, 2012, 09:59 AM   #25
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The only 22 i've shot is a Gen 4. That's my point for me it's got more muzzle flip than my M&P 40.
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