Competition gun comparison: M&P Pro

Part of our Competition Gun Series continues with the M&P Pro.  Just like we did with the Glock 34 post, today I’ll look at the pros, cons, and what I feel needs to be changed on the M&P Pro to make it ideal for competition out of the box.

M&P40 Pro Series

Pros

  • Excellent and customizable ergonomics. One of the best features of the M&P Pro Series is that the wide selection of backstraps allows for multiple fits of the pistol to the user. I prefer the large backstrap, but other shooters may like the small or medium size backstraps.
  • No sharp bits!  Unlike on the Glock 34, there aren’t any bits of the M&P that are going to abrade or otherwise injure your hand.
  • Good sights.  The rear sight on the M&P Pro is a fixed Novak, and the front is a green fiber optic.  While still something I’d change, it’s light years better than the awful sights on the Glock 34.
Cons
  • The M&P isn’t quite as deep in the market as the Glock 34 yet, which means there isn’t as much aftermarket support for it.  That being said, there is still a lot of support for the gun.  With multiple companies offering competition tuned parts for the M&P, it’s catching the Glock.
  • The trigger.  Let’s be honest, M&P fanboys.  The reset on the factory M&P trigger is pretty nasty.  It’s not positive or tactile, it just sort of happens.
  • Magainzes: S&W recently redesigned their magazines, making them more prone to breakage if dropped on concrete or rocks.  Also, the basepads are freakin’ huge and should really be replaced with the basepads from the compact guns.
Ch-ch-changes (the list of items I feel need to be changed)
That’s it for changes on the M&P Pro that I’d consider mandatory.  However, I would also change the sights for something with a wider rear notch or an adjustable rear sight for dealing with different bullet weights.  I would also recommend getting some different basepads for your magazines.  I actually discovered that the follower and basepad from a Ruger SR40 magazine are a drop in replacement for M&P magazine followers and basepads, and are much superior in my opinion.
The M&P Pro has been making some huge gains in the competition market.  It’s almost to Glock levels now, and in a couple of years I think will be a 1 for 1 rival of the Glock 34 in action shooting competition.

2 Comments

  1. I have an M&P 9L and a Glock 17. The 9L had a smoother factory trigger although longer. Both guns got tweaked by my gunsmith but no parts were changed out. Factory parts were adjusted. The Glock reset is still a bit shorter but the M&P feels like a real trigger instead of a chunk with a bump. And it shoots better, is more accurate, and reliable.

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