Wednesday, November 26, 2008

M&P 9 Compact: Micro-Ergonomics



I picked up an M&P 9 Compact a couple of days ago as a carry piece. I am still waiting to take the class, but figured I might as well be familiar with my carry piece by the time I get to qualify.

Here are the specs as they appear on S&W's website:

Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 12+1
Barrel Length: 3.5"
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: Compact
Finish: Slide and Barrel Black Melonite®, 68 HRc
Overall Length: 6.7"
Material: Zytel Polymer Frame, Stainless Steel Barrel/Slide and Structural Components
Weight Empty (No Mag): 21.7 oz.
Overall Height: 4.3"
Width: 1.2"

I put 100 rounds of Winchester White Box 115gr FMJ's through it today. No hiccups at all, and I didn't expect any from shooting just 100 rounds. The pistol came with two 12 round magazines-one has a finger rest, and the other has a flat bottom which requires me to curl my pinky underneath. My wife's hand fits fine with the flat-bottomed magazine. The grip feels terribly good, especially for such a small pistol.

The sights are a three-dot setup, with the front blade nice and narrow. The dot up front is noticably smaller than the other two, and I like it. I prefer Glock's "ball-in-a-bucket" sights, but the S&W's are fine. We only shot 7 to 15 yards, so my accuracy tests aren't exactly strenuous. Either way, my wife put the whole magazine in a 2.5 inch group from 10 yards. I shot a little worse. Sorry, no pictures today, but I promise I will put one up when I out shoot the wife. (Actually, I left my camera home and trashed the targets before I could take pictures.) In any case, this little pistol will shoot better groups than I can. It is VERY accurate and surprisingly easy to control. Micro-pistols can be obnoxious, but this one is very dossile and pleasant to shoot.

A friend had the service sized M&P 9mm at the range today. The difference in accuracy from 7-15 yards was negligable. If we chucked both up in a Ransom rest, I bet we wouldn't see a difference until 25 yards. Both pistols fit together very tightly, and were very, very nice to shoot. Truth be told, it would be very hard for me to buy a Glock over an M&P--and I love my Glock 17. The M&P's are just generally "nicer".

The only downside to this pistol is that it is hard to disassemble. Inside, it looks a lot like an XD, but the trigger is nicer. The trigger pull is a little heavy, but I bet it smooths out with some use. It breaks cleanly and is still easy to shoot. Also, while this is a small pistol, it is a little too big for pocket carry. However, it is ideal for inside-the-waistband carry. The M&P compact is very easy to conceal.

The bottom line: if you want a compact pistol, look no further than the M&P 9C.

*Note: For those of you stalwarts who refuse to carry a 9mm, the M&P compact also comes in 40 S&W.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Why I Carry A Gun

I don't carry a gun to kill people.
I carry a gun to keep from being killed.

I don't carry a gun to scare people.
I carry a gun because sometimes this world can be a scary place.

I don't carry a gun because I'm paranoid.
I carry a gun because there are real threats in the world.

I don't carry a gun because I'm evil.
I carry a gun because I have lived long enough to see the evil in the world.

I don't carry a gun because I hate the government.
I carry a gun because I understand the limitations of government.

I don't carry a gun because I'm angry.
I carry a gun so that I don't have to spend the rest of my life hating myself for failing to be prepared.

I don't carry a gun because I want to shoot someone.
I carry a gun because I want to die at a ripe old age in my bed, and not on a sidewalk somewhere tomorrow afternoon.

I don't carry a gun because I'm a cowboy.
I carry a gun because, when I die and go to heaven, I want to be a
cowboy.

I don't carry a gun to make me feel like a man.
I carry a gun because men know how to take care of themselves and the ones they love.

I don't carry a gun because I feel inadequate.
I carry a gun because unarmed and facing three armed thugs, I am inadequate.

I don't carry a gun because I love it.
I carry a gun because I love life and the people who make it meaningful to me.

Police Protection is an oxymoron. Free citizens must protect themselves.
Police do not protect you from crime, they usually just investigate the crime after it happens and then call someone in to clean up the mess.

..author unknown (but obviously brilliant)


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I didn't write this. I stole it from www.thefiringline.com---my personal favorite gun talk board.