S&W M&P Compact 9mm vs 40

[B2Luv2Hunt]

My wife bought her first pistol. After looking and handling several she got a S&W M&P compact 9mm with the crimson trace laser. She loves it. I love it to. I want one. By August I will be able to buy one. My Question is 9mm vs 40. Is there much difference in the two. I have a Tauras 24/7 45 cal. (First pistol) but want to move up to the M&P compact.

[biggs88]

My wife bought her first pistol. After looking and handling several she got a S&W M&P compact 9mm with the crimson trace laser. She loves it. I love it to. I want one. By August I will be able to buy one. My Question is 9mm vs 40. Is there much difference in the two. I have a Tauras 24/7 45 cal. (First pistol) but want to move up to the M&P compact.

I have shot both and like both. I like the .40 s&w better personally.

Since the wife has 9mm, it would make sense for you get a 9mm as well. You guys can share ammo and mags. . .

[ByAnyMeans]

The caliber debate is endless. There will be people on both sides who swear their answer is the only correct answer.
Personally I think you should decide what you shoot the most accurately with the greatest speed. I rather get two fast accurate hits than one miss or one hit in the same place as my two hits. If this is accomplished witha .40 great and if not then go 9mm.
We are not restricted on ammo choice and 9mm hollowpoints make up for it's slightly smaller diameter.

[Mtbkski]

Not getting into the "mines bigger than yours" debate. But logically, you should stay with the 9mm.

As mentioned above. Any mags you have are now interchangeable with each pistol. You can buy a mess load of mags and both share them.

You share the same ammo. So, you can stock up for SHTF and both of you have the same ammo and magazines on hand. Your not worried about putting the wrong mag in the wrong pistol in a crisis situation. You will know that all mags for the M&P will work. Just shove it in and shoot.

Also, if something would go badly, and your wife would find herself having to use your pistol, it will handle the same and she will have no problems doing so.

If you attend any IDPA or USPSA shoots, you have a pistol as a back up also. (or should I say she will have a back up )

But if your one of those that just has the "bigger is better" complex. Get yourself the 40 or you won't be happy.

[CBennett]

Not getting into the "mines bigger than yours" debate. But logically, you should stay with the 9mm.

As mentioned above. Any mags you have are now interchangeable with each pistol. You can buy a mess load of mags and both share them.

You share the same ammo. So, you can stock up for SHTF and both of you have the same ammo and magazines on hand. Your not worried about putting the wrong mag in the wrong pistol in a crisis situation. You will know that all mags for the M&P will work. Just shove it in and shoot.

Also, if something would go badly, and your wife would find herself having to use your pistol, it will handle the same and she will have no problems doing so.

If you attend any IDPA or USPSA shoots, you have a pistol as a back up also. (or should I say she will have a back up )

But if your one of those that just has the "bigger is better" complex. Get yourself the 40 or you won't be happy.

I just went from .40 to 9mm..why...because I like 9mm better. I can get off quicker followups/doubletaps than I can with the more snappy .40. I have ALWAYS been more of a PLACEMENT of the shots VS size of the hole guy..and I simply can place more 9mm rounds into a given area quicker and more accurately than I can with a .40 or .45...So after 5 years with .40(glock 23) I went back to 9mm in the Ruger SR9Compact. Plus has been said and what a lot of LE agencies do..they use one caliber for ammo "sharing" in an emergency.

With TODAYS(this was 100% different years ago back in the 1970's,80's and even early 90's) great 9mm loads out there with everything from 115 P+ grainers going 1300fps, to 124 grains to 147 grains...you have a LOT of good defensive rounds out there in 9mm.

[4XLT]

the .40 will have more noticeable recoil...

personally i prefer the .40

[S&WM&P40]

if you were closer I would let you shoot my m&p 40 fullsize so you could get a better idea. As everyone said, try both them out and see which one best suites you.

[RickD]

Test drive is always best if you can arrange it.

For some really good, real - world info check out theboxotruth.com

He tries out various guns and calibers shooting things like drywall, jugs of water, locks, bullet proof glass, bricks, metal doors ...

You can spend hours there.

[B2Luv2Hunt]

Thank you all for the good advice. Some of the advantages of the 9mm I did not think of. Mtbkski you could be right about my wife having a back up pistol. If she improves I can see her wanting to go to a shoot.

[Asmodeus6]

I like 9mm. And any solid accurate pistol in competent hands is a force to be reckoned with regardless of the caliber...

That being said you already own a .45. .40 is going to be a reduction from what you are used to, or maybe similar in felt recoil in a smaller pistol - and 9mm in anything but the smallest of sub-compact feather weight pistols is going to feel like nothing. It might be why you liked it so much.

You already have a + size pistol. Take the trimmer 9mm and have a perfect backup to your wifes pistol - share mags, ammo, parts etc. Or, branch into yet another caliber... which means you have now covered 9, .40, and .45. Sometimes it's nice to have some different things to shoot, and who knows, you may find you like that best. It is NOT nicer to feed 3 different kinds of food to 3 different mouths however... and find, and stock up on parts, mags, and ammo for 3 completely different weapons. Commonality is nice. But so is variety! Which is why I never have enough $.

Try to shoot it in a .40 first if you can. See if you like it more, and more "enough" to get into a new caliber. A friend of mine has the M&P full size .40 and he really likes it. IME it is a nice gun. But it will get snappier in the compact version.