Second M&P....40 or 45???

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Mercenary

New member
After extensive research, I've settled on purchasing another M&P to compliment my M&P 9mm. However, I'm uncertain as to if I want to go with the 40 S&W or the 45 ACP. I will be reloading so cost is not as much of an issue. But is the 45 ACP worth giving up 5 rounds???

Additionally, I have contemplated getting the 9c model so I have a "set" of the full sized 9mm and the compact.

Thoughts???
 
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dayman

New member
Personally, I find .45 more fun to shoot than .40. By the time you add in a couple spare mags, I can't imagine you'd run into a situation where you'd run out of ammo.
Lots of guys really like .40 though, and bigger mags are more fun to dump. It pretty much comes down to personal preference.

All in all, if you like 9mm, buying the compact might be the best option. But then there's always the danger you'll want the new shield to round out your M&P 9mm collection.
 
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Orphanedcowboy

New member
I think you know my answer:

40FS and 40c

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Buy the 9c
 
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Single Six

New member
What the .45 lacks in magazine capacity, it more than makes up for in power-per-round. Also, a great visual aid is what happens when you try to chamber either a 9mm or a .40 round in a pistol chambered for .45 ACP...the cartridge slides down the barrel and out the muzzle. This is only my way of saying that the "bigger is better" thing works for me!;)
 
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SRH78

New member
My advice is to get whichever one makes you feel all warm and fuzzy. Regardless of what fans of each will say, there is far more difference between individual loads than there is between the two cartridges and either one is a very good choice. I also handload and went with the 357 Sig partly because not everyone has one and partly to save on the cost of bullets.
 
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jersey_emt

New member
Power per round? 40s&w has more 'power' than 45.

I just happen to like 45 better, despite being weaker.
Click to expand...

I've never seen anyone complain that the .45 ACP is "weaker" than the .40 S&W. Care to elaborate on your thoughts on this?
 
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Single Six

New member
Chris in va: I had recently posed that same question to a physics teacher. If I recall this correctly [physics and math hardly being my strengths], she explained that, while the .40 is much faster, the .45 has more "power" due to it's greater mass. I think there was more to her explanation than that, and I'll ask her to explain it again so I can do a better job repeating it...but there you go.
 
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Kreyzhorse

New member
I suspect that the .45 version will be more pleasant to shoot than the .40.

I doubt that less capacity will ever be an issue for you. Many people still carry 5 shot revolvers and aren't dying off by the truck load.
 
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shooter1911

New member
I shoot and carry 45s for many reasons, but as far as reloading is concerned I choose the 45 hands down over the .40 for two reasons.

1. If you go to the range and there are 9mm, 40, and 45 shooters, you can spot the 45 brass very easily and quickly. I find 40 brass to be too close to 9mm in size to quickly and easily spot on the ground.

2. The bigger .45 brass seems to be easier to reload for some reason. Maybe it's easier to handle due to my fat fingers. :D
 
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stmcelroy

New member
Last week I bought both a 45 Compact and the new Shield.

The 45 Compact is an awesome gun and the thing is just scary accurate, get the 45.;)

IMG_9998.jpg
 
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