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A firearm instructor for the San Antonio Police Department said the Smith & Wesson M&P40 is the right gun for officers.

On Monday, firearm instructor Rob Ingram showed KSAT 12 News police beat reporter Matt Rivers why the Smith & Wesson M&P40 is a better firearm than the Glock 22, which will be replaced soon.

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Are there any other large city police departments making the transition from Glock to Smith and Wesson? I think S&W M&P will take huge chunks of sales from Glock in police departments...

What are your thoughts?

I don't know much about large departments and gun selection, but I have noticed that a lot of cops in my area seem to carry the M&P.

Could mean some really good deals on police trade-ins.

Assuming this happens before any ban.

Austin PD started the transition to M&P40 last year. They had previously issued Glocks but allowed officers to carry any privately owned pistols from an approved list. The M&P is now mandatory.

However, two other smaller Austin-area departments I've heard are going to Glock 22 (from Glock 17 I believe)

jmra wrote:Could mean some really good deals on police trade-ins.

Assuming this happens before any ban.

I was just thinking that. I am sure that there will be plenty of SAPD Glocks for sale - hardly shot with some holster wear.

I still think the M&P is far superior to the Glock and police officers are finally realizing that.

longhorn_92 wrote:

jmra wrote:Could mean some really good deals on police trade-ins.

Assuming this happens before any ban.

I was just thinking that. I am sure that there will be plenty of SAPD Glocks for sale - hardly shot with some holster wear.

I still think the M&P is far superior to the Glock and police officers are finally realizing that.

Last gun show in FW had some Glock 22 police trade-ins. Lots of holster wear but all functional parts seemed in good condition. They were asking $349. If we see big shifts by PDs that price could drop below $300. Much lower than that I might have to buy a new safe to house a dozen or so.

We went from Gen 2 and 3 G22s to Gen 3 21SF.

I like the M&P well enough, but still siding with Glock (I'm like 60/40).

I thinking of going with something other than my Glock 30 for carry, it just broke on me for the second time in the last 2,000 rds., not sure if I just have a lemon or it is common, but i'm losing confidence. First time the slide stop spring broke, which caused the slide lock to "walk" out and the slide to just about come off the gun. Now last weekend, the slide catch spring broke causing it lock open after each round. On the bright side, the gun never jams, except when it breaks!

I wonder if SAPD got a sweetheart of a deal from Smith and Wesson? I am sure their marketing department helped to secure the sell too? I wonder if The department is paying for accessories such as belts and holsters?

I've read that the M&P's multiple backstraps, to better fit one standardized pistol to all officers regardless of hand size, has been a major factor in getting departments to move away from Glock. Not sure what all else plays into it.

longhorn_92 wrote:

jmra wrote:Could mean some really good deals on police trade-ins.

Assuming this happens before any ban.

I was just thinking that. I am sure that there will be plenty of SAPD Glocks for sale - hardly shot with some holster wear.

I still think the M&P is far superior to the Glock and police officers are finally realizing that.

GTs in Austin has glock 22 trade ins for $329. They had some down to $289 as well, but I think those sold out.

Weg wrote:I thinking of going with something other than my Glock 30 for carry, it just broke on me for the second time in the last 2,000 rds., not sure if I just have a lemon or it is common, but i'm losing confidence. First time the slide stop spring broke, which caused the slide lock to "walk" out and the slide to just about come off the gun. Now last weekend, the slide catch spring broke causing it lock open after each round. On the bright side, the gun never jams, except when it breaks!

Contact Glock for return shipping - they will fix it.

Gen 3 or 4?

Weird thing to me is that the SAPD instructor is quoted as saying that he wants to move away from Glock as the M&P allows for shooters with different hand sizes to be more comfortable, as well as being friendly to both left and right handed shooters. The Gen4 Glocks have interchangeable backstraps and reversible magazine catches....

I guess perhaps their current Glock inventory is not Gen4 and S&W offered them a sweetheart deal? Anyway, it just sounded like they were switching because S&W offered something that Glock didn't....

gthaustex wrote:Weird thing to me is that the SAPD instructor is quoted as saying that he wants to move away from Glock as the M&P allows for shooters with different hand sizes to be more comfortable, as well as being friendly to both left and right handed shooters. The Gen4 Glocks have interchangeable backstraps and reversible magazine catches....

I guess perhaps their current Glock inventory is not Gen4 and S&W offered them a sweetheart deal? Anyway, it just sounded like they were switching because S&W offered something that Glock didn't....

S&W beat Glock to market with these features by a few years.

Also in addition to changeable backstraps the M&P's grip ergonomics (angle, shape) are generally more beneficial to a wider range of shooters, especially those with smaller hands and/or shorter fingers than even the Gen4 Glocks

longhorn_92 wrote:I wonder if SAPD got a sweetheart of a deal from Smith and Wesson? I am sure their marketing department helped to secure the sell too? I wonder if The department is paying for accessories such as belts and holsters?

If they did, it must have been a much better deal and marketing job than they did in 91/92 when SAPD first switched to Glocks. The department compared/tested five different pistols, but I don't remember which S&W auto it was (probably a 4046 at the time). The Academy training staff were pushing so hard for Glocks that it had an unbeatable position before the contract bids were opened. Rumor had it that Glock was told to redo their bid because their first bid did not include any spare parts or warranty, which was one of the requirements.

And to read now that one of the firearms instructors thinks S&W is the better pistol tells me two things. First is that there has been a changing of the guard in the academy staff. And secondly, that the academy staff is still going to get the pistol they prefer, no matter what the patrol officers want. The latter may or may not be a good thing. I know some of the patrolman would probably still be carrying their revolvers if they were given a choice. That also may or may not be a good thing.