TexasCHLforum.com

You clicked it anyway, didn't you? Since I have your attention.....

I should have my CHL in the next week or two. I have an XDs 45, but I've decided this is not the gun for me. I want more capacity and less recoil. Personal preference. Here's what I've narrowed down my everyday carry to:

1 - S&W M&P Compact 9mm. Why? I have the full size M&P 9mm next to my bed in a gun vault. 800 rounds through it. Goes BANG every time with no issues. Total confidence in the gun. I don't like the lower capacity of the Shield, and some people I know suggest it doesn't shoot as straight as the M&P compact 9mm.

2 - The Glock 19 or 26. I prefer the 19, but I wear cargo shorts most of the summer in Texas. The 26 is much easier to conceal in that scenario, as well as put in the glove box of my sporty car. The 26 isn't as much fun to shoot, but I'm thinking would be the easiest to conceal year around.

Thoughts?

I'd say M&P 9c.
1) Magazine interchangeability
2) Function familiarity
3) Holster interoperability (generally)

The new M&Ps, by the way, have SIGNIFICANTLY improved triggers. Nice pull, very audible/tacticle feedback on reset. I'm totally in love with the M&Ps now.

Do you move from one side of the table to the other while you were having this argument? My advice ... the one you shoot the most consistently and feel the most comfortable carrying. Adjust as necessary for given the situation/attire.

I carry a 19 and wear lots of cargos and button ups in the summer. I use a Raven phantom owb

puma guy wrote:Do you move from one side of the table to the other while you were having this argument? My advice ... the one you shoot the most consistently and feel the most comfortable carrying. Adjust as necessary for given the situation/attire.

No kidding. In fairness, I have never shot a Glock. I'm going based on simple reputation, and they have a reputation for reliability, which is more important than anything.

Cjwglock19 wrote:I carry a 19 and wear lots of cargos and button ups in the summer. I use a Raven phantom owb

I'm usually in a t shirt. Here's the other thing: My car has an aftermarket race seat in it. Very tight fit. I don't think I could ever carry while driving. Would have to be in glovebox or front of cargo shorts in summer. I'd really prefer the M&P compact or G19, but that is part of what has me leaning G26

AndyC wrote:Give me the XDs and I'll give you $250 to put towards that lovely, shiny new G26...

A splendid offer from a man who lives where I grew up

But I think I can get a little more for it when I'm ready to sell. I actually tried listing it here earlier, but need to get my post count up to 40 before I can try and sell it. I might want a tad more than $250 for it....

Tough choice for sure!

You can't go wrong with the M&P. I feel it's in-between the 19 and 26. I vote Glock 19 if you go the Glock route.

If you like the M&P in full size, I think you'll like the M&Pc. It's an easy switch between the two (we have both). Plus, some holsters will be interchangeable between the two which gives you an option if you want it or if something happens so your carry gun is out of commission for a while. Personally, I really tried to like Glocks but just couldn't. They don't feel right in my hand. The M&Ps do. Glocks are great guns, but not for me. If you can't find a Glock to try and you already like your M&P, the M&P is probably the safer route. Or you could just buy both.

This should help!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTJbbBTQv6g" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hERsGIcxQMY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

M&P 9c is in between. It's a good choice if you can't pick 19 or 26, and aren't heavily invested in other flavors of the Glock platform (ie have a G17/34 and want a 26/19).

If you own other Glock 9mms, then the compact or subcompact Glock makes more sense due to mag interchangeability allowing you a full stack reload for an almost pocket pistol.

Same if you have other M&P 9s.

Blindref757 wrote:This should help!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTJbbBTQv6g" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hERsGIcxQMY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Those videos confirm the shield is not a good option for me.

The difference in size between the two guns is just not going to make a difference in the real world. The Shield is a gun that was put out for sales, not for functionality IMHO. The super sub-compact single stack market is big right now and all mfgs feel the need to be in those markets because CHL holders are buying them up like candy. S&W makes a good one in the Shield, but their 9C was already an excellent gun. You wont be unhappy with it!

Bang4Buck wrote:

AndyC wrote:Give me the XDs and I'll give you $250 to put towards that lovely, shiny new G26...

A splendid offer from a man who lives where I grew up

But I think I can get a little more for it when I'm ready to sell. I actually tried listing it here earlier, but need to get my post count up to 40 before I can try and sell it. I might want a tad more than $250 for it....

I'll give you $274.95 for it.......just to keep it away from AndyC.

If you like your M&P, get the M&P9c.........same manual of arms as the larger gun. 12+1 capacity.

I own an M&P45, and my wife owns a Gen 3 G19. The G19 is a 15+1 gun, and it has a lot to recommend it, but I just can't stand the ergonomics of it. And as OldCannon pointed out, you can take the larger magazines of the full-sized gun and get 17+1 rounds if you need to, so the G19's 3 round larger capacity is irrelevant.

However, one other gun to consider: The XD(M) Compact 3.8" 9mm. Comes with 1 13-Round magazine and 1 19-Round magazine with an extension sleeve. With the short magazine in place, it is 6.75" long by 4.75" high (5.75" high with the extended magazine), and 1.18" wide. It weighs 28 oz with the empty short magazine; 29 oz with the larger magazine.

In comparison, the Glock 19 (Gen3) is 7.36" long by 4.99" high by 1.18" wide. It ships with 2-3 15 round magazines, depending on the vendor and when they bought it. Assuming 2 magazines, that's a total of 31 rounds (15+15+1) compared to the XD(M)'s 33 rounds (13+19+1). The G19 weighs 21.6 oz unloaded (they don't say if that includes an empty magazine or not) to the XD(M)'s 28 oz with a magazine.

Looking at all three pistols, the Glock is the biggest of the three. All three of these guns have a lot to recommend them, and you really can't go wrong with any of them. Like I said, I own an M&P and an XD(M) (and an XDS), and my wife owns a G19 which I shoot once in a while. My personal preference goes to the M&P and XD(M) primarily for reasons of ergonomics, and secondarily for aesthetic appeal......although that is not a big consideration in a self-defense weapon. Glocks are ugly, but ugly is as ugly does, and Glocks are about as reliable as you can make a pistol. But the thing is, where they were once the king of polymer framed striker-fired pistols, they no longer are. It's not that they've slipped; its that the others have caught up. The M&Ps and XD/XD(M)s are just as reliable, just as accurate, and just as simple to take down and put back together again. It really comes down to what floats your boat. There are no bad choices.

But in your case, if you are already shooting and liking an M&P, then you'll probably be most satisfied with another one.