I have carried a 1911 for 10+ years as my duty weapon. I have read many articles, researched the pistols, and have spoken with trusted professionals. The pistols I may change to are the M&P45 or the department issue Glock 22. You may ask, why go away from the 1911? Just a couple are capacity, continuity of weapons with other officers in worst case scenarios, and ease of availability of parts. I have handled and shot both pistols, but am just having a hard time putting the 1911 on the shelf.
I would personally choose the M&P45 because I prefer the .45 to the .40. And because I think the M&P is a better platform for .45 than a Glock is for .40. If I was going .40 it’d actually still be an M&P for me. (Maybe an HK P2000.)
If you like the ergos of the 1911 and want the slide release (which after 10 years of 1911 means it’s become second nature) and various other reasons, M&P is the easy choice in my view. M&P has probably switched more 1911 shooters to polymer wonder pistol than any other single polymer pistol yet designed I’m guessing if feedback I have heard us any guide. It was the first one that appealed to me enough to shelf my beloved 1911s as primary CCW.
There’s always something special about a good 1911, but to me, the M&P platform was the polymer wonder pistol that finally did it for me and no regrets.
Note: no Glock ever made me want to shelve my 1911s, so I’m biased anyway.
I too faced this dilemma, leaving the 1911 club in search of higher capacity and ease of logistics. Like you, I have done a lot of research and spoken with those I trust. The whole .45 vs .40 debate will be ongoing forever. Is the .40 the “perfect” round which everyone seeks? Absolutely not; however, it does offer things the .45 does not (capacity being the big one). Given high quality ammo (my personal choice being Remington Golden Sabre bonded), one cannot dispute the performance of the .40 as it compares to the .45. Now all you .45 guys, don’t lose your minds on me! I am not insulting your caliber of choice, only pointing out that one who seeks high capacity in a reasonably sized package is in no way “undergunned”. As far as the M&P vs. the Glock in general, both are great platforms (notice I did not say “perfect”). Many have been jumping the good ship Glock due to some QC issues with late 3rd Gen and early 4th Gen Glocks (tons of threads on this). These issues had easy fixes (not an excuse, a Glock should not need a “fix” right out of the box) and for the most part, were not related to the Glock 22, moreso the 9mm 4th gens. The M&Ps have not been without their issues as well. Many have overlooked the accuracy issues and poor trigger of the M&P simply because they were frantically looking to replace the Glock because the “perfect pistol” (Glock) showed a flaw. In short, I went with the Glock, as I shoot it better than any M&P I have ever handled in any caliber. It is a proven model (as close to long term proof as one can get to our dear 1911) and will serve me well. If you dig the M&P, I am sure it will serve you well also. Whatever you do, don’t shy away from the .40 and the negative press it gets and for heaven’s sake, don’t overlook the outstanding track record of Glock due to some issues with a tiny percentage of their pistols that are found in service world wide.
If you are concerned with interchangeability with fellow officers I would go with the Glock the G22 is the most widely used police sidearm in the country. Also while the MP is catching up the Glock does offer more holsters, sights, accessories, etc. than the MP at this time. Also if one of the reasons for going away form the 1911 is round capacity the G22 is a clear choice with 15+1 capacity hile the M&P 45 offers 10+1. The 40 gets bad press but I pack it everyday both on and off duty, have done so for years, and prefer it to the 45 or 9mm. It has a great track record with our dept’s officer involved shootings as well as other agencies across the country.
Round capacity-Glock 22
Interchangeability w/ other officers-Glock 22
More similar to 1911- M&P 45.
Also if you have to buy your own ammo to practice with while the 40 is a little cheaper it is much more readily available at least in me part of the country. Another thing I like about the 40 is all the govt. contract over runs of premium ammo you can find cheap. I purchased 5,000 rds of Winchester Bonded Ranger for $14.99 per 50 back in the summer. While our dept does provide our carry loads they do not provide practice loads. This means I am able to practice with the same load I carry so I can be more accustomed to the exact recoil of that round and how it shoots thru my particular weapon. I have never seen any premium 45 loads available at such a low price.
I like .45 better than .40 because I shoot it better; but, in your case, I think the Glock 22 is the better choice. It’s the pistol your department issues, which means most of your officers are carrying it. Since capacity and continuity with others in your agency is what you’re looking for, I think it’s by far the better choice. Though I’m not the biggest fan of Glock pistols in .40, in your position I would start getting cozy with the 22, and for that matter the 27 as a BUG.
Both of those options are good. I would go with the Glock as the stock trigger is more shootable in my opinion and you get 50% more mag capacity. For LE work the barrier penetration of the .40 can be beneficial as well (such as through auto glass). If you are dead set on .45 though the M&P45 is one of the better options.
If yes: M&P. If it’s a Gen4: I change my mind. I’d roll a Gen4 G22/3 over an M&P .45.
But if you’re used to shooting 1911s, an M&P .45 with ambi safety, and APEX FSS, and other parts, will make it pretty 1911 like. (I like the M&P .45 MID.)
Does the M&P have the magazine disconnect like a local agency has in my area. For me that is a negative to consider in your decision. I have shot both and prefer the Glock. I also prefer the Gen 3 Glock, its proven.
I’m not sure if the first part was a question but I believe the M&Ps can be ordered with or without magazine disconnect saftey (and ambi manual thumb safety for that matter) to offer options to meet any agency’s requirements.
My choice would be the Glock. The M&P is a fine pistol without a doubt. I have a 9mm shield and I love it. I have shot every caliber M&P and I gotta say that the ergonomics are actually better than the Glock.
The reason I chose the glock is simple. It’s proven to be reliable and easy to find parts/mags for. Have you tried to find mags for any S&W lately?
If your allowed to make modifications to the trigger I’d do the M&P with an Apex kit. If not I’d go with the Glock. Every M&P I’ve shot, which is admittedly limited, has had a horrible trigger. I highly prefer the ergo’s compared to the 2x4 Glock but just can’t get over the trigger.
As far as caliber, it’s individual preference and limited by SOP in most peoples case. I prefer .40. It’s what I learned on and am most comfortable with. .45 certainly has enough proven real world results. , hard to go wrong. In the end shot placement is more important than the difference between the two.
In the end, shoot both and go with what you shoot better.
I went from my Wilson CQB to a Glock 17 by choice. 1911’s are great pistols but they require maintance and upkeep to stay reliable far more than most modern designs. That and capacity was a deciding factor for me.
Pat