musicman

I feel that may be some personal bias showing through there, as honestly I have the same, but reversed. I have stated before I think the SR series guns aren't as well finished internally, showing rough machining, etc, and I feel the M&P grip is much more natural, while the gun is more aesthetically pleasing inside and out. I also hate that little bump/vertical ridge on the fingertips when holding an SR. I find the trigger on the 4-5 examples of the SRs I've shot to be nothing to write home about. I will definitely admit they are more consistent than M&P triggers which used to be all over the place. It seems Smith has both improved the design while tightened QC in the last couple years. However, I have always picked out specific M&Ps with good triggers from the get-go, while passing on some with too much grit or a heavier or inconsistent break. The SR wins on tactile reset, stock vs stock triggers. It's funny how our bias changes our sales and our perception. I like the M&Ps, among others, and know many more shooters that have and love them vs SR series guns. Off hand I can think of 3 SR series owners in my regular circle of friends who have kept theirs (meaning they liked them enough not to dump them quickly) while I can name 8 at church alone that still have and love their M&Ps. I spend a lot of time at gun stores, and have spent time behind a counter as well. I definitely have not seen the "always buy an SR after holding an M&P" that you do. In fact, the reverse. Of course, I have to point out that that may be my bias coloring my perception. I am at least admitting that. We all make our decisions based on our personal bias. Tens of thousands of each make's models being sold prove that their designs are speaking to someone. For the sake of the folks cranking out the guns on the production floor, I hope this ugly bastage of a pistol speaks to plenty of folks. It is speaking to me... yelling, actually. Yelling "Run away!" Haha! Maybe it's speaking in tongues and will be interpreted differently by others.

Yep. They're crap. I read it from an expert on the interwebz! Lol!

I look forward to hearing about your new HiPoint collection. So glad you have it all figured out! :-)

I get what you're saying, but I can see the value in finely crafted/finished items made from premium materials that perform the same function as more crude, inexpensive tools that perform a similar task. The decision matrix simply comes down to available funds and what one is willing to give up to experience the premium item. It's why rich folks buy Ferraris. And trust me, if I were rich, I'd buy one or twelve. My S80 does the same job (transport) but I'd have a heckuva lot more fun transporting in a new 488!

That's exactly what I thought!

I'm curious to hear that as well. I'm thinking this is going to be oriced higher than the SR series guns... just my guess. For truck guns from a reliable big-name mfgr, I think it's pretty tough to beat the S&W SD series guns. Under $300 brand new. A heavy trigger is about the only criticism I can throw at it, and it's light years better than the old Sigma. If I didn't already have a proliferation of M&Ps, I'd have SDs in all my "truck gun" spots. ;-)

Jericho Longmire White Collar (just fun TV) Blacklist Walking Dead All on Netflix.

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2015/12/28/breaking-ruger-release-new-polymer-framed-striker-fired-ruger-american-pistol-9mm-45-acp/ Man. These things are ugly. I like the design feature of the upswept beavertail, but all the polygonal shapes and hard lines intersecting at random all over the thing are an aesthetic nightmare. Looks like they shoot well from that one dude's test target, though. I look forward to hearing more about them.

Regardless of what caliber it was, you can greatly overcharge pretty much any case if you're using a really fast powder. (like titegroup, for instance) I'm not arguing whether this was a doublecharge, etc, just clarifying a point about powder and case volume. Yes, some recipes will use a powder that nearly or completely fills a case. Some even will compress the powder charge. (H110 in 357 or 44 mag both do that under max loads with most bullet options) However, that same case and bullet, when loaded with a fast powder will leave TONS of empty case volume. You can fit 4 charges' worth of TG in a 44 mag and throw a bullet on top if you were so inclined. All of that to simply clarify that statements like "doesn't X caliber fill the case?" Aren't as simple as they seem.

Dunno. Brand new, unknown, untested. Why not save a few bucks, step up to a cheaper, more powerful caliber, and probably a slimmer gun and get a Shield 9 without a safety, if desired? For under $400, I simply cannot find a better designed or finished EDC. I think the G43 and XDs are fine guns, too, but you have to spend $100-200 more for those. Of course, those are striker fired guns, not hammer guns like the Bersa or RIA.

Different.

Hot diggity! Thanks TDR, FourtyFive, and anonymous! I really appreciate the awesome gift! I've already had my Christmas miracle this year, as my Dad was dead off and on for about an hour on the 12th of this month. Every doctor and surgeon that has worked on him cannot believe he's still alive. Our plans definitely changed that day, but it's all fine. All the family is together here in Miami with Mom and Dad and we are soaking up God's blessings and savoring every minute. I hope you all get to do the same this Christmas. Thanks, TGO. :-)

Cool! Now it's about time to post a little family picture!

Win.

Bwahahahahaha!!! You caught me, lol! I noticed after I posted that that Witness snuck its way into that partial Smith family photo. Awesome shot of your ORIGINAL M&P and its day's work! VERY cool!

See if you can bum a backstrap from a Pro model off somebody. They have a much more aggressive stipple on them. I've already given away my spares, sorry. :-(

I'm about halfway, too. 5" 40 Pro 40 Fullsize (and 9mm barrel for caliber swap 40 Compact 2 Shield 9mms M&P10 I don't think I'm going to bother with the M&P 5.56 and .22 rifles, as I already have stuff to fit those roles. I also don't care about a .380, but would love an R8! I just got a Smith 638... dunno if I wanna spend double the money on a 340, but they're cool!

For sure! They wouldn't sell them by the truckload if nobody liked them. :-)

That's it PRECISELY! I couldn't really explain why I didn't like it, but you hit the nail on the head.

Congrats! I'm an M&P fanboy, too. :-) I hope it gives you a lifetime of great service. Like you, I thought the large grip would fit me best. I ended up with the medium on my 5" Pro as well as my compact model, and the small on my regular full size gun. Wifey shoots that one a lot and likes the smallest size best.

Was that 2022 NIB? My friend bought his at Academy for $429, came in a hard plastic case, 2 mags, HOLSTER and interchangeable backstrap. Something doesn't sound right.

Have you checked out the M&P line? Interchangeable backstraps in 3 sizes so you can choose your fit. Everyone's hand are different, and I know there are some who say the Ruger SRs fit them perfectly. I'm not one of them. I don't like the feel of the ridge on the tips of my fingers on the shooting hand, and in general the guns feels awkward and clunky to me. One of my buddies has an SR45 and I put 5 mags through it awhile back. He loves it and doesn't like my M&Ps. Different strokes for different folks. I felt the like the M&P sits lower and more comfortably in my hand and recoils more straight back. The Ruger felt very top heavy and with a strong rotational twist in the recoil impulse. The Ruger is cheaper in whatever caliber you choose, so there's that. If contemplating 9mm, I'd definitely recommend taking a look at the Sig P2022. They're usually right netween the M&P and SR series for cost. Another friend of mine just got one in .40 and I think it's probably one of the nicest guns under $500 (besides my beloved M&Ps, haha!) I'll probably have one sooner than later. That's not at all the info you asked for. Sorry. :-( I can't help myself.

Sweet! I gave that same range bag to my neighbor a few years ago, and it's really nice. He's kind of a dope sometimes, though, and not very aware of things. He built his first AR and we went to the range. He decided to use his bag as a rest, and he set it down long-ways. I told him to set it perpendicular to the gun so the muzzle blast doesn't mess with the bag. Of course, "he knows", leaves it the way it is, and 5 shots later is shooting through the fancy bag I just gave him, lol! I just started laughing like a crazy man and he looks at me puzzled... I point to the bag he just destroyed and gets to cussin'. It was classic! He couldn't understand how he could do that and I had to explain the tunnel vision he was falling prey to using that red dot and closing one eye. That's why we can't have nice things, lol!

Not at all. That's a full size doublestack. Built off an enlarged CZ75 platform. The plastic grip panels are my only complaint on the Elite Match. I'm tempted to take swap the Hogues onto the Elite and put the plastic on the standard model. :-)

No, I can get how one would think what you thought. I just am very familiar with that idea so read it the way he meant, I believe. :-)