Smith & Wesson Archives

Something about the company
A part of the American gun history, Smith & Wesson has been around since 1852. Their pistols and revolvers are part of standard equipment in police forces and armies around the world, as well as part of the popular culture, made famous by Hollywood in such movies as Dirty Harry. Today they produce rifles, sport guns as well as knives, but their mainstay still boasts a line of pistols, such as the M&P45 series we will be discussing today.

Ergonomics and Recoil
The design of the new MP model is still reminiscent of the Glock 17 which S&W have copied in the past (ending up in a lawsuit), however it is changed just enough to not cause any issues. The shape now has an ideal angle between the barrel and the thin, comfortable grip, allowing for a better balance. With 158 mm in height, 205 mm in length, 35 mm in width, the gun is a standard issue when it comes to combat weapons, neither small nor large. The frame is plastic, but it is not a polymer, but Zytel (DuPont), a different, harder material, which in the end results in a somewhat lessened recoil when compared to a steel option. However, this could be the result of a thicker grip, distributing pressure more.

Trigger and Accuracy
MP 45 has a trigger pull of 3,500 daN and the trigger travel of 8mm. It is striker fired, and in tests it managed to group shots in 48 to 92 mm at 25m distance, which would make for an excellent personal weapon, and reliable in combat as well. There is a Picatinny rail on the service version which can be used for laser sights and flashlights and the Novak sights are pretty awesome, with white spots in case of poor visibility.

Reloading and Disassembly
As far as the chamber is concerned it is a little tightly cut which might prove difficult for some types of ammunition to chamber correctly. Perhaps a maximum ammunition gauge would be a wise purchase to use with this gun. On the plus side, it is adapted for both the right-handed and the left-handed people, with the magazine release on both sides. The slide break is also available on both sides, melted into frame. Apart from adjusting the grip to your hand, the long steel axis with a sling swivel serves as a tool for the disassembly as well, which is not the best solution.

Reliability and Durability
Since it is using somewhat harder plastic it should be sturdier as well, however, despite the expectations of the designers, do not expect it to last above 12,000 bullets fired. The steal parts will serve you alright and look good with black melonite protection.

Final Verdict
There is definitely a place in the market for this gun, with the good looks and a brand name behind it. The plastic frame does not bode well for a long term use, but it will outlive the polymer versions out there and it does reduce recoil. If you pay attention to the type of ammo, you will reduce the occurence of bullets not chambering. The gun range results are pretty satisfying and the Novak sights are a nice addition, however the overly complicated disassembly drives the ranking further down.

Derek Finegan is the Editor at State of Guns and is a fan of firearms. But his favorite is the cold, cold blade. One might disagree with him, but it is tough to contradict a man with that big of a machete collection in the living room.

When Smith & Wesson came out with their new polymer pistol in 2005 to compete with Glock they came out swinging. To leave no doubt as to whom they were marketing it for they named it the M&P, or Military & Police. Today about 300 police department around the United States have adopted the M&P and many believe the M&P is the front-runner in replacing the M9 for the Army.

The success of the M&P doesn’t lie in doing something different, but doing a lot of things right. It has a positive safety and ambidextrous controls. Although being a lightweight polymer gun, it balances well and features high capacity steel magazines. It was also the first gun to perfect the adjustable back straps, so you’re sure to get a comfortable grip. It possesses Glock-like reliability with a great fit and finish. Finally, it’s just fun to shoot. Follow-up shots are quick and the trigger is great.

Ergonomics and Recoil

Although introduced on the SW99, the M&P is the first pistol to really perfect interchangeable backstraps. Having the option of three different sized backstraps with different palm swells, as well as a fourth option (being able to shoot the M&P with no backstrap) is ingenious. It means that those shopping for a pistol won’t need to reject the M&P just because of the feel of the grip. It also means that police forces and militaries can buy in bulk and know each soldier will be provided a firearm with a custom fit. In addition to the backstraps, the M&P just feels right with its comfortable and natural feeling grip. The M&P is a joy to shoot and a lot of that has to do with the lack of perceived recoil. This most likely has to do with the fact that the M&P sits low on the hand and recoil seems to go straight back.

Trigger and Accuracy

The trigger on the M&P is light and smooth. It is about 6 pounds but it feels lighter. It is also very consistent because of having to be reset by the slide after each pull. The sights on the M&P are a three-dot pattern and easy to adjust. For our pistol reviews we don’t place too much of an importance on accuracy. However, from simply firing the M&P we could tell it is a very accurate handgun and easily surpasses many of the other handguns in this review with regards to accuracy.

Reloading and Disassembly

Reloading was easily achieved and although we are all right handed, the ambidextrous magazine release is a huge plus for those who are left-handed. However, we took one point off because of the magazine release safety. Overall, disassembly of the M&P is an absolute breeze and ranks right up there with some of the best takedown designs. There is a slightly tricky step of pushing down a tiny yellow lever through the open chamber before you can remove the slide. It’s an annoying step, but one that forces the shooter to retract the slide before disassembly. However, we didn’t subtract any points since you can always dry fire it to get the slide off.

Reliability and Durability

We didn’t have any problems with our M&P at the range. Reliability in general should be pretty good as it incorporates a stainless steel guide rod and the slide only connects with the frame in four places, allowing more dirt to escape than with a full-length rail designs. We would expect long-term durability to match that of the Glock, but don’t feel right ranking it as high as the Glock’s proven design. In addition, Smith & Wesson released the results of a 50,000 round test and noted some of the smaller parts had to be replaced. One thing we like, however, is the metal magazines that should provide years of flawless use.

Final Verdict

The M&P is one of the finest pistols on the market and should definitely be considered by anyone looking to buy a polymer pistol. Smith & Wesson had the advantage of studying the Glock for years as it replaced their Revolvers as the most popular police sidearm. They took everything agencies and shooters love about the Glock and kept it, while improving on its weaknesses. The result is our choice for the best polymer full size pistol.

Ranked #1 of 10 in our Best Polymer Handgun Comparison

Smith & Wesson MP45 Review

Smith & Wesson M&P Review