Smith and WessonM&P in 45...your thoughts?

[Randy Harris]

I got a police trade in Gen 1 MP45 a couple of years ago. To make the short story long, I was tasked with going through a batch of M&P .45 guns we got in at work and checking for broken parts since these were police trades and they ran the gamut from barely used to barely usable....(how the heck do you break BOTH slide releases off?)

Anyway, I found a nice one that the only thing wrong was the magazine follower stuck an inch down in the mag tube. I asked the powers that be if they'd sell me one of those "broken ones" at cost and they said "ok". So I switched out the mag for a good one and ended up with a "very good to excellent" M&P 45 for $285. I didn't especially want an M&P45 before that but it just kind of fell into my hands. It was close in feel to the Glocks I was used to , and I was wanting to make Master in IDPA in CDP since it was the only division left I wasn't Master in and I didn't want to go buy a full size Glock .45 just to shoot an IDPA classifier....besides $285 is a smokin deal even on a gen 1 M&P .

The trigger was less than ideal but it was better than "awful". I have not yet put in any of the Apex trigger stuff , I just added Warren Sevigney fiber optic sights and shot it a bunch to get used to it. I missed making master the 1st time I shot it in a classifier due to it just not liking the "gamer" 185 gr winchester flat point ammo I was shooting. It had 2 or 3 malfunctions which is hard to recover from in an IDPA classifier . So I dropped back to using full power 230 gr FMJ and I finally made Master with it. And with that gun it is quite ironic for "Custom Defensive Pistol". The only CUSTOM thing about it is in matches I do the "ghetto grip reduction" by just simply removing the backstrap altogether and running it without a backstrap on it which makes it feel about like the same size grip as a Gen 3 G17.

I have handled the M2.0 M&P 45 and the trigger is better and the grips are grippier but for me the original version is functional enough. Now for full disclosure I carry a G17 daily and was never going to be carrying that gun for serious use but if for some reason I was going some place that only allowed 10 rd mags I might be tempted to roll with the $285 Mp45 .

[Sensei]

I'm reasonably happy with this pistol's (surplus 1.0 45) stock trigger, to be honest. It's not great, but it's totally workable. Was not the limiting factor to my marksmanship when I took it out this past weekend.

I suggest this if you want it to be great:

https://store.apextactical.com/WebDi...Details/191851

[Nephrology]

I suggest this if you want it to be great:

https://store.apextactical.com/WebDi...Details/191851

I actually am pretty sure I have a complete Apex trigger in my parts bin somewhere. Bought it for my 1st M&P45, but never got around to getting a pusher for the rear sight. I do have a semi decent universal pusher now... might be worth the effort one of these afternoons.

[Wayne Dobbs]

I got a police trade in Gen 1 MP45 a couple of years ago. To make the short story long, I was tasked with going through a batch of M&P .45 guns we got in at work and checking for broken parts since these were police trades and they ran the gamut from barely used to barely usable....(how the heck do you break BOTH slide releases off?)

Anyway, I found a nice one that the only thing wrong was the magazine follower stuck an inch down in the mag tube. I asked the powers that be if they'd sell me one of those "broken ones" at cost and they said "ok". So I switched out the mag for a good one and ended up with a "very good to excellent" M&P 45 for $285. I didn't especially want an M&P45 before that but it just kind of fell into my hands. It was close in feel to the Glocks I was used to , and I was wanting to make Master in IDPA in CDP since it was the only division left I wasn't Master in and I didn't want to go buy a full size Glock .45 just to shoot an IDPA classifier....besides $285 is a smokin deal even on a gen 1 M&P .

The trigger was less than ideal but it was better than "awful". I have not yet put in any of the Apex trigger stuff , I just added Warren Sevigney fiber optic sights and shot it a bunch to get used to it. I missed making master the 1st time I shot it in a classifier due to it just not liking the "gamer" 185 gr winchester flat point ammo I was shooting. It had 2 or 3 malfunctions which is hard to recover from in an IDPA classifier . So I dropped back to using full power 230 gr FMJ and I finally made Master with it. And with that gun it is quite ironic for "Custom Defensive Pistol". The only CUSTOM thing about it is in matches I do the "ghetto grip reduction" by just simply removing the backstrap altogether and running it without a backstrap on it which makes it feel about like the same size grip as a Gen 3 G17.

I have handled the M2.0 M&P 45 and the trigger is better and the grips are grippier but for me the original version is functional enough. Now for full disclosure I carry a G17 daily and was never going to be carrying that gun for serious use but if for some reason I was going some place that only allowed 10 rd mags I might be tempted to roll with the $285 Mp45 .

Put in the Apex firing pin block and sear. It made both my M&P 45s whole new creatures. I think they're a real sleeper gun.

[Nephrology]

Put in the Apex firing pin block and sear. It made both my M&P 45s whole new creatures. I think they're a real sleeper gun.

I'll probably also want to put a new trigger return spring too - the trigger on my my M&P45 midsize was just a little too light for duty/carry with the sear alone. Haven't installed the FPB yet, though.

[Suvorov]

I have a first gen 45 and it's been a wonderful pistol since I put the Apex sear in. The trigger was heavy and inconsistent before that. Accuracy has been impressive and in my hands indistinguishable from my target grade 1911. I just don't shoot mine much because - too many guns........

Here in Kalifornia behind enemy lines if I came across a NIB first gen pistol for $400 I would have the credit card out so fast it would probably melt.

[Nephrology]

I have a first gen 45 and it's been a wonderful pistol since I put the Apex sear in. The trigger was heavy and inconsistent before that. Accuracy has been impressive and in my hands indistinguishable from my target grade 1911. I just don't shoot mine much because - too many guns........

Here in Kalifornia behind enemy lines if I came across a NIB first gen pistol for $400 I would have the credit card out so fast it would probably melt.

Given the non-0 odds that I will end up in a ban state at some point in the next 10yrs (against my will, for sure) $250 delivered and transferred to me was impossible to pass up.

[Randy Harris]

Put in the Apex firing pin block and sear. It made both my M&P 45s whole new creatures. I think they're a real sleeper gun.

Thanks Wayne, I will take your advice and give that a try. I like the feel of gun alright , I'm just not a big fan of the trigger and I have just been hesitant to spend extra $$ to upgrade it. Like I said its not "awful" but it is certainly not good either. Maybe that stuff will make mine a whole new creature too.....

[DocGKR]

My M&P45's have been nearly as accurate and just as reliable as any of the custom high-end 1911's I used to use, for a fraction of the cost and maintenance....

[Randy Harris]

My M&P45's have been nearly as accurate and just as reliable as any of the custom high-end 1911's I used to use, for a fraction of the cost and maintenance....

In all honesty I'm pretty sure my early reliability issues with that gun was simply due to the fact I was using the light loaded Winchester 185 grain flat point (USA45A) with the standard recoil spring. I'll bet if I used a weaker recoil spring it would have run better.

I just hate having to get a new recoil spring to reliably run " gamer" ammo and that is why I just went back to running 230gr ball and gripping the gun like I was mad at it.......