M&P 45c Review... Kind of.

[Bully 749]

So, this past Saturday I went and picked up my M&P 45c from Ramsey Outdoor in Ramsey. I got the FDE version with a safety. It is my new bedside gun and will be a consistent range toy with some light steel shooting in its future.

 

On first opening the box and handling the gun I am impressed. Fit and finish is pretty solid on the gun (the box is already broken)as far as plastic guns are concerned at least. I got it to the range on Sunday. I brought 20 rounds of defensive ammo and a bunch of home rolled stuff. The gun is pretty accurate with respectable recoil management. The home rolled ammo is reduced load but still gives a bit of a pop. The defensive was a good deal more intense but still, the gun handled it well. As for accuracy, there seems to be a good bit of potential there. It hits where the sights are AS LONG AS I DO MY PART. That last statement brings me to the less positive attributes of the gun. The gun also cycled everything well with the re-loaded ammo, being loaded soft, needing a firm wrist to ensure consistent cycling. Once that got established, no hiccups at all.

 

I purchased my M&P with the thumb safety. It's a false sense of security, however I do have children in the house. My thinking is that with the safety if some dumb-assed kid finds it and decides to fiddle with it the safety MAY help the situation. Plus I can always remove it later in the game. All that said, the safety is rather vague. The clicks on/off are just not all that positive. The safety works, and works well, but it doesn't engage/dis-engage with any authority. Could be good if I need to take it off safe in a situation where being very quiet would be advantageous. Honestly the safety isn't any kind of deal breaker, more just an observation.

 

The other complaint is this: The Smith and Wesson M&P 45c has the absolute WORST trigger I have ever had a finger to. Absolutely the worst.

 

I have been very fortunate in the few years I have been shooting. I've gotten to shoot my friend's Colt revolver, an Ed Brown 1911, my own Anaconda and JM Revolver along with some crappy 2nd Gen Glocks with 10 years of donut dust in them and a Kel-Tec. So, I've shot the gamut. The M&P takes the cake as the worst. It's horrible. It's the "B" horror movie of triggers: Gritty, Creepy, and Vague. Just atrocious. I'm looking at replacing the parts with the stuff from APEX in the very near future unless anyone has another recommendation.

 

Anyway, I just figured I'd post my initial impressions of the gun and open my opinions/observations to any additional comments from the forum at large.

 

C

[High Exposure 5,664]

Topher,

 

I had a M&P 45 for a short time. The Apex kit made all the difference, buy with confidence. You do need to remove the rear sight to complete the install, so get yourself the sights you want (if you are changing them out at all) and do both at the same time. Also, APEX has a great video to guide you thorough the install.

 

I sold mine because it was just too different from the gun I am mandated to carry - Glock 22 - and I believe in the "Beware the man that carries one gun, he probably knows how to use it" theory.

 

Best of luck with it.

[67gtonut 847]

Yes..... APEX it out....

 

Either get the DCAEK Internal Kit with the External AEK Trigger

 

or

 

Complete FSS Kit ( Forward Set Sear) 

[carl_g 568]

I bought one from Troy which has the DCAEK internals and trigger and it is a joy to shoot.. The gun is super accurate and the trigger is almost as good as my PPQ in my opinion.

[BlueLineFish 615]

Way to slip in that donut dust reference..i still caught it. Its glaze...not dust

[Bully 749]

Way to slip in that donut dust reference..i still caught it. Its glaze...not dust

 

Thanks all for making me feel better about my purchase!  I am currently saving my pennies for one of the APEX kits.

 

C

 

[Bully 749]

So, I sent APEX a note asking which setup they thought might be the best for me.  Their reply was "Here are our systems, pick the one you think fits best" which is absolutely no help. 

 

Any Suggestions?

 

It's between the Forward Set Sear kit, the DCAEK kit and the Aluminum Trigger Enhancement Kit(I think that's what it's called).  I think I like the FSS setup the best but am not 100% so any help will be appreciated.

 

C

[High Exposure 5,664]

DCAEK

[carl_g 568]

DCAEK

+ the trigger.. Here you can kind of see what it looks like:

 

[Bully 749]

Is anyone making an extended mag release for this gun? I know Costa-Ludus was but those seemed to have dried up. I'd like something to make it a touch easier for me as I have some issues with my right thumb that make it iffy when dropping a mag.

 

C

[High Exposure 5,664]

I am not a huge fan of using my trigger finger for anything but controlling the trigger, but, if you just can't reach the mag release switch the mag release to "lefty-mode" and use your trigger finger to drop the mag like an HK.

[Earlswagger 13]

Topher,

I had a M&P 45 for a short time. The Apex kit made all the difference, buy with confidence. You do need to remove the rear sight to complete the install, so get yourself the sights you want (if you are changing them out at all) and do both at the same time. Also, APEX has a great video to guide you thorough the install.

I sold mine because it was just too different from the gun I am mandated to carry - Glock 22 - and I believe in the "Beware the man that carries one gun, he probably knows how to use it" theory.

Best of luck with it.

So, this is pretty much exactly as my life went. I will be using HE to answer most posts for me from now on. Lol

 

Seriously, spot on. It was a great gun, just not a glock.

[RS1200XL 4]

Just as another +1 for Apex....I just did the DCAEK and RAM....HOLY COW this gun is now awesome.  I'm going to be running it in USPSA for a bit, so I kept the stock trigger spring.  My pull is around 4-4.5lbs and is SMOOTH as silk.  The RAM really lets you know your trigger has reset.  Since I was pulling the sights anyway I also threw on some Warren Tactical sights.  But for anyone in doubt....get the DCAEK and never look back!