Do you know why the Glock 19 seems to be more popular than the M&P9c?


Mid-sized M&P9

A gun that I consider to be the holy grail concealed carry.

In the past few days I have had a chance to speak with 2 representative from Smith & Wesson and I asked them both… Do you think we will ever see a Mid-Sized M&P?

Both of them told me no because…

“The M&P 9c is so similar in size.”

Since When the Balloon Goes Up! is data driven, I went and looked at the data.  After all, that is the reason that we have our on-going survey posted asking “what other WTBGU! readers carry?” and we refer to it often.  It helps us determine what topics and gear we cover and what models we support in the store.

Of the nearly 290 responses we have had to date, 117 people identified that they carried polymer pistols with 5 or more responses. The Glock 19 is the far and away most popular.

popularity_model

If it was just that, I would chalk it up to the fact that both of the primary authors of this blog carry Glock 19’s and we both compete with Glocks… maybe our readership is just Glock biased?

Then the Ruger 9c is claimed to be carried more than the M&P 9c! That is hard to explain.

Model Count Class Caliber Std Capacity Height Length Width
Glock 19 32 Compact 9mm 15 4.99 7.36 1.18
Glock 26 19 Sub-Compact 9mm 10 4.17 6.49 1.18
Kahr PM/CM9 13 Single Stack 9mm 6 4.00 5.42 0.90
Ruger SR9c 10 Sub-Compact 9mm 10 4.61 6.85 1.27
Glock 23 9 Compact 40 S&W 13 4.99 7.36 1.18
S&W M&P 9C 8 Sub-Compact 9mm 12 4.30 6.70 1.20
S&W M&P 9 6 Full-Size 9mm 17 5.50 7.63 1.20
Ruger LC9 5 Single Stack 9mm 7 4.50 6.00 0.90
Glock 17 5 Full-Size 9mm 17 5.43 8.03 1.18
Glock 27 5 Sub-Compact 40 S&W 9 4.17 6.49 1.18
M&P Shield 5 Single Stack 9mm 7 4.60 6.10 0.95

The 9c is larger in every dimension, has less aftermarket support, doesn’t have a real full size competition option, nearly never gets mentioned on the blog and it carries less rounds.

Then I got to wondering, is it that people just prefer the slightly larger size of the Glock 19 to the other models?

popularity_model.class

Since it is a virtual dead heat between the Compact Size, in this chart defined as a Compact Glock, which is the smallest gun I can get a full-firing grip on and the, and the Sub-compact double stacks I didn’t think that was the case.

Until I looked at what guns Glock 19 carriers compete with…

glock19_comp

1/3 compete with the gun they carry.
Another 1/3 use a larger Glock
2/3 of the remainder use a 1911, which I have to assume is a nostalgia or class choice
The rest is split between Smith and Wesson and Springfield

Since I carry and compete with a Glock 19, I have to assume that I draw a readership that does the same so I am back to maybe my results are indicative of the whole picture.

So here is the question… Why do you think the M&P 9c seems to be under represented in these numbers?

Are you a biased bunch, drawn by the fact that Lee and I shoot Glocks? — Or  – Is the M&P 9c truly that much less popular? If so, why? (Too small to compete with, too wide to conceal, carries too much ammo, mushy stock trigger, don’t like the grip…) 

About

Ron is the Founder and President of When the Balloon Goes Up! He competes regularly in IDPA as an ESP/Expert, his focus is on concealed carry, home defense and analyzing equipment to find “Gear that Just Works!”

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  • cryptical

    I’m going to guess one of the reasons is that Glock 19 came out in 1988, the M&P in 2005. I carry a Glock 19 based entirely on experience. I’d try the M&P, but changing over would require a substantial investment in mags and holsters. I don’t know anyone who has one that I can try and I’m not that interested in buying a new pistol just to check it out.

  • Davey

    I have heard the following advise:
    If you want a 9mm, get the Glock.
    If you want a .45, get the M&P.
    If you want a .40, make up your damned mind and pick a 9mm or a .45.

    Can’t say I disagree. OTOH, the compact M&P is actually the Shield and that isn’t very well established in the marketplace. Give it a few years and these results may change.
    Oh, and yeah. Glock 19 IWB, but I have carried on a torrid affair for 20 years with my 1911.

    • ronlarimer

      I’m definately enjoying the comments to this post!

      While I am a fan of the 9mm and by the looks of the data so are the majority of the readers, I use a slight variation of your saying…

      If you want a Glock get a 9mm, if you want a .40 get an M&P.

      Because if its age, the Glock was designed to be a 9mm and has some issues with 40, but similarly the S&W was designed with 40 in mind for law enforecement.

    • Josh Apple

      The S&W Shield is actually slimmer than the M&P compact. Both are great but I believe the Shield is more versatile.

      • http://balloongoesup.com Ron Larimer

        I carry the Shield a good bit too. It is the focus of the series I am doing on appendix carry!

  • SteveG

    I think part of it is related to timing with the Glock being the veteran in the field. The other is size. The M&P 9c has about the same size and feel as my S&W 469. The Glock 19 feels more like my Colt CCO which is my preferred carry piece. Finally we come to the cost to change. A while back I looked at switching from a 1911 platform to the Glock or M&P. The cost of the gun, mags, holster, recommended modifications etc. came up to about $1200 for both platforms. Yes about the cost of one 1911, but I already own the 1911 and all of the gear to support it. I suspect the same goes for Glock owners looking at the M&P. Why spend the money when what you have already works?

    I do plan to switch to the M&P 45c as funds allow simply because they are cheaper to replace. You can’t really say the same in the M&P v. Glock debate.

    • Evan

      Yep. Time in the market. The G19′s been around a lot longer.

  • JMD

    I’m a relative newcomer to the field of pistols. When my wife and I decided to get some handguns, we (mostly I) did our research and then went out and shot several different models. Not having previous experience with anything, the only biases we brought with us were from the numerous articles we read about the merits (or lack thereof) of each brand.

    Going into our trials, the Glock 19 and M&P9 were at the top of our list. The Glock stayed there, but the M&P’s squishy trigger did it for us. I’m told you get used to it, but I didn’t see any reason to “get used to” a gun when another perfectly good model was available that I didn’t have to “get used to”.

    • http://balloongoesup.com Ron Larimer

      What did you think of the Glock sights?

  • Josh Apple

    I have had a Glock 19 for years and love it but at least for me it is too larger for concealed carry. I was able to pick up a S&W Shield 9mm last year and absolutely love it. I wish that Glock would learn from the success of the Shield and build a similarly sized model. The Glock 26 is just too chunky compared to the Shield.

  • http://www.facebook.com/kenneth.lewis Ken Lewis

    Honestly, the biggest thing for me is a detail: the grip length. When I carry a gun that’s shorter than my palm, I pinch my hand on the reload, and it HURTS, and I don’t trust the seat of the magazine. On the other hand, I don’t want a longer grip than necessary, because it prints. Guns that are about 5″ high just fit in my hand perfectly (Glock 19). I don’t want 5 1/2″ (Glock 17, M&P fs) because of that extra 1/2″. I don’t want 4 1/2″ inches (M&P c) because of the reloads. I carry a S&W 442 as a backup for that exact reason. It’s just a sweet spot, and Glock hits it. If S&W came out with a midsize, I’d switch in a heartbeat.

    For that matter, things like what Glock has done with the Glock 30 and 36, where the mag extension make it 5″, but they just won’t put a 5″ grip on it, make no sense to me. Why not just admit that the gun is 5″ high, put a flat base plate on it, and make us all happier? Why court un-reliablility with mag extensions that you put pressure on with your grip? S&W got that one right with the M&P 45c.

  • Ben C

    I have 2 M&P9s and had a 9c, I don’t have any Glocks. The 9c was too short for me to shoot well without a LOT more practice, or feel particularly comfortable on reloads. The short grip seemed give me a little more trouble on drawing from concealment also. Ken hits the the nail on the head as far as grip size goes, I just prefer a slightly larger grip than he does, and have no interest in a mid size. The 4.25″ barrel full size feels pretty close to a mid size to me already.

  • Tam

    Smith’s size strategy already splits the difference between the 19 and 17 with the full-size M&P and the difference between the 26 and 19 with the compact. There’s too little room, sizewise, to slip another model in between them in the catalog, as it would inevitably end up poaching sales from both.

    Besides, I’m not sure I’d consider a sample size of 117 particularly dispositive of the industry as a whole.

    • ronlarimer

      I don’t completely disagree with any of your statements. In fact I went as far as to say that my choices may have poisioned the well in even getting unbiased results, from 117.

      That said, 117 if it were a good sample would provide an 11.93% confidence interval at a 99% confidence level. So the numbers would be good enough to say that the Glock is more preferred than the Smith.

      So that brings us back to why?

      Is the 3 model, model superior? Why is a gun that objectively compropable and subjectively preferred by most not more popular?

  • Foghorn Leghorn

    I am new to the world of handguns. I had always shot shotguns, and .22 rifles. Last spring I decided to get a handgun for conceal carry, and home defense. I did a whole lot of research and finally narrowed my choices down to the M&P9c and the Glock 26. I went to a range shot the both equally well, but the M&P9c just felt better to me. Add the fact that it had a higher capacity in the flush fitting mag, and was made in America, it was a now brainer for me. Since then I have caught the bug and have added a XDM and a Glock 19 to my collection. I keep my XDM and Glock in the safe and EDC the M&P9C. I love it and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone.

  • agksimon

    I like the grip angle better on the M&P9c, than the Glock 19. I shoot IDPA with mine and it just points better and my scores are slightly higher. Boils down to personal preference.

    • ronlarimer

      That is the point… Most people prefer the M&P, but more people carry the Glocks… Why?

  • http://twitter.com/firebornarms Fire Born Arms

    The Glock 19 was the first pistol I bought for a couple of reasons. First, it offers a great balance between shootability and size for concealment. When I only had the money for one gun, this was very important to me. I almost bought an M&P9 because it’s roughly the same size, but the Glock is lighter and just feels a little better in my hand.

    My wife, however, has tiny hands. For her handgun, we bought the M&P9c. Her fingers are too short for a Glock, ut do great with an M&P. The grip length isn’t an issue for her either.

    Having carried both, I still much prefer the Glock because it’s lighter, even fully loaded.

  • aczarnowski

    I wonder what the numbers would be if you asked people who got serious about pistols after 2006? Once the M&P got through it’s teething phase. My wild assed guess is you’d be about even in Glocks and M&Ps.

  • Michael Bane

    Yo bro…I have a couple of G19s, which I use for Road Guns since I got the dot sights on ‘em. Also, since Colorado is falling under the Shadow, the G19s with a standard 15-round mag is Colorado-safe (mine, I never thought I’d be writing that!). Still, the SR9c is my daily carry. If I need something a tad bit smaller, it’s a Sig P938. I had and M&P, took a class at GUNSITE with it, but eventually swapped it out…

    Michael B

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