If you missed yesterday’s post, the “March Madness for Defensive Firearms” was the brain child of Rob Pincus and included 16 pistols ranging from LCP to the TRP and M&P9 to a 642 (Wow, what a collection Numbers and Letters. Maybe the key to the Judge’s success is that new shooters can actually remember the name of it!)
The Glock 19 is a 4″ striker fired 9mm, holding 15+1 and is known for its reliability. The Smith and Wesson M&P9 is a 4.25″ striker fired 9mm, holding 17+1 and is known for its reliability. Current generation Glock’s can be converted easily to right or left-handed and offer multiple back-straps for different sized shooters. The Smith is fully ambidextrous and has multiple back-straps for different sized shooters. The Glock has a good trigger and sights made from cheese. The Smith has standard 3-dot sights and a trigger that stinks like cheese. Both guns cost about the same originally and cost about the same to make them serviceable.
The M&P is a little too big for me to carry daily and the capacity difference can be easily be matched with a Glock 17 mag (or nearly doubled with a happy stick)… BUT!!! If this were the requested M&P9m that I keep lobbying for, the Smith would get the win… Glock 19 Wins
The Kel-tec Ruger is a small 7+1 .380 pocket pistol that doesn’t lock back and can be had for under $300. The M&P holds 10+1 of JMB’s own .45ACP and is among the best .45 caliber fighting pistols ever made. I’m not sure there could be a larger difference between 2 pistols. The 45 is a great combat/duty sized weapon but a little too big to be carried every day (for the record the M&P45c is about the size of a Glock 19!). The .380 is the definition of pocket-able but carries fewer and less powerful rounds. Ultimately I think the LCP is a little too small and the lack of anything that could be honestly called “sights” has to be held against it… Smith & Wesson M&P45 Wins
This is the gun writers challenge! (Talk 45′s, shoot 9mm’s and carry .38′s.). The 642′s smaller size, ability to be shot from a pocket and while in contact an attacker is a big benefits for a defensive firearm. But real men carry full size 1911′s, it is the gun that was delivered by John Moses Browning and it makes big holes. Your not under gunned with either one in your hand, but I can’t easily draw a 5″ 1911 and I can put my hand in my pocket… Smith & Wesson 642 Wins
I have admitted preferences toward striker fired, polymer pistols and the Sig 226 is a metal, DA/SA hammer fired pistol. I even said in round 1 that neither SIG could beat the Glock 26 or the M&P9c, so the fix is obviously in. That doesn’t mean that Sigs are junk or that they aren’t good defensive pistols, it just means I don’t care for them… Sig 226 Loses
As a wrap-up to the Elite 8: We had 2 match-ups that were nearly too close to call, a match up of historical power houses and Sig that never stood a chance.
The match-ups for the final 4 include 3 Smith & Wesson’s, 2 9mms and a revolver (You could read that a strength of the S&W line, but it might make more sense to interpret as defensive firearms can come in many forms):
- Glock 19 vs Smith & Wesson M&P45
- Smith & Wesson 642 vs Smith & Wesson M&P9c
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!”
