Gun Report

Smith & Wesson M&P40 Compact No. 109003 40 S&W, $569 (Grade A- March 2013)

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A bit large for the pocket, the S&W M&P 40 compact was a well-made and interesting handgun. We would have liked tritium sights, but would not like to add a C-note to the cost. We preferred this extended magazine, which gave 11 shots.

Smith & Wesson M&P40 Compact No. 109003 40 S&W, $569 (Grade A- March 2013)

Gun Details

Manufacturer
Model Name
Model Number
Home Defense
Law Enforcement
Concealed Carry
Recreational
Price
Caliber/Gauge
Caliber Plus Cartridge
Capacity
Weight Unloaded
Warranty
Overall Length
Barrel Length
Sight Radius
Overall Height
Front Strap Height
Back Strap Height
Maximum Width
Grip Thickness Max
Grip Circumference Max
Frame Material
Barrel Material
Grip Material
Trigger Pull Single
Trigger Pull Double
Trigger Span Single
Trigger Span Double

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Our first impression of the M&P Compact was that, yes, it can fit in a big pocket, but we would not be completely happy with it there. The grip extension made it hard to get out of the pocket. A suitable concealed-carry holster would be far better, we thought, for packing this amount of powerful handgun.

Simple takedown and reassembly will go a long way toward keeping the Smith 40 working well for years. The captive recoil spring was much liked by us all.�

Though well made and fitted, and with a removable rear strap, the leather-like covering of the front and back straps of the Compact 40 did not give us enough traction.

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Gun Tests has been independently reviewing firearms since 1989. This website contains many older reviews. Unless otherwise noted, these reviews carry the guns' prices at the time of the original review