I won't personally call your gun a piece of junk, but I know quite a few people that will. For starters, when the local police department in my hometown in ND were allowed to turn in their S&W semi-autos, every single officer did so and purchased their own. I know a few of them and about the only nice thing they said about their old S&W's is they make good paperweights.

 

Some of the early 357 mag S&W pistols were so weak that a box of ammo would just about rattle the gun useless. SAAMI, in their ultimate wisdom, dropped the accepted pressures from an original designed 47,000CUPs to 42,000. Because of some of the imports that we see now a days, the pressures have again dropped according to SAAMI to 38,000. The 357 mag is just a shadow of what it once was. Some of the S&W autoloaders were junk. But some of the small frame 45acps were all but bulletproof like the 4513 carried by most CIA and Secret Service folks. They were heavy but built like a tank and extremely reliable. Like most makers of any product, they make some good ones and they make some crap.

 

All the more reason to load your own.

 

as long as it is conceled you can have it in your vehicle and they state that you can legally carry it to your house or place of employment. i carry my .40 in the console of the pickup and then take it to work with me.

 

Thats funny because i have two family members in law enforcement and they would rather have the s&w hand down. Hell my uncle borrowed my .40 for police training academy and he seems to like it. So that just goes to show that people have diffrent opinions.

 

I carry a Rossi .357 revolver w/ 3" barrell and 1' flash suppressor. Fairly inexpensive too. I only use the .38 spec. rounds for target practice, otherwise it's loaded w/ .357 hp's

 

.357 is great if you get a revolver, plus it adds the ability to shoot .38 special for cheaper target practice.

if you want the capacity of a semi-auto then im a fan of the xd45.

but the best bang for your buck is either a remington 870 or mossberg 500. basic models are less then $300, while a hi-cap home defense model for a 500 is $320 and an 870 is $340.

http://www.impactguns.com/store/015813505796.html
http://www.impactguns.com/store/047700811000.html

i prefer the ergonomics of the mossberg- the safety is right where it should be and slide release is much easier to manipulate. the shells are much easier to load too.the mossberg is also easier to add a side-saddle too.

 

the remingtons are just as easy to add a sidesaddle too. you are right about the slide release on the mossberg though. most people prefer it since its a little easier to get too. i bought my 870 back in june and have been modding it ever since. i put a sidesaddle on my roommates mossberg yesterday, and in comparison to my 870 it seems really cheap. but thats just me.

I have a .38 special s&w revolver, but i never shoot it and dont keep it loaded. i would much rather use my 12 gauge if i was to find someone in my house than the .38.

 

I have a S&W Model 19 in .357 with a 4" barrel and have had it for years. I normally shoot .38's at the range, but have it loaded with .357 HP at home. My speed loader is filled with .357 HP also. The chances that you are going to need more than 6 shots at an intruder are very slim. Most are going to flee at the first shot, if it's not lethal. Ideally, you should be able to hit "Center Mass" of the target/assailant with two shots, and a third shot to the middle of the forehead in about two to three seconds. With a revolver, this can be done, preferably a double-action. No doubt it can be done with a semi-auto, as I also have a Beretta 92FS in 9mm.
I've put Hogue grips on both of my handguns, as well as my wife's S&W Model 10, .38 Special. I myself am not a big fan of shotguns used in the house, although the racking of a round WILL GET anyone's attention! My shotguns, (Remington 1100 12-ga, Mossberg 500-12 ga, Mossberg 500-20 ga) and rifles, (Savage 110 .270, Remington in .243), are all in the gun cabinet.

I have a conceal carry permit, which is different in KS than TX, believe me!

In this part of the country, ALL AMMO is hard to find!

If you haven't done alot of shooting, try to find a self-defense class, or a handgun training class that can get you more comfortable with whatever you end up with. At least, get out to a range with someone who's knowledgeable about guns and shooting, and shoot. A gun does absolutely NO GOOD, if a person freezes up when they need to be focusing the most. Another point is, are you capable of shooting another human being? Some aren't, so a gun is useless in their hands also.

Good luck, and let's hope none of us ever needs to use any of them!

 

I favor the SP101, it will be my next revolvar.

 

You dont have to buy a new gun to get a good gun. I picked up a used Glock 30 .45ACP with a holster and two mags for $489 that was a back up gun for a local LEO and he said it was to big and went with a smaller revolver. What ever you do get something that is going to get the job done in the first three rounds you fire and start low and end high.

 

depending on the style of the slide, the slide has to be modified to accept the 6 round side saddle, like the express slide. or a 4 round side saddle must be used.

 

Although I have pistols hidden around the house, a pump 12 gauge shotgun is the best line of defense when it comes to home protection.

Mine hold 6 in the mag and 1 in the chamber. One in the chamber and the next in the mag is 00, then it rotates through slugs and 00.

My pistols are loaded by alternating between JHP and FMJ.

Always remember these two statements...

"I was in fear of my life."
"I protected myself until the threat was neutralized."

 

Even though a shot gun would be one of the best weapons of home defense, they might also cause home destruction as well , that's one reason I want a one shot stopper that is hand held but won't take out walls while destroying the intruder.

Another reason is, what if I have a shot on the person, but a family member is too close? I might have to look for another opportunity if I have a buck shot loaded shot gun, while the conditions could be more ideal of an accurate handgun.

 

There is nothing wrong with the M&P its a great gun, and thats coming from a springfield xd fanboy(I am inlove with mine, think its probably the best composit ever made). I have shot the M&P several times and they are great, a good friend of mine that just became a LEO is carrying his on duty and has had no problems with it.