Trying a new pew platform?

In my limited experience as a gun owner, I have been a Glock owner only. Let me clarify, I have been on the Glock platform, be it a Polymer 80 or Shadow Systems or some other secondary market that supports the Glock components. It is widely known that Glocks are the most commonly purchased type of gun in the firearms industry. My very first was a Glock 19 (polymer 80) which is also one of the most tried and tested guns in the entire field. I have been an advocate for platform consistency for ease of use and muscle memory. I feel that being a Glock owner is significantly easier that other platforms given the ease of maintenance, parts availability and after market customization support. I would liken the Glock platform to Honda in the automotive field. Glocks are easy to use, commonly supported in the field and readily available at any firearms store. But, as I have been improving my skills and growing in my knowledge I have been exposed to other platforms through some testing and reviews with my friends at the range. Recently I have had the opportunity to test out a CZ, SIG, Smith & Wesson, Archon and Walther. Each one of these platforms I tested were striker fire pistols like my Glock as an opportunity to see what the competitive market offers. Each one had their pros and cons and only 1 draw my eyes away from my beloved Glocks I have invested so much time and money into. The Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 platform immediately caught my attention. Some of my gripes or issues I have with the Glock platform seemed to be improved by Smith & Wesson. I had the opportunity to test a friend 5″ 2.0 and a Compact 2.0 at the same time! Allow me to clarify. I first tested the 5″ or “Full Size” 2.0 and really enjoyed shooting it. It performed wonderfully and was easy to use without any training. But the grip frame size was a bit too big for my personal preference, which I commented “this shoots great, if it came in a Compact frame I would buy one”. Which immediately my friend came in and removed the slide from the 5″ frame and installed the Compact frame on the 5″ slide. Instantly the idea of a quick modular frame and slide change blew my mind! This was something I didn’t know was possible as the Glock platform doesn’t support this. I digress, the compact frame fit perfectly in my hand and reminded me or my trust Glocks. I then put some shots down range and instantly felt a connection with the gun. After that range review and hands on experience I started my deep dive in YouTube reviews, google reviews, instagram photos and posts and became infatuated. What I discovered was that this M&P 2.0 was similar to a Glock in every way, but more refined and updated where Glock lacked the improvements. The grip texture in hand is incredibly more aggressive and optimal for humid climates (where I live). Another grip improvement was the modularity of grip back straps. Which was another selling point for me. The M&P 2.0 comes with 4 grip back strap options for a variety of grip sizes. I am a fan of this so that the gun can fit multiple owners, to the point that all of my “Glocks” use Shadow System frames with a modular back strap as well. The second instant improvement I noticed was the take down switch/lever to take the gun apart for maintenance and upgrades. For the Glock platform I always have to purchase an “extended control” to help me get a solid grasp on the lever to take the slide off for maintenance. This lever requires 2 fingers to take the slide down and a second hand to move the slide back and just is a bit cumbersome for most users. However upon first glance and hands on experience the M&P 2.0 has a single lever that you simply flip down when the slide is in a locked position and it allows the slide to be taken off for maintenance/upgrades. Its a flat lever and easy to access with 1 hand, SO SIMPLE! Finally, what set me on the purchase hunt was the rave reviews I found of the performance this M&P 2.0 gives when paired with the APEX flat face trigger. Which coincidentally was the same trigger on the gun that I shot at the range..and I will say that is a winning combination. I found many of the high performing trainers, instructors and competition shooters loved the maintainability and performance that the M&P 2.0 delivered with its improved natural grip angle.

So I was sold, I did my research, had a hands on experience I just needed to find a trusted seller where I could acquire one. Which of course the folks at Brownells had them in stock. I immediately went to their site and purchased my M&P 2.0 Compact. It arrived 3 days later and is just a thing of beauty. Its simple but refined and ready for me to make some updates for my needs before it goes into my range bag for some testing against my Glocks. I made a YouTube video talking about the gun in more detail. Check it out here.