Ruger P345 vs. S&W M&P 45 Compact

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Rittmeister

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Dec 31, 2002
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Discuss.

-Ergonomics
-Size/concealability
-Recoil/ease of control
-Accuracy
-Reliability
-Parts availability/cost especially magazines
-Issues/customer service in fixing those issues

Mods are a consideration - i.e. I know the M&P will be better with an Apex trigger, and the Ruger will be (subjectively) improved by removing the mag safety. Therefore I'm not necessarily comparing these two pistols ONLY in their out-of-the-box form.

Things I'm ignoring for the purpose of this discussion:
-Capacity
-Presence or absence of a thumb safety
-DA/SA vs. whatever
-Hammer vs. striker fired

Thanks for any input!
 
Ergonomics is subjective. Some will like the hand filling palm swell of the M&P and other will like the slimmer grip of the Ruger. Size goes to the M&P, unless you focus on width, then it is the Ruger. Recoil and ease of use...Ruger...hands down. It is bigger, heavier and has a longer barrel. Physics are physics. Accuracy comes down to the shooter. Both are probably more accurate than mos of us shooting them. With the longer sight radius and single action capability of the Ruger, I think it has the advantage, but again...all subjective. Both guns are not NEW, but not OLD. Ruger parts are proabably harder to come by because of how back logged the factory is, but its a Ruger, so you should need any new factory parts for the first 10 years or 100K rounds, whichever comes first. Both compainies have excellent customer service, though S&W is pretty much the stanard by which other are judged. That being said, when I have had to deal with Ruger, they went above and beyond. Additionally, you probably won't need to deal with Ruger CS becuase their guns don't really crap out. I mean, it COULD happen, but then so could winning the lottery. The only other factor is accessories, expecially holsters, availability. The M&P has become so popular with the LEO community as of late, that holster are almost as ubiquitous as for sigs and glocks...almost. At the end of the day it will come down to you holding them, and deciding which one "feels" better. The good news is you can't really go wrong with either.
 
"At the end of the day it will come down to you holding them, and deciding which one "feels" better. The good news is you can't really go wrong with either."

I agree with the above quote. I had a P345 and now have a M&P45c. They are both quality reliable guns but the M&P just takes less effort for me to hit what I am shooting at. I just point it at what I want to shoot and the bullets seem to go there. The P345 was just as accurate but I had to really concentrate and constantly adjust my grip to get the same results. Your results may be the opposite of mine.

Hopefully, you will be able to shoot them both before making the choice that is right for you.
 
I had a P345 and now have a M&P45c. They are both quality reliable guns but the M&P just takes less effort for me to hit what I am shooting at. I just point it at what I want to shoot and the bullets seem to go there. The P345 was just as accurate but I had to really concentrate and constantly adjust my grip to get the same results. Your results may be the opposite of mine.
Click to expand...

I have a P345 and a few 1911s. My 1911s are just ëasier to shoot than the 345. The 345 is accurate, but not without some effort.

Also, I found the 345 very easy to disassemble and clean.
Another thing, I have arthritis in my hand, and the 345 did not bother me as much as other guns.

Good luck!
 
Thanks for the input all.

I handled (but did not fire) a P345 today and have essentially ruled it out. I like the way it feels in hand but did not like the balance. Perhaps sometime in the future.

Now I just need to find an M&PC to fondle, or go whole hog for the full-sized gun.
 
Take a look at the Bersa thunder .45. Like you, I looked at a P345 and decided it wasn't for me. To big, didn't feel right...something about the balance. The little thunder .45 sure seems like what I'm looking for in a .45. Hunt one up and see what you think.
 
Of the two I would choose the M&P. I lusted after the Ruger for years until I finally handled one. I didn't like the way it felt at all. Personally I've migrated to the 3913 as my EDC and likely I get a 4516/4566 for my winter carry gun.
 
Rittmeister wrote,
Isn't the mid-size just the full-size frame with a shorter slide/barrel assembly? Sorta like Govt - Commander - Officer?
Click to expand...
Yes, that is correct. Using 1911 terminology, in the M&P line-up, the mid-size would be the Commander size as would the P345 be in the Ruger line-up. The P345 is a Commander size pistol as is the M&P 45 mid-size. Notice the P345 vs Commander size comparison in this GunBlast review.

http://www.gunblast.com/Ruger-P345.htm

The P345 is not a "Compact" pistol, it is more "compact" than the P90, but it is really a full size duty pistol.
 
I tried them both, and the Ruger followed me home. After shooting them both, the Ruger has stayed in the house with me. For me, it just shot, and felt, better. The M&P required me to work more to achieve the same level of accuracy. It's entirely too Glock feeling for me to feel comfortable with.

Shoot them, not just hold them.:)
 
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