[snscott]

You know, we're always telling people to "get the gun that fits them the best", and I think we'd all agree completely with that. However, I think the M&P gets the short end of the stick here because with the three palm swells you truly get THREE DIFFERENT FEELING GUNS. Except the gun stores where I have seen the M&P only have the one that comes pre-installed on it in the display case. So this is not really fair to the M&P to tell people to hold/rent several guns to see which they like the feel of better because they're missing out on 2/3rd's of their options with the M&P.



If people don't think to ask about trying the other grips, they might easily pass up the perfect fitting gun for themselves. How many people have passed on the M&P because they just didn't quite like the feel of the medium grip, but would have fallen in love with the small or large grip had they tried them?



Am I making any sense here? I think in telling people about the M&P you can not stress this point enough.



Have you guys seen stores displaying the other two grips and/or allowing people to switch them out?

 

[DesertRat]

I've thought about this too. I looked at the M&P in 3 different stores before buying mine. And to answer your question, . . . none of them had the other grips displayed or even mentioned them.

I also feel that some people behind the counter sometimes have about as much or less knowledge of the guns under the glass as the customers do.

Don't get me wrong, there are also many knowledgeable, although sometimes opinionated, sellers as well.

I was at Cabelas about a month ago and of course gravitated towards the handguns (even though my M&P is just a new-born). Along side of me at the counter was a lady wanting to buy a handgun for SD and it became apparent as she spoke with the clerk that she did not have a great understanding of firearms. I sympathized with her wanting a: reliable, easy to operate, plenty-of-firepower, do-the-job handgun. Since she wanted the "best", he didn't hesitate to show her the line of HK's! (nothing against H&K). He even mentioned at one point about maybe getting a shotgun. I'm no firearms defense expert but, the person behind the counter should be informed and experienced especially for the lay person looking to buy.

But maybe I'm just too opinionated. If she did buy the H$K (pun intended) maybe that was a good choice. I wouldn't argue with a lady behind an H&K.

And too, maybe a striker fired weapon with no manual safety wouldn't be a good choice either for a novice. But then again neither would a shotgun :!:

Yes, the M&P with the other grips on display would be great. I think this would really get peoples attention for the M&P.

 

[coati858]

Actually, when my wife and I were in the store, our helper did, in fact, mention the different size grip inserts (we were looking for something that both fit my wife's hands and that she could manipulate the slide).. The only problem was our sample gun was so brand new that neither of us could get the tool out to swap the insert at the time.



Fortunately, even the medium insert felt better to her than anything else that didn't have too tough of a slide. :wink:



Now she likes the small the best, and the medium fits me best. And the tool now is much easier to remove. They ought to lube those or "break them in" at the factory.

 

[YukonGlocker]

Yes, my local gun store had the other grip inserts there for you to try.

 

[ToolMaker]

All three of the stores where I saw the M&P had the different palm swells with them; and talked about them.

If a person is serious about the “feel” of a weapon and they are standing there looking at three different sets of palm swells and they blow it off because they don’t like the feel of the ones that are on it….. They are too stupid to own the M&P and we don’t want them buying one anyway because they will find this forum and do more stupid things.

 

[akr]

He he he he

 

[4arrows]

I am a patron of a great gunstore here in TX, and the different grips were a selling point that the guy behind the counter told me about. Now, i have spent many hours in this store, and let me tell you that the handgun salesman here is great, he is not partisan about makes or models, and he spends time with the customer to educatate them so they can make the best decision possible. On the other hand there is another store that i go to every once in a while, the has a salesman that is constantly pushing what he considers to be the "best". When i went in there, he didnt mention the grips, and basically blew me off when i saked about the M&P, saying something about growing up and shooting a "real Gun". Now, can you guess which store i go to to buy guns? ANd can you also guess which store i recommend others to go to when they a in the market for one? For those out there that dont do as much research as some of us before buying a gun, their only reference is the salesman in the store, and i hope that that salesman is there for for the customer, instead of just to push a specific product line.



4>---->

 

[91xlt]

When I bought mine...I was in the market for a .40 cal.

I did not do a ton of research, and would ask salesman about the different firearms they had. To cut to the chase I had looked at a few, then between budget and not at all desiring to order anything I came down to 2 firearms.

For me it came down to a Glock or the M&P.

The salesman gladly handed me both and let me fondle them until I had clearly made my choice in the M&P...It just felt SOOOO much better in grip and balance in my hand.

When I chose the "Smith and Wesson" he stated yeah...thats the M&P...great gun, did not want to sway you but ya made a great choice.

It had med grips on it...went and fired a hundred or so rounds w/med grip then fired with large grip...to me I handle that weapon, and it feels and acts great with the large!!

 

[TxPhantom]

I give up. Where is it?

I am a patron of a great gunstore here in TX, and the different grips were a selling point that the guy behind the counter told me about. Now, i have spent many hours in this store, and let me tell you that the handgun salesman here is great, he is not partisan about makes or models, and he spends time with the customer to educatate them so they can make the best decision possible. On the other hand there is another store that i go to every once in a while, the has a salesman that is constantly pushing what he considers to be the "best". When i went in there, he didnt mention the grips, and basically blew me off when i saked about the M&P, saying something about growing up and shooting a "real Gun". Now, can you guess which store i go to to buy guns? ANd can you also guess which store i recommend others to go to when they a in the market for one? For those out there that dont do as much research as some of us before buying a gun, their only reference is the salesman in the store, and i hope that that salesman is there for for the customer, instead of just to push a specific product line.



4>---->

Texas is a big state where is your favorite gun shop located and what is the name? I live in Frisco (just north of Dallas), is it close to me?

I shop at Academy quite often and have bought several guns (4) from them. Good gun shows usually have the best prices. My biggest complaint is that darn trigger lock on the guns at Academy! How in the world can you get the feel of a gun with a trigger lock on it?

I have been carrying a SW9VE for quite a while and got used to the larger grip. When I bought my MP40 I started off shooting it with the medium grips and it just didn't feel right. Finallly switched to the large grips and it really feels good now.

I've also noticed that the gun feels better with a loaded magazine. It just seems to settle in the hand better. But I guess it's a good thing that gun stores wont let you try it that way. :roll: