Entirely personal preference
I’ve never been a big striker gun fan in general, although my first and probably favorite gun was a Walther P99 which is still a double/single. If I have to blast someone, I like knowing that I have to present the weapon, take it off save, and move through a long heavy double action pull in order to send them on.
I can’t bring myself to appreciate DA or “1.5 action/LEM/Glock/whatever” action guns. The whole reason for the hammer with decocker and safety is just for options. You cant just use your thumb to go from double to single on a striker gun. Also, on a double/single, if you have a weak strike or hard primer, you don’t HAVE to tap rack and roll. You can just pull the trigger again and see if a second strike will touch it off, or if a clearance is actually required.
No worse feeling in the world than running a drill or course and finding yourself distinctly lacking in “bang” and knowing that you have no other options than to hurriedly go through a malfunction drill. Of course having this happen when you actually NEED the weapon is far worse, but you get the idea.
I'm buying an M&P for a very short list of reasons
I’m heading into the LEO world and for the initial time period, I must furnish my own gear, which will likely be one of my USPs. I want to whore a superior product out that is still pocketbook friendly in an attempt to rid the department of glocks before I have to carry one. I have deep rooted dislike for glocks in every aspect except that they, generally speaking, go bang every time. Its not that it’s ergonomically unpleasing to me, it’s that it’s ergonomically agitating! My natural point with a glock lines up the top of the rear sight with the front of the ejection port. This issue, while mostly personal, could be hazardous to my health. The M&P is a better gun in my opinion, with lest cost and an excellent ergonomics package.
The 9mm ammo is far cheaper than the other ammo I shoot (.45, .357sig, .40, .50AE) and will allow me to have much less expensive practice sessions.
Also, since it uses equipment I already own (Surefire X200) and works with gear I’m already familiar with (safariland 6004 and so on) there is less of a learning curve.
$404 in hand is good enough for me.