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M&P for IDPA

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So I'm looking to give IDPA once I get back into shooting a bit more (haven't been to the range in quite some time). I'm pretty sure I'm going with the M&P M2.0 in 9mm. Is 5" really going to make much of a difference over 4.25"?

 

Thought about the Glock 34 which would give me 5.3" but I haven't liked any of the Glocks I have held. 

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Sight radius is what is important. In general the longer the barrel the longer the sight radius. That will give you more accurate shots. It's not really an issue until you have to hit the targets further away. I used to shoot IDPA with a 9mm Springfield XD 3" barrel subcompact. The longer shots were where I added a lot of time to my score in penalties.

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4.25 to 5.3" will not produce much difference in accuracy. Many people shoot worse with a longer sight radius as it exaggerates the natural sight wobble.

That's what I was thinking but I keep seeing "went with 5" for IDPA for the accuracy". But if I want the black M2.0, 4.25 is my only choice. I'm sure I can buy a new slide and barrel down the line sometime since I plan on shooting in ESP.

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I shoot the 4.25 in IDPA and wish I had the 5" but not badly enough to go get it.

 

That's my two cents

 

 

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So what you're saying is you wish you bought the 5" but the 4.25" works just fine for IDPA?

 

I shoot my M&P 9L 5" in IDPA.  

Have you shot anything around 4.25" in IDPA? 

 

Personally, I don't know anyone who shoots worse with a longer sight radius, for the same reason people shoot rifles better.

 

Go long, but my only concern is that the m2.0 5" guns have additional stupid on them like thumb safeties or the awkward and unnecessary loaded chamber indicator.

I prefer the black M2.0  but would happily take the FDE if it weren't for the thumb safety. I'm pretty sure somewhere down the road I can get a hold of a 5" barrel and appropriate slide, though. I wouldn't mind the FDE slide on the black frame, either.

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So what you're saying is you wish you bought the 5" but the 4.25" works just fine for IDPA?

 

Have you shot anything around 4.25" in IDPA?

.

Yes I don't know if I was aware of any 5's in .40 when I bought my 4.25 (maybe there was, idk) but I shoot mine ok in IDPA and USPSA.

 

I shoot a 5" 1911 in IDPA also and it's not apples to apples but, yes, it's easier to aim.

 

You're not going to carry it so there's not too many reasons to get the shorter slide.

 

You can remove the thumb safeties if that ends up being the only hangup.

 

 

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So what you're saying is you wish you bought the 5" but the 4.25" works just fine for IDPA?

 

Have you shot anything around 4.25" in IDPA? 

 

I prefer the black M2.0  but would happily take the FDE if it weren't for the thumb safety. I'm pretty sure somewhere down the road I can get a hold of a 5" barrel and appropriate slide, though. I wouldn't mind the FDE slide on the black frame, either.

You can remove the thumb safety and plug it.

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So I'm looking to give IDPA once I get back into shooting a bit more (haven't been to the range in quite some time). I'm pretty sure I'm going with the M&P M2.0 in 9mm. Is 5" really going to make much of a difference over 4.25"?

 

Thought about the Glock 34 which would give me 5.3" but I haven't liked any of the Glocks I have held.

M&P 9 with the 4.25" barrel has a sight radius of 6.2".

 

M&P 2.0 with the 5" barrel has a sight radius of 6.4".

 

I wouldn't worry about .2".

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I wouldn't worry about .2".

 

When I asked this question of a USPSA GM a few years back his response was (and I paraphrase)  "who wouldn't want a additional quarter inch longer penis"?  

 

His rather crude but profound response is still valid. It is racing, and in racing you take every advantage you can.

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The difference between a 4" and a 5" wont make a damned difference in your shooting in idpa or uspsa. Its your skills that will. You can have a g master shoot a bug gun and blow you away in half your time with a 4" or 5". Get the pistol for the functionality of it. If it fits you well. Buy it.

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When I asked this question of a USPSA GM a few years back his response was (and I paraphrase) "who wouldn't want a additional quarter inch longer penis"?

 

His rather crude but profound response is still valid. It is racing, and in racing you take every advantage you can.

The difference between the XD9 Subcompact 3" barrel has a 4.1" sight radius. XDm9 Compact 3.8" has a 6" sight radius. That's a big difference.

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When I asked this question of a USPSA GM a few years back his response was (and I paraphrase)  "who wouldn't want a additional quarter inch longer penis"?  

 

His rather crude but profound response is still valid. It is racing, and in racing you take every advantage you can.

Not sure how I missed this before... pretty valid point.

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The difference between a 4" and a 5" wont make a damned difference in your shooting in idpa or uspsa. Its your skills that will. You can have a g master shoot a bug gun and blow you away in half your time with a 4" or 5". Get the pistol for the functionality of it. If it fits you well. Buy it.

I'm going to have to go see one I guess

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Removing or disabling a safety is on the not allowed list of mods for IDPA. I don't know if the method described here is distinguishable from a factory, non-safety gun.

From what I'm told, I just call S&W and ask for the factory plug they use on the models that come with no safety. 

 

As of right now the only M2.0 model without the safety is the 4.25" in Black. Based on this thread I was going to go with the 5" in FDE and put S&W's plug in where the thumb safety is.

 

It's a lot cheaper than buying a 4.25" model and then swapping the barrel, slide, and spring/guide rod.

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Removing or disabling a safety is on the not allowed list of mods for IDPA. I don't know if the method described here is distinguishable from a factory, non-safety gun.

That's a very good point. Removing the safety and putting in a plug will be exactly the same as it would be if it comes from the factory when it's available. The question is, would it be IDPA legal if Smith does not yet have the version without the thumb safety for sale yet.

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Dunno about M2.0's but the original version could be plugged with factory plugs, but the versions that came from the factory without a manual safety had NO space for the plugs, the frame was just not cut the same way. No idea what IDPA thinks about that. To my mind as long as the factory sends you the parts and you are only configuring it like a different valid sold config it shouldn't matter. You may want to get an opinion from the various rule making bodies.

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Dunno about M2.0's but the original version could be plugged with factory plugs, but the versions that came from the factory without a manual safety had NO space for the plugs, the frame was just not cut the same way. No idea what IDPA thinks about that. To my mind as long as the factory sends you the parts and you are only configuring it like a different valid sold config it shouldn't matter. You may want to get an opinion from the various rule making bodies.

I have submitted a question on their website. Now, the 48 hour wait.

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Dunno about M2.0's but the original version could be plugged with factory plugs, but the versions that came from the factory without a manual safety had NO space for the plugs, the frame was just not cut the same way. No idea what IDPA thinks about that. To my mind as long as the factory sends you the parts and you are only configuring it like a different valid sold config it shouldn't matter. You may want to get an opinion from the various rule making bodies.

Both my 4.25 40 Pro and 5 inch 9 Pro came without manual safeties, and both have removeable plugs that fill the hole for a thumb safety.

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