consumer report

Dunkerly

CONSUMER REPORT ON

COMPACT HANDGUNS SOLD BY

GLOCK, SMITH & WESSON, AND SIG SAUER

for

Michael Hricik

Technical Writing Instructor

Westmoreland County Community College

By

Earl Dunkerly

English 162-WA

April 27, 2012

Table of Contents

Informative Abstract………………………………………………………………………….…3

Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………...4

Discussion of Findings………………………………………………………………………....6

Glock 23 Gen4…………………………………………………………………………..6

Smith & Wesson M&P Compact .40 S&W…………………………………………...8

Sig Sauer P250………………………………………………………………………...10

Summary of Findings………………………………………………………………………….12

Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………...13

References……………………………………………………………………………………..15

Informative Abstract

After doing substantial research on compact semi-automatic handguns, I have decided to purchase the Glock 23 Gen4. I compared this handgun against the Sig Sauer P250 Compact, and the Smith & Wesson M&P Compact .40 S&W. I believe the findings in this report would be useful to anyone who is interested in purchasing a compact .40 caliber handgun.

The features I took into account when deciding on which handgun to purchase included:

· Magazine capacity (how many rounds of ammunition the gun holds)

· Size and Weight

· Accessories (does the gun come with a case, extra magazine, etc.)

· Price (although not the most important factor, it does matter)

· Personal comfort (how does the gun feel in my hand)

· A composite review based on several reviews of each gun

I decided to purchase the Glock 23 Gen4, because it was easily the handgun that provided the highest level of personal comfort. It rated well in all the reviews that I read and the company has a great reputation of reliability.

The other two guns tested are fine, well made handguns, but for reasons that will be described in this report, did not measure up to the Glock. Although the Glock 23 Gen4 was the most expensive gun tested, it also came with the most accessories.

Introduction

I have decided to purchase a handgun not only because it will provide personal protection, but also because it will provide peace of mind. My decision to purchase a pistol did not occur overnight. I have been weighing the pros and cons of bringing a handgun into my household for some time. I grew up in a household that owned handguns and feel that responsible gun ownership poses almost no risks. I view a gun as a tool, not as a weapon.

Having grown up around guns and having handled guns since I was a young boy has instilled me with a healthy respect of firearms. Under the watchful eye of my father, a veteran infantryman, I was taught the proper way to handle, shoot, disassemble, and clean a firearm. Guns were tools to be used as they were intended and never treated without anything but the utmost respect and care. My brother and I were no more likely to treat a gun as a toy as we were to treat a circular saw as a plaything.

The handgun I decided to purchase is to be used both for home defense as well as for concealed carry. I decided to purchase a compact semi-automatic handgun because it will fulfill both of these tasks. It is small enough to carry comfortably, while still large enough to shoot accurately. I also have decided upon the .40 S&W caliber for its all around performance. This caliber provides a good balance of both power and round capacity.

Taking these factors into account, I have decided to compare three .40 caliber semi-automatic pistols. These three pistols are the Glock 23 Gen4, Smith & Wesson M&P Compact .40 S&W, and Sig Sauer P250 Compact. The features I will be considering in these three handguns include:

· Magazine capacity (how many rounds of ammunition the gun holds)

· Size and Weight

· Accessories (does the gun come with a case, extra magazine, etc.)

· Price (although not the most important factor, it does matter)

· Personal comfort (how does the gun feel in my hand)

· A composite review based on several reviews of each gun

My research of these handguns included manufacturers’ websites, websites of gun stores, discussions with several shooting enthusiast friends, gun review websites and discussion boards, and product testing conducted at a gun range. I also found the comment sections on many of the websites I used very helpful.

Discussion of Findings

Glock 23 Gen4

The Glock 23 Gen 4 is the newest model to be released by the company. The major changes from earlier generations of Glocks are the additions of interchangeable backstraps to accommodate different hand sizes and a dual recoil spring assembly to reduce recoil and increase the life of the gun. The Glock 23 comes standard with 13 round magazines. It weighs 21.31 ounces. It is 7.28 inches in length, 5.00 inches in height, and 1.18 inches in width. Most gun dealers I have researched sale the gun for around $600 with very little variance once shipping is included from online sources. The gun comes with 3 magazines (sometimes it is sold with only 2), a hard shell case, a cleaning kit, a speed loader, and a cable lock.

The Glock felt comfortable and well balanced in my hands. I was immediately impressed at how well I shot with the gun. The trigger pull is light and short, which I found conducive to shooting accurately. I have shot the older generation Glocks (Gen2 and Gen3) and definitely felt as if the recoil in the Gen4 was significantly lessened by the new dual recoil spring. I felt this gun truly lived up to its reputation as user friendly.

All the information I have gathered has been favorable for the Glock 23. Glocks have gained fame for their reliability after even the worst abuse. In one of the reviews I read, the tester submerged the gun in a muddy, sand-filled pond and the gun still fired the contents of two magazines with no issues. Several people I interviewed also commented on the reduced recoil of the new Gen4 Glocks that I noticed in my test firing of the pistol.

Smith & Wesson M&P Compact .40 S&W

The Smith & Wesson M&P Compact .40 S&W is the company’s latest polymer- framed handgun. Smith & Wesson targeted the law enforcement market in its design of this handgun. This is a market that the company once dominated, but today is dominated by Glock. The M&P comes with three different sized backstraps, a concept Smith & Wesson introduced, to accommodate different sized hands. The M&P Compact .40 comes standard with 10 round magazines. It weighs 21.9 ounces. It is 6.7 inches in length, 4.3 inches in height, and 1.2 inches in width. This handgun is normally sold for approximately $550. The gun comes with two magazines, a hard shell case, and a cable lock.

The smaller size of this pistol’s grip initially had me a little hesitant as to its comfort when firing. I feared that I would have trouble controlling recoil due to the shorter grip. The gun felt a little top-heavy to me, as well. The trigger pull was relatively light and short. It should also be mentioned that the trigger itself was long and nicely curved. I found that I shot acceptable with this gun. I did not shoot as accurately as I would have liked, but with some more time shooting the Smith & Wesson I feel that I would become more accurate. After firing 50 rounds through the M&P, I did note some pain in my hand in the webbing between my thumb and index finger. I attribute this to the gun’s relatively short grip.

The Smith & Wesson M&P series of handguns is very highly regarded. It should be noted that many of the professional reviews I read were for the full-sized M&P .40 S&W. I believe that the issues that I experienced were unique to the compact version due to its smaller size. Functionally both the full-sized and compact versions are the same only their sizes are different.

Sig Sauer P250 Compact

The Sig Sauer P250 is a modular pistol that allows the shooter to change caliber and grip size at will, according to the manufacturer’s website. The gun is built around a trigger assembly that can be removed and inserted into different sized frames. Thus the shooter can quickly change the gun from a full sized frame to a subcompact in a matter of minutes. Sig Sauer offers a kit it calls the 2Sum that contains both a full sized and a subcompact frame allowing the user to move the trigger system between the two different sized frames.

In its compact size, the P250 holds a 13 round magazine. The gun weighs 25.1 ounces. It is 7.2 inches in length, 5.1 inches in height, and 1.3 inches in width. This handgun sales for between $425-450, with Cabela’s offering a sale on the 2Sum package for $600. The P250 comes in a hard shell case with one clip. The 2Sum package contains on trigger assembly, a full sized frame, a subcompact frame, one clip for each sized frame, and a hard shell case.

The Sig Sauer P250 felt very well balanced and comfortable in my hands. I did notice that the polymer frame felt a little “hollow” and not as substantial as the other guns tested. The trigger pull is adequately light, but extremely long. My shooting accuracy was definitely adversely affected by the long trigger pull. My friend, the owner of the gun I was using, told me that once I got used to the long trigger pull my accuracy would increase. I did start to shoot more accurately as I grew more accustomed to the trigger.

The Sig Sauer P250 has been voted the American RiflemanTactical Handgun of the Year and Shooting Illustrated Handgun of the Year. These awards seem to be based more on the guns innovative modular design, than actual performance of the pistol. That is not to say the performance of the gun is not good, just that the design is of major note. I noticed that several others commented on the review websites that they were uncomfortable with the long trigger pull on the Sig Sauer P250.

Summary of Findings

	Glock 23 Gen4	Smith & Wesson M&P Compact .40 S&W	Sig Sauer P250 Compact
Length (inches)	7.28	5.7	7.2
Width (inches)	1.18	1.2	1.3
Height (inches)	5.00	4.3	5.1
Weight (ounces)	21.31	21.9	25.1
Price	$599	$550	$425-450
Magazine Capacity	13	10	13
Accessories	3 clips Cable lock Case Cleaning kit Speed loader	2 clips Cable lock Case	1 clip Case Night Sights

Due to the lower magazine capacity and the discomfort while shooting, I eliminated the Smith & Wesson M&P Compact .40 S&W from consideration. This handgun is closer in size to the subcompact pistols offered by Glock and Sig Sauer. Smith & Wesson does not offer a gun size between their full sized model and the handgun that I researched.

The Glock 23 Gen4 and the Sig Sauer P250 Compact both fall into the size range that I am looking for. They are not full sized handguns, but they are large enough to fit comfortably in my hand. Both these guns also offer 13 round magazines and I prefer the extra rounds that these guns hold.

Conclusion

Based on my research I have decided to purchase the Glock 23 Gen4. I believe that my comfort shooting this handgun as well as Glocks reputation of reliability were the deciding factors.

I really liked the Sig Sauer P250 Compact’s ability to change frame sizes and calibers along with its very affordable price. However, my inability to become 100% comfortable with the trigger pull ended up being the deciding factor in not choosing the Sig Sauer.

Although the Glock was the most expensive option, I believe that the added accessories it comes with helps justify the slightly more expensive price. For example, magazines for the Sig Sauer cost $35 apiece. So purchasing two additional magazines for the Sig Sauer would add $70 to the price of that gun. I have three nephews all under the age of 5, so the addition of a cable lock to prevent the gun from being fired is also an added bonus.

In the end, comfort and confidence shooting the gun became my highest concern. I am going to carry this firearm and also keep it in my home for personal protection. I hope I never have to use it anywhere other than the shooting range. If I do find myself in a life threatening situation, I need a gun that I can just point and shoot. I don’t need the extra burden of having to remind myself to slowly pull the trigger throughout the entire length of a long trigger travel.

The Glock 23 provided me with the ability to shoot quickly and accurately without thinking twice. I simply had to point and shoot, over and over again. Clean or dirty, the Glock will continue to function perfectly. I am purchasing a handgun to provide me with peace of mind and the Glock provided this better than the other handguns I tested.

Works Cited

Glock 23 Gen4. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://us.glock.com/products/model/g23gen4

P250 Compact. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://sigsauer.com/CatalogProductDetails/p250-compact.aspx

Smith & Wesson M&P Compact 40 S&W. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product4_750001_750051_765698_-1_757955_757781_757781_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y

Boyd, B. (2010, October 28). Sig Sauer P250 Compact. Retrieved from http://www.shootingillustrated.com/index.php/723/sig-sauer-p250-compact/

Quinn, J. (2006, March 14). Smith & Wesson’s New M&P 40 S&W pistol. Retrieved from http://www.gunblast.com/SW_MP.htm

Jacobellis, N. (2010, December 19). Glock 22 Gen4. Retrieved from http://gunsgunsguns.net/glock-22-gen4/

Spaulding, D. (2010, June 17). Smith & Wesson M&P40. Retrieved from http://gunsgunsguns.net/smith-wesson-mp40/

Scarlata, P. (2011, January 3). Smith & Wesson M&P: A semiautomatic pistol worthy of its name. Retrieved from http://www.shootingtimes.com/2011/01/03/handgun_reviews_mp_080806/

Spaulding, D. (2010, July 6). Sig Sauer P250. Retrieved from

http://gunsgunsguns.net/sig-sauer-p250/

Glock 23 Review. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://glockyourself.com/reviews/glock-23-review/

Glock 23 Review. (2012, February 6). Retrieved from http://www.policehired.com/2012/02/06/glock-23-review/

Markel, P. (2011, January 14). Glock 23 Gen4: New and Improved?. Retrieved from http://www.officer.com/article/10227631/glock-23-gen4-new-and-improved

Compoc, J. (2010, December 19). Sig Sauer P250 2Sum Review. Retrieved from http://gunblog.com/sig-sauer-p250-2sum-review

Thomas Hutchinson - personal interview (March 31, 2012)

Bart Terry – personal interview (March 31, 2012)

Cabela's. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/browse/_/N-1102336?WTz_l=SBC;MMcat104792580

Johnson's Gun Depot. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.johnsongundepot.com/

Gander Mountain. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://search.gandermountain.com/?cname=Handguns&Ne=1000&N=1770

Bud's Gun Shop.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/index.php/cPath/39_71/S&W Pistols/

Store Pricing - A&S Indoor Pistol Range

Store Pricing – Anthony Arms