M&P .45 ACP or Sig 226 DAK .40 SW

[pmclaine]

Just curious if anyone is familiar with both the M&P in .45 ACP and the 226 DAK in .40 SW. Any comments regarding the two guns? My intent is not to start a war between parties favorable to either. I may be switching from one to the other. I am not a big fan of the trigger on one (DAK) and other than the fact the M&P will allow me to streamline my ammo inventory I dont know enough about it to compare it to make comparisons to the Sig. For an idea of where I stand my regret is that neither is a 1911 but that will never happen.

Thank you for your informed opinion.

[waktasz]

If you don't like the trigger on the SIG that is reason enough to switch.

[GISMap]

I really don't think you can beat an M&P with an Apex Tactical Sear or Dan Burwell's magic period. I handled Glocks, HKs, other S&Ws, Sigs, SAs, and CZs.

[pmclaine]

Thank you for your opinions. Whatever I will be using will have to remain as issued. If it is an M&P it will probably come with something less than the 10 pound trigger required by the Attorney Generals interpretation of consumer protection laws. I kind of hope for the M&P for the mere fact it eliminates a caliber for me to buy but real world concerns are that it should ben a better pistol than the 226 DAK. I like my Sig but the DAK trigger is abominable compared to my previously issued Sig 226 double/single action.

[GISMap]

Luckily the factory trigger is pretty good, the reset is the biggest complaint I believe.

[Lumpy McSoo]

If you are a non-LEO and just want a high quality pistol, then both are great choices. Pick one and practice with it until you know it as well as you do the shoes that you wear every day.

If you want to be able to shoot it accurately,with a very nice and sweet trigger, but not necessarily too light for "whatever"reason, I would recommend the M&P 45 with a Burwell trigger job. Not necessarily the Burwell Competition Job which may be too light for some for carry but just a smooth it out but keep it to 4.5-5.0 lbs trigger job.

I am biased. Dan has worked on some of my M&Ps and the rest will eventually be worked on by his magical hands at some point in time.

If you are a LEO and you need something issued from your department, you should talk to your armorer. If you don't see eye to eye yet, perhaps buy him/her lunch, but nothing illegal.

Good luck. Later, Lumpy.

[twodownzero]

I highly recommend the M&P over anything in DAK.

[markm87]

Luckily the factory trigger is pretty good, the reset is the biggest complaint I believe.

My factory trigger was horrible. It took 4 or 5 hundred rounds to break in an become acceptable. That said, it is indeed a better way to go than a DAK.

[Bongo Boy]

Not familiar with the 226 DAK in .40, but I have an opinion anyway.

I'm VERY familiar with the 226, own the MP45c, and am somewhat familiar with the DAK.

You would want to use the DAK trigger for several hundred rounds over at least two separate range sessions before committing to it, IMO. I don't care for it, because it's just way too much thinking for something that, as a design requirement, must require none.

The MP45? Yup, my stock trigger really sucked, and so did the one on my $1,110 Sig P220. The difference is, it took about 14 hours for me to 'fix' the P220 trigger, and about 45 minutes to 'fix' the MP's. I often shoot tighter groups with the MP45c than with my P220 Elite Stainless, all else being equal.

I'd be hard-pressed to select a P226 with standard trigger vs an MP45, because they're quite different all around. I love Sigs, and of the two you've suggested, MP hands down and spend the savings on a progressive reloading press if you don't have one, or on an IRA for your kids if you have one or more of those.

The DAK may be one of those things 'you get used to' and learn to love. I see it as a solution to a problem I don't have. The P226? Probably on my list of the 10 greatest handguns ever built. I'll tell you though, the MP45c experience has me actually thinking of selling the P220 and getting an MP40 full-size. The MP is no work of art or work of design excellence--it's actually quite primitive...crude even. By golly it sure do shoot.

Edited May 11, 2010 by Bongo Boy