Gun of the Month: Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm

We've asked our students to come up with reviews of their favorite (or not-so-favorite) firearms, and will be showcasing these reviews in our "Gun Of The Month" segment.  If you would like to submit a review, send it to admissions@sdi.edu.

This month's author is recent graduate Ivan Vila.  Ivan enrolled in our Gunsmithing Certificate program in January of 2012 and graduated in August of 2012.  For more information on SDI's Gunsmithing Certificate program, please visit www.sdi.edu.

Ivan Vila's Handgun of the Month - The Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm

When SMITH & WESSON introduced the M&P service autos, they found a 21st century
pistol that did justice to its legendary namesake. The new pistol found an immediate
following with the law enforcement community and the shooting public. The M&P also
found a following with competition shooters. By 2011, several of the nation's top
action shooters and IDPA competitors were running the M&P and winning matches.
Opening the standard hard case, the first thing I noticed was the extended slide.
The M&P has a 4-inch slide. The slide has a Hi-Power style bevel on the front and a
relief cut that runs from in front of the cocking serrations to the muzzle. This
combination gives the M&P9 a sleek and balanced appearance.
The M&P series is the culmination of a great deal of research, combined with S&W's
years of experience. The M&P has a Zytel polymer frame that features a removable
backstrap, called Palmswells. Each M&P comes with three different sized backstraps
to accommodate the individual user's hand size. The backstrap and frontstrap are
softly stippled to provide a positive purchase. This is not only attractive but
provides a more comfortable grip than the traditional "grenade" style checkering.
The rear of the frame has a broad beavertail that is similar to a 1911 and allows
for a very high purchase on the pistol. I was pleased to see that the M&P lacks the
squared off triggerguard of other service pistols.
The slide stop/release is ambidextrous but extremely low profile and lends itself to
the slingshot method of dropping the slide during reloads. In keeping with the
ambidextrous features, the magazine release is a traditional single-side design that
can be reversed for left-handed shooters. A stainless steel chassis is set in the
frame and provides a solid foundation for all four rails for the slide bearing
surfaces. The design also prevents the frame from flexing and, should it become
necessary, is easily replaceable. As with all modern service pistols, the dust cover
is equipped with the obligatory accessory rail with three locking grooves.
The cocking serrations at the rear of the slide can be best described as scales.
They provide a solid gripping surface without being abrasive to clothing and gear.
The M&P sits very low in the hand and has a grip-to-bore angle that is similar to a
1911. Two 17-round magazines are included with each 9mm pistol.
Range Time
On the range, the 9mm was well mannered, especially when compared to my stock M&P
.357 sig. While I was not able to shoot any benchrest groups, single ragged holes
were the norm from normal engagement ranges. During several drills, I was able to
maintain 0.17 of a second splits between shots while keeping all the shots in the
"A" zone from 7 yards. The long slide tamed even the hottest 9mm loads and the fiber
optic front sight was easy to follow during recoil.
Should you be in the market  for a duty pistol, or just a great shooting 9mm auto,
the M&P Pro 9 deserves serious consideration.

SDI For The History Buff

Instead of jumping right into gunsmithing, our students, the curriculum, etc, we wanted to share a bit of information we stumbled upon about the origin of SDI and why we are who we are.  We think this is a pretty cool story, and we hope you will, too...

First, some general info.  The Sonoran Desert Institute offers the oldest home study gunsmithing course in North America. It was started in 1921 in Scottsdale as the School of Gunsmithing and has grown to an internationally recognized school. We changed the name to reflect other programs offered by the school. The school has sponsored numerous rifle and pistol teams and through its knowledge and expertise has helped its teams win many prestigious state and national competitions over the years.

The program was started at the beginning of the 20th century by Mr. Robert Sally who was a field artillery officer in World War I and developed an affinity for personal firearms. While the family was dispersed between New York and New Jersey and Arizona for personal residences, this allowed them to develop the program and put the principles to use in various rifle and pistol matches nationally.  Ours is truly a program developed by people who are passionate about firearms, and our rich history keeps us motivated to produce the highest-quality curriculum and experience for our students. 

Today, not counting firearms in military service, there are more than 200 million firearms in circulation in the United States. This presents a great opportunity for an individual to establish a lucrative career and work in a career they will really enjoy. From around the world, the Sonoran Desert Institute (SDI) in Scottsdale, Arizona trains soldiers, police officers, professionals and hobbyists in the science of gunsmithing. Although not thought of as a “mainstream” career field, gunsmiths earn from $56,000 on up, and custom gunsmiths much higher. And, the Sonoran Desert Institute has distinguished graduates, a number of whom began their studies in the field as line soldiers while on TDY. According to SDI president, “we have soldiers enrolled in our program all over the globe. Many are in combat locations in Afghanistan and Iraq and are using their down time to really get ahead.” Students can receive their lessons through correspondence, CDs and the internet, depending upon their location and need. Student services are available 24 hours a day.

Hopefully this gives you a better feel for where our roots originated, and for what we do.  Expect future posts to highlight our coursework, our students, and the different groups who benefit from gunsmithing and firearms technology.  If you have a passion for guns, we'd love to hear from you, whether it's an opinion on a current news topic or a product review.  Feel free to comment on our posts, reach us on twitter (@SDI_school), Facebook (www.facebook.com/SDISchools), or email us at admissions@sdi.edu.  Hope to hear from you soon!

The SDI Team