alucard0822
For great Justice
While it's not much larger overall, the differences make It much easier to shoot and carry, my early model M&P 9c sits in the safe(pretty much waiting to trade for something), while I carry my G27. The slide feels much smaller, and the front of the slide/dust cover are slimmer, more rounded and more comfortable in a holster. The G27 grip is smaller, but the aggressive texture, finger grooves, and higher grip angle make it easier to control, the M&P's grip is slippery by comparison out of the box, and it has more muzzle flip. My M&P was an early model, it went through a trigger spring recall, 3 striker and 2 sear housing changes to overcome light strikes and sear flutter, think it's reliable now, but it has misfired on me in the past before I upgraded the parts a couple times. My G27 has never misfired with the factory 9rd mags, it did jam occasionally with hot XTP loads in G23 mags(never with FMJ or my HTP carry load) That was fixed with wolff +10% mag springs, swapped them in, never missed a beat for the few thousand rounds since.
As far as grip extensions, they are practically a requirement (and included from the factory) for the M&P, more muzzle flip, and a slippery grip makes it hard to control with flat mags. The G27 is OK with flat base mags, Peirce extensions help, but add length, and feel goofy with the short backstrap. GAP floorplates are the way to go, no added length, they hook into a 2 finger grip(pinky wrapped underneath), and make it more secure to draw and make it much easier to strip out a stuck mag. If you must have a full 3 finger grip, X-grips on G23 mags give 4 more rounds, and add to the backstrap, they are very comfortable, slightly larger than peirce extensions, but still smaller than a G23 grip.
There is only 1 "conversion" I would trust with the G27, and that is a factory G33 barrel to fire 357sig if so inclined. 9mm conversion barrels require another set of mags, and are not as reliable, might run OK, might need an extractor, ejector housing or a full slide assembly to run well pretty much eliminating any potential cost savings. In the end a complete caliber conversion that is "self defense reliable" with ejector and slide assembly with a couple mags costs $400 or more, close enough to the cost of a new pistol it isn't really worth it. If you are worried about recoil, aren't sold on 40, or even if you are on the fence, buy a 26, there is a little overlap in performance/recoil with hot 9mm+p and light 40 where there isn't much difference between the calibers.
I either open carry my baseballs or pocket carry in a hoodie. It's one of the few things Maryland hasn't regulated (yet).
