Smith & Wesson unveiled its line of Military & Police (M&P) autopistols in 2005 in an attempt to transfer its M&P revolver legacy into modern, rugger, reliable, quick-to-shoot, quick-to-reload semi-autos. The Smith & Wesson M&P45C is the compact version of the mid-sized M&P45, and it doesn’t sacrifice an ounce of performance.

In the upcoming February 2014 issue of Combat Handguns, author Rich Grassi gets his hands on the M&P45c and gives it a thorough workout. According to Grassi, “At first glance, I considered the gripping surface of the frame too short for good control, while the 4-inch barrel and slide combination of the mid-sized M&P45 seemed too long for the compact version of the .45. I was mistaken, however. As I removed the new gun from the box, I immediately realized how well the M&P45c fit my hand with the flat-floorplate magazine in place. There was no wasted space, but my entire hand could completely grip the pistol.”
Unlike earlier iterations of the M&P semi-autos, the current guns are no longer marked “stainless” on the left side of the slide. The M&P45c also has a new low-profile rear sight with a cocking ledge and no manual thumb safety.

To find out how the M&P45c performed on the range—and see if it maintained the M&P reputation for reliability and accuracy—check out the February 2014 issue of Combat Handguns, available on newsstands and digitally October 29, 2013. To subscribe, go to /combat-handguns/.