While at the range yesterday two guys from Shaw AFB showed up with a variety of pistols. I was particularly interested in some model of M&P 45

During a lull I asked the owner about it. It was a single stack which Smith says is the 8+1 "45C Compact"

He said it was for sale. $450. It was in excellent condition as in near-new. The mag had the factory +1 extension on it. I didn't see a second magazine. I'm assuming it was packaged in a cardboard box which I don't need.

I passed on the offer and I'm regretting that I neither made a counter-offer nor did I ask if he was interested in a trade.

Was his asking price too high? Had it been the (also discontinued) 45 "sub compact" (the 12+1 model) I'd have been really tempted.

I’m assuming this was the pistol?

https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearms/archive-mp-45c-compact-thumb-safety

Yes, except no thumb safety.

Personally, I think $450 for a used 1.0 is a bit high, but who knows these days.  Certainly isn’t outlandish.

ETA: I don’t think you made a mistake in passing.  That specific  M&P is an odd duck.  If I wanted a subcompact .45 I’d opt for a SHIELD 2.0 in .45.  Better trigger out of the box and 7+1 capacity.

Isn't the Shield 45 also discontinued? ETA: No, it's still available as a "2.0" version. And it's also available in the compact version (10+1).

Maybe a little high but not terrible.  They are actually pretty nice shooters but the triggers on the 1st gen M&Ps can be pretty bad.  Mags are relatively cheap and available used.  

Funny story about mine.  I sold it about 15 or so years ago.  Last year got a letter from a Sheriff's Office asking if a gun was mine.  I wasn't missing any guns but called them anyway.  Seems they had an M&P Compact in evidence that was recovered from an illegal marijuana grow in 2013.  Come time to get rid of it I was the only owner of record they could find.  They offered it to me.  I had to get an authorization letter from CA DOJ for them to release it then made a road trip to pick it up.

While it was gone someone had done a decent stipple job on the grip and installed an Apex sear.

Attached File

I saw your original post on this pistol.  That is the greatest story of gun recovery ever!

Sell gun.  Get gun back plus upgrades.

LGS has an M&P Shield 45 2.0 priced at $459.

I could kick myself for not buying a Gen 1 Shield 45 at same LGS back in 2019 for about $325

Depends if you like the auto forwarding feature of the 1.0. It's the reason I didn't get an of the 2.0 offerings as I'm just way to used to how easy my 1.0s reload.

I have the mid size version, the compact 4” top end on the full size frame. It shoots great and the trigger is fine. I like it but $450 would be too high for me. Mine was something like $250.

Unfortunately the salad days and endless S&W rebates of the Trump years are in the rear view mirror.

Good gun.  Fair price.

Any gun that is reasonably priced but is being sold in a FTF transaction has automatically had a $100 coupon applied, around here.

I got a similar call once. A drug bust in Minnesota and they confiscated a Ruger P89.

Told them I'd sold it several years before and that was the end of it.