Smith & Wesson Announces the New M&P FPC Pistol Caliber Carbine

By
Dan Zimmerman
-
74

From Smith & Wesson . . .

Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc., a leader in firearm manufacturing and design, is proud to introduce its new folding pistol carbine, the M&P FPC.

Chambered in 9mm, the optics-ready FPC has a length of 30⅜ inches and a compact folded length of 16⅜ inches. It comes equipped with three double-stack M&P pistol magazines, including one 17-round and two 23-round mags. This new carbine features an integrated recoil buffer system, ½-28 threaded muzzle, and in-stock magazine storage for making reloading fast and efficient. The horizontal folding mechanism of the FPC provides a locking latch to enable secured transport and prevents interference with most top-mounted optics or accessories.

“The team at Smith & Wesson aimed to design a pistol carbine that was compatible with various M&P series pistol magazines. We exceeded that initial desire by introducing side-folding mechanics that deliver a unique compact feature and allow the user to keep their sight system mounted on the gun both in the folded and extended positions. Extra magazine storage in the buttstock, familiar M&P fire controls and reliable palmswell grip adaptors all make this new pistol carbine a great addition to the M&P family,” said John Myles, Senior Manager of New Products.

Additional features include a handguard with an upper Picatinny rail and M-LOK® slots for accessory mounting capabilities, a flat-face trigger design that offers a crisp single-action trigger break, and four interchangeable palmswells for maximum comfort. The M&P FPC also comes with a carrying bag designed with multiple Velcro® storage compartments to secure additional equipment for easy transport. This new folding pistol carbine is proudly made in the U.S.A. and has an MSRP of $659.00.

For more information on the new M&P FPC visit www.smith-wesson.com.

To stay up to date on all the latest news and events, be sure to follow Smith & Wesson on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Specifications:

WIDTH: 2.5
LENGTH: 36.25
HEIGHT: 8
WEIGHT: 80.42
CALIBER: 9MM
CAPACITY: 17 and 23 rounds
ACTION: BLOWBACK
BARREL LENGTH: 16.25
GRIP: POLYMER
SIGHTS: NONE
OPTIC READY: YES
SAFETY: THUMB SAFETY
THREADED BARREL: YES
BARREL MATERIAL: 4140 CM
FRAME: ALUMINUM
NUMBER OF MAGAZINES: 3
MSRP $659

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74 COMMENTS

  1. Why am I reminded of the AMC Pacer?
    Designers at Smith & Wesson (looking at a Keltec Sub 2000): “I think we can make something uglier.”

    • I have fond memories of the Pacer. Actually a pretty comfortable car when I was a teenager. Closing the door was like slamming shut the hatch on the Shuttle, I think. Heavy and huge. And there was a reason Ed McMahon, doing commercials for it, made a big deal about “now with free factory air conditioning” because it was a greenhouse inside under all that glass.

      The Keltec isn’t exactly a looker but it’s dead-nuts reliable and takes my Glock mags, so this S&W is not high on my list right now.

    • The very sight of this aesthetic atrocity has renewed my interest in buying a Henry big boy in .357 magnum.

    • Why is that? Not being an ass just curious as it seems about right for something not in mass production like AR-15 patterns built to sub Palmetto State Armory standards and competitive with other 9mm blowback models that are not made by Hi Point.

  3. I’ll be curious to see if they can out Keltec Keltec. It looks interesting, although I’ll profess I’d not want to mount iron sights to it. Making it fold with an optic on it was a nice improvement over the concept.

    If the weight of “80” is ounces that’s 5lbs which is actually pretty good.Yeah it’s 1lb heavier than a Sub2000 but it’s also 1.8lbs lighter than a Ruger PCC is. The design seems compact overall but it’s 1-2″ OAL longer than the Ruger is which kinda surprises me.

    I’m also curious to see if they were clever enough to make the design use a standard M&P firing group.

    One of these would be neat to size up against an AR9 honestly. That is kind of the base line I use.

    If Hi-Point would take their carbines and make a double stack offering they’d probably clean up in the market honestly. Then again, what do I know. They can somehow manage to make a carbine for hundreds less than any of these guys which says a lot.

    • I’d rather swing a tree branch than be forced to use my Hi-point carbine. What an atrocity. I know i know its cheap and all that.

      I can barely get mine cocked with that friggin charging handle. Im sure your mileage varies

  4. This is what I always thought they should do with the SUB-2000.

    LOP seems excessive, though. They could have made it a lot more compact by using a slightly larger-diameter bolt.

    • That I’m curious about. It seems as if the pics show it with an extended stock, I’m wondering if the measurements were with a fully collapsed stock or not. It seems like the receiver section is very trim to me especially in comparison to the Ruger PCC (which it’s listed as longer than somehow) despite the Ruger PCC having the mag well in front of the pistol grip vs inside the pistol grip.

      That just doesn’t add up to me, I mean I’d have thought they’d be say 3-5 inches shorter.

      • I’ve seen several reviews today so I don’t remember which one said so, but the stock does not collapse.

        The listed OAL (36.25″) must be a typo. When it’s folded the receiver section is similar in length to the barrel (16.25″), and part of that is hinge (overlaps the barrel when fully extended), so it can’t possibly add 20″ to OAL. I’m guessing the real number is ~31.25″.

    • Another rifle ILL annoy Dims say I can’t have. Or a freakin’ Hi Point🙁🙄 Oh I owned a Sub 2000. Nothing to emulate…

        • NY for the threaded barrel, pistol grip, and mag size although that last one could be worked around. Oh and to top it off would need a semi auto rifle permit (basically requires a pistol permit to get at the moment) to purchase it if it could be made to work. Neat and will have another look to see how it is doing when the courtroom drama is over.

        • Patience, my friend. Miller v. Bonta has circled back to Benitez’ desk and the time period for CA to provide its evidence that an AWB meets Bruen’s scrutiny has expired. We’re advancing to the next 1st goal line on this and getting closer to the touchdown.

  6. kinda funny looking
    even more funny looking than most non ar/ak pattern based pccs out there
    not as funny looking as the hipoint or keltec
    to be sure
    but still funny looking enough to get a mention

    • If they included a set of Magpul flip ups, the MSRP would be an extra $100+. Instead, you can spend your own $100 towards whatever kind of sight you prefer. This is a good thing.

      • Corrected my grammar but did not answer my question. You could have just said you did not no.

        • It’s “know.”

          As for your question, loading the stock with 2 full mags likely would change the balance of the weapon. A 23 round M&P mag is 4 ounces empty, and 23 rounds of 9mm is approximately 11 ounces depending on the load. Two of those mags, loaded, would add nearly 2 lbs. to the stock.

  9. The least efficient carbine I would carry is an M1.
    9mm is for submachine gunms.
    Now I wouldn’t mind having one of those pphs or whatever they’re called, drum magazine spitting out 7.62×25 just as fast as the blowback can cycle. Yeah, I’d trade my gold spray painted HiPoint for one of those.

  10. I was pretty excited about this until:
    1) It has no iron sights.
    2) It is not available in .40 S&W

    • It’s only a matter of time before the other caliber variants are released. No irons that big of a turn off? eesh

      • I really want iron sights because they are more reliable than a scope or reflex sight. More importantly, iron sights are much less bulky and weigh a lot less–both significant considerations in a compact carbine that folds in half for–wait for it–compactness.

        • It’s covered with rails, for cripe’s sake!

          Just add flip-ups! And a laser, if you want!

        • I can see the added cost concern but wouldn’t be supersized to see some versions offered with various iron buis or optics in later skus or at the gun store.

  11. Interesting. This is one I would need to hold first and actually put hands on. Till then it’s in the iffy category.

  12. I’m definitely liking this. only drawback I’m seeing is the used Black Oxide for the barrel finish. That doesn’t provide much corrosion protection for throwing it into a backpack or under a backseat. Melonite/Nitride would have been far superior.

    • C’mon, man!

      Keep parkerizing with a light film of oil on it, you’ll have no worries…

    • I don’t select firearms based on looks. The rifle reported accuracy is top.notch, it’s reliable and it can be easily transported in a backpack or gym bag. As to power the energy of a 9mm out of a rifle length barrel is the same as a .357 magnum from a service revolver.

      • duh tunks fer der edumacation…Folding stocks are known rattletraps. All you are doing is looking as am I…just cough up the extra and get the Henry.

        • even my first generation Sub2000 doesn’t rattle. Be honest you haven’t shot one and your making your judgment on ignorance. If I wanted a politically correct rifle I would by a lever action

  15. “same as a .357 magnum from a service revolver”

    Someone pointed this out on TFB; another commenter mockingly directed him to BBTI, which proves exactly that.

    • Longer barreled pistols/short barreled rifles in pistol calibers are not a common category of firearms let alone widely evaluated for velocity and terminal performance. I would love to see more work done with the copper rounds (sintered and solids) in various calibers to see if the typical pistol caliber sweet spots (8-11 ish inches) remain the same or if the standard rifle length barrels have something to offer especially with slower powder reloads or +p type ammo.

      • Range has a lot to do with it too.

        I recently read a debate between someone who advocated 9×25 as an affordable / available alternative to 7.5FK, and someone else who claimed 9×25 is useless because 9mm JHPs are designed for 9×19 velocities.

        Aside from the fact that there are a great many more 9mm than 7.5 projectile choices (with a wide variety of expansion and penetration characteristics) even a projectile that would overexpand and underpenetrate from a 9×25 at 9×19 (dark alley) designed engagement distances will be doing 9×19 velocity out at PDW range anyway.

        To each his own. As I’m in a freeish state putting the finishing touches on a very compact .300 SBR, a PCC would have to be extremely compact (i.e. not this) to catch my eye.

        P.S. How did this completely technical comment wind up in moderation?

        • Advocated maybe? As to PCC projectile selection jhp would generally need to be reconsidered/redesigned so all copper hollow point / screwdriver points to avoid velocity issues / fmj flat point and see how it feeds. I would figure some of the Roni and similar setups with sbr length barrels and a minimal length stock could be made fairly compact. Even this article’s option could be made substantially shorter when set up as well as folded. But until sbr is a factory standard option and not a stamp collectors application I do not see much development in this area going on.

        • SAFE,
          I agree, especially with your closing statement. IMHO the SB laws perpetuate a false dichotomy marginalizing what should be the “sweet spot” for the large majority of shooters.

          Some have made convincing arguments that screwdriver points are engineered to capitalize on the properties of ballistic gel rather than actually perform in flesh. I don’t have enough information to be confident in them.

        • I forget if Mr Harrel used them for his meat targets but at absolute worst they are fmj that can do interesting things to kevlar, ballistic fiberglass and to a slightly lesser extent uhmwpe especially in the light for caliber loadings.

        • Good point. I prefer light fast bullets, but with lead if possible because copper’s low density eats powder space.

        • Can’t beat lead over distance…….well legally for pistol caliber anyway. But for 9mm the 68 grain is a fun one for normal amounts of powder space re copper.

        • I carry Underwood’s 70gr copper flying ashtrays, but my inner relentless optimizer wonders if it could be a little faster with a lead core and a hair more powder.

        • Thanks for a cool suggestion, but my project-idea list is already preposterously long (all the more so now that I submitted two Form 1s to make formerly braced pistols into real SBRs).

        • As I don’t have that option yet I will let you know results next time I do a Lehigh order for components as it is a oddball see what it does kind of fun.

    • Not. A 158gr bullet has more whackem at slower speeds then a fast moving 124gr 9mm. All them ballistics tables and muzzle velocities and gell test dont play out in the real world.
      However most all my BS is based on hunting not blowing the lungs out of humans( dang laws) so it might be okay. All I know is if I had a black bear confrontation the .357 with a 6 inch barrel would seem mighty small and a 9mm with a 16 inch barrel would seem smaller still.
      As for self defense, the way these gangs are rollin nowadays a super duper high capacity full auto ain’t enough.
      Going to start having to have a convoy of armed citizens just to go to the grocery store.

      • I agree with you completely as regards heavy bullets and hunting, especially large or dangerous game; however, for two-legged defense, a 9mm PCC can duplicate the classic 125gr .357 manstopper load.

        Keep in mind as well that the .357 made its reputation before decades of JHP advancements. While modern .357 loads have gotten better as well, bodies haven’t. If 1450fps was a legendary stopper with derp 70s hollow points, it’s all the better with today’s.

    • See how the hipoints hold up over time I guess, I vaguely remember the mp5/10 had some issues with wear and tear on a shorter than expected timeline but would need to search and reread to be able to say what was going on there.

      • But the 1095 doesn’t fold, much less depend on a polymer hinge and latch.

        I’d definitely recommend metal trunnions if someone tried to duplicate this in 10mm.

  18. Too bad that gun designers don’t look at what was done years ago. Using a simple blow-back action for a PCC adds unnecessary weight. Years ago, the REISING and early THOMPSON 1921/1928 used a delayed blow-back action. While the THOMPSON guns were heavy, the REISING guns were about half the weight. Designed to use the then current machining technology, the REISING big failure was that the individual parts ended up being hand fitted to an individual gun. NO part interchangeability! Note – In Police use, the REISING was well liked. Modern CNC technology and some design updates would create a modern REISING (using GLOCK mags?) that potentially would be superior to the current crop of blowback PCCs. REISING models 50 or 60 also looked so much better with their real wood stocks.

    • I like the Reising quite a bit. Its deficiencies were daunting, but also very easy to fix for less than they invested in evolving the less-effective Thompson.

      Today’s Reising (but better, because barrel extensions allow the use of an unstressed receiver) is the CMMG Banshee.

  20. I just picked up the last one of two that was delivered yesterday. I love it trigger pull is under 4.8lbs and seems really well thought out, I can’t wait to go shooting. Biggest plus is the barrel length is 16.25” so I don’t have to fuss with all the ATF “SBR ruling” BS!

  21. I have owned an FPC for almost a week. I love the idea of my pistol and my rifle shooting the same caliber and using the same magazines, especially in an emergency situation. The FPC is fun to shoot and is very accurate. It is small enough to fit in all but the smallest backpacks. I’m not unhappy with my purchase, but it has one big problem that in my opinion should have been fixed before it made it to production. The pistol grip!! I have a couple of M&P pistols (full size) and I love the grips, especially the interchangeable palm swells. The FPC copies that great idea, but the issue is the length of the grip, it’s not a copy of the full-size pistol, it’s too short. That’s the reason for the piece of plastic that sits at the bottom of the 3 magazines that come with the gun. The plastic spacers float around, they are not permanently attached so they could and probably will fall off at some point. No worries though they just fill the gap between the bottom of the pistol grip and the base of the full-sized pistol magazines that come with the FPC. The real problem shows up when you shoot one of the magazines empty that come with the FPC, when the bolt locks back and you replace it with a magazine from one of your full-sized pistols (which do not come with the plastic fillers because if they did, they wouldn’t fit in your pistol). After you slam your pistol magazine in the grip, the bolt which is locked back WILL NOT RELEASE. I found this out the second time I shot it. It took about 5 minutes to figure out the problem. When the bolt is locked open and a magazine without the plastic filler on it is inserted with a little force, just like you do every time you do a mag change, the magazine gets inserted too far and the bolt WILL NOT RELEASE. On the range in my backyard was really the best place to find this out. The magazines will swap between the pistols and the FPC but not with the plastic spacer in place, with the plastic spacer on the magazines that come with the FPC they won’t fit your pistol. You can slide the spacers off the FPC mags and they will fit your pistol, but then you risk the same issue I described above when you run them in your FPC. The bolt not unlocking when your pistol magazine is inserted with the bolt locked open is fixable if you insert your pistol magazine very softly, or you insert it like you do on every magazine fed gun you own and then pull the pistol magazine down, after you pull the pistol magazine down then the bolt works normally.

    I would love to know why the pistol grip length is not the same as the full-size M&P pistol and made to accept the 17-round magazine without the plastic filler.

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