I was looking for an M&P 9 2.0 and came across the version that looked most interesting: 3 magazines, black, no safety and night sights. However, it is listed as "Law Enforcement Only." Searched some online retailers for the particular SKU, and one stated it could only be sold to LE. Now, my question is, why? There does not seem to be any distinguishing feature(s) that one cannot get on any of their standard pistols, just not in this particular combination. Is S&W playing some kind of game? I thought the LE designation was just marketing hype. I have a message in to my local FFL to see if this pistol truly requires LE credentials to purchase. Anyone know the deal? If interested, the S&W specific model is SKU 11518.

Is it possible that the seller lives in a "restricted" state and the SKU has full-cap mags?

S&W has separate SKU numbers for these LE bundle guns. These come with 3 mags and night sights standard, and are sold at a reduced price to qualified LEOs and a few other categories of folks. The list includes:

-Sworn Law Enforcement officers, including Federal, State, County, & City
(Includes retired L.E. officers with "retired" credentials)
-EMT's, Fire Fighters, Volunteer Fire Fighters, and Paramedics
-Military personnel including Reservists and National Guard with I.D.
(Includes retired Military with "retired" credentials)
-Corrections Officers including Parole and Probation Officers
-State Licensed Security Companies (Loomis Fargo, RAM, Securitas, etc.)
-State Licensed Armed Security Officers.
-All TSA employees and Federal Flight Deck Officers
-Court Judges, District Attorneys and Deputy District Attorneys.

So they're not "better" or "fancier". And it's not just marketing hype. They're identical to a standard M&P, just specially bundled together with the extra mag and night sights for sale at the LE discounted price.

You can buy a standard M&P SKU, and a spare magazine, and have night sights installed, and end up with the exact same thing. But it'll be more expensive, because you're not getting the LE discount.

Most gun makers offer similar LE handgun packages at reduced pricing. The commercial version will have 2 mags and standard sights. The LE bundle will have 3 mags and night sights, and be sold at a discount to qualified LEOs.

The LE versions just have 3 mags and night sights. I have one and I am not a LEO.

AFAIK there are no legal restrictions from owning one. The same goes for Winchester Ranger 'Law Enforcement' ammuntion. The boxes say 'for law enforcemnt' but those are just words Olin puts on the box.

The S&W site shows that but there are other retail sites that don't say it's restricted.
Other than some of the state magazine capacity issues, maybe they are at a LE discounted price under that number.
The S&W site does not show a price, unlike the retail sites.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

You can buy a normal M&P, and a spare magazine, and have night sights installed, and end up with the exact thing. But it'll be more expensive.

I see, thanks. I'm not complaining about special pricing, just wish I could get the more convenient packaging.

quote:

Originally posted by BlackTalonJHP:
The same goes for Winchester Ranger 'Law Enforcement' ammuntion. The boxes say 'for law enforcemnt' but those are just words Olin puts on the box.

Yes, but Winchester threats to not sell ammo to vendors that do not enforce the LE restriction on that ammo. We had a vendor from the forum get threatened this way.

DrDan - S&W lists models of the M&P as Law Enforcement Only. My understanding is the only difference is they come with an extra magazine and a lower price. Many companies including Glock also offer a discount to police, active duty and retired military, volunteer fire fighters, first responders, etc. These discounts started out as a way for companies to help officers who were required by their department to personally buy their duty gun but seems to have expanded into a marketing thing to show how patriotic they are.

Like RogueJSK mentions above, even though it says Law Enforcement Only, all Qualified Individuals are eligible for these firearms.

In addition to the extra mag and night sights that Smith & Wesson includes, like most LE Only firearms from the Manufacturers, these do no have the Federal Excise Tax included in the price. This is where most of the discount comes from and it is why the Manufacturer restricts it.

The LE Dealers that order the firearms are supposed to vet the purchasers because of the Federal Tax break.

I can tell you that many of the LE Dealers do not do a good job at vetting.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: colt_saa,

Glock does the same thing. They call it “Blue Label” and the are intended for sale to LE, or others that they deem qualified.

With Glock it’s a pricing thing. I think Glock offers the guns at about $90 cheaper.

If Glock catches a dealer selling blue label guns to anyone else, they cut the dealer. They don’t play.

quote:

In addition to the extra mag and night sights that Smith & Wesson includes, like most LE Only firearms from the Manufacturers, these do no have the Federal Excise Tax included in the price. This is where most of the discount comes from and it is why the Manufacturer restricts it.

Individual purchaser have to pay the FET tax on any firearms purchased. Only agencies are exempt.

The discount comes solely from the company charging less. The standard LE discount of around 25 percent isn't that great of a markdown.

As far as the Sig IOP program, the added magazine is the only feature for most as almost their entire line comes with night sights these days.

The biggest difference is the testing. LE and "world guns" as they are called have more ammo run through it before being released.

I picked a L/E package M/P 9 night sights , 3 mags and also had a PVD flat black over the fact finish diff, also L/E sku this dealer sold to who ever wanted to pay the money . I also picked up a new L/E 2.0 in 40 cal L/E package 3 mags night sights . They have different sku numbers and get fired a little more at the factory and have the latest updates . Check Gulf State Distributors that is were I got the 2.0 40 cal from 345 new in box and all the ex mags for 11 bucks ea new .

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:
Glock does the same thing. They call it “Blue Label” and the are intended for sale to LE, or others that they deem qualified.

With Glock it’s a pricing thing. I think Glock offers the guns at about $90 cheaper.

If Glock catches a dealer selling blue label guns to anyone else, they cut the dealer. They don’t play.

And Glock can be quite the annoying entity when the dealer is not a Blue Label shop. Years ago when I first started working at the shop, Glock for whatever reason had cited us as being a Blue Label dealer when we never were a part of the program. The owner had chosen not to participate for reasons still somewhat unknown by the rest of us to this day. It took a couple or so years of hassling from us for Glock to finally get that through their collective heads; but once they did they also went above and beyond and dropped us from their "stocking dealer" list posting on their website, even though we weren't actually dropped from that program at all. An example of how Karma, she is such a bitch I guess. Whatever.

And no, we also don't participate in the S&W LE program as well, again for reasons unknown.