S&W M&P 40

Question
  I live in Canada so this is just a range gun for target shooting.  I would like to
get into the competition shooting, what are some things I would and/or could
change/modify on the M&P that would/can make it a better comp gun?  For now
my reasons for wanting to get into the comp shoots are to improve and learn as
much as possible about shooting and aiming in as realistic a setting as possible
(hopefully only having to use these techs on a range).  
  If I want to get into the comp shoots more seriously what are good factory
ready handguns?  My price range would be in the 0-1300 dollar range.  I'm not
looking for the best money can buy but I do want a good all around comp
handgun for a fair and reasonable price.
  Or is there less expensive routes, like buying a inexpensive gun and getting
the mods done?  Like a Norinco Dark, It is a Norinco 1911A1 that gets convert to
a 40 cal. with other mods (darkinternational.com).  Thanks for your time.  

Answer
It depends on what kind of competition you want to do. If it's IDPA, I'd recommend a street worthy gun, and that wouldn't be a 1911.

The reason for the 1911's endurance is two things: 1) they do or can have great triggers, 2) There are lots of after-market parts for them.

Aside from that, you're dealing a gun that is 100 years old. I've seldom seen one get all the way through a match without some kind of malfunction.

The M&P's are nice guns, with the exception that the trigger reset is too long, and top shooters will short stroke them. Getting that fixed isn't too big a deal, but the gun has other short-comings. The steel of the fire controls (i.e. the sear) is soft. I think there is someone who is now making a hardened steel after market part, and that would be the way to go.

Earlier model M&P's had a flaw in their firing pins. I broke three of them before I finally gave up on the gun.

If you think you may have to rely on the gun for real, a Glock will be right in the middle of your price range. The guns are simple to fix, parts are cheap and few (less than 40 parts in the whole gun).

My match gun is in the same configuration as the one I carry, no light triggers or extended anything. With the exception of sights and some grip tape, it's pretty much as it came out of the box, and I take first place in about 90% of the competitions I shoot in.

Practice and training are worth more than any mods you could do to a modern handgun.