Are S&W M&P 9 full size (Gen 1) & Shield Gen 1 good pistols?

[Sasquatch]

try telling my 1.0 9mil that! The slide will NOT come off IF the disconnect ISN'T disengaged. I've had it for ~9 years and if will NOT disassemble any other way. 2.0 I don't need to for sure. Going thru some disassembly checks (what's not in the manual) I found this out.

lock slide back
turn the slide disengage
pull and hold the trigger back
then
slide will come off.

With these procedures, you're correct.

I don't care for compacts, although s&w doesn't label the 4" that way, but some other companies do.

You just described the takedown procedure if you don't use the lever - the only difference between an M&P & a Glock is how the takedown lever works. The Glocks have those stupid pull down nubs - M&P's, XD's, Sigs etc all have a rotating lever that's far better / easier. Only step you didn't mention was releasing the slide after rotating the takedown lever.

As for the .45 Compact - they made IIRC 4 models of .45 not counting the CORE versions in the gen 1

They had the 4.25" full grip .45 with 10+1
They had a 4 inch barrel with full grip 10+1
The long slide 5 inch with full grip 10+1
and they have the Compact 4 inch, short grip 8+1 - it was the first M&P that approached the vaunted Glock 19 in dimensions. Perfect carry size - not too small, not too big, not too heavy.

Then they came out with the Shield in .45 - I don't remember if the Shield .45 was a gen 1, or if it was one of the first 2.0 guns. Never had the .45 shield as I don't like subcompact .45's much. My wife has loved both of her Shield 9's though - and it was her primary gun until she moved to a Canik TP9Sc.