Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 9mm review

April 12, 2012
By Caleb

The rumors are true: Smith & Wesson released the new M&P Shield this morning at 0900 Pacific time, and we have a hands on first look at the gun.  The Smith & Wesson M&P Shield is a single stack handgun built around the M&P design philosophy and initially chambered in 9mm.  A .40 S&W version will be available, however we tested the 9mm version.  First, let’s talk about the statistics – cold hard numbers on the gun.

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  • Caliber: 9mm
  • Capacity: 7+1 with flush fitting magazine, 8+1 with extended magazine
  • Barrel length: 3.1 inches
  • OAL: less than 6 inches
  • Widest point: 0.98 inches
  • Manual safety

Now, those are all the numbers, but the real question is “how does it shoot?”  The answer to that is “very well.”  I put about 500 rounds through mine over the course of two days, and I was really impressed with how it handled.  In the past I’ve not been a big fan of these single-stack 9mm guns, usually because the execution has been off.  The M&P Shield nails the execution, getting the details that a sub-compact 9mm should have right.

Speaking of details, let’s talk about the trigger.  Everyone complains about the M&P trigger’s lack of a distinct reset point, and while it never bothered me that much with my Pro Series guns, it’s enough of an issue that S&W went ahead and addressed it.  The new M&P Shield has a new trigger, which ads a very positive and distinct reset point to the gun making the trigger feel much more like a well tuned Glock trigger.  The boffins said that out of the box the trigger would weigh in around 6.5 lbs, and I’d estimate mine felt about like that.  The gun does have a manual safety, which I’m not a huge fan of, but for IWB carry you can basically ignore it.  I tried my damnedest to make it activate on accident and I couldn’t.  S&W recommends that the Shield be carried in a holster and not as a pocket gun, unless you have large pockets.  The form factor makes it nice for discreet carry in non-permissive environments.

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But enough with that, because you want to know how it shoots. To tell the truth, it shoots awesome. I came in to the T&E process expecting to not like the gun, because I’ve not been impressed with other guns in its class such as the LC9. The M&P Shield was the complete opposite of that. Not only was it relatively easy to shoot, it was very accurate. At 25 yards I was able to hold around 4 inches from a standing two handed hold. It punches way above its weight class in terms of shootability. With the 7 round flush magazine inserted, I was just barely to get an entire hand on it, and with the 8 round extended mag inserted I had plenty of real-estate to hold on to to shoot the gun quickly. We ran the guns through several different drills, including some close range bill drills, longer range accuracy stuff, and even some shooting on the move. My personal gun kept running despite being plucked from the production line and handed to me with no intervening lubrication, or “going over” by S&W. One note: in order to keep the form factor under an inch, S&W had to do away with the interchangable backstraps that are a hallmark of the M&P line. For a small gun like this, it’s really not a big deal.

We’ll actually be shooting the new M&P Shield through a series of tests and challenges in the next few weeks. Now that I’ve had a turn with it, Shelley Rae will get her hands on the gun and give you her thoughts on it next week. Friday we’ll have some video on the new pistol going up.

My final thoughts on the new gun? This is a homerun for S&W. I am not a big fan of small, single-stack 9mm guns, but the new M&P Shield made a believer out of me. I predict that our sample gun is going to be fought over hardcore in the office as to who’s going to be carrying it.

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Tags: M&P, Shield, Smith & Wesson

This entry was posted on April 12, 2012 at 09:01 and is filed under Smith & Wesson. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

49 Responses to Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 9mm review

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    cj on April 12, 2012 at 09:03

    Awesome. Thanks. This was the first place I could find this much info. All S&W did was stick up a photo…no specs.

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    Evan Ash on April 12, 2012 at 09:08

    did S&W say that they were already shipping to dealers?

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      Rick Bonesteel on April 15, 2012 at 17:21

      The 9 went on sale on Thurs the 12th. First shipments will go fast, it’s gonna be a popular model.

      Reply
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    ExurbanKevin on April 12, 2012 at 09:16

    I have my subcompact 9mm on my hip, a Sccy CPX-1 in a Bianchi Model 100 IWB, as I type this. The fact is, subcompact nines are REALLY easy to carry, even easier than a compact nine in a hybrid IWB holster.

    I’ve been looking for a replacement for the Sccy, and if the Shield is all it seems to be, it’s now jumped to the head of the line.

    Reply
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    J.M. Johnston on April 12, 2012 at 09:20

    We’ve already got some, so I’d say they’ve been shipped. :-)

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    ExurbanKevin on April 12, 2012 at 09:20

    MSRP?

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      Rick Bonesteel on April 15, 2012 at 17:22

      I saw it at one place for $449.

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        Brandon on April 15, 2012 at 17:27

        I picked one up at Academy Sports for $399.

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    Joe on April 12, 2012 at 09:21

    Sights? Metal, plastic, three dot….?

    MSRP?

    Does it come with both mags?

    Any nifty options like a light or laser?

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      Caleb on April 12, 2012 at 09:32

      MSRP is 440, sights are metal 3-dots.

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      Alan on April 13, 2012 at 03:09

      Metal three dots with optional hi viz, or tritium night sights
      it comes with both mags
      and it retails for 449 usd

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      Alan on April 13, 2012 at 03:13

      I wasn’t done typing… fingers were faster then the brain.

      there are three lasers available for it

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    Sam Rudolph on April 12, 2012 at 09:31

    WHO has them available? Inquiring minds want to know!

    Will there be a version without that damn external safety? How easy was the safety to manipulate? It looks pretty much vestigial, and I can’t imagine it’s easy to find and flip off.

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      SRE on April 12, 2012 at 11:07

      I would like to see one with the more functional 1911-style safety they offer on their other guns. Safeties like this seem designed to keep the “widest point” measurement down while making both those who like a safety and those who don’t unhappy.

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    J.M. Johnston on April 12, 2012 at 09:31

    Metal 3 dot sights looks to take standard M&P sights.

    We haven’t priced them yet.

    Yes both mags.

    No options I’ve seen yet though I will say it’s got a very forceful reset, and would probably be a good reason to select this over the Kahr if you were concerned about such things.

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    ExurbanKevin on April 12, 2012 at 10:10

    Soooo, chances are it’ll retail for about what an LC9 goes for.

    Now I’m VERY interestered.

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    punchinout on April 12, 2012 at 12:03

    I haven’t seen anything that confirms or denies that it has a magazine disconnect. Do the current retail models have them?

    I also noticed in Yeager’s video that he had XS sights on his? Will that be a factory option?

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      Caleb on April 12, 2012 at 12:07

      No magazine disconnect, and XS Sights will be available aftermarket.

      Reply
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    Art B on April 12, 2012 at 12:09

    I’d like to see that compared with the Kahr CM9.

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      Brandon on April 15, 2012 at 17:28

      We’re going to have a Shield/Nano/CM9 comparison posted soon if you’re interested.

      Reply
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    Josh Glastra on April 12, 2012 at 12:09

    Since its for carry, did you know if they addressed the weak striker issue? It looks awesome, but I’ve heard of too many of them snapping to rely on an M&P for carry personally.

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      Mike on April 12, 2012 at 13:03

      That’s a good question, I’d like to know as well. My Bodyguard 380′s firing pin snapped, so I’m not in love with MIM impact parts.

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      James on April 12, 2012 at 13:57

      That problem is a thing of the past.
      I’ve broken a couple strikers on M&P9s. Only with heavy dryfire, and only on older model strikers. In 3 years, have yet to break the new silver strikers.

      I’ve never heard of one breaking just from actual firing.

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        Josh Glastra on April 12, 2012 at 15:11

        I’m not so sure about that. A local GM broke 3-4 of them last year from dry firing and USPSA matches. Just this year my buddies broke in front of me during a 3 gun match and ruined his run. Seems to still be an issue.

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          James on April 13, 2012 at 08:50

          huh. Learn something every other day. I gave up trying to break mine through dry fire.
          Guess I’ll have to try harder.
          Fortunately, new strikers are not hard to find, and not that expensive – $9 through speed shooters specialties. Guess I’ll plan on replacing them along with recoil spring assemblies.

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            TS on April 14, 2012 at 20:25

            I’ve been dry firing the hell out of my new M&P9 striker for a month. I have about 300 rounds through it, including 150 rounds Tula and about ten to one dry fires, if not more.

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    Noah on April 12, 2012 at 12:43

    So aside from it being single stack, new trigger & manual safety, how does it differ from the M&P9c?

    Great review Caleb

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      DAMOND on April 14, 2012 at 21:01

      You kinda answered it. Those are pretty big attributes. Oh, price, it’s cheaper.

      Reply
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    Jesse on April 12, 2012 at 13:24

    I just got a Walther PPS and I didn’t like it as much as I expected that I would. It seems like a perfectly fine gun but it’s just missing that something. It seems like it’s a bit too large for the amount of rounds you loose when compared to a Glock 26. I’m curious to see how this thing feels once they start getting them in stores.

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    Rick on April 12, 2012 at 13:27

    3″ off hand at 25 yards with a sub- compact?

    BULLSHIT!

    I don’t doubt the gun is good but seriously, 3″ off hand at 25 yards with a sub- compact?

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      James on April 12, 2012 at 14:00

      Its not that hard to believe, not if it has a decent trigger and decent sights.
      Example, how much difference is there really between this and a G26 or M&P9c? I’ve seen plenty of sub 4″ 5 shot groups offhand at 25 with those guns. .4″ less of sight radius isn’t that big of a deal.

      Reply
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    Sian on April 12, 2012 at 13:35

    I like that it has a bittyrail, that’s a rare thing on pocket 9s, opening up a lot of off-the shelf laser options. (I can’t see adding a light or pistol bayonet to this one. ;)

    Caleb, does it ‘feature’ a magazine trigger disconnect, and if there is it an option like the M&P’s? Would be nice to hear that the manual safety is optional too, though I doubt that will happen at this point.

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      Sian on April 12, 2012 at 13:36

      I should have read the other comments first. Glad to see no nanny magazine disconnect!

      Reply
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    Joe on April 12, 2012 at 13:53

    I own three M&P’s full size, compact and sub compact and now I’m going to have too buy another….damn. Don’t see the big deal with the so called “nanny” mag disconnect unless it’s going to be a range queen and target pistol. I think if you ask a few LEO’s they may tell you different about the mag disconnect. I hope we have the option of not having a manual safety.

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      Brad on April 14, 2012 at 17:08

      My model doesn’t have a Mag disconnect. It can be purchased either way according to the owners manual. Im kinda glad I dont have a Mag disconnect honestly.

      Reply
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    theblacknight on April 12, 2012 at 14:21

    This appears to be a good gun. Maybe Smith will put on their big boy pants and get rid of the SD series.

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