Introducing the Smith & Wesson M&P Shield

Steve

I was very interested in learning more about this pistol right up until I discovered it has a thumb safety, for which I do not train…

Joe

Well, you don't have to use the safety – just leave it off.
- MARK
  
  The problem training not using a safety as it was designed, is the possibility it gets placed in the safety position and by the time you realize the safety is on your behind or dead. The same thing happens on the range when the shooter draws from an unsnapped holster practicing and then snaps it. Watch the fun when he tries to draw his weapon from a snapped holster. I am a retired Police firearms instructor and I have seen this happen all to often.
  - Soldier1
    
    If you look closely at the pictures ( and read the reviews) you can see that the safety was made low profile and it is stiff to engage. These feature combine to make the safety very difficult to engage by mistake. S&W knows that most of their M&p customers opt for the no external safety version so the made the safety on the shield in a way that the shooter can opt to not use it at all.
  - J. Bob
    
    I am NOW a police firearms instructor and we teach our officers to be mentality prepaired for things like you have described above. You state you are retired, so I will assume that is the way it was years ago………..but not now.
  - Barry N Kendig
    
    Mark I agree with you about the safety. I had a Seacamp 32 acp with a California safety on the trigger. I carried it in my pocket for a few weeks after shooting about 80 rounds in it and pulled it out at the range to fire it again and somehow the safety got put on without my knowledge. I thought to myself what if I had to depend on in a life and death situation? Needless to say I got rid of it. No more thumb safeties except my 1911….

Bulldog

There are many handguns for different purposes and people. I don't like 9mm so the .40 was a plus. Some people want 50 rounds in a mag, not me. I was a cop with a 6 shooter for many years and am confident in my shooting. I like a saftey and a lock. At times they are valuable.

John

I was about to purchase a Glock 36 or the new XDS in .45.
I'm going to wait, make me a slim .45.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000169758247 Steven Wilson

I'd like to see it go head to head agains the LC9 and other CC 9mm pistols.

Roy Munson

The thumb safety is an absolute deal breaker for me. If they offer one without the thumb safety, I'll buy 3.

007

Wow, I like it Roy boy! Safety a deal breaker…! Wow
- Dirty Devan
  
  If you 007 will prefer to the waltzer?
  - Dirty Devan
    
    Sorry I mean The Walther PPK.
billyjmc

The thumb safety on the rest of the M&P line is removable. I imagine this is no different. They probably didn't make it an option just to save on initial production costs.
- Roy Munson
  
  I hope you're right billyjmc. Other than the thumb safety, it looks like the perfect carry gun. I'll still wait for a while to see if they offer one without the thumb safety. Experience has taught me to not buy a new model until the inevitable bugs are worked out.
khadga

Same here; I'm placing an order as soon as they offer a model w/o an external safety. I hadn't heard about the Shield until today, so now I'm right back to shopping for a couple of low mileage S&W 3953s to customize just a bit. Now, I'm curious whether Springer's XDS has a thumb safety or not.
- lando
  
  no thumb safety

Tom

Just another plastic gun. Looks like a Mattel toy.

john

Original

john

how much does it weigh?????

Mark

I purchased this bad boy today ($429), it weighs about nineteen ounces unloaded and is a great feeling pistol with good ergonomics, a nice sight picture, and a nice trigger pull which has its own safety allowing you to not use the thumb safety (which was seamless to use for myself and others at my local gun shop, but I'm a lover of 1911 style guns). I lucked out finding that the De-Santos holster for a Walther PPS worked for this as well and allowed for a very smooth draw.

I didn't have the chance to shoot it before having to go to work, but like any of the other M&P guns I've used it'll surely live up to the M&P tag without disappointment.

Cesn

The saftey comes off. I'm a m&p fan I have several of them. My 9c has a removal thumb saftey. Other than them engraving shield on it I don't see any differences. Anyone know of any?

Jared

The weapon is smaller than just the compact model. It is also thinner, I believe somewhere around a 1/8 of an inch or so. This is more a venture in the subcompact models compared to the other 9C's and .40C's.
Motts

The shield is also supposed to have a new trigger design that has a distinct reset.
- Jack
  
  I bought my mp shield and it is one of the best Smith's i ever owned. It is smooth and accurate enjoy firing. For the people who do not like the saftey just dont use it. I'm in law enforcement for 29 years and still active.

Eric

I have never heard a bad review of a gun all of this is a big advertisement. It's all this is the best new gun or look at how this ammo works.

robert Loren

Just got a new Glock 36. All kind of ammo works . going to be hard to beat that G R 8 handgun

robert Loren

Befor u buy check out Ruger;s SR40C or SR9C both super guns Also Remember what S and W id to us gun guys during Clinton"s time in office I DO

Mawguy

I carry the Ruger SR9c daily. There are mixed feelings on the safety. When holstering a light, striker fired pistol, I like the safety because the gun is so small. Once holstered, I prefer the safety to be off. Point is, I can choose. Oh, and the SR9c gives you 10 rounds in a thin gun, but it is heavier than the Shield.

Mark

I’ve been walking around with a 380 Diamondback (very light), but I am thinking of a 9mm with good ammo. It weights a bit more, but I feel the need for that extra punch in case a Zombie appears. Therefore, that M&P is on the shopping list. I also don’t need that thumb safety.

Jack

I had a diamondback 380 and had to send it back because of jams and not firing. It was way to many problems. I have a Bodyguard and never had a problem. Also got the MP Shield love them both.

Jared

@Robert Loren The deal with Clinton was done while the brand was under British ownership. In the early 2000s in was purchased by a group of American businessmen and is now a publicly traded company.

robert Loren

maby so but s and w still got a bad name Still like my SR 40c or ever better glock 36( 45 ) both sweet guns
- Joe
  
  Ruger did the same stuff in the clinton days they made magazines with 10 or less before it was required.

Dirty Devan

Well I look at it carefully it look like a great gun. I don't use if I was a spy but Walther or Beretta in size are good. But still I use in if I was in Law Enforcement official.

Walt Labbate

S&W, please don't forget us left handed shooters. With no ambidextrous controls, I am guessing you will produce a lefty version a little later, as you have not made the Shield ambidextrous. I know you will do the right thing by us. S&W will gain tremendous respect from us left handed people by going with a left handed version on a small pistol.

Shadow

Looks like a fine american made pistol to me!

hogfan

If its not a springfield or a glock I'm in. I need a 9mm to pack and I dont need 47 rounds of ammo. I was just about to go buy the walther PPS but now I have to go fondel the Smith. I guess I'll just have to buy both.

Lando

wtf is wrong with a Springfield?

Sunrise Zac

I just ordered the Sheild in 40; can't wait to shoot it. The trigger sounds great.

Ron

Hey Robert! Those Clinton era owners are gone. S&W is owne d by a new group since then. Ruger on the other hand is not. O;d Bill sold us dwn the river with Clinton too but, he is dead now. So is the Cinton ban. I love muy new shield. I also love my Ruger poly 357.

Robert

When I saw this pistol my eyes opened wide, my heart raced, and shouts of joy rang out! Finally, a single stack sub compact pistol for us lefties, a great new addition to the M&P line! All while thinking "Smith and Wesson, take my money". That all quickly changed when I saw that this thing doesn't even come with an ambi mag release. And that's all we lefties really want, we can do without the rest. This "M&P" is noting more than a re-badged bodyguard. Shame on you Smith and Wesson. You guys are jerks.

M Holliday

The Shield is NOT a rebranded Body Guard. The Body Guard is more of a pocket pistol. The Shield is sized between the Body Guard and the S&W M&P Compact.
ron morris

yes all is well with the looks and all the talk about this gun ,, but try to buy one
- ron morris
  
  i forgot to finnish ,, every one keeps telling me oh yes we get them ,, and you say will put me on the waiting list , then go back in a few months and a new man in there working well tell you oh we never get them .. lollllllll how funny .
  - http://www.facebook.com/liberty.kananen Liberty Kananen
    
    The Shield is very rarely in stock! For example, my particular store hasn't gotten a Shield in either caliber in over 2 months. The closest store that has one is over 200 miles away from me. I wouldn't be surprised if the price went up, they have been selling so fast!
    
    Guess I'll just stay with my M&P compact. :3

bryan

Just bought the Shield in 40. Shoots smoothly. I like it quite a bit better than my glock 27 for both carry comfort and accuracy. Not to mention price. I own an M&P 40 and I find the shield to be very manageable. The new trigger east is simply fantastic. I plan on buying the 9mm next week for my wife. As far as the 7 round may goes, well its a backup weapon. I have used a commander 1911 .45 as a primary for years, and the low round count never bothered me. Hit what you are shooting at, and you only need one or two rounds. Great pistol.

JngleCogs

I shoot my handguns like I shoot my fine doubles. Mental memory to remove the safety. I like it just the way it is. Little chance for a ND with a thumb safety. Practice. I can be on target and fire just as well as the guys who hate safetys.

biillshooter

I ordered one five months ago . still waiting . Im finding out distributors faver the larger gun shops.I think this is b.s. Im just about to say the hell with s&w

KansasGunGuy

I picked the 40 S&W Shield up about a month and a half ago and I absolutely LOVE it. I've put about 500 rounds through mine with various factory loads and have zero failures of any kind. I'm not a big fan of the safety (on a carry gun) so I just don't use the safety. The safety is very low profile and stiff (for lack of a better word) to engage/dis-engage. So I've had no problems with it getting engaged without doing it on purpose. I do carry mine in a quality holster (Crossbreed Super Tuck Deluxe). I carried it in a Desanti pocket holster while I was waiting for my CBSTD to be made and shipped and had no problems with the safety getting engaged in that either.
In fact I love it so much I bought the 9mm also. My local dealer has been fortunate to get these frequently but they don't stay in stock very long. LOL.

Buzzle Gut

I dont like the safety. Deal breaker.

mickey mouse

they cant provide extra magazines for the shield.