The new Smith & Wesson M&P Shield, as you've probably heard, has been available for a few weeks now. I'm mostly convinced I should have one.
My rangemaster, a crusty old police sergeant who could shoot better on his worst day than I ever have on my best (under any conditions) once told me, “If you’re going to treat your gun like a classic car, buy a 1911. If you’re going to treat it like a lawnmower you sometimes leave out in the rain, get a Glock.” I subscribed to this theory for several years, until I picked up a full-sized M&P.
Now I have two guns I treat like lawnmowers. I clean them both once a year on my birthday whether they need it or not. The new M&P Shield has similar potential, though as a secondary or off-duty weapon - if it holds up as well as my full size pistol.
5'3" 135lb female w/ Shield, courtesy of www.ingunowners.com.
The Shield is built much like the others in the M&P line, with a polymer frame, Melonite-treated slide and barrel and striker-fired action. It comes in 9mm or .40, with a 6- or 7-round magazine (in .40) or 7- and 8-round magazine.
This is the official video from S&W...it's okay, if you can ignore the fact that it sounds exactly like the commercial it is. For myself, I never tire of watching Julie Golob shoot (I mean that both professionally and sincerely).
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Here's a video review from Shooting Times:
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This is another video review, from someone that will surely stir up some sort of ruckus.
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And, here's yet another video review:
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We'll call it good at four video reviews. I've contacted Matt at Blue Heron/S&W and requested a T&E model of the pistol. We'll see how it does when it arrives, and I'll give you an AAR after I get it on the range. I'm not wild about the looks of the safety or their choice of sights, and I'm not sure if it will conceal as well as the little Airweight I'm currently carrying but we shall see. That aside, I have high hopes for it.
That's it for now. Go forth and conquer.
DR
