Hey there Gunnook readers. This is a review of my Smith & Wesson M&P 45 Shield.
Let me start by saying 45 ACP is my favorite handgun round, it's what I shoot best.
I had handled the Springfield XDS 45, it just felt too blocky and uncomfortable to me and I was disappointed. So when I heard Smith & Wesson was releasing their M&P Shield in 45 ACP, I was excited. I'd been waiting for a reasonably priced, small and concealable, 45 for everyday carry. I ended up buying one last November (2016), and I was not disappointed.
I couldn't believe how light and thin this gun was when I first handled it. That's extraordinary for a compact 45 ACP. The widest portion of the gun is only one and a half inches wide!
All of the M&P 45 Shield's controls are slim line and mounted on the left side of the gun. I found the slide release almost impossible to engage with my thumb, being so small, you just can't exert the force needed to release it. So, I had to pull the slide back slightly and thumb the lever to release the slide back into battery. (This is called the sling-shot method) Not a deal breaker in my mind, just something you'll have to train around. I guess that's the price paid for such a small framed, large caliber handgun. The frame mounted safety lever is easily reached and engages/disengages smoothly. Also worth noting: The 45 Shield is available in a safetyless model.
The slide has serrations at the rear and bottom half of it's front. The front serrations seem like an afterthought as I would not place my hand that close to the muzzle. The rear serrations are excellent and allow a firm grip for slide racking.
The front and rear sights are standard steel, 3 white dot. Nothing special. They're decent sights and line up on target pretty well.
Magazine release is easily engaged and the magazine drops smoothly. May take a bit of getting used to inserting a magazine, especially quickly, due to the slim grip profile and non-beveled magwell.
There were two included magazines, a standard, flat base plate, 6 rounder and an extended base plate 7 rounder. I have large hands and even with the standard 6 rd mag my pinkie finger still fits on the grip. The 7 rounder did seem more comfortable though. I carry with the 6 round mag for more concealability and use the 7 rounder as my reload.
I noticed how rough the textured grip was, I mean seriously rough. Like course sand paper. So it provides an excellent grip even with wet/sweaty hands. Though I found it a bit uncomfortable.
Unless you wear an undershirt, it's not going to feel very good against bare skin when concealed. I sanded down the left side of the grip a bit because I didn't want my side being grated like a block of cheese.
I purchased a DeSantis Sof-Tuck IWB holster for my Shield. The Sof-Tuck is one of my favorite holsters. Gun fit is great once properly broken in and conceals completely at the 4:00 position with an untucked, buttoned up shirt. Even with movement (I'm a big guy), there was no printing or revealing of the gun. Very comfortable for all day wear. Even though it's an open top design, retention is very good with a proper belt. The extra mag (7 rd) is worn in my homemade, leather mag holder on my left side.
https://www.amazon.com/RSR-Group-106.../dp/B0096LODYI
Stripping the 45 Shield for cleaning is extremely easy. Make sure the gun is not loaded , lock the slide back, flip the take-down lever down, release the slide slowly, pull the trigger, then pull the slide off of the frame. Finally, remove the barrel and spring from the slide.
Now, let's get to the 45 Shield's performance.
I was pleasantly surprised by it's recoil. For such a small, light, 45 ACP pistol, recoil was not as heavy as I expected. It was easy to bring the gun back on target for follow up shots. Double taps are a joy with the 45 Shield and even during fast firing I was able to control the barrel rise. I chalk that up to how well balanced the gun is along it's axis. Other than the grip kinda digging into and chafing my palm, there wasn't much noticeable shock or fatigue to my hand from repeated firing.
Once again, the two-piece, safety trigger is going to take some getting used to. But it's not as bad as the triggers on the full-sized S&W M&P seires. I can live with it since the pros definitely outweigh the cons in this pistol.
I test fired at 25 ft with a few different ammos. Winchester white box 230gr FMJ, My handloads with Hornady 185gr XTP and 230gr XTP, Winchester PDX1 230gr, and Federal Premium 230gr HST (My carry ammo). Probably around 250 rounds total.
It ate every round flawlessly, no hiccups or malfunctions.
(Easy to see why this is my preferred carry ammo.) Federal 230gr HST has also tested out as effective in shorter barrels as well as Speer 230gr Gold Dot.
Overall, the Smith & Wesson M&P 45 Shield is everything I had hoped for in a compact, concealable 45. I would not hesitate to recommend it as an EDC. In my opinion, it's the best of what's out there for concealed carry in 45 ACP for now.
Thanks for reading, I hope the information provided is useful and was enjoyable. If you have any questions please leave them in the comments below and I'll try to answer them to the best of my ability.
Be responsible, stay safe, have fun.
https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearm...d-thumb-safety
Specs: M&P 45 SHIELD
Caliber: .45ACP
Striker Fired
Capacity: 6+1/7+1 Rounds
Front Sight: White Dot (steel)
Rear Sight: White Dot (steel)
Safety: manual frame safety, two-piece trigger (Also available without manual safety)
Barrel Length: 3.3”
Overall Length: 6.45”
Width (slide): .99”
Height: 4.88” w/6rd Magazine
Weight Empty: 2.2 oz.
Weight: (w/ loaded 6rd mag) 20.5 oz.
Frame Material: Polymer
Grip: Rough textured polymer
Barrel Material: Armornite finish stainless steel
Slide Material: Armornite finish stainless steel
MSRP: $479.00