Rifleman Review: Smith & Wesson M&P45 Shield

by
posted on July 1, 2020
American Rifleman examines the Smith & Wesson M&P45 Shield pistol in the Rifleman Review video segment above.

Smith & Wesson M&P45 Shield title screen.

Interest in mid-size .45-cal. pistols that use single-stack magazines led to the release of Smith & Wesson’s M&P45. The striker-fired, recoil-operated pistol sports a polymer frame and provides capacity for seven rounds. The 22.7-oz. package is a solid choice for daily carry.

Man wearing a ballcap shooting a pistol on a shooting range.

The polymer frame pistol measures 4.8”-tall by 6.45”-long and is fitted with a stainless steel slide topped with three-dot pattern sights. An Armornite finish covers the pistol. Smith & Wesson provides barrel length options up to 4” and our .45 ACP-chambered test sample measured a scant 3.3”.

On the front and rear of the slide, both left and right sides contain sections of fish-scale cuts to help in manipulation. Contours on the slide’s exterior were also sculpted to smooth the process of holstering the pistol.

Smith & Wesson black polymer pistol disassembled on white background.

Safety features include an articulated trigger safety and an internal mechanism to prevent misfire when the pistol is accidentally dropped. Purchasers may opt for a additional manual thumb safety, which is found on the gun’s left side where the frame and slide meet.

Pistol on cinder blocks.

The black polymer frame of the M&P45 Shield pistol contains an internal stainless steel chassis and sections of wrap-around texturing at its grip. The magazine release provides texturing as well. Six- and seven-round magazines come standard with the M&P45 Shield and each provides marked witness holes.

Specification table for Smith & Wesson M&P45 Shield pistol.

To learn more about Smith & Wesson’s M&P45 Shield pistol, please visit the company's website HERE, and be sure to watch our American Rifleman TV segment above.

Latest

Tikka T3x RoughTech Superlite bolt-action hunting rifle right-side view shown with accessories riflescope buttstock pack
Tikka T3x RoughTech Superlite bolt-action hunting rifle right-side view shown with accessories riflescope buttstock pack

Review: Tikka T3x RoughTech Superlite

Tikka released the RoughTech Superlite model at nearly a pound lighter at 5.88 lbs versus the 6.6 lbs. of the standard T3x Lite model.

New For 2025: KRISS Vector Gen 3

New for 2025, KRISS USA has updated its unique pistol-caliber Vector design with a few Gen 3 enhancements.

Gun Of The Week: Ruger LC Carbine In .45 ACP

Join American Rifleman staff here on the range in this week's video to learn about Ruger's pistol-caliber carbine chambered for America's cartridge, .45 ACP.

The Armed Citizen® Dec. 20, 2024

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Review: Hi-Point Firearms YC380 YEET Cannon

Hi-Point Firearms has been offering its budget-priced .380 ACP pistol options for quite some time. But this year, the company decided it was time to bring this cartridge into its Yeet Cannon fold with the release of the new striker-fired YC380.

Silencer Central Breaks Ground On New Facility, Adds Customer Portal

Moving the warehouse and distribution operations to a new building will free up roughly 20,000 square feet of space in the Silencer Central headquarters, paving the way for additional staffing to keep up with the growth of Silencer Central and its business extensions.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.