Rifleman Review: Smith & Wesson M&P9 Shield Plus OR

by
posted on February 10, 2023

In 2012, Smith & Wesson introduced its Shield pistol, a slim, 9 mm Luger-chambered handgun that folks could carry easily, and the design proved to be an instant hit. Nearly a decade later, though, micro-compact handgun designs proliferated, with increased magazine capacities that eclipsed that of the original Shield. To answer its competition, S&W launched its Shield Plus design. We took a closer look at the gun in our American Rifleman Television Rifleman Review segment above.

"Two of the biggest trends in pistols during the last couple years have been the micro-compact 9mms and optic-cut slides, and the Smith & Wesson M&P that we have right here is a gun that ticks both of those boxes at the same time," said Kelly Young, American Rifleman senior executive editor. "Now because of its higher capacity, the Shield Plus is a bit wider in the grip than is the original Shield, but this is actually a good thing, as the extra width actually fills your hand a little better, makes the gun a little more comfortable to shoot, little easier to handle recoil with."

In addition to the increased magazine capacity and subsequent ergonomic changes, Smith & Wesson also took a look at the trigger design. Previous models in the company's M&P lineup used a hinged trigger blade that acted as a safety, differing from other designs that used a blade-in-shoe safety, like Glock. Many felt that the hinged design contributed to an indistinct, mushy trigger pull, so on the Shield Plus, S&W elected to incorporate a flat-faced, blade-in trigger safety to improve the pull.

The M&P Shield Plus' slide is milled to accept Shield RMSc-pattern optics, and S&W offers select models with an included Crimson Trace CTS-1500 micro red-dot. In addition to the optics-ready nature of the slide, the company also updated the open sights with tritium-illuminated options. Other features on the Shield Plus include many of the enhancements from S&W's M2.0 update, including enhanced grip texturing and fish-scale-style slide serrations fore and aft.

"Our experience with previous versions of the Shield Plus has been very favorable from the standpoint of reliability and accuracy, and this version just adds even more functionality by upgrading the sights a bit and allowing the option to use a red dot while actually only costing about $40 more than the base model," Young said. "So if you're interested in a Smith & Wesson Shield Plus but don't necessarily want to shell out the extra money for a Performance model, this is the one for you."

Smith & Wesson M&P9 Shield Plus OR Specifications
Manufacturer: Smith & Wesson
Action Type: recoil-operated, semi-automatic, centerfire pistol
Chambering: 9 mm Luger
Slide: stainless steel, Armornite finish
Frame: matte black polymer
Barrel: 3.1", stainless steel, six-groove, Armornite finish, 1:10" RH twist
Magazine: 10-round detachable box
Sights: steel, tritium night sights
Trigger: striker-fired, 5-lb., 10-oz. pull
Overall Length: 6.1"
Height: 4.6"
Weight: 19.3 ozs.
Accessories: owner's manual, optics cover plate, 13-round magazine, lock
MSRP: $549

To watch complete segments of past episodes of American Rifleman TV, go to americanrifleman.org/artv. For all-new episodes of ARTV, tune in Wednesday nights to Outdoor Channel 8:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. EST. 

Latest

Taurus Tx22 Compact Rifleman Review 1
Taurus Tx22 Compact Rifleman Review 1

Rifleman Review: Taurus TX22 Compact

A downsized version of Taurus USA's TX22 is available, giving folks a smaller, handier version of the full-size TX22 rimfire pistol that's become one of the company's most popular offerings.

New For 2025: Springfield Armory Saint Victor 9 mm Pistol

Recently, Springfield Armory added a large-format pistol variant of its Saint Victor 9 mm carbine, giving enthusiasts a compact PCC that feeds from Colt-pattern magazines.

The Rifleman Report: New Developments

Our official coverage of new products for the current year is set for next month, but we included two substantial new developments in this issue that have the potential to make significant ripples in the firearm business even before then.

Arkansas To Begin Mandatory Gun Safety Lessons In Schools

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed into law requiring public and open enrollment public charter schools to provide age-appropriate firearm safety instruction beginning during the 2025-2026 school year.

Adams Arms Set To Relaunch

Alexandria Pro-Fab, a contract machine shop based in Minnesota, announced that it has purchased the assets of Adams Arms, along with all of the company’s intellectual property, and it plans to relaunch the company in the second quarter of 2025.

I Have This Old Gun: Bayard Auto Pistol

The Herstal, Belgium, firm of Anciens Etablissements Pieper was apparently expecting big things when, in 1908, it named its new semi-automatic pocket pistol “Bayard.”

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.