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The Smith & Wesson M&P Shield
By Joseph L. Kurtenbach, AR Assistant Editor
Unveiled at the NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in St. Louis, Mo., Smith & Wesson’s newest product, the M&P Shield, is sure to turn heads. The topic of internet buzz and industry speculation, Smith & Wesson’s cryptic “Shield Yourself” ad had people wondering just what the folks at the Springfield, Mass., plant were up to. In preparation for the launch, a troop of writers, myself included, were invited up to draw back the curtain and pull the trigger on this exciting new pistol.
Designed for concealed carry, the M&P Shield enters the vaunted handgun line as the smallest and lightest offering to date. Only 6.1-inches long, 4.6-inches tall and 19 ounces in weight (unloaded) the Shield is super compact, but more striking than these dimensions is its sub-1-inch width. This gun is slim. The frame is 0.95 inches at its thickest, and the pistol’s fattest components, the grips, measure in at a scant 0.98 inches. With such a slight profile it would seem reasonable that some features had to be left on the proverbial cutting room floor. Not so with the Shield. With a magazine release button, take-down lever, slide-stop and thumb safety switch, nothing is missing from the frame’s left-side control panel.
The Shield is available chambered either for 9 mm Luger or .40 S&W, meaning this compact package brings full-size power. The pistols will ship with two, single-stack magazines; one flush-fitting and capable of holding seven rounds of 9 mm or six rounds of .40 S&W, the second with plus-one additional capacity and stock extension for a full three-finger grip. The Shield follows M&P protocol in construction, the molded polymer frame utilizes texturing standard in S&W’s patented Palmswell Grips, and the steel slide and 3.1-inch barrel are finished with the very durable black melonite coating. It is important to note, however, that the Shield’s grips are not interchangeable like other M&P models, rather they are fixed and of medium size, according to Palmswell dimensions. The sights are of the three-dot configuration, and as with other guns in the M&P line, the rear sight is windage adjustable.
Mechanically, the Shield will be familiar to those with M&P experience, and it’s similar to many popular striker-fired handguns. A stainless-steel chassis houses the trigger assembly, which includes a sear release lever that can be accessed through the slide’s ejection port when locked to the rear. The sear release can be manipulated with a pen or similar tool, and it makes disassembly possible without having to pull the trigger—an increasingly prevalent requirement for law enforcement service arms. The trigger itself has been upgraded and is probably representative of what will be used in all future M&P production. While the previous design was praised for having a very smooth, single-action pull, the trigger’s reset was often very hard to detect requiring a near full-length pull for each follow up shot. In the Shield, the trigger remains smooth and crisp, but has been re-engineered to provide a very clear reset with audible and tactile cues.
While at Smith & Wesson, I was able to get some time—a lot of time actually—behind the trigger and I have to say I enjoyed every minute of it. I sent approximately 300 rounds downrange without a single malfunction. Expand that to include the nine other writers firing a similar number of rounds and the result is 10 M&P Shields firing 3,000 shots without a single gun-induced stoppage (there were approximately five failures during the two days of shooting, all stemming from the same problem with the ammunition). Needless to say I was impressed, and looking at a range floor completely covered in brass, it is safe to assume my colleagues were as well. The Shield has an excellent natural point, a characteristic demonstrated in some one-hand drills we conducted, and it proved surprisingly accurate even out to 25 yards.
As if this new gun were not appealing enough, Smith & Wesson assured us that a host of Shield accessories would be available for sale at launch. Bucking the traditional pattern of introducing a firearm and letting the accessory market respond, S&W made shrewd use of non-disclosure agreements with holster and sight makers to ensure gear for the new pistols would be on the market from day one. The stable of companies on board for the Shield launch includes, but is not limited to, Blackhawk, Blade-Tech, Crimson Trace, De Santis, Fobus, Galco, HiViz, Laserlyte, Uncle Mike’s and XS Sights. This may be too much for the gear-dos out there, but fear not, suggested retail for the Shield is only $449, and real-world prices are expected to be lower, meaning those anxious to get their hands on the gun should have money to spare for accessories.
Accurate, reliable, concealable, accessorized and affordable, the M&P Shield has most everything law enforcement professionals and self-defense practitioners could ask for. Stay tuned for a full review and evaluation of the Shield, and further coverage of the NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in American Rifleman magazine, and here on AmericanRifleman.org.
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Concealed Carry: The Strong Side
by Paul Rackley, Associate Online Shooting Editor
As reflected by increases in firearm sales and CWP applications, more Americans are expressing their 2nd Amendment right to bear arms. This also means more people are now trying to determine the best way to carry a concealed handgun.
There are multiple factors that influence carry method such as the handgun’s size and type, the person’s body shape and clothing worn, and the carrier’s imagination. However, there are a few accepted methods such as ankle, shoulder and strong side. Each of these has its advocates, but strong side (high on the waist near the strong hand) is the preferred method of many experts including American Rifleman Field Editor Wiley Clapp: “There are many ways to carry a gun, but the one that makes the most sense is high on the waist.”
Holster Choices
There are three types of commonly used strong-side holsters: inside-the-waistband (IWB), outside-the-waistband (OWB) and belly band. Each type provides varying degrees of concealment and accessibility.
IWB—Provides good cover via shirt or coat while keeping a handgun accessible, but requires an overly large waistband to allow fit. IWB works best with medium-sized, narrow handguns.
OWB—Keeps a handgun easily accessible, but requires a long cover garment to keep the holster from showing when bending or reaching. OWB allows carry of larger handguns.
Belly Band—Deepest cover for strong side, but handgun must be accessed by pulling up or ripping open the shirt. Belly band carry is best for small to medium polymer handguns as the gun is close to the body and susceptible to sweat.
The Good and the Bad
Regardless of the type of holster, strong-side carry has some definite advantages over other methods. First and foremost, the handgun is easily accessible. There is no reaching across or around the body as the hand is already near the gun. Another strong-side advantage is that it allows the use of the weak arm for close-quarters defense without interfering with the draw. Most importantly, the strong-side draw can be simplified to its most basic motions, which, with practice, creates a very smooth, fast draw. And practice is more readily available since many gun ranges limit how shooters can train from retention (holster), if allowed at all, to strong side for safety.
Of course, every carry method has its disadvantages. Strong-side carry has three distinct problems for shooters, the most significant of which is that it is difficult, if not impossible, to start with a hand on the gun. Lifting the cover garment for the draw almost always reveals the gun to potential threats. The other issues with strong-side carry are “printing” and car carry. Care must be taken to not print (when the cover garment tightens and shows the imprint of the gun) when bending over or reaching for an item. This is especially a problem in summer months when light, airy shirts are the norm. Car carry is difficult because with the gun on the strong side, the cover garment and seatbelt combine to make drawing the gun nearly impossible, but it can be conducted with forethought and practice.
Draw Strong
There are four basic motions to drawing a handgun from the strong side: the grip, the pull, the rock and the extend. Conducted properly, these motions lend themselves to the fast, smooth strong-side draw.
The Grip: Throw the elbow straight back, bring the hand back and grip the handgun firmly with the supporting fingers while keeping the trigger finger straight along the slide, outside of the holster.
The Pull: Pull the gun up and completely out of the holster keeping the trigger finger straight along the slide.
The Rock: Once the gun is clear of the holster, rock the barrel forward toward the target.
The Extend: Extend the gun into shooting position while bringing the support hand up and forward to the gun.
Draw Often
Drawing under stress requires muscle memory created through training and practice, especially if drawing from under a vest, shirt or other cover garment.
The best way to perfect the draw is slowly on a live-fire range with a partner watching for safety and mistakes. Start with smooth, deliberate motions and slowly build up speed. When practicing, keep in mind that slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Build on a smooth draw and speed will come.
If unable to conduct training on a range for lack of time, ammo or availability, you can practice in the privacy of the home. First, unload the firearm and remove all ammunition from the area. Then, practice drawing with slow, sure motions in front of a mirror while watching for mistakes. This will not provide the full experience, but it will improve your draw and provide the muscle memory to make the draw when the chips are down.
Regardless of the carry method, one of the most important factors of making a smooth, practiced draw is consistency in both the motion and the method. Acclaimed holster maker John Bianchi once doled out some excellent advice for concealed-carry advocates: “The same gun, in the same place, all the time, makes the reactive draw second nature.”
Strong-Side Photo Gallery
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September 17, 2013A resident told police he was upstairs around 2 p.m. when he heard three men kick in the front door and enter his home. The intruders attacked there evident and placed him in an upstairs closet while they ransacked the home. What the intruders didn't know was that particular closet was where the resident kept his gun. When he thought the intruders were gone, the resident left the closet armed with that firearm. Downstairs, he encountered one of the men and the two exchanged gunfire. The intruder was struck in the shoulder and leg. He fled, but collapsed a few blocks away. The other two intruders fled as well. The resident was not injured. A neighbor commented on the incident, saying, "What happened today is exactly what guns are supposed to do--to protect your home and defend your life and your family." (Houston Chronicle, Houston, TX, 5/15/13)
Two men attempted to force their way into a home at about 12:10 a.m., according to Knoxville Police Department Sgt. Jason Keck. The 51-year-old homeowner said she got her shotgun and fired a round into the front door, apparently not striking anyone but ending the invasion. The woman told police she had been outside with family members when the two men approached her home. She and her family went inside, and the men came and asked to use the phone. When she told them she didn't have one they began trying to force their way in, which is when she got her shotgun and fired. (Knoxville News Sentinel, Knoxville, TN, 6/6/13)
From The Armed Citizen Archives
August 1971: When two ex-convicts forced their way into the home of Roy Ambrosen of Pacifica, Calif., the homeowner tried to shove them out, but one of the men drew a knife and cut Ambrosen on the hand. Ambrosen's wife got a gun and gave it to him, whereupon the two men fled. The two were later arrested by police. (Pacifica Tribune, Pacifica, Calif.)
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