NRA Gun of the Week: Smith & Wesson Performance Center Ported M&P9 Shield

by
posted on October 7, 2017
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

Though the company’s M&P Shield model pistol ranked among the top selling firearms for 2016, Smith & Wesson has decided this best-selling pistol was deserving of attention from its custom shop, the Performance Center. Included on this model are enhancements to nearly every aspect of the firearm. Check out what American Rifleman’s Joe Kurtenbach has to say about the Performance Center Ported M&P9 Shield, and be sure to visit smith-wesson.com/pc to discover other great pistols Smith & Wesson has to offer from its Performance center.

Specifications:
Model: Performance Center Ported M&P9 Shield
Manufacturer: Smith & Wesson
Chambering: 9 mm Luger
Action Type: recoil-operated, center-fire semi-automatic pistol
Frame: polymer
Slide: steel
Barrel: 3.1”
Sights: Tritium, three-dot configuration; drift-adjustable
Magazine: seven- and eight-round detachable box
Trigger: 6-lb., 6-oz. pull
Weight: 18.2 ozs.
MSRP: $519

Latest

Icarry Taurus TX9 Compact 1
Icarry Taurus TX9 Compact 1

I Carry: Taurus TX9 Compact in a Galco Holster

In our latest "I Carry" segment, we pair the new Taurus TX9 Compact with a leather Stow-N-Go holster from Galco, Inc. This compact, concealed-carry kit is rounded out with an Xolotl automatic knife produced by CRKT.

The Armed Citizen® March 13, 2026

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: Canik USA MC9 Prime

Canik USA built out its concealed-carry handgun lineup with the MC9 Prime, which is a larger, yet still slim, CCW gun that sits in the same category as other upsized micro-compacts.

U.S. Army Awards Mossberg Contract for Additional 590A1 Pump-Action Shotguns

The U.S. Army has awarded O.F. Mossberg & Sons a contract for approximately $11.6 million dollars to supply the U.S. Army with additional Mossberg 590A1 pump-action shotguns.

250 Years of the U.S. Army: Bolt-Actions & Semi-Automatics on the Battlefield

In just a few decades, the U.S. Army would see itself go from a single-shot, blackpowder design in the form of the Trapdoor Springfield to a modern, semi-automatic fighting rifle in the M1 Garand.

Modernized & Economical Muzzleloaders: The CVA Optima XP & XP-SB

CVA's longest-lasting muzzleloader design, the Optima, has been updated in 2026 with "modern ergonomics and modularity."

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.