New for 2020: Smith & Wesson Performance Center M&P 9 Shield EZ

With the introduction of the M&P 9 Shield EZ, Smith & Wesson addressed many of the common problems experienced by shooters with weaker hand strength or an aversion to recoil. Now, the company expanded its offerings with the introduction of the Performance Center M&P 9 Shield EZ, which includes a range of special upgrades alongside the same easy-to-use features found in the original (read our original M&P 9 Shield EZ review here).

"Performance Center has the ability to design and manufacture specialty upgrade normally found in aftermarket work, but straight from the factory," said Tony Miele, sr. director, new products and Performance Center. "With the popularity of the M&P 9 Shield EZ, we set out to develop Performance Center versions with porting, a tuned action, aftermarket sights and more. These new pistols deliver easy-to-use features with the custom upgrades that our customers expect the Performance Center to deliver."

The ported barrel on these Performance Center M&P 9 Shield EZ handguns reduce muzzle flip. Given that the design of the Shield EZ was already dedicated to the minimization of felt recoil, this added feature makes shooting these pistols a breeze and allows even the most recoil-averse shooter to keep their sights on target and make faster follow-up shots.

A lightweight, crisp, Performance Center-tuned action provides a tactile, audible trigger reset, which is a great cue for shooters who might not have the experience needed to feel out trigger reset on many of today's defensive handguns. A set of HI-VIZ Litewave night sights are easy to see in low light, making this Shield EZ a solid defensive option for concealed carry and home defense alike.

Along with all these enhancements, the Smith & Wesson Performance Center M&P 9 Shield EZ is also available in models with special accents. On these uniquely finished models, the barrel, trigger and grip safety will be finished with a bright gold or silver finish.

The suggested retail price on the new Performance Center M&P 9 Shield EZ handguns is $588. For more information, visit smith-wesson.com.