Gun Of The Week: Smith & Wesson M&P9 M2.0 Metal Carry Comp

Welcome to another American Rifleman Gun Of The Week video, and this time, we’re on the range with a special Smith & Wesson handgun from the company’s Performance Center. This is the M&P M2.0 Metal Carry Comp, and it includes a few design elements that are sure to attract those who are looking for a pistol that’s outside of the norm in today’s handgun world. Watch our video above to see this metal-frame handgun in use on the range.

Smith & Wesson’s M&P series has become one of the most popular handgun options in today’s firearm market, and the design itself has seen a lot of evolution over the last few years. From a full-on frame update to an all-new trigger design, there have been some great enhancements. But at its core, this platform remained, essentially, much like many other options: It was a polymer-frame, striker-fired handgun. With the M2.0 Metal design, those who prefer a solid frame have another modern alternative.

Like Smith & Wesson’s polymer-frame M2.0 guns, the M&P Metal Carry Comp still retains the comfortable 18-degree grip angle and interchangeable grip inserts. And thanks to the use of aluminum alloy in the frame rather than steel, this particular model still remains light enough for carry use. Weighing in at just about 28 ozs., the pistol is only a few ounces more than the polymer-framed M&P Compact and about the same weight as the company’s full-size, polymer-frame model.

Considering that there’s not much weight working against recoil, this means the addition of the Carry Comp design at the muzzle is much more noticeable in counteracting recoil effects. The company’s so-called “Power Port” consists of a single cut on the top of the barrel that, together with a corresponding cutout in the gun’s slide, uses propellant gases to minimize muzzle flip. These cuts are also oriented in such a way so as to prevent gas and debris from escaping toward the lens of a mounted red-dot optic.

Speaking of optics, the top of the slide on the M&P Metal Carry Comp is milled to accept one of seven optics mounting plates included with the gun. A contoured cover plate secured with two screws ships with the gun from the factory, and its textured surface provides some added purchase when an optic isn’t in use. Deep serrations at the front, rear and top of the slide make it easy to get the gun into battery and add a different dynamic to the gun’s look that makes this Performance Center variant stand out among the pack.

One other element of the gun’s construction that’s been enhanced by the Performance Center is the action, specifically the trigger pull. Smith & Wesson has already improved the trigger experience with its flat-faced design that uses a safety blade in the shoe rather than the hinged design of the first-generation M&Ps. This trigger has been enhanced with some special Performance Center tuning, producing an even smoother pull and cleaner break than standard production M&Ps.

Combined, all of these design features really show up on the range, as this Carry Comp design is comfortable to shoot and recovers nicely from shot to shot. The aluminum-alloy grip frame offers a solidity that you just can’t get with polymer, and it’s nice to have that configuration without the added weight of steel. For folks who are looking to have the solidity of a metal frame with all the benefits of the Smith & Wesson M&P’s versatility, this Performance Center M&P Metal Carry Comp is a must-see.

Smith & Wesson M&P9 Performance Center M2.0 Metal Carry Comp Specifications
Manufacturer: Smith & Wesson, Inc.
Action Type: recoil-operated, semi-automatic, centerfire pistol
Chambering: 9 mm Luger
Barrel: 4.22" stainless steel
Slide: stainless steel; Armornite finish
Frame: aluminum
Grip: polymer
Magazine: 17-round detachable box
Sights: drift adjustable, Night Fision tritium
Trigger: striker-fired
Overall Length: 7.25"
Height: 5.5"
Width: 1.4"
Weight: 28.1 ozs.
MSRP: $999