Rifleman Review: Smith & Wesson M&P45 Shield

by
posted on July 1, 2020
** 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. **
American Rifleman examines the Smith & Wesson M&P45 Shield pistol in the Rifleman Review video segment above.

Smith & Wesson M&P45 Shield title screen.

Interest in mid-size .45-cal. pistols that use single-stack magazines led to the release of Smith & Wesson’s M&P45. The striker-fired, recoil-operated pistol sports a polymer frame and provides capacity for seven rounds. The 22.7-oz. package is a solid choice for daily carry.

Man wearing a ballcap shooting a pistol on a shooting range.

The polymer frame pistol measures 4.8”-tall by 6.45”-long and is fitted with a stainless steel slide topped with three-dot pattern sights. An Armornite finish covers the pistol. Smith & Wesson provides barrel length options up to 4” and our .45 ACP-chambered test sample measured a scant 3.3”.

On the front and rear of the slide, both left and right sides contain sections of fish-scale cuts to help in manipulation. Contours on the slide’s exterior were also sculpted to smooth the process of holstering the pistol.

Smith & Wesson black polymer pistol disassembled on white background.

Safety features include an articulated trigger safety and an internal mechanism to prevent misfire when the pistol is accidentally dropped. Purchasers may opt for a additional manual thumb safety, which is found on the gun’s left side where the frame and slide meet.

Pistol on cinder blocks.

The black polymer frame of the M&P45 Shield pistol contains an internal stainless steel chassis and sections of wrap-around texturing at its grip. The magazine release provides texturing as well. Six- and seven-round magazines come standard with the M&P45 Shield and each provides marked witness holes.

Specification table for Smith & Wesson M&P45 Shield pistol.

To learn more about Smith & Wesson’s M&P45 Shield pistol, please visit the company's website HERE, and be sure to watch our American Rifleman TV segment above.

Latest

Whittington Center Adventure Camp 11
Whittington Center Adventure Camp 11

The NRA Whittington Center's Adventure Camp: An Outdoor Education For Kids

If you have kids between the ages of 13 and 17, there is quite simply no better summer experience you can give them than the NRA Whittington Center Adventure Camp.

Army Testing New XM8 Carbine (No, Not That XM8)

Some members of the U.S. Army will begin receiving a new XM8 carbine for testing, a shorter, lighter version of the M7 rifle introduced under the branch’s Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW) program.

When Price IS the Object

You get what you pay for, right? Maybe yes, maybe no.

Review: Taurus 66 Combat Revolver

Taurus’ new 66 Combat shows that even revolvers can get with the times.

New For 2026: Silent Steel USA Streamer Series PCC Suppressors

If there are two things that are popular in the firearms world right now, it is suppressors and pistol-caliber carbines (PCC). Silent Steel USA has both bases covered with its new Streamer Series PCC suppressors.

The Armed Citizen® March 30, 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.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.