Smith & Wesson M&P Handguns Then & Now

by
posted on November 16, 2022
** 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. **

Today, Smith & Wesson, based in Springfield, Mass., is recognized across the firearm market as one of the most popular American manufacturers of longarms and pistols, with the M&P family of polymer-frame pistols being some of the best sellers. However, the M&P line didn't always consist of such pistols, as the name stretches back more than a century. Standing for Military & Police, the first M&P pistols to be introduced by Smith & Wesson were the Hand Ejector Model of 1899 revolvers, which were accepted into U.S. Army use at the time. The company designated these revolvers as the M&P Model after the acceptance, coining both the term and a new line of Smith & Wesson firearms.

Gradually over the large part of the 20th century, the M&P line faded into the backdrop, until it was revived in the 21st century by the company as the branding for its extensive lines of polymer-framed pistols. The firm had been manufacturing its own full-metal, semi-automatic, double-action pistols prior to that, which enjoyed a decent portion of law enforcement sales. However, this was challenged with the release of Glock's polymer-framed, striker-fired pistols, which quickly began to take favor across the market. In response, Smith & Wesson developed its own polymer-frame, striker-fired pistol designs, starting with the Sigma, which was itself so similar to the Glock that royalties had to be paid to the Austrian firm by Smith & Wesson. 

Moving away from the Sigma, Smith & Wesson went back to the drawing board and developed a new pistol design, while still following some of the same basic concepts. This resulted in the first dedicated M&P pistol model, which was released in 2005. Available in several different calibers, these polymer-frame, striker-fired pistols were fairly popular, though there was still room for improvement. A decade later, Smith & Wesson rolled out an improved version, the M&P 2.0, which addressed many consumer critiques and is a top seller today. The line also includes the smaller M&P Shield family of micro-compact pistols, that follow a similar footprint to the full-size versions and have grown to include the more tame and easily handled M&P Shield EZ, dedicated to concealed-carry use. To learn more about the Smith & Wesson M&P line of pistols currently offered, visit smith-wesson.com.

To watch complete segments of past episodes of American Rifleman TV, go to americanrifleman.org/artv. For all-new episodes of ARTV, tune in Wednesday nights to Outdoor Channel 8:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. EST. 

Latest

Gotw Wilson Combat Divison 77 Project 1 Web
Gotw Wilson Combat Divison 77 Project 1 Web

Gun Of The Week: Wilson Combat Division 77 Project 1

Join American Rifleman staff on the range in this video to get a closer look at Wilson Combat’s somewhat cryptically named “Division 77 Project 1.” 

The Armed Citizen® July 18, 2025

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: POF-USA LMR BASE Rifle

The Patriot Ordnance Factory LMR Base offers a .308 Win. chambering in a lightweight, AR-15-size package, which makes it a capable platform for today's new gun owner. And it comes at a fair price.

2025 Accessory Of The Year: Wyoming Sight Drifter

For each of the past 23 years, the editors of American Rifleman have convened to select our top picks for the past year’s best and most innovative products. Here are the most recent winners.

Henry Donates Rifles To Support Young Leukemia Victim

Henry Repeating Arms has donated a limited run of 50 “Team Keane” Golden Boy .22 lever-action rifles to support 13-year-old Keane Rhodes of Universal City, Texas, who is currently undergoing aggressive treatment for ALL T-cell leukemia.

Rifleman Review: Springfield Armory Echelon

Springfield Armory introduced its Echelon in 2023, bringing a modernized, chassis-style, striker-fired handgun to the market that has since seen several notable line extensions.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.