One Pistol To Rule Them All?

While the M&P Shield® Plus maintains a very small overall size, the felt recoil seems less than other similar sized pistols. Smith & Wesson designs their handguns with a low bore axis, which means the barrel sits lower and lines up closer to your grip to reduce torque. Less torque means reduced felt recoil because the muzzle does not flip as much. There is also a 4” ported model from the Performance Center® to further reduce muzzle flip while still being very concealable. Muzzle porting directs gas upwards providing thrust to further reduce muzzle flip by pushing the muzzle downward with the expelled gas. Though many people often suggest that ported muzzles can “blind” you if you ever use them in a low-light scenario; in actuality, when firing in near darkness however, you can tell very little difference between a ported and non-ported pistol in terms of muzzle flash. That bit of lore is easily disproved with a few quick rounds on the range with the lights off.

Even the 3.2” model without porting feels very much like shooting a larger pistol. Put it all together, unlike most other compact carry guns, the Shield Plus is one you can shoot all day on the range without it wearing you out. In contrast, other snappy compacts can feel uncomfortable from the sharp recoil after shooting so they may be easy to carry but are not comfortable to train regularly with. For a good EDC, you want a gun you can comfortably shoot so you are well practiced in all aspects of the gun including clearing malfunctions. Practice, practice, practice is an adage we use often, and your everyday carry is the most crucial firearm you should practice with.

Another area that compact guns often fail to include is an upgraded trigger. Micro compact guns have been notorious for having heavy double action triggers and/or very long take-ups, but the new trigger on the Shield Plus is awesome. It is smooth and light and has a clean, short reset. I’m a bit of a trigger snob and this trigger out of the box is better than aftermarket triggers you commonly spend more than $150 on.

Smith & Wesson also added options for optic-ready versions of the Shield Plus. With the increase in popularity of red dots, this has pleased many. The optic adds a little more footprint to the gun for carry, but a lot of people have been carrying them daily now because the optic provides faster target acquisition. This is also a good option for newer shooters as red dots are easier to learn and become proficient with. Anything that can give you an edge is worth exploring. Additionally, Smith & Wesson has wisely designed their slides to allow co-witnessing the iron sights through the red dot as well in case the battery was to fail. In my opinion, this is a must.

Whether you’re brand new to firearms or a veteran, the Shield Plus is definitely a gun you should take a look at for its versatility. It’s a great handgun for first-time buyers looking to start out with just one firearm, and is a great value, serving as both a concealed carry and enjoyable range gun. The same goes for the experienced shooter. Many people don’t shoot their carry guns enough to be proficient with them because they aren’t as comfortable to practice significantly with. For these reasons, the M&P Shield Plus fits the bill; I highly recommend you check it out.