Glock 48 Vs Shield Plus - For nearly a decade, the M&P9 Shield from Smith & Wesson has been one of the best and most popular compact small concealed carry pistols on the market, and for good reason. TTAG's last Shield review was Dan's 2018 test of the then-new 2.0 flavor, which earned a well-deserved four and a half stars. And guess what? With the launch of the M&P9 Shield Plus line, it just received half of its newest star.
In the video above, I think it's pretty clear how much I like the Shield Plus. This is shooter hell. But what exactly is the M&P9 Shield Plus, you ask?
Glock 48 Vs Shield Plus
Take everything you love from the Shield series and increase the capacity to 10 + 1 with the mounted magazine and 13 + 1 with the Pinky Mag attachment (the original Shield had 7 + 1 and 8 + 1 rounds respectively), slightly pinching the texture of the handle, so it is gentle to your love handles, upgrade the trigger to an incredible level and you have the Shield Plus all to yourself.
Comparison: M&p9 2.0 C Vs Glock 19 » Concealed Carry Inc
"Handheld Model" Dan Zimmerman and I tested the new Shield Plus in its most basic form -- no safety, three-dot sight -- but the entire line will be available in "Plus" format.
4-inch Performance Center model with rounded barrel, fiber optic sights, and optical cut-off slide with Crimson Trace reflex sight already installed? Yes
Between that and the regular 3.1-inch Gen model shown here, there's effectively every option from night sights to fiber optics to optical breakaway slides, standard barrels, manual thumb safety and no safety, and even 10-pound trigger options for those who prefer to draw heavily on their guns (in case you want to miss a little more NYPD).
As it is, the trigger on this little guy is probably the best I've gotten out of any compact carry gun. It's incredibly crisp with minimal creep, little overdrive and short, crisp resets that are both audible and tangible. The trigger guard blade (which replaced the previous shield's central trigger shoe) is nice and wide and flush with the rest of the sole face, just barely curved when pressed. The entire trigger pack looks great.
Guide Rod For The Glock 48
Shooting and rear-firing the SIG P365 and Springfield Hellcat upgraded with an aftermarket trigger, note that the S&W M&P9 Shield Plus was the trigger quality winner of the group. Cleaner and cleaner with less creep than the other two, slightly lighter breaking weight and shorter reset. Lovely.
Add to that the ergonomic, ergonomic shape, the grip that fills the palm well, and the perfect grip texture, and this bad boy is one hell of a shooter. It sits as firmly in my grip as any factory rifle.
Despite being a light and compact gun, it made absolutely no attempt - not even a hint - to rotate or move in my grip. Not only is the Shield Plus well-adjusted with its synchro action and recoil spring design, but the shape and feel of its grip make it one of the most controllable and best-selling small carry pistols around.
At first I assumed the grip would be a bit wider to fit a thicker magazine, but it isn't. Smith & Wesson found room for additional capacity through a combination of a thinner magazine well and spring design and/or by opening the grip frame internally without moving it outward.
First Shots Review: The M&p 9 Shield Ez
Honestly, aside from the slight texture modification, the amazing trigger, and obviously the extra 9x19mm rounds, there's not much to add to Dan's Shield 2.0 review at the end of 2018. The Shield Plus is effectively identical externally and in every other way.
The Shield Plus is on the left next to the SIG P365 on the right. I have to say that the photo comparison makes it look like a bigger difference than in real life, but there's no doubt that the fist itself is bigger. Barely thicker, but much longer from front to back and is also longer (maybe half an inch longer in the back with a perfectly fitting filler).
That extra length from front to back is part of the reason it shoots so well. It fills the hand better than the small grip of the P365.
Next to the Springfield Hellcat, the length is closer. I definitely preferred the rounded shape of the Shield Plus grip over the blocky Hellcat grip. The 18-degree grip angle and palm bulge of the Shield Plus are also suitable.
S&w Shield Plus
Before we loan this gun back to Smith, I'm going to find a holster for it and see how it holds and conceals compared to the P365. I already know I can shoot it like a full size pistol, but with the longer backstrap and different grip angle, I'd like to see how that holds up for me.
There's no question, of course, that the M&P Shield series has been one of the best-selling (more than three million shields sold according to Smith & Wesson), the most popular concealed carry pistol lines on the market for nearly a decade, so we all know, that this is a perfectly hidden little package. I just have to try it...you know...for the sake of science.
Should P365 be feared? Yes, maybe a little. Now that the M&P Shield has returned to the scene with a competitive advantage in the form of the Shield Plus, it is once again a serious contender for my IWB remedy.
Dan and I spent most of the day shooting the S&W M&P9 Shield Plus and left the range realizing that this is an absolutely gorgeous little gun in every way. The Shield left half a star on the table in Dan's 2018 review, but the Shield Plus picked it up with ease.
M&p Shield Plus Tiffany Blue Pistol Satin Aluminum No Safety
MSRP: $553 (Top version with ported barrel and Crimson Trace optics is $925. Find the entire Shield Plus line at Brownells HERE at time of writing, priced at $529)
Eh, the armor line has always struck me as a simple gen. Although I can certainly handle the four-inch scoped and round-barreled versions. It looks great. But concealed means concealed, and I wouldn't choose my carry gun based on how nice it is.
RELIABILITY * * * * * The Shield line has a solid reputation for reliability and this Shield Plus straight out of the box gave us no reason to think otherwise. I ate four brands and types of ammo with ease.
Lovely. The shape, angle, size and feel of the handle is great. Likewise, the trigger feels very good on the finger and the serrations on the slide are pleasant but not punishing. If I could change anything I would keep the rear derailleur teeth forward.
M&p Shield/plus 4\
Not only are there 10 different Shield Plus models when the new line launches, but compatibility with "old" Shield parts means all kinds of accessories, upgrades, cases and more are available on day one.
It's not always a category, but the Shield Plus stood out to me so strongly in this regard that I felt it needed specific recognition in the ratings.
In general, * * * * * worked. The M&P Shield Plus is without a doubt a five-star concealed carry pistol.
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Trigger Guard W/clip Holster
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