What can I say, this past Wednesday was a good day. After a few weeks on the double “super-secret” wait list that doesn’t exist at my favorite gun shop, I got the call that my Shield was here. Needless to say, I was there on my lunch hour picking it up.

So, as is my custom, I took the new pistol out of the box, through it and it’s magazines in the range bag and off we went. It was crazy hot again today so I went to the indoor range, but fortunately they have a paper IPSC style target on hand. Now I might not have a mentioned this in a previous thread, but I have a little tradition. I take a new gun out of the box and check it for function without diassembly. I also make sure the bore is clear. I then put a minimum of 200 rounds through the gun. My reasoning is that, when you carry, your firearm doesn’t always remain clean. I’m looking for function when the gun gets really dirty.

Now, my impression of the S&W M&P Shield. The gun is comparable in size to the new Springfield XDs, but it is thinner. This makes the gun even more comfortable to carry in a IWB holster. I get a two finger grip using the standard magazine and a three finger grip using the supplied extended magazine. They hold 7 and 8 rounds of 9mm respectively. This pistol has a small somewhat recessed thumb safety on the left side of the frame. It’s easy to activate/deactivate with a little pressure. It has a traditional three dot sight set, similar to a Novak styled sight. The front is dovetailed, which is always a plus.

I found the gun to be quite accurate. Despite it’s diminutive size, it was very easy to handle and easily controlled. While the trigger is probably in the 5+ lb. range, it was smooth and didn’t have a particularly long reset. This combination allowed to me quickly execute the Mozambique Drill successfully. In short, this gun can be shot fast and accurately.

Shown in a Simply Rugged holster with the IWB straps installed next to Springfield XDs