Smith & Wesson's M&P9 Shield has been designed for civilian concealed carry, but is also an excellent undercover or off-duty weapon. Our full coverage of the Shield includes Paul Scarlata's full "Arsenal" review ; Nick Jacobellis' blog on why the pistol is ideal for officers ; and a marketing video from S&W. This gallery includes exclusive photos that didn't appear in print. Photos by Michael Hughes and Nick Jacobellis.
S&W's Shield Subcompact Pistol
The Shield comes with Lo-Mount sights that use the three-dot system.
The pistol includes a manual safety as well as trigger, firing pin, and magazine disconnect safeties.
The pistol measures 6.1 inches long, 4.6 inches high, a mere 0.95 inches wide, and weighs only 19 ounces (unloaded).
The S&W Shield is comparable to the Glock 26 subcompact pistol.
S&W's Shield subcompact is availabe in both 9mm and .40 S&W.
The Laserlyte UTA-SH laser mounts to the trigger guard and can be activated with an ambidextrous switch. The laser can be programmed to operate in "constant on" or pulse mode.
The Shield can be effectively paired with a DeSantis N87 Pro Stealth holster and A01 double-mag pouch.
The Galco Yaqui Belt Slide holster proved a very comfortable way to carry the Shield for extended periods of time.