Big wheel guns inspire many things in firearm enthusiasts. It might be historical yearning or just a desire for power in your hand. The smooth metallic clicking as a cylinder rolls cartridges into place is a soothing sound. Big revolvers have always been an American custom, and Smith & Wesson has been part of it for more than 170 years. Today we are taking a look at one of the S&W’s masterpieces, the mighty X-frame, built to carry the massive .500 S&W cartridge. The Smith & Wesson Performance Center Model S&W500 7.5-inch pistol is built for shooting its massive cartridges comfortably and accurately.
I remember when these pistols and the cartridge came out, there was a bit of a frenzy over such a large cartridge. I don’t know why people seem to get so excited over 50 caliber firearms. It almost seems like there is some kind of dopamine released by saying “fifty-cal”. But the 500 S&W enjoys the very same level of excitement from gun people. I myself have managed to live for many decades without feeling the need to endure such palm punishment. But today on our readers behalf, I intend to shoot the big 500 so you can decide if it’s worth your time.
Some of the ammunition tested from Double Tap Ammorecoil was impressivehere you can see a three-shot group with the Double Tap Ammo (note dual projectiles)
Looking for something smaller? Check out the S&W 44 Magnum
Today we have a treat for you readers. We are taking an in depth look and review of the Smith & Wesson M&P Shield Plus 9mm sub compact pistol. The Shield is one of many CCW focused handguns with features and design to benefit today’s concealed carrier.
Specifications
Caliber
9mm
Length
6.1 inches
Height
4.6 inches
Width
.95 inches
Weight
20.9 ounces
Size
Micro-compact
Capacity
8 rounds
Action
Striker fired
Barrel Length
3.1 inches
Frame material
Polymer
Sights
Fiber Optic
Optics ready
no
Safety
Thumb safety
Barrel Material
Stainless steel
Laser
no
Color/finish
Black
Number of magazines
2
Background
The M&P series of pistol has a long history of service, and with the Shield model Smith & Wesson brought that reputation to a micro-compact pistol. The Shield was designed to maximize features in a very small and portable handgun.
The Shield incorporates the handsome cuts and rugged features familiar of all pistols in the M&P line. It compresses these great features into a narrow and small framed polymer-framed pistol to give its owners an edge when they need it most.
M&P pistols have been around for a long time, but the Shield is a much newer development. The first M&P pistol goes back as far as WW2, a revolver chambered in the .38 Special. The lines focus on military and police service seem more like a tradition now than anything. Selling weapons to law enforcement and not the public is scandalous at best, let’s hope firearm manufacturers don’t need to relearn that lesson.
The Shield has an incredibly narrow design, which makes it a particularly good choice for a carry pistol. The engineers at S&W worked some impressive magic fitting all the M&P goodness into this slim and sexy little pistol.
To test the Shield I grabbed several boxes of ammunition and headed into the mountains to give it a good thrashing. Both my son and I spent several hours shooting, loading, and shooting some more with the little Shield.
The small size of this pistol is impressive, when you hold it in your hand it is surprisingly narrow.
It might almost even be too narrow if you are a person with really large hands. With a full magazine, the pistol still felt quite lightweight.
With all that in mind I anticipated a pretty good snap when the little Shield went off. But to my surprise, it was much easier to control than I expected. This surely had something to do with the ported barrel. The muzzle blast created a visual V of flame, and kept the pistol from rocking excessively in the hand.
The trigger is just the right amount of length in my opinion for a CCW pistol. It breaks nicely and predictably. This made shooting the Shield very pleasant, and also allowed me to shoot it quite accurately.
Hitting targets within 20-30 yards was very doable. The short stature of the Shield did not seem to inhibit my ability to shoot it well, this is a big plus in my opinion.
The narrow grip that I thought might be too thin, was actually very comfortable. The very low profile safety seemed to be almost too low profile, but disengaging the safety was actually just fine. It took a little more deliberate effort to engage the safety, but using my thumb to move it to the fire position was flawless.
The magazine release also took a little bit more deliberate effort, which is probably a good thing for a CCW. The only thing I disliked about the magazine was the spacer at the bottom of the floorplate. It had a little bit of play that could cause some fumbling when seating the mag.
The fiber optic sights were fantastic, the red rear sights contrast beautifully with the green front sight. The sights popped even in the lowlight of a cloudy evening. And made for one hit after another.
Drawing the pistol from a holster was clean and smooth. The edges of the pistol have just the right amount of softening to avoid snagging on clothing. The grip angle kept the pistol on target everytime I presented it on target.
While I prefer more than 10-rounds for my CCW pistol, the Shield really seems to be a valid contender in my estimation. I was actually surprised to see the MSRP of $499 after playing with this pistol for a day. It really did impress me more than I had expected.
Shootability (A-) The Shield is very comfortable to shoot, and easy to control despite its small stature
Reliability (A) We experienced no malfunctions during testing, it runs like a machine
Ergonomics (B+) The grip is a little narrow for my taste, but it didn’t seem to affect my shooting
Accuracy (B+) For a pistol this small, it shot very well. Keeping patterns under three inches at ten yards
Value (A) For the price of the Shield, you get excellent features and performance
Preferred Ammunition
Federal Champion 115 brass is what we shot most of. It functioned great and did not leave significant carbon fouling on the gun. The short barrel of the Shield definitely resulted in some fireballs while shooting.
Speer Gold Dot 124 HP is what is normally carried in this pistol. It functions well and shoots accurately from the Shield.
Upgrades and Accessories
A good holster is an absolute must for the Shield. There are so many good Kydex holsters you can surely find one that fits your needs. One like this UM Tactical Qualifier holster keep the Shield tight and close. Make sure you try out a couple options to see what fits you best.
The S&W 13-round magazine can give you a bit of additional magazine capacity over some of the smaller capacity mags. With room for thirteen rounds it adds an additional level of security to your favorite concealed carry pistol.
And if twelve rounds isn’t enough for your daily carry, carrying an extra magazine in this Comp Tac magazine pouch. It attaches to your belt as an outside the waistband accessory, so you can carry an additional magazine for added security.
Shooting the M&P Shield was a surprisingly good experience, not that I expected it to go poorly. I just liked it much more than I anticipated. The compact size of the Shield makes it an excellent choice for concealing. And with the reliable function and heritage of the M&P line it will stand up to daily carry.
The bright sights and grip angle make it easy to get on target quickly, the only drawback I could come up with really is that it holds fewer rounds than other options. There are several great models in the M&P Shield Plus line, surely you can find one that fits your needs best.
