Smith & Wesson on Tuesday jumped into the micro compact market with both feet by introducing a new line of double-stack M&P Shield models, the Plus series. 

The new 9mm M&P Shield Plus, which comes in both standard and Performance Center models, comes with 10- and 13-round mags while keeping the same traditional frame – and therefore holster – size as the legacy Shields. Other new additions are an updated and optimized grip texture and redesigned trigger. S&W says the flat-face trigger will give users a consistent trigger finger placement allowing for more accurate and repeatable shooting, while the new stippling on the grip texture allows the user to manage recoil, keep a firm grip, and not irritate the skin while carrying concealed. 
 

"We’re excited to announce the next evolution of the M&P Shield pistol – the M&P Shield Plus," said Kyle Tengwall, vice president of marketing for S&W. "Packed with popular features such as a flat-face trigger, large capacity magazine, optics cuts, and more, the M&P Shield Plus product line has been designed to meet the needs of today’s firearm consumer."
 

The specs on the standard model include a 3.1-inch barrel that produces a pistol that is 6.1 inches overall. Weight is around 20 ounces, and the pistol ships with a single flush-fitting 10-shot magazine and a 13-shot mag with a grip extension. This compares well with other micro compacts on the market such as the Sig P365, Springfield Armory Hellcat, Taurus G3C, and the new Ruger MAX-9. 
 

The asking price for the standard M&P Shield Plus, according to S&W, is $553 and goes up from there on the more tricked-out models. 

How does it perform? The Truth About Guns, The Firearm Blog, and Ava Flanell have all been working with pre-release T&E models and have the run down in the below videos for your approval.