Smith & Wesson this week debuted a new Metal series M&P model, the 5-inch barreled Competitor, which is packed with high-end features while keeping under $1K.

The new pistol was designed to be competition-ready right out of the box and include an optics-ready slide with aggressive lightening cuts on the top and sides that Smith says improves the recoil balance point. Meanwhile, the surface controls include an oversized mag release while the magwell itself is oversized for faster reloads of its 17+1 mags.

Going inside, the 9mm striker-fired pistol uses an enhanced sear for lighter, crisper trigger let-off. Besides the S&W CORE series optics platform, the slide comes with a fiber-optic front sight and blacked-out rear sight. Meanwhile, the alloy frame reduces the "flex" often felt in polymer frames. 

The S&W M&P Competitor ships with four 17-round mags (or 10-rounders in restricted states-- remember, your vote matters!) and has an MSRP of $999, which means you can probably get into one for a few shekels less.