In 2005, Smith & Wesson relaunched its M&P line with the M&P45. This pistol was a huge hit among the law enforcement community that it was intended to serve, and the civilian market followed suit. As concealed carry laws across the country loosened and more states leaned into constitutional carry, Smith & Wesson expanded the M&P lineup and found itself situated among the best sellers in the industry.

Though the M&P line could technically extend all the way back to 1899, we’ll only be looking at the modern iteration dating back to 2005. These modern M&P handguns have been extremely popular. Let’s find out why.
 

Review Summary

Video Summary
Reliability & History
M&P45
M&P9c
M&P22
M&P9 Shield
M&P Bodyguard
M&P M2.0
M&P9 Shield EZ
M&P Shield Plus
+ Performance Center
Conclusion
Quick Comparisons

A Note On Reliability: My Personal History

One of the reasons that the S&W M&P lineup has been so immensely popular is because of the sterling reputation these guns have built for being extremely reliable. Certainly, the guns must be reliable to pass muster and be carried by law enforcement agencies across the country. But beyond that, I can tell you from personal experience how reliable these guns are. 

Without getting bogged down in personal stories, I think it’s worth briefly mentioning my own experiences.

I bought my first handgun, an M&P9 Shield, in 2014 and immediately began training with it and carrying it. Within the first couple of weeks, I had over 500 rounds through it without a single hiccup. Over the next two years, I ran it through two defensive training classes totaling over 1,200 rounds and never experienced a failure. 
 

I’ve since come to the point where I should think about getting a new recoil spring and sights, which have become dingy and hard to pick up on target. But I rarely shoot the gun anymore, except maybe once a year for nostalgia. 

There were certainly things I wasn’t a fan of with that Shield, and we’ll get into that in a minute, but reliability was never one of them. The gun simply ran and chewed up everything it encountered. You’ll see similar sentiments when you read any number of reviews on the M&P lineup. It’s this reliability that made the M&P lineup a favorite among concealed carry holders nationwide.

M&P45

The M&P45 was the initial gun to kick off the resurgence of the M&P lineup for S&W in 2005. The line was originally chambered in .45 ACP, but more calibers like 9mm and .40 S&W followed. In 2007, this gun won "Handgun of the Year" from American Handgunner. The M&P45 would go on to set the style for the guns in the years to come, with most adopting the same grip texture and slide serrations. 

Specs:

• Caliber: .45 ACP
• Capacity: 10+1
• Overall Length: 8 inches
• Barrel Length: 4.5 inches
• Weight: 29.1 ounces

M&P9c

A year after the full-size versions were released, S&W followed up with compact models. Guns.com got in a version that was chambered in 9mm. I liked this example of the 9c because it came with some aftermarket products that show the support for S&W products. This particular model had a light and laser attached along with an additional X-grip magazine, which took an already impressive 12+1 capacity and added five additional rounds. 

These additions show how the S&W M&P handgun line drew aftermarket support for anyone who wanted to customize their guns. This now older pistol can still function great today for anything from home defense to concealed carry. Just like many of our Guns.com Certified Used guns, this one came with extra magazines as a nice addition at a bargain price since its now an older generation.

Specs:

• Caliber: 9mm
• Capacity: 10+1 or 12+1, 17+1 with X-grip
• Overall Length: 6.7 inches
• Barrel Length: 3.5 inches
• Weight: 24.7 ounces

M&P22

In 2011, Smith & Wesson announced the M&P22, which is a blowback .22 LR pistol with a 12+1 capacity. It features similar measurements to the M&P9 Pro series. I found this to be a very enjoyable pistol to shoot. Obviously, the low recoil of the .22 LR round makes for a pleasurable range day, but I think the ergonomics of the pistol really helped as well. It shares the same grip angle and cosmetic features as the previously mentioned pistols, and that’s another reason it makes for both a great training gun and enjoyable range buddy.

I ran 100 rounds of CCI through this gun, and I wish I could have kept going. It was 100-percent reliable. That isn’t saying a ton because that is a low round count, but rimfires are known for having issues. So, it was refreshing when this one didn’t. I also chose this particular gun because it highlights another common upgrade that you often get from used guns. 

This particular model has grip tape from Talon Grips, which just added another layer of enjoyment to shooting this firearm. I’m a sucker for aggressive grip texture, and the first generation of the M&P lineup certainly doesn’t have very aggressive grip texture without a little help from something like Talon Grips. 

Specs:

• Caliber: .22 LR
• Capacity: 10+1
• Overall Length: 6.65 inches
• Barrel Length: 3.6 inches
• Weight: 15.3 ounces
   

M&P9 Shield

In 2012, S&W introduced the M&P9 Shield, and it was another smash hit, quickly becoming one of the most popular concealed carry guns in America. As I alluded to earlier, this was my first gun I ever bought, and it was a great introduction to both handguns and concealed carry. It served me very well. 

While it was reliable and is still more than capable of getting the job done for concealed carry, there were some things I wasn’t crazy about. For starters, I wish the grip texture and slide serrations were a bit more aggressive. As I’ve fired more and more handguns over the years, I’ve come to realize how minimal the grip texture was on that first generation of M&P pistols.

There are easy tricks to fix those problems, like the grip tape we just mentioned, but the trigger also left something to be desired. Again, this gun still makes for a great first-time gun purchase, but S&W addressed all these issues with the Shield Plus and M2.0 lineup, which we’ll address in a minute. 

Specs:

• Caliber: 9mm
• Capacity: 7+1 or 8+1
• Overall Length: 6.1 inches
• Barrel Length: 3.1 inches
• Weight: 20.8 ounces

M&P Bodyguard 380

In 2014, S&W introduced the S&W Bodyguard 380. This offered the option of a pocket pistol for those who were interested in deep concealment. Since it was chambered in .380 ACP, it featured a very long and heavy double-action trigger. Some people really love this long and heavy trigger pull, and it’s even been called an additional safety. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that, but I understand the point they are trying to make. There has to be a lot of effort to pull the trigger, and I’ll just leave it at that.

Another interesting note about the Bodyguard is that you’ll see many of these guns equipped with a Crimson Trace laser, which aids in accuracy given the size of the gun. It should also be noted that this is the only gun in this lineup that is a hammer-fired option, with everything else sporting a striker-fired style. The gun is a bit snappy in the wrist since it’s so small, but for those looking for a deep concealment option, something for close engagement work, the Bodyguard can certainly get it done.

Specs:

• Caliber: .380 ACP
• Capacity: 6+1
• Overall Length: 5.3 inches
• Barrel Length: 2.75 inches
• Weight: 12.3 ounces
   

M&P M2.0 in 9mm and 10mm

In 2017, Smith & Wesson showed that they listen to customer feedback and released an updated version of the M&P lineup, dubbed M2.0. This gun was initially offered in 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP. In November of 2021, S&W released a 10mm variant, which I’ve also gotten in for review. There are some differences between these two guns, but they also share a host of similarities.

First, let’s start with the grip texture. That grip texture on the first generation that seemed so lacking? Yeah, that’s gone in the M2.0. It was completely overhauled with something that is much more aggressive and placed throughout the grip. Second, there’s a revamped trigger that has made a big improvement. You’ll get both forward and rear slide serrations as well. Finally, you’ll find many models with either upgraded fiber-optic sights, optic-height sights, and/or cut slides for an optic.  

The 10mm variant takes that grip texture and builds upon it. This makes for an incredibly aggressive grip texture but also one that is certainly appreciated when paired with the powerful 10mm. The trigger is also different on the 10mm, being more of a flat trigger similar to the Shield Plus. I enjoyed shooting both guns, and both would do great for concealed carry or home defense.

M&P9 Shield EZ

In 2018, Smith & Wesson followed up with the relaunch of its flagship product with the M&P 380 EZ. This gun was aimed at people who were beginners or people who may not have the hand strength to do things like load the magazine or rack the slide on other firearms. I think this is a nice addition that S&W built into the lineup, and it’s especially appealing to older shooters who may deal with arthritis or hand-strength issues. But it goes well beyond that audience for anyone willing to give it a try.

In our review of the gun, author Dave Luu had his mother-in-law Connie test it out and give her thoughts. Long story short, she has arthritis. But this gun allowed her to rack the slide and operate the controls reliably. Overall, that’s a great feature, and we heard from tons of other people who read the review and say the same thing.

In 2019, Smith & Wesson bumped up the caliber and added a 9mm variant to the EZ lineup. So far, both have been a big hit among those who need a little extra help to operate their handguns. I think it’s a great example of a manufacturer stepping up to the plate to help people who otherwise would be overlooked. 

Specs:

• Caliber: 9mm
• Capacity: 8+1
• Overall Length: 6.8 inches
• Barrel Length: 3.675 inches
• Weight: 23.3 ounces

M&P9 Shield Plus and M&P9 Shield Plus Performance Center

In the spring of 2021, S&W made a big announcement with the introduction of the M&P9 Shield Plus. This, again, showed that S&W was listening to its consumer base by totally revamping the original M&P9 Shield. This new Shield Plus has a vastly improved flat trigger while also borrowing features like grip texture and slide serrations from the M2.0 lineup.

I’ve reviewed the Shield Plus in the past, and I absolutely loved it. I think it has one of the better stock triggers, especially for the price point. It was only natural, then, that I decided to take the Shield Plus Performance Center pistol for a ride after. Today, almost all of the iterations above, save for the Bodyguard, have a Performance Center variant to offer. 

If you’re someone who is serious about your training or if you ever want to venture into competition, then the Performance Center might just be for you. These guns are tuned up and ready to go right out of the box. They took a really good thing with the already great trigger in the Shield Plus and made it even better. Then they added a Crimson Trace laser, gave it an enhanced recoil spring, and it was ready to feed on ammo. It shoots incredibly flat, and the enhancement of the optic really make it an easy shooter.
 

Conclusion

You really can’t go wrong with any of the guns on this list. They’ve been tested and put through the paces by many others, and the results are always seemingly the same. The guns are loved by the people who shoot them. 

There’s a simple reason why these guns are beloved and turned to by some of our nation’s finest. They are just downright durable and dependable guns. When it comes to defensive handguns, there isn’t much more you can ask for.

Specs comparison