In a tip of the hat to fans of all-metal handguns, Smith & Wesson’s 17+1 M&P9 2.0 Metal upgrades the company’s popular M&P 2.0 line with a rigid aluminum frame and enhanced internals. S&W launched the Metal series in 2022 and has since added a host of caliber and customized Performance Center options.

The 9mm Metal still offers a lightweight package despite its all-metal construction. It comes in at just 2.2 ounces – 7.6 percent – heavier than its polymer-framed alternative. That weight is noticeable but in a good way.

S&W claims the rigidity of the aluminum frame coupled with an enhanced flat-faced trigger makes the Metal an ergonomically superior shooter. We put that to the test over several months. 

Here’s how the Metal performed.

Table of Contents

Video Review 
First Impressions
Specs & Features
Range Testing
Pros & Cons
Final Thoughts

Video Review

First Impressions

I immediately found myself attracted to the feel of the full-size M&P9 2.0 Metal as well as its fetching tungsten-gray Cerakote. That armor-like finish really sets the Metal apart from the rest of the M&P 2.0 line. But so does the feel of the gun.
 

The weight difference between the aluminum-framed Metal and your standard polymer-framed M&P9 2.0 isn’t dramatic at just 2.2 ounces. Still, there’s a sense of rigidity to the frame that you can feel in your hand. 

I’ve spent some quality time with the standard full-size M&P9 2.0. That gun felt and shot great – well enough that I bought it – but it’s definitely inferior to the fit and feel of the Metal. In every way, the M&P9 2.0 Metal raises the bar.
 

Related: 9mm Showdown – Ruger Security-9 vs. Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0

The gun’s flat-faced trigger also stood out as a quality improvement. After just a few dry-fire tests, I felt sure this gun would run great on the range if I did my part. Coupled with the aggressive grip texture at the front and rear of the pistol grip, the Metal felt like a solid yet adaptable shooting platform right out of the box.
 

Specs & Features

The full-size Smith & Wesson 17+1 9mm M&P9 2.0 Metal is a locked-breach, tilting-barrel, striker-fired 9mm pistol that follows the standard M&P 2.0 operating system. The biggest difference is the rigid aluminum frame and upgraded firing mechanism.

At just 2.2 ounces heavier than the polymer option, the aluminum-framed Metal still has a strikingly authoritative feel in the hand. It’s well balanced behind the trigger. That trigger offers a crisper break at just 4.38 pounds on my scale with a light, positive take-up to the wall. The wall breaks clean without the stiff feel you’ll get with many factory semi-autos.
 

The Metal hosts an enhanced sear that makes for a crisper break and short reset. I personally liked the curved trigger on my original, polymer-framed M&P 2.0. Yet, the contrast between the Metal’s flat-faced trigger with the enhanced sear and that older model is night and day. 

Related: Smith Wesson Performance Center M&P9 Metal Spec Series

By far, this is one of the best striker-fired, single-action-only triggers I’ve tested on a factory gun. The only ones that challenge it are Canik’s line of budget pistols that have long offered crisp, fast triggers on a dime. Smith & Wesson’s trigger offers a travel-stop insert behind the trigger to help with faster resets.
 

I found it easy to stage the trigger at the wall for accurate shooting. That was helped by the gun’s natural-pointing grip. The 18-degree grip angle allows me to keep my wrists neutral when shooting, and the shape of the palm swell fills my hand. It’s incredibly positive with the aggressive grip texture on the front strap and backstrap insert.

Here’s a quick rundown of the basic specs for the M&P9 2.0 Metal:

• Weight: 1.6 pounds (no mag)
• Length: 7.4 inches 
• Barrel Length: 4.25 inches
• Sight Radius: 6.5 inches
• Width: 1.4 inches (with raised slide release)
• Height: 5.3 inches
• Trigger: 4.38 pounds
• Barrel Twist: 1:10 
• Caliber: 9mm
• Capacity: 17+1

Other features include a raised, ambidextrous slide stop/release that’s well placed for hassle-free manipulation. The magazine release is reversible, making this a lefty-friendly design. Reloads are fast thanks to the beveled magazine well, and empty magazines eject positively.
 

There’s an optics cut on the top of the slide to work with Smith & Wesson’s adapter-plate system for various dot options. There’s also 1.5 inches of Picatinny rail up front for your go-to lights and lasers. Smith & Wesson even went so far as to add a lanyard loop/frame tool to the bottom of the grip. This tool locks and unlocks at the heel of the grip.
 

Finally, we have what are probably my favorite slide serrations on any factory gun. The deep forward-scalloped front and rear serrations grab your hand as you rack the slide to the rear but are snag-free when drawing the pistol. Plus, they have a handsome look.
 

Range Testing

Up front, I’ll note that the 2024 award for best-shooting semi-auto (i.e. most accurate for me) as of August 2024 goes to the Smith & Wesson M&P9 2.0 Metal. The clerk behind the counter at my local FFL even asked if I had ever shot an M&P Metal before. When I finally got this gun to the range, I understood why.
 

Recoil is quite manageable with the Metal. There’s a little bit of snap and rise to it when shooting, but the rigid structure does seem to aid in shootability. The metal sights are decent but just your basic three-dot affair with no high-visibility paint, tritium, or fiber optics. The rear boasts anti-glare cuts.

All that sounds a little underwhelming. However, the proof is in the targets. Here’s what I got at 20 feet on my first range trip:
 

And here’s what I picked up at 25 feet:
 

Those results are already solid for any factory gun, and they’re repeatable. Here’s what I got on one of my last range visits at 30 feet with two magazines for a total of 34 rounds:
 

Simply put, this gun can flat-out shoot. More than that, it has been 100-percent reliable for the 700-plus rounds of a mix of budget and defensive ammo.

That includes but is not limited to 200 rounds of budget-friendly 115-grain Fiocchi Range Dynamics FMJ, 200 rounds of 115-grain steel-cased Winchester USA Forged FMJ, 200 rounds of 115-grain Remington Range FMJ, 50 rounds of 147-grain hollow-point SIG Sauer Elite V-Crown, and 20 rounds of 115-grain Hornady Critical Defense Flex Tip.
 

I’m normally pretty good about tracking exactly how much ammo I’ve put through a gun, but I lost track on my last range visit when I plowed through magazine after magazine of extra-budget 124-grain brass-cased ZSR FMJ. At 17 rounds per magazine, you can see how that quickly adds up.

Overall, this gun performed fantastically on the range. It’s not the lowest-recoiling full-size 9mm pistol I’ve tested, but it’s near the top of the easiest to shoot fast and accurately. 
 

Pros & Cons

Here’s my shortlist for the pros and cons of the Smith & Wesson M&P9 2.0 Metal:

Pros:

• 17+1 capacity
• Great flat-faced trigger
• Very accurate and pleasant to shoot
• Rigid aluminum frame
• Aggressive grip texture
• Reliable
• Scalloped front and rear slide serrations
• Adjustable grip options
• Optics ready 
• Beveled mag well
• 1.5 inches of Picatinny rail
• Included grip frame tool
• Nice ergonomics with 18-degree grip angle
• Ambidextrous design

Cons:

• Slightly heavier metal frame
• No high-visibility sights
• Slightly higher price point
• Somewhat large size
   

Final Thoughts
 

For the price point, I think the Smith & Wesson M&P9 2.0 Metal is a hard gun to beat. I was extremely tempted to add this gun to my personal collection just given how well I shoot it. Sadly, my gun budget is a bit low these days. (Actually, it’s well into the negatives.)

Regardless, this is a gun that I wish I found sooner. It’s worth the upgrade if you’re already a fan of the M&P 2.0 line, and it’ll earn its keep on the range with accurate shooting all day long. Beyond the range, it would make a solid concealed carry or duty companion.