Smith & Wesson has released their Shield 2.0.  Those who have been gun-buyers for a while saw the writing on the wall.  When the rebates and sales started there had to be something new in the works.  The M&P 2.0 series came out and we waited.  Finally the Shield 2.0 is out.  Is it any good?  Did they improve upon the already successful Shield or did we lose something?

As you can see in the video above it looks like we get to keep the best of the Shield and now have a gun we can hold onto and a trigger that doesn’t feel like a handful of mashed potatoes.  Below are the specs for the model we received for review.  It’s worth noting that there are a total of 10 different models of the Shield 2.0 out there.  Specifications were taken directly from the product website.

SPECIFICATIONS

SKU: 11808
Model: M&P®9 SHIELD M2.0™
Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 7+1, 8+1
Barrel Length: 3.1” (7.9 cm)
Overall Length: 6.1″
Front Sight: Steel – White Dot
Rear Sight: Steel – White Two-Dot
Action: Striker Fire
Grip: Polymer
Weight: 18.3 oz / 518.8g
Barrel Material: Stainless Steel – Armornite® Finish
Slide Material: Stainless Steel – Armornite® Finish
Frame Material: Polymer
Purpose: Concealed Carry, Personal Protection

We have high hopes for the Shield 2.0.  Expect a range report soon after we’ve put a variety of loads through it.  Because not everyone shoots the same ammunition we try to test as many loads as we can get our hands on.  You can expect to see the lightest and heaviest bullets readily available.  We’ll also try steel-cased ammunition for those who like to save a penny every once in a while.

In the hand everything feels good.  This 2.0 might just be the 1.5 that we had all hoped for or spent hours and dollars creating on our own.  Or is it the 0.5?  Let us know your thoughts from this first impression and make sure to check back for our shooting impressions.

M&P 2.0 photo courtesy of Smith and Wesson