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11 Comments

1. nice review Myself I carry a Bersa Thunder Plus as my EDC 15+1 is more than enough for most situations. Cant find ammo anywhere must be nice to get what ever you need for testing. Stay safe and prepared.

2. You seem to be reviewing the M&P 2.0 full-size handgun but you keep referring to it as the Shield. I may be mistaken but there is no model of Shield that weighs 27oz, or has a 4.25″ barrel, or accepts 17-round magazines. I own and carry both an M&P Shield 9mm and an M&P 9mm full-size and they are noticeably different.

3. Not to be a stickler, but this seems to be a regular M&P 9 2.0 and not a Shield. The shield is not a duty size gun. But then again I am no expert.

   1. My bad, this is a full-sized M&P 9mm – must be sumpin’ wrong with my computer to say it was a Shield…LOL My apologies…

      1. That’s OK – a couple weeks I’ll forget about it. LOL

4. It’s getting tough to find either the M&P full size duty pistol or Shield model in my area. There is a nice FDE M&P full size in .40 at my local shop for $450. I have plenty of .40 ammo. Tempting. The only reason I would buy is to store it away for a rainy day. They also have a 9mm Ruger American and a Springfield 9mm. That’s it. Outside of a few revolvers their case is empty.

5. PSA has several 9mm pistols for sale and in stock. These include the Taurus G2C and G3C as well as Ruger and S&W models. Then there are a couple of used Beretta’s for sale. Just sayin’, worth a look see. Now if there was a way to get 9mm ammo…

6. Pat,

   One of these days I may bump into you at your “local gun store” as I pop in there whenever I roll through town. I hope you fared well with the fires- we lost too many beautiful homes and family homesteads in our neck of the woods from those blazes.

   When I was first on the road to law enforcement in the early 1980s, my dad bought me a S&W 586 Distinguished Combat Magnum. It was amazing and I won many tactical shooting trophies with it (until the Browning BDAs and Glocks started taking hold- could not keep up with firepower after that). I bought a nickel-plated Model 39 from a detective and fell in love with the ease of carry and extra capacity. I was all Team S&W. My military service introduced me to semi-autos as duty weapons and I became a huge fan. S&W had a few options through the 1990s, but none really had a AWE factor. Once I saw how many Glocks were available, I couldn’t resist and I was Team Glock for years. I even converted a certain Coastal Oregon PD to Glocks 21s back in 1995 when my chief shot two mags through mine. Over the years, I have had 9mm, 40S&W, 10mm, and .45ACP Glocks and loved them all.

   Then, I joined a department in Colorado that had the M&P. Even with the first generation, I was very impressed. I bought the .40S&W and shot the snot out of it without a hitch. I liked it so much I bought a second as a truck gun (for commonality). When the M&P2.0 came out, I found it answered every complaint we had about the 1st Gen, and even some we didn’t know about. I quickly took advantage of the Blue Label pricing and bought a 9mm and a .45ACP just to be sure I had what I needed, and eventually ended up with two of each caliber. After I left sworn LEO work, I even added a Shield 2.0 9mm to the stable, which is a frequent EDC gun.

   One wonderful thing you should have mentioned is that, short of a custom leather holster, all full size and compact M&P guns fit the same holsters. They are that similar in dimensions. I don’t need an extra shelf to hold the various forms of carry component because they all fit snugly and securely in whichever full-size Kydex holster I have. (.45s are a bit snug, but fit- YMMV based upon brand).

   I am 100% Team S&W again and have parted ways with all my Glocks (commonality again). I still have a couple Shields and other subcompacts for inexpensive backpack guns, but if I need to take a hike or make a move into a less-than-favorable area, I strap on whichever full-size M&P jumps into my arms first.

   Cheers!

7. Pat… always enjoy your reviews. You brought back memories of better times today when you mentioned buying that Glock at a Longs Drug Store. Times when many, many stores of all kinds had a working sporting goods department and guns. I have a couple handguns and the first Ruger 10-22 that bought, that came from places that would make people wrinkle their brow and say, ‘Huh??” these days. One Ruger single action from a Raley’s Supermarket, a little .32 semi-auto from a Firestone ‘Town & Country’ Tire place, and the 10-22 from the now defunct Gemco department stores. When I was a boy i liked hanging out at the Thrifty Drug store sporting goods counter while my Mom shopped. Keep ’em coming!

8. I bought my first handgun, a Rossi .38 Revolver at a Long’s Drug Store. I later bought all of their 10-22 Butler Creek magazines that were still pre 1994 gun ban priced at $9.95 each, in the Spring of 1995. Old memories.

9. Pat. You always bring back to me memories of Colorado Springs when I lived there in the 70 s and 80 s ………..longs drugs and also resided in monument so did a lot of gun shows in Denver. Way back can remember in 79 shopping at Sears when they sold smith and Wesson handguns still. I am a team sig guy……but the new smiths are a attention getter so I will be trying one out…just like potato chips can’t settle for just one.

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