Another day, another redesigned and upgraded firearm from the folks at Smith & Wesson. Thus is true with the Smith & Wesson M&P Shield M2.0 model lineup. This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone who has seen the 45 ACP version of the Shield that S&W released this past Spring. I think we all knew the features of that gun would eventually transfer over to the 9mm and 40 S&W versions of the gun.

Speaking of features, let’s talk about what’s new on the M2.0 Shields. The first major difference you will notice is on the frame of the gun, it now boasts a stippled, more aggressive texture. The new grip isn’t so aggressive that it is uncomfortable to hold or hurts your hand when shooting, but it definitely gives you a better feel and allows you to hold on to the gun better. This second difference is likely going to be the most appreciated by customers and that is the new lighter, crisper trigger pull. This new trigger also has an audible reset that many shooters will enjoy at the range. The third, less noticeable, less appreciated difference is the front slide serrations. While most shooters today utilize front slide serrations and prefer their guns to have them, the serrations on the front of the Shield M2.0 are too small to make a big difference when manipulation the slide. They add a more aggressive look to the gun, but as far as practicality goes, S&W would have done the consumer a favor by moving the M&P logo further back on the slide and extending the serrations to the top of the slide.

If you’re a Smith & Wesson fan, already carry the original model Shield or are just now looking for a concealed carry handgun I highly recommend you put your hands on M2.0 Shield. These guns are offered in 3 calibers – 9mm, 40 S&W and 45 ACP. Within those 3 calibers, Smith & Wesson has a few models including models with or without a thumb safety incorporated in the gun and with or without night sights factory installed. A new model has also been introduced that the original Shield did not offer and that is the M2.0 Shield with integrated Crimson Trace laser. This model resembles the S&W M&P Bodyguard with Crimson Trace laser and should offer added confidence when carrying the gun for self-defense and protection.