As I walked into my local gun store the other day (Guns Warehouse in Cedar Park) the friendly salesman greeted me and said “I think I have something that will interest you!” He was right — he had the new Smith & Wesson M&P9 M2.0, which I had yet to fondle.
The first thing I did was try the trigger and I can confirm that it is indeed miles better than the original version. The trigger blade itself was pretty much unchanged but the updated mechanism provided a trigger pull with just a hint of roll before cleanly breaking. Reset was relatively short, but you could definitely feel a “click” when you hit the reset point. The difference is damn near night and day but we need to get Jeremy on the case with his trigger testing gear to give you the full run down.
While the original M&P was relatively slick sided, the M2.0 shows more stippling than my acne-afflicted face during my high school years. In my opinion it’s just a hair over the line between “grippy” and “painful,” but that’s not a bad thing. As the gun wears in and get used that stippling will wear down a little bit and be more comfortable to hold.
First blush impression: I like it. It’s definitely an improvement over the original M&P design. But we need to run it through its full paces out on the range. We’ve got one winging its way to us from Smith as I type. Watch this space.
The only thing I didn’t like about it was on the 5-inch that I saw and Flat Dark Earth it has a new type of loaded chamber indicator it’s got a little mechanical lever that detects the round in the chamber and pops up looks very chancy it’s not on the four and a quarter inch size gun just on the 5-inch for some reason. I like the traditional little Half Moon opening in the top of the chamber that you can just look down straight down on the top of the weapon and see if there’s a round in the chamber. And who doesn’t check just to make sure by doing a press check? I hate those little ridiculous things they add on for safety reasons fixing something that isn’t broke. But the triggers are much better I would like a little bit more positive click on the reset but it is night and day difference. I’d like to see a comparison between the Apex modified trigger in an older model gen 1 M&P 9 compared to the new 2.0 version of the M&P 9. Any probability of such a comparison in the near future?
The Ruger SR9/40c also has the loaded chamber indicator. My wife and daughter love the feature since all one need do in low light conditions is run your finger over the slide and have tactile verification of a loaded chamber. Me, I never press check. NEVER. I know the condition of my weapon at all times. Condition 1 or 1.5.
It’s a habit I picked up in competition. But I agree I also know the condition of my weapon at all times. Sometimes competition I’ll give you bad habits that’s one I probably need to correct.
Suppose it needs a loaded chamber indicator to have a chance of getting on the California roster, and maybe that’s why they added it? Dunno.
Yeah it’s just kind of weird how they did it to the one model the 5-inch in Flat Dark Earth I haven’t seen one a 5-inch in Black yet but the shorter version the four and a quarter inch barrel it doesn’t have the loaded chamber indicator like that it’s got the old school one the half moon where you just look down in it just kind of crazy how they did it to one maybe you’re right maybe it is so that they can sell them in California but I thought you also had to have the stamping where the cartridge casing is stamped by the firing pin with a code that tells it what firearm it comes from I thought that was the new law in California that’s why all these pistols were starting to fall off the approved pistol list that you can pick from geez what a horrible state.
Nice post, really. You might consider getting that period key fixed in the near future, though! 🙂
I was rethinking your entire post. I get what you’re saying and like that the M&Ps come with a variety of different options like with or without the external safety. Options are always good. But when recommending a 9mm pistol for new shooters, I invariably go with the Ruger SR9c. Loaded chamber indicator, check. External safety, check. Magazine interlock, check (though this feature may be removed and/or reinstalled). Both my wife and daughter carry these, .40 for Mom, 9 for daughter. And the price is very reasonable.
Adjustability is good. I bought LC9, removed external safety and mag interlock before ever firing it. Mag interlock has always been stupid to me, you really have to twist yourself into knots to justify it, if someone is trying to take my gun I am not attempting to drop the mag, I am attempting to SHOOT him! The LC9 has a heavy trigger with a mile-long pull, the last thing it needs is an external safety, it is only there for CA. If I left it there it would never be in the “safe” position, except of course by accident in the moment I needed to fire to save my life. They took 15 minutes to remove, with help from Google-fu.
” I’d like to see a comparison between the Apex modified trigger in an older model gen 1 M&P 9 compared to the new 2.0 version of the M&P 9.”
Yeah, we’ll do that. I think there will be a lot more trigger scanning in the future (beginning February) when I’m in Austin with “the guys!”
BTW I was playing with an M&P 2.0 at my LGS yesterday and LOVED the grip stippling. Feels like sandpaper. Awesome.
Nick,
Have you tried the Canik TP9v2? Of the striker fired wonders, I think this has the finest trigger and reset. Now my new EDC and waiting tirelessly for the release of the TP40v2 whenever Turkey gets its act together.
The only M&P I own is the 22c. Great gun for training new shooters. Doesn’t seem to like Federal ammo though, but so far it eats all else I’ve fed it.
I just checked the price on these at my local gun shop, $720. For that price I could buy two more TP9s.
That is over MSRP from Smith and Wesson I believe our shop has them for 589 for the four and a quarter inch barrel length and I think 6 and a quarter for the Flat Dark Earth One. Yeah because they’re brand-new some places are probably going to try to rape you. Unfortunately capitalism at its finest. If you wait a little bit once they get more of them out to the gun shops into the internet suppliers you’ll be able to get one probably very reasonable I would suggest checking Buds Guns. They usually have a reasonable price because for what they’re asking for that gun at your local gun shop I got a 5-inch performance center M&P 9 full size with the ability to put a red dot on top with a match-grade ported barrel 4709 at buds. And it’s got an excellent trigger in it but of course the performance center did a trigger job on it.
If that’s just the number that they have on it in the display case,
1: That’s the sucker price. They’ll cut it back to MSRP or less in a heartbeat if you ask.
2: Rethink giving business to shops that post a sucker price.
Ummm yeah these are under $500 all over Gunbroker. And +1 on the Ruger SR9. I tried it out and am getting one(the 9E model anyway). It’s like my LGS has never heard of the internet. Who knows I may get the S&W used some day…oh and I did ask for a better price at another local shop-the guy looks at me like I was insane. I buy and sell for a living…duh.
I have the Ruger 9E & I can not say enough good about it. I looked at what I now call Scrap & Worthless when I was shopping for a full size 9mm & would not have bought one no matter how cheap it was. Cheap was the the entire theme. “Long after the sweetness of a cheap product wears off the bitterness of poor quality remains forever”, or at least until you stick someone else with it.
The fit and finish takes a know for having the extra material on the frame where the safety cut out is
I’m interested to see a 9c when they come out.
I was rethinking your entire post. I get what you’re saying and like that the M&Ps come with a variety of different options like with or without the external safety. Options are always good. But when recommending a 9mm pistol for new shooters, I invariably go with the Ruger SR9c. Loaded chamber indicator, check. External safety, check. Magazine interlock, check (though this feature may be removed and/or reinstalled). Both my wife and daughter carry these, .40 for Mom, 9 for daughter. And the price is very reasonable.
Is Smith and Wesson thinking polymer striker fired 9, 40, and 45s (Glocks) sell like smart phones? Are they right?
Glock change the world and hand gun manufacturing hands down in 1980. They changed it from gunsmith hand assembling each firearm how to forge steel frames and barrels. 2 CNC machines Mass producing Parts Barrel slides and form injected molding machines with specialized polymers nylons and even fiberglass field rip frames has completely changed the way guns are manufactured in the United States and all over the world now. Gaston Glock brought a revolutionary industry change to the gun industry.
It was progress no doubt, but I find myself completely disinterested in the the latest version of each one. I don’t get excited about and or upgrade my smartphone every new model number and those improve a lot more each iteration than guns do. Nick is going to have to do a song and dance or maybe show a little skin to make this interesting.
LMAO
Lordy, lordy, Puh-leeze (!) don’t tempt him!
As I said in the previous article about the version 2.0, it sounds like they ship with an Apex trigger upgrade. It’s about time.
I imagine it’s the same grip texture as on my Shield .45, in which case I think it’s JUST right: not TOO aggressive, and a lot better than the “M1.0” generation.
Can’t wait to get my hands on an M2.0 to check out, I may have to pick up an M&P again.
I handled a new Shield .45 and a new M&P 2.0 at a range yesterday. I can confirm that the grip textures are the same. And I agree with Nick’s statement that it’s borderline painful, but probably in a good way.
Argh, they added the front fish scales to this one too?
Looks like a friggin machining accident.
That is the first thing I thought too. What a weird and useless place to add slide grip texture.
It’s like the usual guys were all on break, and the staff intern tried his hand at making one.
And then they never came back, and he had to finish the whole run by himself.
We agree on this one. I take back all that crap I said about you.
Be interested in the 2.0 accuracy. I have a m&p 9 purchased in 2013. Accuracy beyond 15 yards is marginal at best. Many on the internet state the 9 variant has an issue with the barrel unlocking early affecting accuracy at longer ranges. Looking at getting an apex fitted barrel to improve accuracy.
I see they compromised on the front serrations for the guys that do press checks and the guys that don’t.
I like better triggers and front serrations. I’m not sure if we’ll get these or the old version at work.
In my opinion I would get an older version and put an Apex Trigger in it. And I also wonder if the new back straps with more aggressive texture will fit the older guns in the M&P series?? Anyone know??
I would’ve gotten the 40cal 2.0 I am a 357 sig guy an the barrel swap will not work.
I’ve been carrying my M2.0 for a about a week now and while I like the new stippling in my hand, up next to the bare flesh of my hip I’m not such a fan. Nothing a bit of sanding won’t fix but I’ll probably carry it a bit longer before I commit.
Three words:
Tank Top Tee
AKA: Beater shirt
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