The NRA’s Annual Convention has ended, but the news continues. After the SHOT Show in Las Vegas, the NRA convention is the place where the gun world looks for new products. This year Smith & Wesson® didn’t disappoint.

The S&W Shield has been on the market for quite some time now. In fact, over 1 million Shields have been sold. Just last year, the little gun got the Performance Center™ treatment with fiber optic sights, a ported barrel, and an enhanced and improved trigger. Now the company has added Tritium nights sights as an option to the PC® Shield; a really great asset for the pistol. This new gun has a MSRP of $ 600.00.

But the biggest news from Smith & Wesson® is the introduction of a Shield chambered in .45 ACP. For lovers of the venerable cartridge, myself included, this is a dream come true. I’ve been a fan of the S&W Shield since its introduction. Some have called it the “Cadillac” of compact pistols. The 18 degree grip angle fits me like a 1911. The polymer frame really absorbs recoil and the 3.3 inch barrel should provide more than adequate velocity for the .45 ACP classic cartridge. The new gun weighs 20.5 ounces, has an overall length of 6.45 inches, is only .99 inches wide, and comes with 2 magazines, a 6 round and a 7 round capacity. The M&P 45 is available with or without a manual safety. The M&P Shield 45 has a MSRP of $ 479.00 and comes with Smith’s lifetime service policy.

I’m sure the new Shield 45 will be a big seller. While Kahr®, Glock®, and Springfield® have had guns on the market for quite a while, a Shield in .45 has been noticeably absent. The Springfield® XD-S has, in my opinion, been the class of the .45 little guns and I liked the ones I’ve shot. However, I didn’t like them enough to buy one. I’m hoping that the new Shield 45 will find its way to the Performance Center™ and come with the enhancements that its smaller 9MM and .40 S&W siblings now sport. I can hardly wait to try one.

Be safe and good shooting.

Colonel Smoothbore

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