TFB Review: Smith & Wesson Shield Plus PC Carry Comp Pistol

Welcome back to another TFB review. The concealed pistol market has countless options from a wide variety of manufacturers. Smith & Wesson was one of the first major manufacturers to release the original Shield back in 2012 with the single stack variant that allowed people to carry easily with a single stack 9mm pistol. Fast forward 12 years and Smith & Wesson has dropped their new pistol which is the Shield Plus Carry Comp variant from the performance center. I’ve been carrying the Shield Plus for the last couple of months and during that time I have a good idea of what it’s like to live day in and day out. Let’s look closer at the Smith & Wesson Shield Plus Performance Center Carry Comp.

Specs 

Smith & Wesson came out with their Performance Center version of the Shield Plus as a factory-upgraded pistol equipped with an optics cut, slide cut compensator, and an upgraded trigger to name a few upgrades right off the bat. The Performance Center variant has a slightly longer 4” barrel than the standard model with added front serrations and cuts on the front of the slide for added traction. Each Shield Plus done by the Performance Center comes with a night sight dot front sight with a blacked-out rear sight.

The open-top compensator cut into the slide also works in conjunction with the ported barrel to minimize muzzle rise and allow for quick follow-up shots. Along with the ported barrel and open-top compensator, Smith & Wesson also cut the Shield Plus for an optic allowing for a red dot on your handgun. Another noticeable upgrade is the flat performance trigger with an integrated trigger safety. The Performance Center decided to cover the slide and barrel with their ultra-tough Armornite finish ensuring this Shield Plus will be protected for years to come.

Range Time 

So far, I’ve had the Smith & Wesson Shield Plus Carry Comp for roughly two months and in that time I have 575 rounds through the gun currently. Out of the few range trips I’ve taken the Carry Comp, it definitely fits into that happy medium size that modern handguns are shooting for. Just like the Glock 48 and P365 XL, the Shield Plus Carry Comp has a great size to easily shoot at the range while being small enough to carry every day without struggling to keep it concealed. When I started just shooting the Carry Comp at static targets, the first thing I picked up on was the effectiveness of the slide-cut compensator along with the ported barrel.

Compared to the shorter standard version of the Shield Plus, the Carry Comp was extremely flat shooting with minimal muzzle rise making it really easy to shoot quick follow-up shots on target. The dot night front sight in contrast with the blacked-out rear sight made acquiring your sight picture really quick with no real problem of realigning the sights on target after a shot.

The only thing I need to clarify is how the trigger works. The flat trigger is very crisp with a clean audible reset. The biggest learning curve I had with the gun was placing my trigger finger slightly lower than I typically would for shooting. The trigger safety bar needs to be fully engaged to fire and if you have your finger up too high, it may not always engage. This is far from an issue in my mind but it’s something you may need to practice with a bit before getting the hang of shooting the Carry Comp.

Accuracy and Reliability

When it comes to accuracy, the larger extended 13-round and 15-round magazines really do a nice job of making this smaller carry gun feel more like a full-size option. With the larger magazines, I shot at 20 yards, rested on a bench. Between 3 different sets of 5 shot groups, I averaged roughly a 2.38” group using 124gr Federal HST ammunition. For being a small carry gun, I was happy with my groups and the big front dot is easy to pick up for quick close engagements rather than accuracy so the gun is set up really well for its intended use. When shooting regularly from 10-15 yards, the Carry Comp is certainly an accurate gun given its size and carry capacity.

In terms of reliability, the pistol was 100% reliable with factory ammunition as well as self-defense ammunition. This shouldn’t be much of a surprise with modern machining processes and materials. With the number of firearms being 100% reliable lately, I like to look at how handguns do with minimal cleaning and maintenance to see how they would do as a carry gun day in and day out without being problematic. The Shield Plus Carry Comp went through 575 rounds with no issues even without cleaning or maintenance. Carry guns are oftentimes dirty with dirt and debris from carrying every day so this is a great test to see how the gun will do in less than optimal conditions. After a few range trips of abuse, I am happy to report the Shield Plus Carry Comp has been completely reliable with no issues so far.

Ease of Carry 

When it comes to carrying the Shield Plus Carry Comp, it really is in that sweet spot that manufacturers have started supporting. The gun is big enough to have a 13-round magazine without feeling very big at all. The flush 10-round magazine makes it incredibly easy to conceal with nothing more than a shirt inside a good holster. One of my favorite aspects is how thin the handgun is and it makes carrying extremely comfortable even after a long day. One of the biggest benefits of the original shield was the ability to carry almost anywhere because it was so thin and the Shield Plus has a number of those similarities as well. Overall, it’s a very easy handgun to carry on a daily basis. I would have zero issues throwing the Shield Plus Carry Comp on my hip and carrying it all day without hesitation.

Overall Thoughts

I will be honest, I had my doubts about the Shield Plus Carry Comp. I wasn’t sure how it would shoot or how it would feel being carried but I’m really pleased with how well it does and how it has truly become one of the top options in the carry gun market. Of course, there are fantastic options but the new Carry Comp variant of the Shield Plus lineup from their Performance Center really is a win in my book.

Let me know what you guys think of the new Carry Comp Shield Plus in the comments down below. If you have questions about the gun or firearms in general, feel free to shoot me a message on Instagram @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there and we will see you in the next review.

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