Smith & Wesson Performance Center M&P9 M2.0 Full Size Metal Carry Comp
I’ll confess that I’ve wanted to get my hands on an M&P9 M2.0 of any variation for quite a while now. Of course, I’ve held them in stores and thought they were particularly ergonomic and subjectively good-looking handguns, however, everything I really needed to know remained waiting for me to put some rounds downrange. Smith & Wesson was happy to scratch that itch and I was excited to receive a Performance Center M&P9 M2.0 Full Size Metal Carry Comp for review.
Unboxing
When I first got my hands on the box, I was taken aback by the cardboard presentation, but who are we kidding? I haven’t been looking forward to seeing what type of box it came in, I wanted to shoot this striker-fired 9mm.
Taking care, however, to document the contents of the box, I was pleasantly surprised by the accouterments, which included two 17-round magazines, seven optics plates with accompanying hardware, a very nice cleaning kit, and four interchangeable palmswell grip inserts in sizes small, medium, medium/large, and large.
Up top
The stainless steel ported slide is beautifully machined and finished in an attractive black Armornite. Aggressive slide cuts front and rear make press checks and loading the Performance Center Metal Carry Comp effortless no matter where you grab it or the conditions. The optic-ready slide comes equipped with a blacked-out serrated U-notch rear sight and bright front night sight for instant sight picture.
I didn’t have a spare optic to mount this time out, but I noticed the seven included plates are made from plastic. A little research on these turns up mixed reviews, with most people using them to relative success while some have experienced issues I suspect have to do with over-torquing. Metal aftermarket plates are readily available, but I’m likely to give the factory plates a try in the near future.
Speaking of the optics cut, another feature I am looking forward to observing is Smith & Wesson’s ClearSight Cut which is designed to divert gasses away from the optic allowing the shooter to maintain an unobstructed view through long strings of fire.
The Smith & Wesson Performance Center Metal Carry Comp features a 4.22″ ported 1:10″ twist stainless steel Armornite finished barrel with a slightly larger matching port in the slide, setting this particular M&P9 M2.0 apart from the rest. How does it work? We’ll get to that. The slide also has three lightening cuts on each side at the muzzle, an addition I’m not sure is 100% necessary, but it does add to the overall aesthetic of the handgun.
Get a grip
The Aluminum frame of the Performance Center Metal Carry Comp is machined very well and feels great with an 18-degree grip angle. Up front, you’ll find the expected Picatinny accessory rail for lights and lasers, followed by a traditional 90-degree takedown lever for quick and easy disassembly. The magazine catch is reversible for right and left-handed shooters and features nice stippling for positive purchase even if your hands get wet. An oversized ambidextrous slide catch/release extends far enough out to be tactile, but not far enough to be intrusive.
The front strap and included palmswells are also nicely stippled providing one of the best grips I’ve felt on a modern handgun. I swapped to the small grip, which took about 8 seconds thanks to the clever and easy-to-remove Frame Assembly Takedown Tool which locks in and releases the palmswell on the backside of the grip.
Smith & Wesson’s Performance Center flat-face trigger is also a nice touch on this model, having a smooth take-up and a relatively definable wall for a factory striker-fired handgun. There is a lack of any tactile reset that is common to the M&P series. It is not distinguishable by feel or by sound, however, the reset is short, and getting follow-up rounds downrange is plenty fast for any experienced shooter.
Speaking of shooting
Finally having the opportunity to shoot an M&P9 M2.0, the Performance Center Full Size Metal Carry Comp impressed me. Ergonomics ruled the day, from the comfort and great grip texture to overall handling and accuracy. I shot Remington 115gr range ammunition first followed by Federal HST 124gr +P.
I’ve heard others say the port size on these is too small, and there may be some truth to that. While shooting Remington 115gr, I noticed the gun shoots flat with hardly any muzzle flip, but this type of ammunition doesn’t have the steam behind it to take full advantage of a port this size in my personal opinion. Regardless, if we’re measuring where it counts, the sights track beautifully and follow-up shots are fast and on target. Perhaps a more scientific test alongside a non-ported model would yield more information about the effectiveness of the built-in compensator with these loads.
While 9mm +P ammunition is still 9mm and easy to handle in my experience, this is where I noticed the porting even more. Again, without a scientific comparison, take this as a hands-on real-world review. I found the sights tracked just as well with the Federal 124gr HST +P and the muzzle flip did not feel any different from the 115gr range ammunition. I’ll attribute this to the added pressure of the +P ammo ultimately making better use of the porting.
Testing accuracy, the Performance Center Metal Carry Comp was uneventful, but in a good way. I shot several 10-round groups from 7 and 15 yards, and the rounds impacted exactly where I intended. 7-yard groups resulted in about a 1” jagged hole, while 15-yard groups opened up a tiny bit mostly due to the shooter. As I stopped firing for absolute accuracy and picked up the speed from low ready and coming out of a holster, the ergonomics kept my presentation consistent, while the M&P9 felt a lot more like an old friend than a firearm I hadn’t previously fired.
Conclusion
I ran through about 300 rounds without malfunction, which I expected from an M&P9. It is a fun gun to shoot and one I’m looking forward to spending additional time on. I’d recommend the M&P9 M2.0 Full Size Metal Carry Comp to any shooter, from beginners to those that hit the range frequently to those looking for a well-rounded and solid performing everyday carry.
The M&P9 M2.0 Full Size Metal Carry Comp is available with an MSRP of $999.
What do you think of the M&P9 M2.0 series, and how do you favor the aluminum frame models? Would you like to see a steel frame down the road? Let us know your thoughts and any suggestions for Smith & Wesson in the comments below.
For more information on Smith & Wesson’s entire line of firearms and accessories, visit smith-wesson.com.