Smith & Wesson’s M&P Shield is a slim, concealable and lightweight striker-fired polymer pistol. S&W started manufacturing the Shield in 2012 and is still in production today with several variations. The Shield remains one of the most popular firearms on the market today, and a brand new Shield can be purchased for just under $500.00.
Simply put, the G2 Lieutenant is the best holster for the M&P Shield for concealed carry. No other holster provides the same level of comfort, concealment and ease of use as the G2. On top of that, our customers who carry Shields love the G2; in fact, it’s our most popular firearm-holster combination.
We’ve tested the Shield extensively in our holsters, and have made both G2 (Below the Waistband) style holsters and more traditional carry holsters in our REVO line that are perfect for the M&P Shield. However you decide to carry, we’ve got the right holster for you, and thousands of satisfied customers carry their Shields in our holsters every single day.
There are a few versions of the M&P Shield, though, so we want to go over those and tell you what the best holster is for those specific pistols.
The first versions of the popular Shield pistols are still a great option, and now there are many used Shields in shops and online marketplaces at very affordable prices. This lightweight, concealed carry pistol is very comfortable to carry, and has proven itself to be reliable in numerous reviews and torture tests.
Here are the basic specs on the first generation of M&P Shield:
Caliber: 9mm or .40 S&W
Weight: 20.8 oz. / 20.6 oz.
Capacity: 7+1, 8+1 / 6+1, 7+1
Barrel Length: 3.1 inches
Overall Length: 6.1 inches
You can see that the Shield 9 is 0.2 ounces heavier than the Shield 40, but the Shield 9 does provide an additional round of magazine capacity. The Shield 9/40 have a single-stack magazine, so you are somewhat limited in the rounds you can carry, even with an magazine baseplate, but the reduced width is part of what makes the Shield so easy to conceal.
In our G2 Holster, you’ll want the LIEUTENANT size for the original Shield 9 or 40. If you have a laser attached to the trigger guard, make sure you select that as an option because we have a “Laser G2” which allows guns with frame-mounted lasers to fit in the G2 style holster.
If you’d prefer to carry more traditionally and want our REVO holster, the correct size shell is Shell-132. The REVO Shells have been custom fitted to specific firearms, so you’ll get incredible retention and a smooth draw.
Smith & Wesson announced the new version of their popular Shield series of pistols in late 2017. There was a lot of buzz around the new and improved Shield, since people already loved the original Shield they thought it would be tough to improve on an already great design.
Let’s check out the specifications first:
Caliber: 9mm or .40 S&W
Weight: 18.3 oz. / 18.1 oz.
Capacity: 7+1, 8+1 / 6+1, 7+1
Barrel Length: 3.1 inches
Overall Length: 6.1 inches
You can see that the specs are pretty much the same as the original Shield. One big difference is the weight; the M2.0 comes in about two full ounces lighter than the original, making it even more comfortable for everyday carry.
Smith & Wesson made a few improvements to the Shield, namely increasing the aggressiveness of the grip texture and improving the trigger. While the grip on the original Shield wasn’t bad, the texture on the M2.0 is definitely “grabbier,” resulting in a better draw and grip, especially in adverse conditions.
S&W also lightened up the trigger pull a bit, and most people have said that the trigger on the M2.0 is smoother than on the original.
You’ve also got a lot more options with the Shield M2.0, most notably the option to have an integrated Crimson Trace red or green laser. This integrally mounted laser offers ambidextrous activation, and gives the shooter an advanced sighting option for low-light conditions.
You can also add a manual thumb safety and Tritium night sights, and S&W added some scalloped front slide serrations although their improvement to grip is negligible.
The M&P Shield M2.0, both the 9mm and .40 S&W versions, also fit into the Lieutenant size G2 holster and REVO Shell-132. If you’re a convert to the new M.20 models, then you get to keep the same holsters, and if you’re someone who owns both, then you know you can carry both Shields in the same holster.
The Shield can also be had in .45 ACP, and there’s the original Shield 45 and the Shield 45 M.20. You can expect the same functionality between the two, with the same improvements to the M2.0 as mentioned above in the Shield 9/40 offerings.
The Shield 45 has a magazine capacity of 6+1 and 7+1 with extended magazine, the same as the Shield in .40 S&W. Of course, there are after market baseplates that can give you increased capacity but may change the concealability of the gun due to a longer grip.
Although the Shield 45/M2.0 is a bit heavier than the Shield 9/40, it will actually still fit in the same G2 holster – the Lieutenant, or REVO Shell-132; these holsters take care of the .45 ACP Shield as well, and offer unparalleled concealment and comfort.
Whether you carry the original Shield in 9mm, or a Performance Center Shield 45 M.20 with a ported slide and night sights, we’ve got the right holster for you. Thanks in part to our extensive research and design, and our United States based manufacturing, we were able to make two holsters that work with every version of the M&P Shield.
The G2 Lieutenant is the ultimate holster for deep concealment, offering a unique Below the Waistband carry, incredible retention and smooth draw, and the Shield is our most popular companion to the Lieutenant.
With our REVO line of holsters, you’re able to carry six different ways with just one Shell. Plus, you’re able to set up the REVO holster for to your exact dimensions for the perfect draw every time. REVO Shell-132 fits every Shield model, and allows you to carry on the following rigs:
Outside the Waistband (OWB)
Inside the Waistband (IWB)
Appendix (AIWB)
Shoulder
Drop Leg
Ankle
If you have more questions about our holsters and how they’ll work with your Shield, please feel free to contact us at support@urbancarryholsters.com or give us a call at (321) 363-0181.
