$370 from my local gun shop.

I was in shock when I learned the price. I mean seriously, this little gun is by far the best sub-compact single stack 9mm on the market. The quality is unrivaled. The features are what you would expect in a modern fighting handgun... and it's only $370?

Not only that, the day S&W announced the handgun (I was at the NRA show that week in St. Louis) they started shipping them to dealers THAT WEEK. None of this rolling a new gun out then waiting 6 months for them to slowly appear on shelves, something other gun makers do to us.

S&W did everything right with the Shield.

I may sound like a S&W fanboy, but I'm not. I've been a Glock guy for decades when it comes to defensive carry guns. But the M&P and specifically the Shield have impressed me considerably.