Lots of people see a gun, a ship, a car , etc, as simply a tool or conveyance. Pure practicality with functionality as the only aspect worthy of any given design.

I'm not among them.

To me, design must have a wider appeal than that. Be it a personal weapon such as a 16th century Spanish rapier, or a samurai sword, or a modern handgun, I am attracted to designs that look good, as well as function perfectly.

To that end, I have always been put off by the tactical rails that have become synonymous with modern plastic guns, guns that for the most part, lack much in the way of handcrafted finish or that wood-to-iron fit that characterized the best of the older designs like the Browning Hi-Power, the Colt 1911, CZ-75, Colt Model of 1903, or any of several other great guns designed in a more elegant time.

So, when I first saw the 2.0 Compact, I knew what it needed - for me, and I admit it is purely subjective. Having just purchased one, I set to work out in my little shop of horrors, and the result is pretty much how I envision a more elegant - if that is possible - S&W 2.0 Compact.

Feel free to throw rocks, but I like it much more than I did when I bought it. I know - I've de-valued it, but there is little re-sale value in a poly gun anyway, so what the heck. Nothing I've done will break it. This took about 20 minutes using a bench grinder to quickly remove most of the material, then a bit of filing to remove any out of roundness, followed by a detail sanding using 320 grit. The tight corners of the "shelf" (that little area forward of the trigger guard) were blended in with a narrow dremel tip, then sanded fair.

For now, the shelf must stay because it is semi-hollow, so removing it would open the frame and ruin the project. The hollow areas inside the frame can be filled with epoxy and then the shelf can be ground off and blended to resemble a longer Shield frame, with a slightly longer chin.

So, have a go at the pics. I'll duck down here awhile and wait for the fall out...


EDIT:A Huge thank you to Rastoff for the tutorial on posting pics.

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Nice work. I don’t like the rails, either.

Well done; I wouldn't do it to mine, but I like the look.

I like it. As far as filling and grinding the shelf, my only thought would be to do detailed research as to the exact compound of the plastic frame and then what the best epoxy would be to fill it. I use JBWeld to add thumb rests to plastic grip panels and to modify sights w/ good success. But these are non- stressed parts that can be replaced easily. Seeing comments over the years about plastic frames actually deforming somewhat when the gun is fired, I'd want to be sure I wasn't weakening the frame.

Yeah, I hear ya. I've done a lot of work with epoxy on plastics. It'll work with JB Weld or several other brands of quick setting type. The small hollows are actually three narrow slots, presumably for weight reduction - every microgram counts - so filling them to make a solid backing shouldn't be a problem. keeping the fillings in place requires roughing the interiors of the slots. Anyway, I might not even go any further than I have already. Just thinking about it.

Cheers.

Excellent work. I really like it when a mod is done and the modifier takes the time to do all the detail work to make it a finished product. This is a good example. Most people will look at this and think, "Hmmm, something's different, but I can't put my finger on it." That's how a mod should go.

Well done.

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I agree with the posters who've said it is nice work, it is good craftsmanship.

Also as others have said, I won't do it. I just got a green Crimson Trace laser at about 60% of MSRP and a promotion that gives me another identical laser other than being red for free.

Not sure how much I'll use it but it's neat and I need the rail for that or if I want a "tactical" light. Interestingly, the laser dot points right at the front sight picture w/o any adjusting. Don

Thanks. That pretty much sums up my philosophy on mods. It must look like a factory option - one which I wish existed in this case.

I forgot to add: the re-finish is nothing more than Kiwi black boot polish, a great stain for open surfaced plastics, and it shines up sort of dull, so not to bright.

Good deal on the toys. Yeah, I know it's not for everyone but i do similar things to certain rifle stocks in wood. I have never liked the blocky fore-ends on Marlin lever actions, preferring to shave them down flush with the end cap like they were in the 1890's. A new butt stock with a crescent, no pistol grip, and a bit of perch belly, and that clunky looking rifle looks like a million bucks.

Very nice.


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Nice work!
I'm thinking about the purchase of a 2.0 Compact myself, but the texturing on the model I handled was uncomfortably sharp! It would be pure torture to fire it more than a couple of magazines full.
If I buy one, I will likely take some sandpaper to the texture, to tame it a bit...that, and buy a pair of good shooting gloves.

Nice, good job on the modification. I don't think that the M&P 2.0 will ever have collectability, it has little enough trade in value as it is. I will leave mine alone to preserve the option of a flash light on my bedside backup.

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Nice work. Myself, I don't mount lights on my pistols, so I have no use for the rails, either, and would prefer to have the option of not having them. However, having said that, they don't really bother me, so I'm leaving my full sized 2,0 alone. You did good work, though, hats off for having the stones to chop up your frame.

Nice job, it looks good. How does this affect holster fit?

Nice, thinking of getting one, not sure if I want the compact or full size, and I might just do this.

I don't have a holster for it yet. I'll likely make one out of leather, like my other guns. With leather, those rails can really chew up the inside and you get flakes as you draw the gun. Right now, the gun is a home defense weapon and lives in a sheath between the top and bottom mattresses. Easy to deploy in a second. The rail teeth were really catching and snagging. That's the way I kept my Brownings as well.

My carry gun - when I do - is the Shield 9, which I consider to be a truly great design. I have a couple pics over on another thrwead about grip mods. You can see the holster as well.

As to a holster for the 2.0, I know it will be a fine fit and quick deployment. I cold water mold my holsters so they fit like a glove and all contours are supported, very much like Kydex, but hard leather.

Just beware: It's likely that S&W won't want to talk to you if you ever need to send it back. I once sent my old Vaquero back to Ruger for an adjustment. They replaced my Wolff springs with originals and sent the Wolff back in a little plastic bag..

S&W might not be as willing to deal with a rogue owner. I do this because I have lots of experience with doing this. if you slip up at the bench grinder, you can ruin your frame. There's no going back and you have to study every contour on the inside to make sure you don't over do it.

I actually found it be not bad at all. The first range session was 200 rounds and the next day, no tenderness. I have ten boxes in the mail and when they get here I intend to see if the 2.0 will melt, so I'll report on that and the texture after such a lead storm. If you do sand, go easy and start with 220grit. the tips of the texture will knock right down easily and you don't want to go too far.

I wouldn't have modified this pistol like this if I didnt have prior experience and I can tell you that poly sands, files, and machines easily so be careful.

Thanks for the advice, I do tend to chicken out when it comes down to it, going to pick one up tomorrow, sold a sig so I can finance this and some other gun accessories.

Jus' sayin'

The plastic grinds away instantly so it's real easy to over do it and there's no putting it back on. I've done a lot of this type of stuff with wood grips and such. Same cautionary advice applies. If you do decide to try it, take any piece of thick plastic and push it around on a bench grinder, then smooth it down with a fine file, then some really fine sand paper. You'll get the feel for it.

Very nice! I keep thinking about doing this to mine... Thanks for the insight and inspiration!

How are you going to mount a bayonet or a bipod to it now?

C-clamp, of course!

Has a sig p228 look to the front. Nice!

UPDATE.
I finished the frame mod on my 2.0 Compact today. In previous posts, some pics showed he removal of the tactical rail, but I stopped short of removing the step, or stub, just ahead of the trigger guard. The reason is that there are three hollow slots inside that feature - for no good reason - and therefor they needed to be filled with epoxy in case the material removed would reveal those slots. A bad thing if that were to happen. Thus, the solid epoxy backing.

So, here are some pics of the process...

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Two more pics as a sort of before and after...

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I don't like rails on guns either! I think the worst travesty of all is a 1911 with a rail!

I like what you've done...I won't do it to mine because I don't have the skills. If I did, I would.

I sure wish S&W would produce a model without a rail, but they probably never will...probably not enough demand. In any case, I totally agree with your interest in the aesthetics as well as the functionality of a gun...after all, they aren't hammers or screwdrivers.

I'm not a huge fan of picatinny rails on handguns either but they are useful depending on what your use of the gun will be. That said,you did a very amazing job on that one. Very nice work.

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I did to my 2.0 compact. Took about 30 mins going slow, taking off more on left side and rear leaving the right side and front strap rougher. makes a less painful carry.

I've thought of buying a Keltec PF9 and doing the same thing - because I don't like the look of the rail AND because it adds unnecessary bulk and material.

I really don’t like sharp corners and areas on carry guns. The Compact is a good candidate for a “melt” job to make it more carry friendly. I have also found pistols with rounded smoother lines look good (are more aesthetically pleasing). I definitely don’t like the looks of blocky, chunky pistols. Rails are OK on a full size gun as I will add a light for home defense (not carry). I don’t have the need for rails on smaller carry guns.

I think Flintlock1’s mods look great and probably don’t decrease any functionality. I agree that the gun does not and never will have special value, so mods have nothing to do with the monetary interest in it.

Plastic frames are easy to adjust, perhaps too easy. The penalty of a screw up is a new gun since the frame is the serialed part.

On a new carry gun I attack the slide soon after purchase. I reduce all sharp external edges, round corners and have even increased the forward slant of the rear of the slide. These steps require refinishing, so I get into expense I will never get back, but I don’t typically sell guns. There is always someone in the family willing to take it off my hands.

A good looking modern factory gun, IMO, is the full size Beretta Px4. I like the clean looks of the C Model, a form of DA trigger that is partially cocked for each shot, giving a lighter and shorter trigger pull than most DAO guns. There is no safety or decocker. There is a rail, but it is unobtrusive.

As long as you can get past the idea that making a gun work well for you may cost some bucks you’ll never get back, and that you need to be careful both not to adversely affect reliability or ruin non-replaceable parts, gun mods are fun and rewarding.

Also IMO, a tactical rail is a bit over the top on a sub com pocket pistol.

Aesthetically, I have always been drawn to the Browning HP Classic, The Colt Combat Commander, and the CZ-75 Compact - not in any specific order. I will add the beautiful little Colt 1903/1908 Hammerless, perhaps the world's best dressed true carrying pistol ever designed. I can't think of a single thing to improve on that one for looks or ergonomics.

You did a great job! That looks wonderful.

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Or something like that . . .

How are you going to attach a light to it now? Thats what that rail is for. Accessorizing it. Making it a defense weapon.

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Actually, it's still a defense weapon. It just no longer has the rail for attaching a light that tells the bad guy exactly where I am.

I was trained to hold the flashlight in my left had, palm down, my gun hand over the left wrist, gun sights following the spot.

If I miss and run out of ammo, I'll just throw my defensive flashlight and hit the guy in the head.

If that doesn't work, I have grenades.

For sure that's what they're designed for but sights are obsolete on a carry gun now? Or is every firearm relegated to bedside use with a light and rail?

Not here.

Anyway, my GF is good at accessorizing... me? not on guns anyway :-)

i have the full size 5' fde model with thumb safety so there's a natural taper with the front of the slide.


but i'm contemplating doing this to the front of my m&p shield. i think it's too "square", i'd like it to look more tapered like the m&p bodyguard 380:

what the shield might look like after im done with it:

i bet this would look really good with the m&p 2.0 3.6 inch frame. maybe a more inclined slant rather than just a straight 90 degree cut where the metal frame lug sits to absorb the slide impact