M&P Shield 45 Serial Number

[BPM]

I just purchased a used M&P Shield 45 with Serial Number HDBxxxx.
Does anyone have an idea when this pistol was made and what the HDB indicates.
I have a new Bodyguard 2.0 .380 that I really like.
So far I like this .45, I just wish the mag release was reversible. I suppose that feature was update on the 2.0

 

[Saudade]

Best bet is to call S&W Customer service and ask them. They should be able to give you a date and possibly where they shipped it.

 

[murphydog]

Welcome! The factory went to the three letter/four digit serial number format starting in 1980, and with rare exceptions the letters were randomly assigned. Some early production or distributor specials got "meaningful" prefixes, such as some Lew Horton guns that had LH for the first two letters.

 

[gunny4053]

First, welcome aboard. HBD means nothing specific, it's just the serial number prefix. Serial Number prefixes place serial number groups together generally based on the year of manufacture or a period of time (week or month) within that year.

As to the mag release, it didn't change with the 2.0 models as the Shield .45 was a 2.0 from the start. When the other calibers were upgraded to 2.0, S&W started marking the .45 to match, but the early models didn't have the 2.0 stamp. If you're a lefty, simply use your trigger finger to push the mag release.

The Shield .45 is one of if not the best small .45 pistols on the market. They are inherently accurate, soft shooting, reliable as sunrise, and easy to carry. Even more amazing is that with the 7 round mag and one in the pipe, you have as many rounds available as a full size 1911 in a gun half the size and half the weight.
Shoot safe and enjoy that .45.

If you give S&W Customer Service a call, they can tell you when it was made.

 

[BPM]

Thank you all for the feedback; I'll try giving S&W a call.
Regarding the reversible mag release, I have shorter fingers and do not like to rotate the pistol in my hand when operating the release. I reverse the mag release to the Right side and use my middle finger to push the release. The Bodyguard looks like a miniature Shield and is reversible. I also have pistols from three other manufacturers that were reversible. It works really well for me. I hope they can make that a standard feature in the future.
Thanks again!

 

[hyena]

The Shield .45 is one of if not the best small .45 pistols on the market. They are inherently accurate, soft shooting, reliable as sunrise, and easy to carry. Even more amazing is that with the 7 round mag and one in the pipe, you have as many rounds available as a full size 1911 in a gun half the size and half the weight.
.

Well said.