Welcome back to another TFB review. The concealed pistol market has countless options from a wide variety of manufacturers. Smith & Wesson was one of the first major manufacturers to release the original Shield back in 2012 with the single stack variant that allowed people to carry easily with a single stack 9mm pistol. Fast forward 12 years and Smith & Wesson has dropped their new pistol which is the Shield Plus Carry Comp variant from the performance center. I’ve been carrying the Shield Plus for the last couple of months and during that time I have a good idea of what it’s like to live day in and day out. Let’s look closer at the Smith & Wesson Shield Plus Performance Center Carry Comp.

Smith & Wesson came out with their Performance Center version of the Shield Plus as a factory-upgraded pistol equipped with an optics cut, slide cut compensator, and an upgraded trigger to name a few upgrades right off the bat. The Performance Center variant has a slightly longer 4” barrel than the standard model with added front serrations and cuts on the front of the slide for added traction. Each Shield Plus done by the Performance Center comes with a night sight dot front sight with a blacked-out rear sight.

The open-top compensator cut into the slide also works in conjunction with the ported barrel to minimize muzzle rise and allow for quick follow-up shots. Along with the ported barrel and open-top compensator, Smith & Wesson also cut the Shield Plus for an optic allowing for a red dot on your handgun. Another noticeable upgrade is the flat performance trigger with an integrated trigger safety. The Performance Center decided to cover the slide and barrel with their ultra-tough Armornite finish ensuring this Shield Plus will be protected for years to come.