As one of the most competitive niches within the firearms world, the micro-compact handgun category is a crowded one. Smith & Wesson firmly staked its territory within this category when it released the M&P Shield in 2012. Over the years, the company has continually improved the design, with the updated 2.0 model and the Shield Plus. Lessons learned from both the Shield lineup and the Bodyguard 2.0 series introduced last year have been applied to the new-for-2025 Shield X.
The new Shield X combines features from both the Shield Plus and the Bodyguard 2.0. A locked-breech, semi-automatic pistol chambered for the 9 mm Luger cartridge, it utilizes the double-column magazines of the Shield Plus. The new pistol feeds from 13-round flush-fit magazines, which requires a slightly longer grip frame, with a 15-round extended magazine also included in the package. The Shield X’s 3.6” barrel is half an inch longer than the Shield Plus and the extra space gives room for an accessory rail on the polymer frame’s dustcover. Its overall length is about 0.75” longer, at 6.87”, and the pistol weighs 20.8 ozs.
Cues taken from the Bodyguard 2.0 include improved ergonomics, which come from the longer grip frame, undercut triggerguard and extended frame beavertail. Small pistols have minimal purchase on their slides, and the Shield X addresses this by adding more aggressive front and rear slide serrations. Sights are an Ameriglo front night sight, combined with a U-notch rear with a serrated face. The pistol is also optics-ready, using a Shield RMsC footprint with Smith & Wesson’s Clear Sight Cut, which diverts gas away from the chamber for a clear sight picture through the optic.
The Shield X is available in three configurations—without a thumb safety, with a thumb safety, and a compliant with a thumb safety that ships with 10-round magazines. All three versions of the Shield X have an MSRP of $599. For more information, see the company’s website.
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