S&W M&P9 M2.0 Compact Review: 1,750+ Rounds & Counting

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If you’ve read many of my other gun reviews, you probably know that I’m a huge Smith and Wesson fan. My first gun was a Smith and Wesson SD9VE, and while I don’t have it anymore, I have “a few” others to make up for it. 

From the M&P9 Shield Plus that I carry often to the full-size M&P9 M2.0 Metal that accompanies me almost every time I hit the range, I always seem to have an M&P around.

When Smith & Wesson sent me the new M&P9 M2.0 Compact 4″ a while back, it fit right in with my collection, and I loved it. I loved it so much in fact, I requested Smith & Wesson send out the 3.6″ model as well. Now that I’ve put close to 1,750 between my M2.0 Compacts, I knew it was time to come back and update my original review.

M&P9 M2.0 Compact Review

M&P9 M2.0 Compact 4″ For Sale

Specifications (4″)

M&P9 M2.0 Compact 3.6″ For Sale

Specifications (3.6″)

In the Box

In addition to the gun itself, you’ll find two 15-round magazines, optic-mounting plates, four interchangeable backstraps, and two magazine sleeves. If you choose to run 17-round magazines, the magazine sleeves close the gap between the grip and the magazine base. There’s not much else you need, except maybe some ammo. A guy can wish, right?

Features

S&W does a great job listening to consumers and continuously implementing upgrades to newer models. The M2.0 Compact is no exception. 

It features a new flat-face trigger, a huge improvement over the previous OEM trigger, an optics-ready slide, and tall white dot sights. Those are the newest improvements to the M2.0 line, but there are plenty of other features I’d like to discuss as well. I’ll go over all of the features, specifications, and my personal experience with the M2.0 since I’ve had it.

Sights

A huge frustration point for me with certain guns occurs when they are optic-ready but have standard-height sights. Then, when you go and mount an optic, you can’t use the iron sights if you need to, or you have to throw on a set of taller aftermarket sights.

With the tall white dot sights on the M2.0, that’s usually not an issue you’ll have. They allow you to continue practicing with your backup sights or co-witness them with your optic. I do wish they were night sights though, but the white dots are sufficient. 

The Holosun SCS-MP2 has a low deck profile and is a direct-mounting optic, so you can easily use your iron sights as well if you’d like. It’s quickly becoming my favorite optic for the M&P.

Trigger

The new flat-face trigger is probably one of the most welcomed changes to the M2.0. Many shooters have voiced their complaints about the previous OEM trigger and chose to replace it with an aftermarket trigger, like the infamous Apex trigger. I have an Apex trigger on one of my older M&Ps and can attest to how nicely it shoots.

However, I won’t be looking at buying any aftermarket triggers for this new M2.0. I love this new trigger that S&W rolled out and shoot very well with it. 

I’ve found the trigger to have a smooth uptake and a clean, crisp break and reset. The trigger pull also seems to be lighter than its predecessor, and I get consistent trigger pulls with it. Circulating online are a few complaints about a certain level of “grittiness” with the new trigger, but I haven’t noticed it myself. 

Controls and Safeties

The controls are pretty standard on the M2.0. It has a reversible magazine release and an ambidextrous slide stop that are both easy to manipulate. The one non-standard control, though, is its patented takedown lever and sear deactivation system, which allows you to disassemble the gun without having to pull the trigger. It’s a nice feature that adds to the overall safety of the gun. 

While you can order an M2.0 with a thumb safety, I chose to forgo it, as I do with any gun I plan to carry. Even though it doesn’t have a thumb safety, you still have the built-in trigger safety to reduce the chance of an accidental discharge.

You’ll also find a loaded chamber indicator, or more so, an opening at the rear of the barrel hood to see if there is a round in the chamber.

Grip

Having very large hands makes it difficult for me to secure a grip on many compact handguns. With the M2.0, I can secure my pinky on the grip, almost like a full-size handgun. While I’ve heard some complaints about the grip texture being too rough, I disagree.

The grip texture is one of my favorites. I find it aggressive but not irritating. I’ve shot it in the rain, sleet, and snow, and it was always safe and secure in my hand!

The slide serrations also help to maintain a solid grip when handling the gun. The M2.0 has unique styled cocking serrations on the front and rear of the slide. I really like how Smith and Wesson made the serrations aesthetically unique and didn’t just use straight vertical serrations. 

Magazine

Both 15-round magazines, including the feed lips, are made of steel. While I’m a fan of polymer magazines, there is something about steel that makes them feel more “high quality.” I’ve run these magazines through a ton of reload drills, dropping them on the grass, dirt, and even cement, and they keep on performing without issues. 

Accuracy and Reliability

Out of those 1,750 or so rounds, I don’t think I’ve had ten malfunctions. It’s such a smooth gun to shoot, too, that it seems like I run through ammo faster than I realize. 

It’s proven to be extremely accurate for me, too, with or without an optic mounted. Believe it or not, I am actually just as accurate with the white dot sights as I am with an optic. The main difference though, is my target acquisition speed, which is drastically increased with an optic.

Either way, I am consistently maintaining groupings like the one below out to 10-15 yards when shooting indoors and ringing 8” gongs out to 30-40 yards when shooting outdoors. The best part is the consistency. While plenty of people have better accuracy than I do, I’m happy with my given accuracy and the consistency with which I can achieve it with this gun.

M2.0 Compact Pros and Cons

Accessories

There is no shortage of accessories that you can get for your M2.0 Compact. A quality holster is among the most important if you plan to carry. Luckily, most holster companies will have options for M&Ps, so regardless of what setup you decide on and what material you prefer, you should be set. 

In addition to holsters, an optic and light would be great ideas to look into. Here are a few to consider adding to your firearm.

Optics

There are so many quality optics available that it’s extremely hard to recommend just one. With that being said, I really can’t think of one I like more than the Holosun SCS-MP2 right now. Others that I have used quite a bit on these M2.0s are the Holoson 509T and Riton Optics 3 Taxtix PRD 2.

I suggest determining your budget, making a list of “wants,” and going from there. 

Weapon Lights

Whether you plan to use your gun for home defense, carrying or even just range fun, a weapon light is never a bad idea. It’s better to have it and not need it, than the opposite. Two that I highly recommend for the M2.0 are the Streamlight TLR-7A and the INFORCE WILD1.

Both have great light output and sit almost flush with the end of the barrel/slide for ease of carrying. I don’t think you can go wrong with either.

Alternatives

There are plenty of awesome alternatives on the market, but below are a couple of my favorites. Both should give you solid capacity, reliability, and accuracy. 

Glock 19 Gen5 MOS

At this point, we’ve all talked about the Glock 19 Gen5 MOS so much that it doesn’t really need any introduction. If you run the Glock platform already, the 19 is a great alternative to the M2.0 Compact.

It’s more compact than the Glock 17, but you still get a 15+1 capacity and the option to use higher-capacity magazines up to 33 rounds. It’s one of the most carried and reliable 9mm handguns, so it frequently makes my list of alternatives.

Springfield Hellcat Pro

The Hellcat Pro may be a newer model, but it delivers the same great features as the Hellcat, plus more.

Same 15+1 capacity as the others in this article, with an advanced adaptive grip texture and awesome tritium u-dot sights. It has a solid stock trigger (some may disagree, but I like it) and an optic-ready slide, so you’re good to go out of the box. 

Final Thoughts

If you’re in the market for a new pistol, I highly suggest checking out one of the new Smith and Wesson M2.0 Compacts.

They are versatile, affordable, and, most importantly, reliable. The new features, such as the optic-ready slide and flat-face trigger, even make it worth upgrading from the previous M2.0.