While the full-size 9mm M&P is as combat accurate as any police pistol I've handled, the 9mm M&P Shield is an easier pistol to shoot with more precision. This level of accuracy is coming from a striker fired M&P Shield with a 3.1-inch barrel as opposed to a full-size 9mm M&P with a 4.25-inch barrel. I was even more impressed when the M&P Shield also proved to be an easier pistol to consistently shoot with more precision than a full-size 9mm M&P pistol. I was twice as impressed when the 9mm Shield that weighs a whopping 19 ounces unloaded proved to be comfortable to shoot with a variety of standard velocity 124-grain and 147-grain Winchester and ATK/Federal ammunition. As someone who has always enjoyed shooting pistols with a single-column magazine, I was impressed by the thin ergonomics of the Shield. The moment I fired the 9mm M&P Shield for the first time, I had flashbacks of the old days when I carried a 9mm S&W Model 39 and a 9mm S&W 3913 on and off duty.