The original M&P Shield is a single-stack 9mm subcompact that launched in 2012 and immediately became one of the best-selling concealed carry pistols in American history. Its slim 0.94-inch width made it genuinely pocketable in a way that wider double-stack pistols were not, while the 3.1-inch barrel and M&P ergonomics gave it shootability beyond its size class. The Shield stayed at the top of concealed carry sales charts for nearly a decade before the Shield Plus expanded the platform. Type: Pistol Action: Semi-Automatic Caliber: 9mm Capacity: 8 Year introduced: 2012, USA Weight: 19 oz Overall length: 6.1" Status: Active Intended use: concealed_carry, backup