The moniker of Smith & Wesson's new Military & Police Pistol made me stop and think. Anyone with even a passing interest in handguns instantly recognizes the phrase "Military & Police" as the appellation attached to what was without a doubt one of the most famous American handguns ever produced: the Smith & Wesson Military & Police Revolver. Introduced in 1899, it became the standard by which every other medium-frame double-action revolver would be judged--as well as serving as the launching platform for one of the most influential handgun cartridges in history: the .38 S&W; Special. The popularity of the M&P; (aka Model 10) revolver grew so quickly that it was the most widely used police revolver in the free world. Its reputation led to it being issued by many military forces, to say nothing of its immense popularity with civilian shooters.

To me, Smith & Wesson's decision to baptize its new pistol thus was risky because it has quite a legacy to live up to. But it is also a testament to the confidence the company has in the new design's ability to meet and surpass the heritage of its legendary predecessor.

I made my first acquaintance with the new M&P; Pistol at the S&W; Academy in Springfield, Massachusetts, last December. The factory reps I spoke to made it very plain that S&W; intends to actively pursue, and recapture, the dominant position it once held in the domestic and international police and military markets. And they were convinced that the M&P; Pistol would be the vehicle by which the company would accomplish this. Two days of technical presentations, hands-on time at the Academy range, and observation of the manufacturing processes gave me a much better understanding of the new M&P.; I came away convinced that this was not just another polymer-frame pistol.

The M&P; Pistol: Inside & Out
The M&P; is not a revamped S&W; Sigma. In fact, according to S&W;'s Joe Bergeron, there is not a single interchangeable part between the two pistols.

The Smith & Wesson M&P; Semiauto Pistol. To enlarge this image, please click HERE

The M&P;'s slide and barrel are machined from bars of solid stainless steel and are then "through hardened" rather than casehardened. The latter process, which is used by many manufacturers, merely hardens the surface of the steel while the former process, as its name indicates, produces both external and internal hardening. To improve durability and reliability, the slide rails of the M&P; are thicker than those on many other brands of pistols. M&P; barrels have a so-called "cone" muzzle. This style of barrel provides consistent positioning for enhanced accuracy but at the same time produces less friction as the slide travels rearward. At the rear top of the barrel is a half-moon cut that allows the shooter to verify whether or not there is a cartridge in the chamber. Important to those shooters who "roll their own," the broach-rifled barrel allows the use of lead bullet ammunition.

SPECS S&W; Military & Police Pistol
Manufacturer:	Smith & Wesson
Model:	M&P; Pistol
Operation:	DAO striker-fired autoloader
Caliber:	.40 S&W; (9mm & .357 SIG also available)
Barrel Length:	4.25 inches
Overall Length:	7.5 inches
Weight, empty	27.45 ounces
Safety:	Trigger, firing pin, and magazine disconnect safeties in addition to an internal lock
Sights:	Novak LoMount rear, steel ramp front (tritium night sights also available)
Stocks:	Integral with Polymer frame
Magazine Capacity:	15 rounds
Finish:	Matte black polymer frame; Melonite slide
Price:	$695; $799 (night sights)

Both the slide and barrel receive S&W;'s proprietary Melonite finish, a heat-treatment process that protects the surface while going into the metal itself. This provides enhanced protection from wear, tear, solvents, salts, and whatever Mother Nature throws at it combined with the through-hardening process to produce a surface hardness of 68 HRC.

The extractor's generously sized claw ensures reliable extraction, and its external location makes repair and replacement fast and simple. M&P; Pistols come standard with Novak LoMount sights, one of the most highly regarded sighting arrangements on the market today. These use the three-dot system to aid in rapid sight alignment and enhanced target acquisition. For those persons or agencies desiring higher tech equipment, Trijicon night sights are optional.

The front of the slide features a unique two-stage, tapered profile designed to ease reholstering of the pistol, especially when the task has to be performed one-handed. Deep-cut serrations at the rear of the slide allow it to be retracted smoothly, even with wet hands or when wearing gloves. Another nice feature is that all edges of the slide, including the Novak sights, have been beveled to prevent abrasion to the shooter's hands when loading and unloading.