We went from steel to aluminum, then spent two decades obsessed with lightweight polymer. Now, the pendulum has swung back hard. Shooters realized that while plastic is great for carrying all day, for speed, competition, or home defense, weight is your best friend. Before this release, you had the standard polymer M&P (great duty gun) and the aluminum M&P Metal (great carry gun), but you didn’t have that pure, heavy range monster without spending $3,000 on a custom 2011. The S&W M&P Metal HD bridges that gap, giving you the recoil mitigation of steel with the familiar ergonomics of the M&P platform.
Frame and Weight
The “HD” in the name stands for Heavy Duty, and they aren’t kidding. We’re talking about a full steel frame here. No polymer hybrid, no aluminum alloy – just solid stainless steel.
The standard Metal HD tips the scales at about 34.9 ounces (unloaded), while the Competitor HD is just a hair lighter at 34.5 ounces due to slide cuts. For comparison, a standard polymer M&P floats around 26 ounces. That extra mass, combined with the low bore axis S&W is known for, means the gun tracks incredibly flat.
Despite the mass, the balance feels right. It sits in the hand with a purpose, not dragging the nose down like some competition guns.
Is It Heavy Enough?
It’s true that some dedicated competition pistols push 40+ ounces. However, the M&P Metal HD sits in a goldilocks zone. It’s heavy enough to mitigate snap but not so heavy that it becomes sluggish on transitions.
If you are absolutely dead-set on maximum weight, you can swap the palmswells for brass inserts or add a heavy guide rod (aftermarket support for M&Ps is massive). But for a factory gun, it balances very well.
Hybrid Grip Design
There are two problems with metal guns. First, usually, you are stuck with the grip size the factory gives you. Second is that metal gets slippery when your hands get sweaty or cold.
To fix the first problem, Smith & Wesson kept the interchangeable polymer palmswells – you get four size options to dial in the fit.
The solution to the second problem was the aggressive texture machined directly into the front strap of the frame. It really digs into your skin or gloves, and that is exactly what you want. It locks your hand in place so the gun doesn’t shift during rapid fire.
Slide Serrations and Cuts
Visually, both models look cleaner than previous generations. They ditched the old “fish scale” slide cuts for new, aggressive front and rear serrations (S&W calls them “fins”). They give you nice traction for racking the slide.
Two Flavors – Duty and Competition
The standard Metal HD comes in around $1,149, while the Competitor HD sits at $1,299. For the extra $150, the Competitor model gives you:
- A magwell (for fast reloads).
- Two extra magazines (four total).
- Lightening cuts on the slide.
- A spiral fluted barrel.
Unless you specifically need a sealed-up slide for duty use, the Competitor offers significantly more value. The magazines alone nearly make up the price difference.
At the Range
When you fire, the reticle on your red dot barely leaves the window. It settles back to zero almost instantly, making follow-up shots incredibly fast. The high undercut on the trigger guard and low bore axis keep your hand high, further reducing muzzle flip.
S&W also included their updated flat-faced trigger. It breaks cleanly at 90 degrees with a weight around 3.5 lbs.
Also, the optics system uses the C.O.R.E. plate setup. It’s reliable, but the optic sits a bit high.
Specs:
- Caliber: 9mm Luger
- Frame: Stainless Steel (Armornite finish)
- Barrel Length: 5 inches (Spiral fluted on the Competitor)
- Capacity: 17+1 (Ships with 2 mags for Standard, 4 for Competitor)
- Weight: ~34.9 oz (Standard) / ~34.5 oz (Competitor)
- Optics: C.O.R.E. plate system (fits RMR, etc.)
- Sights: Night Fision tritium (Standard) / HIVIZ fiber optic front (Competitor)
- Grip: 4 interchangeable palmswell inserts (S, M, ML, L)
- Trigger: M2.0 Flat Face
- MSRP: ~$1,149 (Standard) / ~$1,299 (Competitor)
Pros:
- Excellent recoil management due to steel frame.
- Aggressive texture locks hands in.
- Competitor model offers high value (mags + magwell).
- Reliable M&P magazine ecosystem.
Cons:
- Standard model price feels high compared to the Competitor.
- Trigger reset could be more forceful.
- Heavy for anything other than range/duty use.
Materials courtesy of S&W Youtube channel.
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