Smith & Wesson’s popular M&P pistol line is following a positive course of product evolution that’s been seen time and time again in the firearms business. After filling the marketplace with a quality product, S&W sought ways to leverage the M&P brand and fill in specialized gun-buying niches. Now, this past winter, S&W has developed four new M&P polymer pistols with features that are popular among competition shooters and gun enthusiasts who want tricked-out handguns. Based on the popular Pro Series line of competition-ready firearms, the new M&P C.O.R.E. (Competition Optics Ready Equipment) models feature specialized platforms for adding any one of six popular styles of competition-type optics.
The foundation of the new M&P C.O.R.E. is its specialized mounting platform, which is located on the slide and can be conveniently changed to match your optic. “The idea behind it was to supply a gun that could support optics right out of the box,” S&W Performance Center Director Tony Miele said. “A lot of the guys are taking our products and sending them to a gunsmith and having optics mounted on the gun. A good solution is to provide it right out of the box so they don’t have to ship it to a gunsmith. That way you’re not voiding the warranty. If you send it out to a gunsmith and he starts cutting it, it voids the warranty.” Through the use of removable brackets, users can simply install the corresponding mounting screws and get the precise fit and height they need. Designed to work in conjunction with the Trijicon RMR, C-More STS, Leupold DeltaPoint, Docter, Insight MRDS and JPoint, this weapon offers quick, custom installation of the industry’s top aftermarket red-dot sights.
GUN DETAILS:
The new M&P C.O.R.E. is available in 9mm and .40 S&W, with a 4.25- or 5-inch barrel. Engineered as a true competition platform, each model retains the M&P’s original design features, including the polymer frame with a through-hardened stainless steel slide and barrel, ambidextrous operating controls, striker-fired action and Melonite finish.
For improved handling, the M&P C.O.R.E. features a textured, interchangeable backstrap with more aggressive stippling than that of earlier M&Ps. Three patented palm-swell backstraps are supplied with each pistol, providing shooters the ability to tailor their grip size. I didn’t wait long to start customizing the 4.25-inch-barreled, 9mm M&P9 C.O.R.E. I received for testing. When I opened the S&W box and learned that I had a choice of backstrap inserts, I picked out the largest size and had it installed in about four minutes.
For more information on Optics, visit:
trijicon.com
For more information on the Smith & Wesson M&P9 C.O.R.E. 9mm, call 800-331-0852 or visit smith-wesson.com.
