Smith & Wesson M&P 10mm M2.0 Review: The Chuck Norris of Handguns?

Our Verdict

I really enjoyed my time with the Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 10mm. While not my first experience with the 10mm auto cartridge, it surely has been my most notably impressive.

Its suitability for CCW, especially for full-size pistol enthusiasts, is remarkable. The 10mm’s power, combined with the semi-auto’s high capacity, offers a significant edge in scenarios ranging from personal defense to wildlife protection. The M&P M2.0’s reliable performance, coupled with its affordability, positions it as a top contender in the 10mm market. If you’re considering a 10mm pistol, the M&P 10mm M2.0 should undoubtedly be on your list.

I am for sure what you would call a CCW enthusiast, and I frequently carry full-size pistols. This M&P has got me seriously rethinking my full-size carry options, for a couple reasons.

Full-size pistols offer a great advantage in capacity. Most full-size 9mm guns will carry 17 rounds or more. While the 9mm is certainly a suitable self-defense cartridge, the 10mm is a hammer looking for some nails.

I imagine nearly any CCW scenario where you’d want a pistol would be better if the pistol was 10mm. You have all the advantages of a full-size 9mm pistol but the power of a 10mm, after giving up only a few rounds of capacity.

Maybe CCW isn’t your gig, at least not with a full-size pistol. The M&P 2.0 is a fantastic gun to take to the range and have a good time turning boxes of ammo into empty trash. While every M&P 10mm variant has a full-size frame, you can choose from barrel lengths of 4 inches, 4.6 inches, and 5, which give you some options.

The pistol shoots very well, both in accuracy and reliable function. The flat shooting trajectories of the 10mm could give you an edge in many shooting scenarios.

Or maybe you just like fishing in bear country. While I’d rather have a large caliber repeating rifle, a pistol like the M&P would be easy to attach to your hip or chest rig. A stack of 10mm cartridges would feel comforting when you’re deep in the dark forest with only yourself to rely on.

The Smith & Wesson M&P 10mm M2.0 is a solid piece of equipment. It brings the big-bore energy of the 10mm cartridge to a reliable and familiar design, and it comes with a price that is nearly as impressive as its ballistic performance. If you are in the market for a 10mm, you better at least look at the M&P before making your choice.

How’d the S&W M&M 10mm M2.0 stack up on our 60-point scale?

Accuracy: 8/10

Shooting the M&P 2.0 was very pleasant, and I was surprised at how well I could hit my targets. The excellent trigger and sights made lining things up quick and predictable. With a variety of targets spread across distances of ten to thirty yards, I went from one target to another. Hitting clay targets inside the thirty-yard line was repeatable and fun. 

The power of the 10mm might make it useful a bit further than the 9mm ranges we are used to. As a flatter shooting cartridge, it seemed easier to make those hits transitioning from one target to another.

The refined aimpoint of a red dot also seemed to help me make the hits. With more range time I probably could have shot better, though I’m not sure if it was me or the gun.

Ergonomics: 9/10

After letting several friends handle the M&P 10mm, the resounding opinion was how great it felt. Everybody loved how the grip felt in the hand.

The grip is slightly larger than 9mm pistol grips due to housing the longer 10mm cartridges, but I found it to be perfectly suitable for my hands. Grip texturing gives you a great deal of control and purchase on the grip area, but those with smaller hands may find the grip a little much. 

The controls of the pistol felt immaculate. The trigger is crisp and there is a very predictable stop before the trigger breaks. It felt like one of the better factory striker triggers I’ve ever felt. The ambidextrous slide release has a very curious feature, a spring-loaded detent that gives a snapping sensation to the slide release.

Even with the slide removed you can feel a crisp little snap when pulling down on it with your thumb. Better than some triggers mind you.

Releasing the magazine can be done from either side of the pistol, as long as you swap the button to that side. This makes the pistol useful for right and left-handed shooters. Slide serrations made for positive control, and the tall sights made sight picture easy to pick up. 

Features: 8/10

Everything a shooter could want is right here on the 2.0 model. Everything you need, and nothing you don’t. With its tall sights and optics-ready slide, there are few things on top of the pistol you could ask for. I’m glad they omitted a manual thumb safety from the pistol, as I never use them. 

Standard touches like Picatinny accessory rail are combined with custom touches like the flared magwell. It really feels like a shooters gun.

Fit & Finish: 9/10

With all its features the M&P 2.0 still carries a respectable fit and finish. Everything from the grip texture to the engraving is well done and feels like they cut no corners. Rounded edges in all the right places make the pistol comfortable to shoot and maneuver, with the right textures in key places as well. 

The coatings on the pistol are at least as good as any industry standard. The slide fits snugly to the frame, and everything feels and looks like it should. 

Reliability: 9/10

During my testing with the M&P 2.0 we experienced perfect reliability — literally zero problems. I would have liked to shoot a couple hundred more rounds, if not for the testing then for the fun. As it sits, however, the pistol runs like a top. 

We ran both 180 Grain Sellier & Bellot FMJ and 200 Grain Federal Personal Defense HST JHPs through the pistol, both of them functioned flawlessly. 

Value: 9-10

Shopping for a 10mm pistol at somewhere like Sportsmans Warehouse shows the M&P to be a bit more affordable than most. There are a few models that have comparable prices, but they certainly don’t come with an M&P reputation.

I was genuinely surprised to see how the M&P stacked up price-wise with its competition, as I’ve shot several competing pistols and wasn’t as impressed.

While the M&P has a great deal of competition in the 9mm chambering, there are few I’d compare it to in the 10mm market.

M&P pistols have set the standard since their 2005 introduction, with a focus on the needs and performance requirements of military and police (hence “M&P”). The M&P series, known for its robust service history, now brings a heftier option to the table. 

The 10mm auto cartridge, a product of the 1980s, garnered attention for its superior ballistics and power, leading to adoption by elite law enforcement groups, including FBI personnel. 

Initially chosen for its stopping power, the 10mm later gave way to the .40 S&W due to FBI agent concerns over control. Ironically, the .40 S&W is simply a 10mm round with a shortened case, leading some to speculate the “S&W” actually stands for “.40 Short and Weak.”

The 10mm boasts big velocity, big bullets, and, yes, big recoil. This combination makes for incredible stopping power against dangerous subjects both four and two-legged.

And if that wasn’t enough, it gives big-bore pistol enthusiasts another semi-automatic option. Let’s dive into the M&P 2.0 and see if the 10mm narrative is true.

The M&P 2.0 typically features a polymer frame and is a striker-fired gun. This is generally the case, although there are a few metal-framed variants of these 10mm striker-fired pistols.

The polymer frame offers benefits like reduced weight and cost efficiency while maintaining structural integrity. Among the familiar features, the pistol includes a flared magazine well for faster reloads and a textured grip area with interchangeable backstraps for customized fit.

The grip, designed to counter the 10mm recoil, is ergonomically friendly. I left the backstrap panels alone for testing as the factory palm swell fit my hand like a glove. The pistol also includes a frame tool for swapping the four backstraps, should you find the need.

Flared Mag Well

Starting from the bottom, there is a flared magazine well to help guide magazines during reloads. I found this to be very handy while shooting the pistol. Adding +2 baseplates to the magazines increased the capacity to 17 rounds.

Grip

The textured grip area gives excellent purchase for your hands, as well as an interchangeable backstrap area to customize your fit. The grip area and angle I found to be very comfortable, and helped me keep a good handle on the 10mm recoil.

Accessory Rail

Up front, there is an accessory rail for mounting weapon lights. I mounted my Surefire X300 with no issues and a perfect fit.

Controls

Further customization can be done by swapping the magazine release to either side. And the slide release is present on both sides of the frame as well for you lefties out there. The slide release has a very unique feel to it due to a spring-loaded detent.

This feature gave a very positive feel when closing the slide on a fresh magazine.

Trigger

Another new feature is the flat-faced trigger, which still incorporates a safety. I was quite impressed with the trigger feel, it gives a very consistent wall before each break, with predictable take-up.

I would say I like the feel of this trigger more than most factory triggers on other pistols. The trigger guard provides more than enough room for gloved hands, should you be trekking in the cold.

Sights & Slide

Further up the pistol, you will find the familiar M&P serrations in the slide. On top there are tall sights, that seem designed to support suppressor use. It’s also possible the taller sights are there to be seen over any red dot base and work well to co-witness with your favorite MRD. Just beyond the rear sight, there is an optics cut.

I was partially let down that I would need an adaptor plate to mount my favorite red dot. I really hope more manufacturers will start to incorporate optics cuts that don’t require you to have a drawer full of different optic mounting plates.

A chamber check port functions as your loaded chamber indicator, and is centrally located between the chamber block and slide, allowing you to check chamber condition.

If a round is chambered in the pistol, you can see the rim of the cartridge through the inspection port.

To test the M&P 2.0, we took a few boxes of ammunition and a bunch of accessories into the hills. We fired the pistol in its factory configuration using only the iron sights for a while.

This gave a good baseline for operation and performance of the pistol.

Later we added a red dot sight to the M&P, using a custom fit optics plate that allowed mounting of the Eotech EFLX red dot. With very little tinkering the red dot lined up right, and we were making hits everywhere, although group sizes were a little outside what I would generally see with a 9mm, I chalked that up to adjusting to the big bore’s power.

Adding a Surefire X300 weapon light tamed the pistol even more by adding a touch of weight up front.

We ran through magazine after magazine, even loading singles and doubles to practice reloading drills. It didn’t take very long for me to grow fond of the M&P, the way it felt in my hands and reacted to me slapping the trigger felt right.

You could for sure feel the difference between the 9 and 10 millimeters, but the additional felt recoil wasn’t bad at all. The pistol was very controllable both while shooting and between shots, which was helped in part by the low bore axis and well-designed grip.

And the fifteen-round magazines with the +2 base plates made strings last much longer than anticipated.

Takedown Procedure

1. Safety First: Ensure the firearm is unloaded. Remove the magazine and check the chamber to confirm that it’s empty.
2. Lock the Slide Back: Pull the slide to the rear and engage the slide lock to hold it in place.
3. Rotate the Takedown Lever: Located on the left side of the frame, the rotating takedown lever should pivot a full 90 degrees downward.
4. Release the Slide: After ensuring the firearm is pointed in a safe direction, disengage the slide lock and carefully slide it forward off the frame.
5. Remove the Recoil Spring Assembly: Carefully compress and lift out the recoil spring assembly. It’s under tension, so keep a firm grip.
6. Remove the Barrel: Lift the rear of the barrel slightly and slide it out of the slide.

With these steps, your M&P 10mm is disassembled and ready for cleaning and maintenance.

Maintenance Tips

1. Cleaning the Barrel and Slide: Use a quality bore cleaner, a bore brush, and a cleaning patch. Run the brush through the barrel several times, followed by cleaning patches until they come out clean. Clean the slide’s interior surfaces where powder residue accumulates.
2. Lubricate Key Points: Apply a small amount of gun oil to the slide rails, barrel, and recoil spring assembly. This reduces friction and wear during operation.
3. Inspect Components: Look for signs of wear or damage on the recoil spring, barrel, and slide. Pay special attention to the condition of the firing pin, extractor, and ejector.
4. Reassemble: Reverse the disassembly steps. Make sure the barrel and recoil spring assembly are properly seated. Slide the slide back onto the frame, lock it to the rear, and rotate the takedown lever back to its original position.
5. Function Check: After reassembly, conduct a function check. Ensure the slide moves freely, the trigger resets properly, and the firearm is in good working order.

Regular maintenance of your S&W M&P 10mm not only keeps it functioning smoothly but also familiarizes you with its mechanics, improving your both proficiency and safety with the firearm. Of course, always refer to the manufacturer’s manual for specific instructions and recommendations.

Upgrade Option: Sig Sauer P320 X-Ten

The Sig Sauer P320 X-Ten is a formidable alternative, boasting a five-inch heavy barrel and RMR-ready optics. While costlier, it competes closely with the M&P in performance.

The X-Ten features a five-inch heavy barrel, uses fifteen round magazines, and is optics-ready to accept RMR footprint optics.

Glock 20

The Glock 20, known for its reliable design, offers a 4.6-inch barrel and 15-round capacity. While lacking ambidextrous controls and default Gen4 configuration sans optics-ready slide (unless you want to upgrade to the MOS version) its Glock heritage is a strong selling point, despite its bare-bones nature.