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Hey, folks, let’s dive into the world of competition shooting with the Smith & Wesson M&P Competitor. This beast is a 17-round, 9mm full-metal mayhem machine designed specifically for competition shooters. But the big question is, did Smith & Wesson absolutely crush it or totally screw it up with this one?

First off, let’s talk about the specs. The M&P Competitor is a full-size metal pistol with a frame made of 7075 T6 aluminum and a stainless steel slide. It’s got a 5-inch barrel and comes in two Cerakote finishes: tungsten gray with black controls and grip panels, or black armor knight. I’m a fan of the gray myself, but hey, to each their own.

The grip angle is set at 18 degrees, and it ships with four SW able back panels, so you can customize it to fit your hand perfectly. The mag well is internally ramped with an external flared mag well, but we’ll get back to that later because it’s a bit of a sore spot.

The slide features lightning cuts spanning the top in front of the ejection port, and it repeats at the front of both sides with three oval cuts on each. The slide serrations are a departure from the usual fish scale style, opting for a simpler scallop design that’s grippy on the front and back. It’s got a three-slot pic rail for lights or accessories, an ambi slide catch, and a swappable ambi textured extended mag release.

Now, let’s talk about the trigger. Stock triggers on striker-fired guns have come a long way, and while this one’s not perfect, it’s definitely not bad. It’s a slightly curved flat-faced trigger shoe with a depressible trigger safety blade, breaking at an average of 5 lbs 2 oz. There’s a polymer trigger stop behind the trigger to reduce overtravel, and the reset is light but noticeable when you’re shooting fast.

The slide is cut for red dots from the factory and comes with a bunch of plastic plates and screws to fit whatever dot you want. I’ve got to say, after dealing with other companies’ mounting systems, I really appreciate Smith & Wesson’s approach here. One thing to note is the loaded chamber indicator, which is more like a peekaboo on top of the barrel. It spits gas, so you’ll need to keep the front lens of your red dot clean.

The M&P Competitor ships with four 17-round magazines, which is awesome. They even have an option for states in crisis with 10-round mags. The gun itself is 5.5 inches tall, 8.25 inches long, 1.3 inches wide, and weighs just over 29 ounces unloaded. The replaceable grip panels have an incredible texture that’s extremely grippy.

The sights are standard height M&P sights with a blacked-out rear with anti-glare serrations and a long green fiber optic front sight. I was able to hit what I wanted at contact distances, competition distances, and even over 80 yards. However, you won’t co-witness them with most red dots, so you might need to upgrade to taller sights.

I shot over 1,400 rounds of different ammunition through this gun, and it shoots flat and cooks. The price is pretty reasonable at an MSRP of $999, which puts it right in the neighborhood of its competitors like the Glock 34 MOS, Shadow 2, and Walther Q5 Match Steel.

Now, let’s get to the big issue that nobody’s talking about. The mag well has a tendency to slide off the bottom of the grip after a bunch of use, and it looks like it shears a portion of the grip off. I can take the rod out and slide it back on, but it keeps sliding off the front. And here’s the kicker: the magazines that it ships with fit great, but no other M&P mags fit in it with the mag well on. This is either a malicious money grab or an egregious oversight, and it’s incredibly frustrating.

Additionally, the 10-round magazines are rounded off on the bottom, making them slide around and wobble when you’re trying to load them with speedloaders. It’s a pain in the ass, and I don’t want to go round and round about it.

So, what’s the final verdict on the Smith & Wesson M&P Competitor? It’s got the kind of stage presence that makes up for its backstage drama. If you’re looking for a rock-solid metal frame competition gun that won’t totally wreck your bank account, this thing’s got the chops. Would I run this in a match? Yeah, absolutely. But that mag well issue and the lack of magazine compatibility without taking it off are real head-scratchers.

What do you think? Is the M&P Competitor a headliner or just another opening act? Let me know in the comments.