Ten-millimeter pistols are more popular than ever. Nearly every firearm manufacturer offers at least one handgun chambered in this interesting caliber. Smith & Wesson, however, released a pistol just as interesting as the cartridge: A 5.6-inch 10mm M&P longslide from the Performance Center.
The Performance Center is S&W’s in-house custom shop. Generally, this does not involve gunsmithing. Rather, the team upgrades firearms with enhanced parts and features not found with other models. The Performance Center M&P10 M2.0 was designed on the large-frame M&P, and sized up to support cartridges closer in size to the .45 ACP. For 2024, there are two standard M&P 10mm models with 4- and 4.6-inch barrels. These pistols received a few additional exclusive features.
The biggest visual difference between the Performance Center’s M&P10 and standard M&P10 models is the longer barrel and slide assembly. The barrel of the Performance Center M&P10 was stretched to 5.6 inches and ported. Two oval ports were cut into the top of the barrel, parallel with the muzzle. These vent through a faux compensator milled into the slide. The extended slide also has slots milled into it, exposing the barrel, two on the top and three on either side. Only the top two are functional; the ones on the sides are just for looks.
Between the long barrel, tall sights, and full-size grip, this is a full-size gun. The PC M&P 10mm measures 8.6-inches long, 5.6-inches tall, 1.3-inches wide, and weighs 31.4 ounces. This pistol arrives with two flush-fit 15-round stainless-steel magazines. Currently, every 10mm M&P from Smith & Wesson — not just this model — is optic-ready. It features a bilateral thumb safety lever and suppressor-height sights that will co-witness with most red-dot optics.
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Both the barrel and slide of the pistol are made from stainless steel and given an Armornite finish, S&W’s nitride formula. On the left side of the slide, the model details are written out: “M&P 10MM”, “Performance Center”, and “M2.0”, the latter indicating this pistol is based on the second-generation M&P.
Smith & Wesson introduced the M&P pistol on the cover of Guns & Ammo’s December 2005 issue. The “M&P” (Military and Police) moniker was revived for these autos as a nod to the brand’s history, which included M&P revolvers from 1899 to 1945. Modern M&P pistols paired a striker-fired action with a polymer frame. The slide rides on a stainless-steel chassis inside the polymer frame, extending to the railed dustcover. The M&P 10mm carries all of the improvements developed for the second-generation, known as the “M2.0,” introduced in G&A’s March 2017 issue. The trigger was enhanced from the original M&Ps from 61/2 to 51/2 pounds, and a tactile reset was added. The magazine release was made reversible, but most notable was the M2.0 texture. It is nearly as aggressive as hand stippling. S&W added a fourth (medium-large) backstrap to the “S,” “M,” and “L” offerings, and eliminated the beavertail on the back of the frame. Serrations were added to the front of the slide, as well.
The chassis inside the polymer frame is much longer on the 2.0 than the original M&P, and it, too, wears an Armornite finish. The original chassis didn’t extend past the front of the triggerguard, which allowed flex. The M2.0 doesn’t flex if pressure is applied to it, or if you attach a light or laser to the rail.
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With the original M&P, the laser-engraved serial number was on the side, so a window was slotted into the polymer at the rear. With an extended chassis, the M2.0 models located the serial number on the chassis within the dustcover’s rail, visual proof the chassis extends much further.
Performance Center models are known for having improved details, such as triggers. The M&P 10mm is no different. Inside the M&P 10mm is an improved Performance Center sear, as well as a redesigned plunger safety. The combination of the two provides a better-than-standard trigger pull that tested at 43/4 pounds. The trigger shoe is made of polymer, and features a straight face that releases close to 90 degrees.
Performance Center engineers replaced the original safety plunger in the slide with one designed to smooth out the trigger’s travel. Instead of a near-square profile with radius edges, the plunger is nearly round on the M&P 10mm. Replacing the plunger improved the trigger as if it were one of the aftermarket upgrades available for striker-fired guns. However, replacing the plunger on an M&P requires one to remove the rear sight. Getting the Performance Center M&P 10mm saves some of us from having to modify it later.
This PC M&P 10mm is offered with night sights. There are tritium inserts in the front and rear sights. In daylight, you can see the three white rings on the sights, and in low light the glowing power of tritium inserts supplements aiming.
Those interested will likely want to mount an optic, which this package allows. The Competition Optic Ready Equipment (C.O.R.E.) feature provides the option of mounting a red dot to the rear of the slide. As it comes from the factory, there is a polymer plate on the slide covering the mounting area. Smith & Wesson provides seven polymer adapter/spacer plates with accompanying screws to fit nearly every type of pistol optic there is to the slide, including Trijicon RMR/SRO, Docter, Vortex Venom, Burris FastFire, C-More STS, and so on. Depending on the height of the optic, though, you might not have full view of the standard sights through the window.
Inside the slide is a single flat-wire recoil spring around a stainless-steel guiderod. The spring is not unduly strong, so those who have dexterity issues shouldn’t struggle with racking the slide.
At the rear of the frame is an ambidextrous thumb safety lever. It’s operation will be familiar to anyone who has used a 1911; it pivots at the rear, up for safe, down to fire. Unlike a 1911, though, the M&P’s safety can be engaged whether or not the striker is cocked.
One of the peculiarities of the M&P is the slide stop lever. You can push up on either side of the lever to lock the slide back, but pushing down on the right-side does nothing. If you want to drop the slide, only the left-side lever works for that.
What looks and acts like a minimal magazine guide at the bottom of the frame — a small wedge of plastic — is actually the base of the “frame tool,” which holds the backstrap in place. Once the gun is unloaded and the magazine is out, twist the frame tool to get a better grip on it, and pull it out the bottom of the gun. The backstrap then pops right off the rear of the gun, base first. Reassembly is in reverse order. The entire process only takes a few seconds, meaning you could experiment with grip profiles at the range. Sometimes it’s only while shooting that you can determine which palmswell works for you.
The frame of the M&P 10mm is both longer and wider than the M&P9/40 models. There is a longer reach to the trigger, so you’ll likely prefer one size smaller backstrap on this gun than with standard 9mm and .40 M&P pistols.
Designed in the 1980s, the 10mm Auto was intended to become the “ultimate” self-defense cartridge, providing the best balance of power and magazine capacity. It is the same overall length as a .45 ACP, a long straight cartridge with a large primer at the back and a .40-caliber bullet at the front. The original 10mm loads from Norma were very powerful, though. The 200-grain bullet was loaded at 1,200 feet per second (fps), and 180s at 1,300 fps. Most modern 10mm loads aren’t quite so beastly, but you’ll still understand why people think the 10mm is a good choice for defending against charging grizzlies.
At the range, the M&P 10mm was appropriately accurate. The lighter Performance Center trigger helped G&A’s staff keep the groups tight, and the long barrel provided a small increase in velocity. The pistol proved completely reliable during testing. It was a bit of a handful, but controllable. While we didn’t have an unported 10mm pistol compare, testing other pistols has shown porting can reduce muzzle rise 15 to 20 percent.
You’ll pay a little extra for this Performance Center M&P 10mm, but at $750 it represents a solid value, and is quite distinctive.
Smith & Wesson Performance Center M&P 10mm M2.0
- Type: Striker fired, recoil operated,
- Cartridge: 10mm
- Capacity: 15+1 rds.
- Barrel: 5.6 in., stainless, ported, 1:10-in. twist
- Overall Length: 8.6 in.
- Width: 1.3 in.
- Height: 5.6 in.
- Weight: 1 lb., 15.4 oz.
- Finish: Stainless steel, Armornite finish
- Frame: Polymer, textured, stainless chassis
- Grip: Polymer, molded texture
- Sights: 3-dot night sights, optics ready
- Trigger: 7 lbs. (tested)
- Safety: Thumb safety, internal striker drop safety, trigger safety lever
- Accessories: Two 15-round magazines, optic mounting plates, four backstraps, cable lock, lockable hard case
- MSRP: $749
- Importer: Smith & Wesson, 800-331-0852, smith-wesson.com
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