Griff and 45 ACP lovers - M&P Shield ups the ante!

[JohndeFresno]

Due to the tremendous popularity of the very affordable, accurate and reliable S&W M&P Shield semi-auto, Smith & Wesson has expanded their line to the .45 ACP. So - 9mm, .40 SW and.45 ACP can all be had in this hideout gun.

See:
https://www.americanrifleman.org/articl ... paign=0516

[Blaine]

If I didn't already have a G30S, I'd be very tempted....to get a G30S

[Griff]

I'll have to check it out. Haven't ever looked at one.

[jdad]

I had a 9mm Shield. There were, for me, serious ergonomic and accuracy issues, and I eventually traded it for a .45 XDS. The .45 XDS was more controllable and accurate than the 9mm Shield. The .45 has been replaced with a 9mm XDS and it's still easier to shoot than the Shield was.

I never had any functioning issues, with the Shield. It just didn't fit me and was barely barn door accurate.

[ceb]

My Shield in .40cal has becomes my most carried ccw. I have found it accurate and controllable. I love my lightweight Commander in 45, but the Shield is 10 ounces lighter loaded than the Colt.

[Panzercat]

If I didn't already have my XDm 3.8...
But that price. Whew.

[Sixgun]

I know-----closed tunnel thinking, but......I never could get myself to think past the 1911.----6

[AJMD429]

I know-----closed tunnel thinking, but......I never could get myself to think past the 1911.----6

If I didn't already have a G30S, I'd be very tempted....to get a G30S

I guess the closed tunnel thinking is contagious...

If I didn't already have a P-12, I'd be very tempted....to get a P-12....

[Blaine]

I know-----closed tunnel thinking, but......I never could get myself to think past the 1911.----6

If I didn't already have a G30S, I'd be very tempted....to get a G30S

I guess the closed tunnel thinking is contagious...

If I didn't already have a P-12, I'd be very tempted....to get a P-12....

In all fairness, I have two 1911s, LCP, a 625, A Single Six, 317 AirLite, 38 AirWeight, .357 BH, Ruger MKII Gubment, ect, etc....I'm not stuck on just one make/style.

[MrMurphy]

JDad, sounds like you got a lemon. It happens. Every other Shield owner I've spoken to (most with a LOT of trigger time on a lot of other guns) love them and are very accurate with them. Mine is as accurate as any duty pistol up to about 20 yards. Past that the size makes shot recovery a tiny bit slower, but not much. Shooting mine has made converts out of several guys I work with. The fact our 30 yr on the job, extensively professionally trained (and also a master class competitive shooter) lieutenant who handles approving/disapproving weapons for duty use and upgrades,etc also carries one kind of clues them in that they work well for most people.

I've heard the .40 Shields can be a handful, have not found one to shoot to test that. The .45 should be interesting.

[Blaine]

One size does NOT fit all.... One of my favorite quips is: Is that 30s years of learning, or 1 year repeated 30 times......

[AJMD429]

Yeah, in all seriousness, 90% of the handguns out there work just fine, and the biggest issue is just getting one that points and handles naturally, which is dependent on hand structure and shooting style. Beyond that, preferences are pretty much as to revolver-vs-auto, and within the autos, some prefer exposed hammer 1911 or other Browning designs, others not. They all go 'bang' pretty reliably....that is, unless as said above, you get the rare 'lemon' - or a really BAD design (which category I doubt the Shield falls into).

[piller]

Never tried one of the Shield series of pistols. Maybe, some day. For now, I have enough to keep me busy and poor from buying precious metals such as lead, copper, and brass.

[bmtshooter]

The 9mm Shield is a great alternative for those of us who don't have the finger length to get around a double-stack grip very well. While I enjoy my double-stack Glocks, the Shield is much easier for me to hold on to. All my 1911s have required retrofit with the short trigger and the arched mainspring housing. Then they fit and shoot just fine.

A 45 ACP Shield sounds interesting.

[jdad]

JDad, sounds like you got a lemon. It happens. Every other Shield owner I've spoken to (most with a LOT of trigger time on a lot of other guns) love them and are very accurate with them. Mine is as accurate as any duty pistol up to about 20 yards. Past that the size makes shot recovery a tiny bit slower, but not much. Shooting mine has made converts out of several guys I work with. The fact our 30 yr on the job, extensively professionally trained (and also a master class competitive shooter) lieutenant who handles approving/disapproving weapons for duty use and upgrades,etc also carries one kind of clues them in that they work well for most people.

I've heard the .40 Shields can be a handful, have not found one to shoot to test that. The .45 should be interesting.

I agree, with the possible lemon. S&W has had barrel issues, in the past and as recently as their new Victory. This isn't mine. I C&P from Rimfirecentral. This is a new unfired Victory barrel. My Victory is nothing short of awesome though.
http://jimh.zenfolio.com/img/s1/v5/p1696628476.jpg
http://jimh.zenfolio.com/img/s3/v26/p1875420035.jpg

[veeman]

The Shield is to small for my big farmer hands, but the 40C is just right, and accurate.

[JohndeFresno]

Strange, what I'm reading. I'm 6' 3" and have pretty big and somewhat meaty hands; have kept my grip up with hand exercisers.

The little Shield is very comfortable and controllable for me. Is it because I still use the Cooper hold (Modified Weaver), and not the new (once again) Isosceles hold? I don't know. But I do know that the Shield 9, with its texturing and excellent grip angle, works quite well for me, not just persons with smaller mitts.

I have taken it to the pistol range 3 times, now, and like it more with each session.

If I didn't already have a Shield 9mm I would buy one...

[jeepnik]

So, all things considered I'd rather have a 1911A1. I can choose from a full size, commander size or officer size. Pretty much covers the bases.

[Lastmohecken]

If I didn't already have 4 lightweight Commanders and a 3" Kimber to compliment my 5 inch guns, I might consider it, if I did have the money for a Colt or Springfield. However, I have considered a Shield in 9mm, but I don't know, I don't need one, that's for sure.

[JohndeFresno]

If I didn't already have 4 lightweight Commanders and a 3" Kimber to compliment my 5 inch guns, I might consider it, if I did have the money for a Colt or Springfield. However, I have considered a Shield in 9mm, but I don't know, I don't need one, that's for sure.

I prolly didn't make it clear in the related post about FBI going back to the 9mm. The .45 1911 (Mk IV Series 70) is still my go-to gun for most occasions, due to its laser sighting system, good iron sights and radius for longer distance shots, controllability (good springs and weight ratio), flatness, power... lots of things. But I can't wear it on my ankle. Sometimes that is necessary.

I can easily and comfortably sequester the Shield on my ankle with a DeSantis Die Hard holster, and with the M&P's accuracy and the right modern ammo it is a pretty impressive force to be reckoned with.

[1894c]

I own both the Glock 43 and the M&P Shield in 9mm, they have replaced my Glock 26 as my "BUG", both shoot well, no issues. I have one of each because I could not make up my mind.

SIX -- I was able to look past the 1911 when I first shot and carried a Glock 17 in 1996, never looked back, for me it's nothing but Glock, and the occasional Shield... :)

[cas]

There's what works and what doesn't. I don't know that there's any semi auto pistol that fits my hand better than the S&W M&P 9/40 sized frame. And you know what, I can't shoot it for beans. lol The large frame 45 doesn't feel anywhere near as right, but I shoot it 10x's better. Same with my CZ, the thick grips feel better, but I shoot the thin grips better.