The market for guns is growing faster than the national debt. Paradoxically, the guns themselves are shrinking. Powerful handguns are getting smaller, easier to carry and less expensive. The Smith & Wesson M&P9 Shield continues this trend.
It’s a pistol trimmed down to a small size often reserved for weaker cartridges like the .380, but it maintains many of the ruffles and flourishes of its larger siblings in the M&P series. That’s all well and good, except that there are hidden costs that can outweigh the benefits of proliferating pistol shrinkage.
A smallish semi-auto handgun can be difficult to shoot with accuracy due to its short sight radius. A small 9mm gun can twist around in the hand like a python with abdominal cramps. And reliability can suffer when power overwhelms small springs, feathery frames and parts made by pixies. I tested the Shield because I wanted to know if the baby M&P is a worthy entry into the Smith & Wesson M&P family, or just some marketing maven’s idea of a profitable brand extension.
I Say Hello to My Little Friend
I opened the box expecting to find a Noisy Cricket tucked inside. In its glamorous publicity shots, the M&P Shield looks like a really tiny niney, but the pictures are deceiving. In real life, the Shield is small, sure, but it’s no mouse gun.
The Shield measures in at only 6/10ths of an inch shorter than Smith’s M&P Compact and weighs in at less than three ounces lighter.
So what we have here is either a small compact or a big subcompact. What separates this packin’ pistol from the rest of the pack of M&P pistols isn’t its overall length or weight. It’s the Shield’s girth, or rather the noticeable lack thereof.
At a dead-skinny .95” wide, this pistol is more that .2” thinner than the M&P Compact. Oh, so you think that .2” is much ado about nothing? Take a look at this slide by slide comparison.
Wrapping my mitt around the Shield was an altogether different experience from handling almost any other pistol. The eight-round magazine provided a full-fisted grip for my medium-sized hands, while the seven-rounder would work best for people who have tiny hands or whose pinkies have at some time in the past suffered a catastrophic bologna slicer accident.
What really made an impression is the way the extreme flatness of the Shield’s stock fit in my hand so perfectly, so naturally, that it felt as if it was custom-made. All of a sudden, the M&P compact that I’ve felt comfortable with for years felt chunky by comparison, if not downright clunky. Even my M642 – all fifteen ounces of it — felt like a war club in my fist after gripping the Shield.
Okay, feel is very important, but what about style? Well, if looks matter, then the Shield passes with a solid B. Appearance-wise, it’s not in the same class as, say, a Kimber Solo Carry Stainless or the peerless Salma Hayek, but in the box or the hand, the Shield looks handsome and well-balanced. It has racy lines and is kitted out with a handle that sports S&W’s customary pebbled (fixed) backstrap and a slide with Smith’s wavy striations.
The pistol also features an oversized trigger guard that can accommodate people with gloves, men with porcine fingers, or porcine men with fingers the size of kielbasa. Fit and finish also looked to be spot-on.
I checked the controls, which are located on the right side of the pistol. Shooters who prefer a pistol with a manual safety will be happy with the Shield because it has a thumb safety (a model with no thumb safety is also available). Those who abjure the use of a safety on a striker-fired DA pistol can leave the Shield’s safety in the off (down, not up) position and forget about it.
Try as one may, the clicky and flush-fitting safety will not accidentally be switched on or off, so fuhgeddaboudit.
Those who despise a mag-drop safety will be pleased, too, because if there’s one in the pipe, this pistol will fire even if there’s no mag in the well. Those who require a mag safety will have to look elsewhere or head to what Joe Matafome calls Komiefornia.
The takedown lever and slide lock are in their traditional M&P positions; a shooter who owns any other M&P already knows how to use this one. Like its larger siblings, pulling the trigger is not required to field strip this pistol. All those right-hand controls are finger friendly, tactile and lock positively into position. Unfortunately for southpaws, only the mag release can be reversed.
Straight out of the box the M&P9 Shield 9mm pistol oozed more oil than the Gulf of Mexico after the BP blowout. Most experienced pistoleros know that an over-oiled pistol is more likely to jam than one that’s properly lubed-up and wiped down (watch it you). So, I did what every self-respecting gun reviewer should do: I carried it to the range and shot it as is, to see what the pistol could do in a pinch.
I stuffed the Shield into a Remora holster, stuffed the Remora cum Shield into my waistband (at the 4 o’clock position at 2 o’clock in the afternoon), slipped on a light T-shirt and pedaled off to the range on a racing-style bicycle with drop handlebars.
Normally, my two-wheeler is a sure ticket to Printsville. But the Shield is so flat (or my corpus so round) that the piece disappeared.
The Shield was as comfortable as a well-used metaphor. No sharp edges or pointy bits to gouge skin or catch on a pocket or holster. No beefy swells or bulges to announce the presence of a concealed gun. Anyone – thin or fat, tall or short, smart or stupid, old or young, man or woman, rich or poor, black or white, human or space alien — yes, absolutely anyone can hide a Shield. If the Shield was any more concealable, you could stuff it into your wallet next to Wednesday’s Powerball ticket.
Shooting the Shield
I procured some 9mm range ammo like I was paying for it. I bought cheap, dirty, crummy and mostly Russian steel-cased bargain stuff. (Bears of Brown and Silver always give guns a good workout, as do Tula and low-rent Fiocchi ammo, even though the latter is brass-cased.) Knowing that some Russki ammo is particularly dirty—Brown Bear, I’m talking to you—I brought some muffins to the range to go with the expected jams. And just for giggles, I also brought along some extra hot Ranger ammo just to see if it would overwhelm the M&P Shield.
The brand-new, box-fresh single-stack 9mm mags contained springs that were stiffer than a brace of day-old carp. After a bit of a struggle, I was able to load up the seven-round mag after a bit of struggle and some colorful language. Shoving the last round into the eight-rounder was an impossible dream—until I remembered the UpLULA in the bottom of my range bag. Together, the Israeli loader and I made short work of topping-off the recalcitrant mag. Add one more potential source of a misfeed or malfunction, thought I.
Why do I get so excited about testing pistols under adverse conditions? Because I want the tests to be as real-world as I can make them, that’s why. In a life-or-death struggle, guns won’t always be clean and ammo will not always function as it should. Mr. Murphy is always lurking in the background, waiting to have the last laugh, and I’d prefer to have him laugh at me on the range rather than in a dark and deserted parking lot.
Handling the Shield is child’s play (although I recommend it for adults only). It’s nicely balanced and, despite its traditional 18° grip angle, it points well. But not great. If the Shield’s handle was canted another 3° or more, it would be the best pointer since Pearl the Wonder Dog. Alas, a small tilt of the wrist is all that’s required to point properly, without which this dog won’t hunt.
Despite the stubby 3” barrel, the Shield boasts a 5.3” sight radius and bright, three-dot steel sights. By way of comparison, the barrel length on an M&P Compact is 3.5” and the sight radius is 5.7”. Oh, and based on my experience with other M&P pistols, it would be wise to keep some sight paint on hand for the time when one or all of the wight dot paint pops off.
At CCW self-defense distances, aligning the sights on targets wasn’t too challenging. The front blade is of average thickness, which is a problem at longer distances where the blade obscures too much of the target. This criticism applies to almost all current handguns, where front sights are thick to assure durability and a place to mount a dot. While the Shield’s front blade is too wide for precision distance work, the rear sights are placed widely enough to allow adequate light to pass through. Shooting with “equal light” was therefore a breeze.
Equal height was more of a problem. Aligning three small dots can be a stern test, and it was amplified by the short sight radius of the pistol. The shorter the sight radius, the more even a minor maladjustment will affect the shot. At five yards, this was no issue.
Despite the Shield’s claimed 6.5 pound trigger pull, mine was closer to seven pounds and felt heavier. That’s about a pound and a half too much, in my opinion. While the trigger will probably soften up with use, it won’t soften by 1.5 pounds.
Fortunately, a good gunsmith should be able to tune up a Shield easily, and for all we know Apex is working on a kit now. As additional plusses, the trigger breaks really clean after ¼” of light takeup and the reset is audible and highly tactile, which were the trigger’s best features.
Considering the barrel length and trigger firmness, the M&P Shield was more accurate than it had any right to be. Shooting unsupported, weak hand only is not an area where I excel, but my results were satisfactory.
As expected, groups edged a bit wider as distances increased. Nevertheless, ten-yard accuracy was still satisfactory.
Recoil management is important to making quick, accurate follow-up shots. While a bit flippy, the Shield recoiled less than expected. I tried to get a handle on the Shield’s recoil (pun intended) by firing a snubby for comparison. Although describing felt recoil is like describing color to the colorblind, to me the Shield felt like it had 1/3 less recoil than the M642 firing plain-jane .38Spls. I was absent from law school the day they taught engineering, so I might be wrong if I attribute the Shield’s decent recoil management to its nested recoil springs. Whatever the cause, recoil is quite manageable.
After pedaling to the range on a hot day, my paws were slick with perspiration. Smith’s grippy handle surfaces did their job without sandpapering my hands, but I would have appreciated a bit more aggressive texture. I was never close to losing control of the lightweight pistol, but the texture did nothing to inspire confidence. The wavy striations proved to be completely useless. I simply could not rack the slide with my sweaty hands without using the front of my t-shirt as a rag.
Say Bye-Bye to My Little Friend
After ten days of hanging out with the S&W M&P Shield, toting it everywhere and sending a whole lot of ammo down its tiny pipe, I have to say that I really liked it. It represents an excellent combination of portability, reliability, power, style and [low] cost making it a very good all-around pistol.
If the Shield is targeting the concealed carry market previously dominated by the Ruger LC9, then Smith has succeeded in producing a very competitive pistol for a nearly identical list price. Unfortunately, the heavy if consistent trigger pull holds the Shield back, so I didn’t like it as much as I thought I would. Upgrading the Shield’s trigger would turn it into the LC9 killer that Smith & Wesson is aiming for.
Specifications: Smith & Wesson M&P9 Shield
Caliber: 9mm
Magazine capacity: 8 & 7 rounds
Materials: Stainless steel slide and barrel, polymer frame
Weight empty: 19 ounces
Barrel Length: 3.1″
Overall length: 6.1″
Sights: Stainless steel three dot
Action: Striker Fired
Finish: Black Melonite®
Price: $449 MSRP (about $369 and up via Brownells)
RATINGS (out of five stars):
Style * * * *
If pistols had a Louvre, a portrait of this one wouldn’t be hanging in it except, possibly in the underground parking garage. Still, from an aesthetic standpoint, the proportions of the M&P9 Shield are perfect, fit and finish are near perfect and it’s a handsome little gun.
Ergonomics (carry) * * * * *
Good news, fashion slaves. Your days of buying oversized pants are over. IWB, OWB or pocket carried, the Shield is so flat, comfy and stealthy that you might be able to sneak up on yourself.
Ergonomics (firing) * * * *
The heavy trigger cost this pistol a star. The three-dot sights and the pistol’s short sight radius worked fine at 10 yards and under, but as expected were outclassed at distance. The pistol, with its 18-degree grip angle, is great to hold and recoil was well-managed. The Shield was a good shooter and with a few gunsmith tweaks, it would be much better. However, rated “as is,” not “as it might be,” it gets four stars.
Reliability * * * * *
I shot it wet. I shot it dry. I shot it limp-wristed, weak handed. I shot it with ammo so crappy it would gag a maggot. I shot it with the finest JHP ammo known to mankind. I shot it with very hot loads. Through it all, the Shield lit like an old Zippo the first time and every time, turning in truly reliable performance. Long term durability is difficult to assess based on just a few range sessions with a new gun, but this pistol seems built to last.
Customize This * * * 1/2
It has no rail. Personally, I think that rails belong on stairways, not pistols. Okay, I know that rails and doodads are all the rage, but overburdening this pistol with a lot of crap hanging off it just doesn’t make sense. This is a concealed carry gun; small, light and tuckable. Leave it that way and save the lights and lasers for your bedside insurance policy. For shooters who just can’t help but gild the lily, the Shield has lasers, holsters, sight systems and accessories a-plenty, according to the booklet that came packaged with the gun.
Overall * * * *
The Shield is slightly heavier and a smidge wider than the LC9, but it feels lighter and flatter. Even considering the unnecessarily heavy factory switch, the Shield is nevertheless sweet enough to cause diabetes. With a street price that should be somewhere south of four bills, there’s no reason not to check one out.
This article was originally published in 2012.
It weighs about as much as a Glock 26. For those who do not have a Glock 26 already, then you should look at this as well. If you were going to buy a Glock 26 and spotted this one, then do a comparison and make your decision.
Try to avoid the marketing hype of a company, HEY – look at us we made this great new with super secret technology gun that is priced just right – BUY NOW.
I would stick with my Glock 26 myself. But that is just me.
Weight aside, the G26 is pretty thick. I have one and like it, but it is not all that concealable.
The Glock 26 might weight as much as the Shield but its wide as hell and feels like a chopped down Glock 19. Its not in the same league as the Shield.
If you want a real compact single stack 9mm check out the the Shield or the Beretta Nano.
Had the Glock 27 & 26 as my BUG’s for the last 8 years (great guns)…but when I discovered the Shield I switched…I like the fact that the Shield is flat, easier to pocket carry, just as tough, accurate and reliable as the Glock, easier to take down, able to shoot lead reloads, I like the manual safety (Glock safe-action is a myth), and it’s US made. The S&W M&P Shield is a great choice…
I have a shield 9mm. bought cause of the safety.
I’m with you on the no safety means no way to get the pistol
into your carry mode with out a potential accidental discharge.
I’m just to old to shoot myself.
Tommygun
keep finger off trigger until ready to fire
Howdy,
I was hoping you could explain to me how Glock’s “Safe Action” is a myth.
Gave up reading half way through and decided to instead offer this thought: over used, goofy illustrations and tired metaphors begin to insult intelligent readers. If your trying to engage third graders, carry on. Otherwise, present a thoughtful, intelligent review to the audience: adults.
Funny… Scubasteve (aka Glock fanboy) says to avoid the hype of S&W yet recommends a pistol from a company that has overhyped their pistols from day 1. Oh yeah…. How’s that “perfection” working out on a lot of the gen4 pieces of crap?
I realize your comment is pushing two years old but the 26 and the Shield are really two different things. The 26 was make to be a wide, but concealable pistol, that would accept the mags of its bigger brothers, the 17 and 19. In that roll, it performs admirably; but, for many of us it’s not that much different than concealing a 19 (which I did for years on the job.) It’s still pretty wide.
The Shield is the handgun that Glock, so far, still refuses to make; a thin(!!), ultra reliable, single stack 9mm. Did I mention thin?
I have the .40 M&P Shield shoots great, no complaints great for concealed carrying.
I picked up the m & p 40 last week. Haven’t shot it yet but read many reviews before purchasing. Taking to the range this weekend. I chose the .40 never been a fan of 9 mm.
Since we are on the small gun kick I think it’s ok to be repetitive. “…the guns themselves are shrinking. Powerful handguns are getting smaller, easier to carry.”
There is no automatic, except perhaps the full size XDm, that is not easy to conceal. Like the Glock, the lightweight subcompact, has become iPhone/iPad of firearms. It is what the “cool” people carry. The original purpose of sub-compact was for backup, not primary carry. Even detectives carry 4′ barreled guns. When I was growing up in Chicago the uniforms usually carried a 1911 for “backup” not the snubbie. That was the for detectives.
agreed ….but the times are a new and people want what is convenient …and stylish..
yeah, chicago cops concealed 1911s for backup. good for them. in your onion “any” pistol is easy to conceal, so why go for subcompacts?
try concealong a full size pistol on a 95 degree day with 99% humidity and then you’ll understand. besides, people in chicago don’t get to conceal carry unless they are criminals, so it’s not exactly a bastion of role models.
I have had my LC9 for close to a year now, and like it fine, but I have also fired two friends’ Shields and I think I would have chosen the Shield if starting from scratch. That said, here are some things I didn’t care for on it: First, the safety, if you want to use it, is MUCH easier to feel, disengage, and “ride” with your thumb on the LC9. The Shields is very flat, and I think it would be at risk of causing problems if you chose to ride with it engaged. Also, I had problems with both of my friends’ Shields not locking back on empty. It might have been my thumbs forward grip fouling the slide release lever, but it’s not a problem I have on my LC9.
For those saying “get a G26”, a single stack 9mm really (IMHO) fits a different nitch. A Glock 26 is as thick as my Glock 19, which is WAY thicker and more likely to print under a t-shirt than either the LC9 or Shield, which tuck right up to my flabby midsection. I can also carry the G19 under a t-shirt, but it better be dark colored and loose.
I had the problem of the slide not locking back after the last round was fired only with the shorter mag. The problem was my grip and my thumb resting on the slide lock. A grip extension solved the problem a %100 for me. Also did some trigger work including some polishing and added XS big dot self defense sights. My shield is my EDC and I am very happy with it. Have never held or fired the LC9 so can not comment on that. I do have an LCP and I do not care at all for the trigger but the firearm works well for the occasional suit and tie attire.
Hey Blake,
I used to have a full-size M&P, FNX, have fired a block 19, and now currently carry a shield. I was having the same problem in all of those handguns. The slide just wouldn’t lock back on an empty mag. I read on a forum that sometimes if your grip is such that you rest your thumb on the slide lock while you are shooting (even with the slightest pressure applied) it will fail to lock back. I never even noticed I was doing it, but once I changed up my grip a little to move my thumb away from the lock, the failure ceased. Maybe try it out.
My S&W MP Shield is a nice compact weapon. Locks on last round with no problem. And doesn’t weigh much.
My son is sold on the Glock 43 for his off duty conceal carry while I’m looking at the M&P Shield 9. My wife has an LC9 that she loves and shoots quite well with it. For some reason, I can’t seem to hit anything consistently with the LC9. My present conceal carry pistol is a 40 cal. that is too heavy and too large, so I’m ready to make the change. I’m still trying to decide between the Springfield subcompact xd in 9mm but tomorrow I’m testing the M&P Shield 9. There is about $100s difference in price but the xd comes with a holster and loader, plus a few other bennies.
I’ve been carrying the Shield for quite some time and I’ve found it to have the best balance of concealment options and shoot ability. Just my 2 cents.
The M&P Shield is nearly identical in size to the Walther PPS. The PPS is 0.2 inches longer, 0.04 inches thinner, 0.4 oz heaver and $150 more expensive (MSRPs).
My PPS in 40 S&W has been flawless so far albeit after only a few hundred rounds. It seems more pleasant to shoot than my LC9, the trigger is better and the recoil is less harsh in my hand. The PPS in 40 S&W does flip up a bit.
+1 on the PPS. It’s the single stack Glock everybody’s always claimed they wanted. Apparently they were lying.
I too owned a G26 (past tense), as it has been sold and replaced with a Shield. IMHO, guns in this category need to be THIN ! Otherwise, I’ll carry a G19.
Soon to be enhanced with some APEX parts, although the goal is not to lighten the trigger pull too far. An important point to mention is that the Shield has a much better trigger reset than its bigger brothers. And off to Novak’s, where they have adapted the regular size M&P sights to the Shield.
You might also want to check out XS Gunfighter Sights, Williams and Hi-Viz fi-ox sights, all of which are available for the Shield. The XS sights list for $90 in big dot or medium dot configuration; the Williams and Hi-Viz both list for under $50.
The G26 is much thicker as compared to the Shield but that additional thickness compared to the circumference of my waist is tiny. As long as you don’t wear tight pants, the G26 doesn’t seem much worse in an IWB role.
Call me cheap, but my Kel-Tec P-11 does for me everything described in this article for less money and more rounds (10 + 1 on board with a S&W fifteen round spare in my pocket). But choice is good, and I’m pleased to see more options in the small pistol market.
I’ve had my LC9 for exactly a year now, and as of today I’ve got 600 rounds through it with four different (Ruger) magazines. I’ve fired Blazer, brass cased ball Remington and Winchester WB, Federal generic HP and Hydra-Shok, Winchester white box defense HP, and Gold Dot. I’ve had Zero failures to feed, extract, or eject. The trigger, while a bit gritty at first, completely smoothed out at about 350 rounds.
The negatives: One failure of the slide to lock back on the last shot in the mag – while firing off a sandbag rest. I think I had the butt of the weapon sitting on top of the squishy sand bag which may have interfered with the recoil impluse, because title=””>
There’s one feature of the Shield that is a total deal-killer: the safety. It’s tinier than the slide stop, which is so tiny it’s not even called a slide release because you’re not even supposed to use it, you’re supposed to grasp the slide.
“Well, just don’t use the safety either!”
That’s like saying, “Well, just don’t load it.” If all guns should be assumed to be loaded for safety purposes, then all safeties should be assumed to be on. If you have a safety, you must train to use it, because Murphy’s Law dictates that the one time you need it to be off, it will be on. I’ve seen it happen too many times at the range, with no real adrenaline or blood-slicked hands involved. Hell, I’ve done it myself – which is why I train, to get rid of those mistakes. I’ve even seen it on the most recent season of Top Shot, where a trained and experienced shooter hauled at the trigger of a 1911 to no effect. And that’s easy to hit. And at least with a 1911 you’re getting a fine single-action trigger as a reward for learning to use the safety. What do you get with the M&P? Their mushy articulated trigger.
So no. No Shield for me, thanks. I’ll stick with the Walther PPS, from a company that believes that if I’m capable of handling a Glock, I can handle the same manual of arms when it comes to their pistol.
All of my cars for the last 45 years have come with parking brakes. I’ve never used the parking brake, not even once. Ever.
So what is true of parking brakes is also true of gun safeties? Is that the type of argument you’d present to a jury? You can’t argue with metaphors and cute sayings. If the safety flicks the primer’s lit.
Misapplied logical fallacies are a pet peeve of mine.
Some people like thumb safeties. That’s why some guns are made with them. The company isn’t sitting around thinking “gee, let me put this on here so I can personally insult Jason’s gun handling competence”. Actually, I don’t know that for sure, but I think it is strongly likely that the planning which goes into most things in the world does not stop and consider Jason.
Also, the parking brake analogy is a legit argument. It is an extra safety feature which does not need to be used for safe “as designed” operation. It can be ignored or used according to the situation or user preference. It is fallacious to claim false equivalency by just pointing out that equivalency was used. You need to argue why the analogy was inapplicable.
Here is an example of an actual false equivalency:
“That’s like saying, “Well, just don’t load it.” If all guns should be assumed to be loaded for safety purposes, then all safeties should be assumed to be on.” – Jason
The loaded status of a gun is not an extra or optional feature with no affect on its “as designed” operation. So saying to not use an optional manual safety is not at all like saying leave guns unloaded. Particularly since safeties don’t “click on” randomly on a gun in good working order.
Anticipating your next issue, what if the gun isn’t in good working order? Well, if you don’t maintain and confirm your guns are in good working order, and it isn’t in good working order, all bets are off regardless of manual safeties or whatever. You can’t really even be sure one without a manual safety will function.
Anyway, all of this is really rhetorical and that is a good sign that it is all pointless, a status inherited from the parent premise.
-D
I don’t understand the problem. If someone doesn’t want a safety, don’t use the safety. This one is not going to flip on by accident, and only hoplophobes and other idiots think that pistols have a mind of their own. So what’s the issue?
And, oh yeah, I can argue with metaphors and cute sayings. If they’re true.
Sometimes some of y’all are incredibly obtuse.
I wasn’t actually arguing your point about the safety, I agree. I just don’t think using an unrelated metaphor supported your point. I think your original article stated it perfectly clear. Anyhow, just arguing semantics.
Pistols do have a mind of their own. Spend a day as a range officer, and you’ll see it. Go to some matches, and you’ll see it. Safeties manage to get turned on when the user didn’t intend them to be turned on. Like I said, it’s even been an issue on Top Shot.
If your argument is, “That could never happen,” but I’ve seen it happen who am I supposed to believe? You? Or my own lying eyes?
You have never parked on a steep hill in San Francisco, where the parking brake, in 1st or reverse gear or Park, AND curbing your wheel are all needed. My Shield has the safety and I practice turning if off when drawing. The safety is easily turned off with my thumb. My Concealed Carry instructor does not trust any gun without a safety, and used the Glock as an example.
Felt some resistance when holstering a glock, looked down and saw my tshirt caught on the trigger. Never conceal carried it again after that. I really love my hk upsc 40 that I can decock it, lock the safety and put my thumb on the hammer while pushing it down into the holster. Yes it does take some practice to get the disengage while drawing thing going consistently. I’ll still use the glock as a house protection gun.
I notice the shield’s safety is relatively easy to disengage but requires my other hand to reengage it. Not a problem as the left hand gets involved with grabbing a dropped mag or working on the pistol if it goes out of battery.
I have no problem carrying a handgun with a safety. My first carry pistol was a S&W 3913, and I carried it on safe. Manipulating that safety was no problem. The one on the Shield looks very difficult to manipulate under stress.
I went from that to a SIG P239 to my current carry gun, a Kahr P9. I much prefer DA or DAO to carrying a handgun with a safety. The Kahr is just like carrying a revolver with a good trigger.
On these split trigger, striker fired pistols the additional safety are superfulous. Saying the safety is necessary would say all Glocks are not a safe pistol. There are tons of operational evidence to show these types of trigger safeties are quite adequate in all properly maintained firearms used in real world applications.
I am not sure why S&W included one, except to possibly keep the customer satisfied, especially the new people on the scene, women. I know because my daughter feel in love it the minute she picked it up.
I know that putting this pistol beside my XDS in 45 they are roughly the same size and weight. I haven’t shot the Shield yet, but if it handles recoil like my XDS does it will be impressive. My XDS handles better than my 380, and I would rather carry my XDS than a 380.
So far my biggest complaint about the pistol is the cheap packaging. I know my XDS cost more than $100 more, but they couldn’t put it in something more than a cardboard box?
“…the best pointer since Pearl the Wonder Dog. ”
+100 to a fellow Robert B. Parker fan!
Boo-yah!
Anybody think they’ll come out with a version without the safety? It does seem unneccesary to me given that there is the internal striker safety preventing it from going off unless the trigger is pulled, just like the M&P full size I have and love.
CALIFORNIA REQUIRES THE SAFETY.
I have bought one with the safety. My Carry Class instructor, with many years of service in the military and police prefers a thumb safety. One does need to practice turning it off upon drawing. Easily done, and preferable to leaving the safety off when it might accidentally be turned on.
“Unfortunately for southpaws, only the mag release can be reversed.”
Do you have any idea how this can be accomplished? I’m a southpaw and I have been looking for this answer for a while. Google searching provides two different results,
1. It can be done, but no one has done it yet.
2. It can’t be done since it’s not mentioned in the manual how you reverse the mag release.
Any help for a leftie?
Patrick F, you’re not the only one asking this question. It’s also popping up on the S&W forum and other blogs and user groups. So I have no idea how, and you are correct that it’s not covered in the manual.
When I looked at the steps required for conversion as detailed in the manual for the Full Size / Compact M&P, I came to the conclusion that it was a job for a gunsmith. YMMV, but IMO that goes double for the little Shield.
I was hoping it wasn’t something I have to take to a gunsmith, but if at least is possible then that would be great. It’s not a huge hassle to use the mag release now, it’s just that of course I would prefer it to be reversed. Thanks for the reply!
I did it last night after reading your review on the shield had no idea it could be done!
Step one unload and field strip
2. Look down into the frame and on the front portion of the mag well you will see your slide release. Flip back the metal rid holding it in place and fiddle it out. You’ll have to push it back more than once as there are two things sticking out you need to slide it under.
3. Reverse the mag drop and fiddle that metal bar back into place and voila.
By the way Greg is right about the positive click you get when it’s righty. But for shame that he didn’t give you a rundown on how anyway.
I didn’t mean slide release. I meant mag drop. Posting before coffee isn’t a good idea.
I’m left handed, and I actually prefer the magazine release button on the left side. I can get a more positive push into the button with my index finger than with my thumb on guns with a long grip. I do want an ambidextrous thumb safety, if there’s a thumb safety at all.
Regarding Ralph’s point earlier, for pocket guns, I like double action without a safety. The trigger is heavy enough not to go off easily, and if I need a pocket gun, I need it NOW!
For about the same price those in the market should also consider the Kahr CM9. Smaller, lighter, perfect Kahr trigger right out of the box, and the only safety is between your ears. I have one holstered in my pocket right now.
There is no finer 9 mm for its size than the CM9. I also have a number of M&P pistols and really like them. Outstanding pistols. I traded my PM9 for the M&P 9mm shield. What a bad mistake. The PM9’s trigger, and recoil management are far superior!!!! The weight, feel, and accuracy are equal. I’m going back to the PM9
Gunsmith lighten the trigger?????? Are you serious?? Let me try to break this down for you…
Trigger jobs are for competition guns, or guns who’s main focus in life is to put holes in inanimate objects (you may have to use it to defend yourself in a crazy situation, no big deal). In any case, the M+P 9 shield does not fit in this category, and if thats what you bought it for, you are in trouble.
Trigger jobs are NOT for guns you carry every day, or more than likely will be used on a person if used at all. Why? First and foremost, production triggers are the most reliable no matter what some may say. If you want your gun to go bang every time for as long as possible, keep it stock. Second, if the people you will inevitably be defending yourself in court against find out you had a trigger job done to the gun you carry for defense, their job is basically done. Its not that hard to convince a jury that you were looking for trouble if you carry a gun thats been modified to destroy with extreme efficiency.
DO NOT touch the triggers on your carry guns.
(and if full sized M+Ps arent made to last, how could this one be?? M+Ps are NOT durable guns)
Joe, you have much to learn about triggers and juries.
I learned all I could about triggers. At gunsmithing school.
And I live in California where you get F’d in the A for defending yourself, even in your own home.
Please cite a case where a lightened trigger caused a conviction
call CCWUSA and ask them.
and either way, trigger jobs DO decrease reliability which is unacceptable for a carry gun.
You don’t have to listen to me, I don’t care if you do its no skin off my butt. I’m just saying what I believe to be true based on what I have learned from professional CCW providers, LEOs, and gunsmiths in hopes of helping someone stay out of legal trouble if they have to defend themself with a gun.
Plus, if you cant shoot a gun unless a trigger job has been done…. you need to revisit your fundementals. buy a DA revolver and shoot it to death, then you will be able to shoot anything!!
Just by saying that you live in Commifornia clears up everything. If you believe everything from the liberal politicians ,bussiness and systems in your bankrupted state, you are not getting any factual or convincing facts. It is the wave of fear and ignorance about guns in that state that produces people with fear and ignorance. No one is going to convict you for a trigger job. A trigger job could be anything from dehorning the inners of a mechanism to adjust the pounds of pulling to one better suited to the user(for example a woman who can not efficiently pull the trigger of a brand new double action). Your extremism and lack of knowledge in your answer is a fine example of what media tells you in California and not based on any facts pr data.
I think that Joe is right on.
I think that Joe is an ill-informed, alarmist idiot, from the Republic ( which I acknowledge is redundant ) and if he’s “on” anything it’s probably crack.
People don’t *need* trigger jobs, but some guns sure shoot a lot better with one. Contrary to what some people believe, a trigger job does not make a gun less reliable. As a Glock armorer, I can say that a nice trigger job on a Glock will not make it less reliable. Unless you’re trying to tell me that the thousands of rounds I shoot each year through my Glock is a myth.
Also, my 1911 is having some work done to change the trigger feel, but not the weight. This is another form of a trigger job, in which the trigger performs better.
Living in California too, and being prominent in the 2A community, I can tell you that a trigger job or a gun modification has never been a deciding factor in a defensive shooting. If by chance your gun is unsafe, and you ND into another person, then I’m sure you’ll be charged with something. But that’s not what we’re talking about here.
Lastly, if a trigger job makes a gun easier to shoot and more accurate for someone who can’t practice all the time, then good for them. I know my wife prefers a modified Glock trigger over the factory, and I can’t imagine giving a smaller woman a heavy DA/SA trigger like that on the Sig without having it tuned.
Joe sounds like you need to go back to school. Trigger jobs only for competition guns?haha! I reject your logic and insert my own.
(and if full sized M+Ps arent made to last, how could this one be?? M+Ps are NOT durable guns)
Joe,
What evidence do you have to support this opinion???? I have a full size M+P 9 with 5000 plus rounds thru it with no issues or hic-ups whatsoever, regardless of which ammo I feed it. It has no damage, abnormal wear, or anything else to prove your opinion that its not built to last. Am I missing some massive recall or other issue???? I think not….JMHO.
The extra thickness of a Glock 26 will not be detectable in most waistbands (certainly not in mine). Anyway, the part of a belt-holstered carry gun most likely to “print” is the butt, and guess what? The Shield is taller than a Glock 26, despite the fact it carries 20%-30% less ammunition (depending on magazine). I’m not aware of anyone who, after having used a handgun to defend his/her life, thought they had TOO MUCH ammo available, but many have wished they had more. I’ll stick with my G26, thankyouverymuch.
Or you can acquire an M&Pc (with or without safety) or an XDM carry.
Thats a different market however. Some people desire a slimmer carry piece. Thats fine for them and your double column is fine for you. Clearly if Kahr, Walther, S&W, Sig Sauer, Kimber, Ruger, Beretta, STI, Bersa, and Taurus have single column 9mms, there’s a substantial market for them.
DJ, I can think of 9 people that probably wish the two officers outside the Empire State Building had less ammo available and a lot more practice. Spray and pray is rarely ideal, just sayin.
I pocket-carried a Glock 26 for almost 2 years. It can be done with loose-fitting pants and deep, wide pockets. I agree the G26 is thick and blocky but it is possible to accommodate it if you work at it. But I eventually went with a pocket-carried Smith 642 with a Hogue Monogrip. Set up this way, it’s close to the dimensions of the Glock 19 and SIG P229 but it carries much easier than the little Glock. Incidentally, the 642 has undergone a “carry action job” that smoothed out the trigger tremendously without lightening the pull to any significant degree.
But I can’t shoot the revolver nearly as well an automatic. So…I’ve been looking for the perfect pocket 9mm. The Ruger LC9 has been at the top of my list. But I’ve shot a friend’s LC9 on several occasions and I’ve had the same problem every time–after the first shot, I fumble with the trigger trying to find the reset. It happens every time. Despite my knowing I have to let the trigger return completely forward, I never do it at first–too many years of shooting guns with short trigger resets have conditioned me to initial failure with this gun. For that reason–as well as personal finances–I don’t currently own the Ruger.
The trigger on the Shield is described as “breaks really clean after ¼” of light takeup and the reset is audible and highly tactile, which were the trigger’s best features.”
I can live with a trigger pull of seven pounds. If the reset is reasonably short, it could definitely be an “LC9 killer” for me.
The basic trigger design of the M&P series is defective as there is no safety on the trigger itself as on the Glock/Spingfields,nothing to prevent it from accidently discharging if it rubs against a tight holster, or carried without a holster. This is why S&W puts a manual safety on the rear slide. If you carry without a holster like many CCW you are crazy not to use it.
The safeties on the trigger are not designed for and do not prevent accidental discharges caused by an unintended pull of the trigger. Their purpose is to assure that the gun will not fire unless dropped. There have been two recent cases of Glocks discharging when the trigger got caught up in something, one of which resulted in the carrier’s death in front of his children. Springfield’s croatian supplier figured this out and added a grip safety to the XD line; the trigger cannot be depressed unless the grip safety is depressed as well, eliminating the potential problems encountered with Glocks. The triggers on the Shield and the LC9 are designed heavy and long to accomplish the same purpose.
If you carry without a holster, you are crazy anyway.
The Glock dingus is missing but the trigger safety is there, it’s just a different design. If you don’t pay attention when reholstering you can just as easily shoot yourself with Glocks or Springfields. As for shooting yourself on the draw that’s a matter of proper training, you can grab the trigger on any of these guns without proper technique. The last point is just beyond me because carrying without a holster is suicide, they do make pocket holsters and they help avoid printing issues. If you carry Mexican in your waistband well see you in the morgue bud, I’ll be the one with your Darwin award. Buy the gun that feels right, take classes and practice practice practice.
It would be even better if it was a Glock
It appears to be a relatively simple task to remove the thumb safety on the Shield. There is a YouTube video showing how to do it. Cosmetically, the void in the frame from removing the safety can be filled in with a little square of black plastic and a tiny spot of glue. Personally I wouldn’t do it to my Shield but it is so easy if that is what you want.
Salma Hayek. Salma Hayek?
I read this entry before getting my first Shield. (That’s right, first. Now have two, partially because the second came at a very attractive price). Sold my G26. I carried the G26 for several years, but it was neither fish nor fowl. If I want to go bigger, I’ll carry one of my G19s. The G26 is too fat for me to carry comfortably IWB.
Both Shields were tested extensively by my shooting group yesterday, receiving a big thumbs up. One has been set up with the Apex Shield Carry package; the other is awaiting the parts. With the exception of the rear sight (too cluttered, not a wide enough notch for my eyes), they were flawless. This is my new EDC piece. Off to Novak’s on Monday for a tritium front, plain black wide notch rear sight set up.
The folks at Alessi Holsters have the mold already, and provided me with three great holsters and a mag pouch.
Question regarding trigger pull. I noticed that when I chamber a first round by racking the slide with the trigger fully depressed, the trigger pull feels noticeably lighter than the trigger pull I feel if I chamber that first round by racking the slide without depressing the trigger. Anybody else have that experience and know why that is the case? Thanks.
what are you doing pulling the trigger while chambering a round… that is just uneducated….
Thats just scary….
Many things were stated. Useful discussion. Nice too, with nobody becoming upset; we are trying to help each other.
1. There may well be no case of conviction with a trigger job, but I think you are just asking for trouble. You might be the first case, or the test case we all dread! Don’t do it. Buy a different gun if you don’t like the trigger. Simple.
2. Manual safeties are for your own piece of mind, so you don’t shoot yourself in your thigh, belly, femoral artery, etc., when at home, and watching a nice game on tv on a recliner, chair, unpredictable situations, being relaxed. If you hear a noise in your living room at night, you have time to inactivate the safety. If somebody is pointing a gun at you while you are sleeping (it could be your own with the safety off!), you have basically lost the game, safety or no safety. When you are out, and definitely as a police officer, going to your parking lot, your habit should be to take the manual safety off, and you must. It should be an unalterable habit, before you leave your home. The bottom line is to always stick (ALWAYS) to the same routine, no exceptions. This will prevent you from not knowing about the status of you gun.
3. Glocks are great and can be a killing machine. But, again, juries will be told that police officers traditionally have used Glocks. It will make things worse for you if you are not an officer. Remember, you want to protect your life, but don’t want to destroy it with a jail term, however short. The second amendment is beautiful, but keep in mind it is still a privilige to carry a gun. Don’t mess it up with a felony, domestic violence (a light tap on the shoulder could be considered violence!), etc. You are priviliged!
4. Finally, something very controversial, and I am ready for the insults. Guns and alcohol don’t mix. I never drink if I carry a gun or have one within reach, ie at home and not away on vacation.
Sorry for being too long. Take care
Carrying and owning guns for self defense is not a privilege, It is a RIGHT.
How is not mixing drinking and carrying a controversial issue? It seems pretty fundamental, and doing so can cost you your CHL in my state (Texas).
Pretty nice looking XD replica…
Just no real real world advantages over a BG380 to motivate the extra bulk either.
You know, it would have been a good article if the writer cut it down 75%; we do not need to hear the babble – just tell the facts; that’s all we want.
Shut up dude. No one rips on Ralph here. I feel confident saying that gentleman holds a cozy place in all true ttagers hearts.
Yeah, that was over the top…
I like a good story along with actual facts, less boring. Also I find that arms makers leave out bits and pieces , and detailed photos. What I am talking about the makers talk about one gun in specifications and the same maker talks about another gun and leave out certain items.
Anyway thanks for the review and keep us posted.
R.W.
Appears to be a great gun but I’ll be damned if I can find one for sale on the planet where they don’t want an arm or a leg.
I want a shield to go with my M&P9 & M&P22, but a 9mm Shield is impossible to find. My LGS says the Shield is considered a unicorn… more myth than reality.
Then I guess I own two “unicorns” !
Two? You are either a wizard or you have a better supplier than me… Springfield just announced the XDs 9mm will ship Q2/13. I prefered the M&P9 over the XD9 due (among other reasons) to availability of APEX kits and no grip safety. The XDs will also have the grip safety so I’m still hunting this mythical beast.
Jumped in early. Traded a G26 for the first one; liked it so much found another online (don’t even recall now whether it was on a forum, or auction site), paid a reasonable price for it, and went on my merry way.
I bagged a unicorn. It took over 6 months of casually asking at local stores every week, but I finally found one (at a normal, non-gunbroker.com-scalper price). They’d received 10 in that day and had already sold 4. These go fast. The family is now complete. If ammo prices and availability were improved, then I’d be even happier. This is a great little gun that shoots well and is very comfortable in hand. Concealment feels good with normal clothes, but I’d also like to have an even smaller .380 for summer pocket carry.
buy one!!!….that is if you can get your hands on one…..i waited for 2 months for mine but it was totally worth it. i can’t imagine myself carrying any other gun. it’s the perfect size, doesn’t print at all when i wear a large t-shirt and is an all around awesome gun. if you can’t get your hands on one, buy a glock 26. they’re similar in size and quality. i also use a comfort-tuk holster….can’t even tell i have it on me anymore, its so comfortable and light even with the 8 round clip
As Ryan above stated, if you can get your hands on one, GET IT! I was on the waiting list at my friendly neighborhood gun dealer for 3 months for a 9 Shield. Took it to the gun range, loaded the magazine, the Shield went right into the firing position in my hands like Smith and Wesson came to my condo and measured my grip. It was perfect. Fired that baby. Next to no recoil and perfect bullseye at 7 yards.
After 50 rounds (great grouping), cleared my little friend, stuck it in my waistband, and went home. Forgot I was carrying it.
S&W should be proud. Great handgun. Great job. 5 stars.
My M&P Shield 9 changed how/when/where I carry a gun.
If you’re plan is to carry IWB .. and you’re not a 45acp/10mm caliber snob … you’d be foolish not to buy one.
I have a full-sized Beretta 92FS, a Glock 23, and a S&W Mod 36 snubby. All 3 are now designated as nightstand guns … or guns I might strap to my leg while out hog hunting, etc.
The Shield enables me to carry in any clothing choice I choose without the anxiety of printing or the necessity for an expensive gun belt. I wear mine in a Crossbreed Supertuck when wearing a belt … and in a Remora 6ART when wearing bathing suits, basketball shorts, sweatpants, etc. Either way the gun disappears and stays secure.
For me, I want a gun that I can take anywhere with me … something that can always be there … something that gives you no reason to take it off … and the Shield fits the bill.
For what its worth, my Shield 9 keeps up with the Glock 23 at distances under 20 ft … when you get out beyond that it simply cannot compete with the longer barreled handguns in terms of grouping size. However, at 50 ft you’re still hitting center mass … which is all you can really ask for. I personally love the trigger … its about 60% take-up and then a very predictable and crisp break.
Honestly, I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t want one of these … I’m looking into getting a second one.
I had been debating between the Ruger LC9 and the Shield for quite some time. I did like the rounded edges a bit more on the LC9, but the trigger on the Shield is what convinced me to go ahead and buy the Shield. I TRULY lucked out this past weekend when I walked into a local shop just as a Shield was being put on the shelf. While waiting for my background check results, a guy came literally running through the door only to discover I had bought the 9mm Shield he called the shop about only minutes prior. I felt bad for him because I know of shops that have waiting lists approaching 80 people, but I could not let my unicorn go and I’m glad I held on. I love the Shield for its intended purpose; to carry. I have a Ruger SR9c which I trust my life with, but sometimes it’s just too much when wearing my shirt and tie attire.
I shot my M&P Shield today, no complaints. No mis feeds unlike my co-worker who was shooting his newly purchased Springfield compact 45. The trigger pull for the Shield did take some getting use to but the gun is very accurate, easy to conceal and purchsed for a fair price.
Absolutely the BEST handgun I have ever owned. No one knows when I am carrying it concealed. Accuracy is first rate. I have nothing to say that is wrong with it. Except it took so long on backorder to get it. Thanks, S&W.
I currently own a Shield .9m. I swapped my Shield .40 for it, but that’s another story. Everyone has their own opinion based on their own prejudices or quirks. Someone likes the safety, another does not. Someone prefers Glocks, another S&W. Having owned a Glock 26, I can say from first hand experience that the Shield is easier to carry. Being a single stack vs a double has much to contribute to the conceal ability.
I do miss the 13 round magazine with the 26, but that’s the price of thinness. I purchased the S&W Shield because I wanted to invest in an American made product.
For me the gun is accurate, has never misfired, is easy to operate and clean, and conceals very well. It’s a keeper.
I would like to hear your “other story,” about owning a Shield in .40 and trading it in. I found one in .40 this week, put a deposit down and will have to finalize on it in a couple of days (if I don’t turn my attention to another gun, altogether). And right now I’m still in lust-at-first-touch mode because of how comfortable the Shield felt in appendix-carry as well as in my hand. Did you dump your 40-caliber version in favor of the 9mm because of harder muzzle flip in the former, or because of the additional round’s-worth of capacity in each of the respective mags of the latter?
I love the M&P Shield, and it has rapidly become one of my favorite handguns. I like it so much, I wish S&W would design two variations….
A dedicated and reliable M&P Shield in .22LR, and a long-slide version of the M&P that has a 4-4.5″ barrel. I am sure that these two would rapidly become my favorite handguns… Yes, I would love an M&P Shield 9mm, “single-stack” , with the same dimensions as a Glock 19 with night sights and optional 15-round magazines and something similar to the X-grip for the extended mags. Say goodbye to the Glock 19… and if a .22LR was designed that was dependable with a variety of .22LR, it would certainly give the Ruger SR22 a run for its money.
I just got home with my new 9mm shield. I fired it at the range 15 times just to try it out. I love it already.
Another great thing about the M&P 9 Shield is that extra mags are readily available. (I had to look for months to find extra mags for my M&P 9 and M&P 40.) The 8 round mag is perfect for my hand, with the 7 round mag being useless. What do they do in New York? I like my full-size M&P’s better, but the Shield is the gun I will carry when we finally get CCW in Illinois, probably with a Smith & Wesson J Frame revolver as a backup! Now just months away.
I own the M&P9c and I love the damn thing. I’ve currently got a major jones for Shield. I wants, I wants!
Just purchased the M&P 9. I went to the gun shop and they had just about every compact carry 9mm that is made, I tried them all for function and trigger.. The Ruger LC9 was a close runner up, but the trigger was what put the M&P over the top. Paid the “sale” price of $449.00…..not bad. the slide release is a bit useless (with one thumb) as is the safety, but I won’t be carrying on safe anyway, as long as it is properly holstered I can’t see how this is an issue. Have a limited LE background, and although it was left up for personal preference I don’t know anyone who carried with the safety… Anyway It was great to read the reviews from folks with more knowledge than I, so just want to give a thanks to ALL of the comment contributors…good stuff! be safe.
I must say, I am a Glock man. I’ve owned the G22, G21SF, now the G19, G23, almost bought a G26 for the subcompact, until I saw the Shield. Although I like the G26, I agree, it’s just as wide as the G19/G23. For a person that carries a CCW 24/7/365, being comfortable & concealibility is important. Unfortunately, Glock has YET to produce a single stack 9mm subcompact. So, I bought M&P Shield. It’s MUCH thinner than the G26 & feels less bulky. It’s my new CCW gun for sure! If clothing permits & want more firepower on a specific day, I’ll take the G23. But the Shield definitely wins my vote for subcompacts, next would be a Berretta Nano.
I couldn’t agree more. I’ve been carrying my shield for several months now and it is very comfortable and concealable. I have about 600 rounds of various fmj and HP brands I’ve put through it without any malfunctions. My previous carry was a ruger SR9c which I still love to shoot but for $450 you can’t beat the value and reliability the shield offers.
Now we just have to find ammo (at non-gauged) prices. Paying $32 for 50rd of 9mm isn’t cool, man! Guns prices & availability is slowly going back to near normal, but ammo is a whole different story.
Have you tried Walmart? I’ve been finding 9mm at my local store and it’s barely more expensive than it was before the craziness. I think my last 50 rounds cost $14. I see it so often now that I don’t even snap it up anymore.
I’ve been carrying a Walther PP for quite some time, 6 months ago I bought a nine millimeter shield And despite the Trigger pull I love my shield. I now Rotate guns occasionally But the shield is my go to conceal carry now. Did I say I love it?
WOW… So although I have my CWP and have a M&P Shield which I love I never imagined the day would come (although I prepared for it) when I would have to point my firearm at another human being. Unfortunately Monday morning @ 5:30am I was faced with that very situation. Someone broke into my house and I immediately grabbed my Shield which was on the night stand next to the bed. I eventually confronted the perp whose booking info is below and although it took 3 warnings and many expletives while pointing my Shield at him, he finally got the message without me having to fire a shot. I’m sure this story will not make the news as many “non-eventful” stories like this don’t, but I truly gained a new respect for my 2nd Amendment Rights and the importance of being prepared. Folks, I must emphasize that I NEVER thought it would happen to me even though I knew it could and I did prepare for it while some of my closest respected friends might have thought I was on the paranoid side. The man who broke into my house had just been released earlier that morning on bond for Felony Battery and he has prior robberies etc.
All I can say is be prepared, know your firearm and your brain will automatically handle the rest. Practice, Practice, Practice! God Bless and Be Safe!
http://www.pcsoweb.com/InmateBooking/SubjectResults.aspx?id=1566559
glad you’re safe and you did not have to shoot him
Love my 9mm shield. I don’t necessarily agree with most who say the 7 round has no place; but for you guys using the 7 (in 7+1 configuration with the safety on), do you find that the magazine is a bit difficult (as I said with one in the pipe) to insert & get a positive lock. Even with the mag locked in place there is still a gap at the base of the frame where the mag extends a hair past the bottom of the grip frame. I emailed S &W & they verify 7+1/8+1 design.
Yes. Getting that last round into the mag is definitely near impossible. That would be my only complaint.
One of my many pet peeves are people who post about modifying your gun causing legal problems. What they do not seem to understand is that if you are justified to use deadly force, you can use a chain saw. Deadly force means any force that can make a person dead so how does a light trigger make any difference? What does the prosecutor tell the jury? Does he tell them that the light trigger allowed him to kill the plaintiff quicker than if it had a stock trigger? There are similar fallacies about the type of ammo used. Dead is dead and if you are legally allowed to make a person dead, nothing matters except whether or not you did indeed have the right to make them dead. All the other stuff may come up but it is easily refuted by any competent attorney, I do not know of any self defense laws that allow the use of deadly force that limit you to what kind of weapon you can use and what condition it must be in.
Exactly. People bringing up ridiculous points and sidestepping facts in the same argument.
I totally agree with you EXCEPT on the ammo point. It’s the exact reason they stopped selling the exploding ammo they used to sell to civilians in the 80’s. The thing with that ammo was that even if you shot someone in the leg (trying not to kill them) the hydrostatic shock from the explosion taking place inside their body would kill them (if the primer in the bullet functioned properly and it detonated.) so if you carried that ammo a prosecutor could say that you weren’t carrying the weapon just to defend yourself you actually wanted to kill someone because you had ammo that is way too close to 100% lethal when it detonates properly. In court you want it to look like you did everything possible not to kill the person (because you should be trying to stop them from hurting you, not kill them if at all possible.) I would never carry this new R.I.P. ammunition that just came out that fragments on impact because you’d have the same problem as the exploding ammo, it’s designed to kill not just stop (It’s called R.I.P. ammo for God’s sake! I’d rather send an attacker to the hospital and then to jail rather than the morgue if I can manage it.) Granted these types of ammunition are uncommon and cost prohibitive so who would use them anyway when good old JHP works just fine and gives you the option of being less lethal if you desire and have the shooting skill but also won’t get you sent to jail if the attacker dies. But I completely agree with you on the issue of trigger jobs, no one could say that you did a trigger job because you wanted to kill someone instead of just stopping the threat, if anything it makes the gun safer because if you have the trigger worked on and made better for your personal preferences then you will be more accurate and therefore less likely to miss your attacker and hit an innocent bystander.
I know this is an older post but I have to point out the misconception here:
“…a prosecutor could say that you weren’t carrying the weapon just to defend yourself you actually wanted to kill someone because you had ammo that is way too close to 100% lethal when it detonates properly.”
This goes against everything I have learned and I have taken more than a few classes and I’ve spent a reasonable amount of time understanding defense rights (but IANAL).
The prosecutor will raise the question , not about the ammo but the fact that you intended to “defend” yourself without the intent to kill. This statement is completely wrong. The one and ONLY time you may pull your weapon and fire it at another human is if you need to do so only to protect your life or the life of another. You had better be ready and in the mind set of “shoot to kill” or the prosecutor will have a field day with you. Imagine if your defense was “I wanted to scare him away” or “I wanted to wound him, not kill him” – no matter what you say, you would have a very hard time proving that you had the right to protect yourself since you have already admitted that the situation arose out of nothing more than your fear. Again, the only time you can legally fire is if it has come down to your life or the perpetrator’s. You must also have the “intent to kill” as you put it to justify withdrawing your weapon on the first place. Anything less indicates that you did not believe that your life was at risk.
I have a shield in the 40 Cal . Even with a strong push pull method of handling it. It is extremely snappy. To a point where you have to adjust your grip every time you fire it . It just wants to jump out of your hands.I am now looking to trade it in for a 9mil shield . That being said. It is an extremely comfortable carrying it inside The waistband with a crossbreed holster. You really forget that you have it on.
I had the same problem with my 40. shield until i put Talon grips on it.. Get the rubberized kind that wont scratch your skin. Talon makes them for the shield and its easy to put on, doesn’t change the width of the handle and looks and feels great. I like the shield in .40 it has less kick than my glock 22. I am buying one in 9mm but will mostly likely carry the .40.
I bought one the other day and the slide lock seems to be not working.
The slide lock on my new Shield 9mm is very stiff and it requires that the slide be pulled all the way to the rear. I cannot imagine the problem some have mentioned about their thumb activating the slide lock accidentally.
I purchased the Shield 9mm as my new CCW before the holidays so Ive had plenty of time to get a true feel for it. Ive got to say I am definitely not disappointed in my selection. Out of the box it was a very good choice but placing an Apex trigger kit along with some new HiViz sites on this gun make it great. I started off at the 15yd range and it was deadly accurate with a very smooth trigger pull and a tight pattern at speed. I moved to the 20-25yd target and it was still right on. Of course I took a little more time in-between rounds. After a whole lot of rounds during my time off it has had no problems. As far as comfort in carrying, I just put it in a Remora holster in the middle of my back and barely know its there. Great gun for a CCW!
I have a 9mm Shield I bought when I walked into the gunstore and compared everything I could hold and this gun was like an extension of my own anatomy. Having an LCP380 with the long trigger pull I loved this gun trigger immediately…crisp and clean, totally contrary to the horrific LCP. Snap and POP. This gun is winner. Taking it out to the farm and the accuracy amazed me…shot 500 rounds that day. Perfect. I go nowhere without it. Buying another for the lady of the house and my daughter.
I bought the MP sheild 9mm a few weeks ago. I use it for my conceal carry with a foxx holster. I love it. Great gun. One selling point was the safety, I like having it on as I take in and out of my holster. I find it really easy to filp off with my thumb as I draw. Would suggest this gun for CC to anyone.
I love Glocks and all that they are. Shot a shield in 9mm this weekend and can not wait to find one at a decent price. What a gun.
I just received my Shield in .40 . I have not fired it yet so I cannot comment on that subject.
I will comment on the other worthwhile things abt the Shield.
It is thin and comfortable in the Hogue modified H721 OT. The trigger pull is reasonably good[crisp] for a toy gun. I call all plastic guns toy , no disrespect just my humor.
If you have spent ANY time with 1911’s the safety is no problem, easy to flip OFF with the thumb, and simple to switch on with the pointer finger of your off hand, if you are a righty.
Affordable ,small ,powerfull and from an American Co.
I cant wait to run a box or two thru this lil gun. tom
Bought a 40 shield couple of weeks ago. Shoots great! My wife and 12 yo son had no problems whatsoever with the 40 shield. I was concerned about the “snappy” recoil, but it was fine. My wife loves this pistol, she has a BG380, I guess I am going to have to get my own shield now! At the range, put 350 rounds of Speer FMJ with NO failure to feed, fire, or eject. Magazine springs are quite stiff and last round is tough to get in there. Overall, very pleased with the Shield 40!
GLOCK;NO TAURUS,NO BERSA,NO RUGER,NO COLT,NO,KAHR,NO SPRINGFIELD,NO KEL-TEK,NO BERETTA,NO CHARTER ARMS,NO KIMBER,NO WILSON,NO WALTHER,NO MY 9MM SHIELD YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.
I have owned the Glock-19 and the G-26 and the G-27 and now pack the M&P Shield.
The only thing I don’t like about striker fired pistols is… they are constantly at 97% COCKED all the time. Ready to fire.
That wil fatigue the firing pin spring over time.
Sure… the spring is cheap to replace but when you want it to go BANG, you don’t want a thud.
When I was in Law Enforcement I carried a custom tuned Colt Commander .45 and that was my favorite. But it was a beast to conceal with it’s weight and you had to use the inside the waist method of carry.
I find the M&P Shield ideal for concealment.
I have custom made holsters made for me from Texas.
I am a Glock lover always have been and will always be. Shot a friends 9mm shield at the range and immediately ordered one from my LGS. Where I live it gets very hot in the summer and have tried the 26,36,19 and so forth. Too big for cargo shorts and tank top even with a good IWB holster during summer use. This is the best pistol for where I live in the summer by quantum leaps. I love it and shoot it very well. Just my .02.
I was almost a customer, but bought a Sccy 2nd. Gen. 2 no safety DOA trigger, heavy pull. Came with a life time warrantry and it follows the gun. Old news.
It’s incredible the percentage of opinions on different aspects of reviews that key in on single, sometimes insignificant, details of a weapon and blow it’s importance all out of proportion. I suppose it’s a ego inflating exercise in point making. Step back into reality men. Some of these subjects have such an infinitesimally small chance of occurring or truly being a factor that it’s almost insane to bring them up, let alone be the single reason to buy, or not buy a weapon.
I live in Southern California and am happy to report that the backlog is filled so any good seller should have them in stock at MSRP which is, IMO, quite reasonable given the apparent quality I perceived, and numerous other owners have mentioned. It was literally a 10 minute transaction including all the nonsense that my state requires.
All I can say about the weapon itself is that it fits my little hands rather well. But man, they ship with a whole lot of oil on them yet the actions still seem stiff. It’s tempting to strip, clean, and lube it before the first round is even chambered but should I?
I also have concerns about +P and +P+ rounds, any thoughts how they work with the little guy are welcome. I never use reloads or crappy range ammo in any of my weapons but opinions seem to be rather mixed on using high pressure 9’s in such a small pistol. Thanks.
Well, after all is said and done Smith has created nothing short of the hottest selling most poplar firearm since their model 10,29,and their record selling j frame models.
Congrats to Smith & Wesson they have a winner with this one great build safe design! Long time since I have seen people in line to purchase any firearm! At an incredible price point! Thanks I have to get back in line don’t want to lose my place:)
and miss you pops. I’m sorry I wasn’t perfect last time we saw or spoke to each other. But
I want to add that there is something nice about the safety. You can rack the gun with the safety on. For somewhat less experience shooters that is not a bad thing. They still will need to develop the habit of taki g the safety off.
The only handguns (guns, period) I allow in my house that do not have safeties are revolvers. If you can’t learn the manual of arms for your weapon, you shouldn’t own one. Dry fire practice should include operation of the safety until it becomes a part of your natural movement. Until the Glocks became popular every semiautomatic for almost 70 years had a manual safety. I have been shooting for over 55 years. I still believe in keeping all handguns and some rifles in “condition one” loaded and locked (round chambered, action cocked, safety on).
I do not disagree with you. Learning the proper way to handle any gun should be a 100% thing, specially if you do not shoot much. Your muscle memory needs to honed so that finger does not go into the trigger well until the round ready to do down range.
That said the safety on the Shield is unusual in that even when engage the action is operable.
I would not mind having that in certain situations like work that requires us to clear the firearm before locking the gun in our car prior to work. One of these days when they seem open to discuss this, I want them to know that their rule is somewhat unsafe.
I have told my daughter that she should always develop the habit of thumbing off that safety whether she engaged it or not.
Good shooting pistol for a CC though, especially for the money…
As I said before, I’m a big fan of a genuine safety when the weapon is fully loaded, which mine always are.
And as you said, know your weapon well. The MP9 SHEILD’s works exactly backwards than my full size Beratta or vintage S&W Model 59 – up is locked on the MP9 but down is locked on the other ones.
In any case, the action will still work but it won’t fire a chambered round if you have a moment of brain fade as long the safety is up. And when the MP9 was brand new to me it happened…fortunately a snap cap was in the chamber and another on top of the mag, so I didn’t blow a hole in the floor (or my foot or worse), but since the SA trigger is so light but the slide spring is so much stiffer than I was used to, my index finger slipped and pulled the trigger but only got a click instead of something more exciting.
Since then I took it to the range and practiced a few different scenarios with the gun pointed down range. I definitely prefer the safety – you can load a full mag, chamber a round, add one more to the mag with the safety flipped on with all 3 guns and virtually zero chance of an unintended discharge. I’m teaching my muscle memory to always have one thumb on top of the safety: draw, click, aquire, bang.
It took a few hundred rounds (and I’ll practice some more) but since the little guy feels so much different my brain is quickly learning that down is fire and up is useless, exactly the opposite of what I’m used to. On my last range day it really started to gel.
Guess which pistol was the most effective at 3 meters? The tiny little shield, even with +P rounds. I’m so impressed with it that I’m going to buy another one soon.
Like many others, I’m also a longtime Glock guy. I wanted a backup to my G19 for ccw. Tried MANY small revolvers/semi autos and the shield was by far the best for me. Great grip, balance, trigger and incredibly accurate. S and W scored big time with this winner!
I realize that recoil can be hard to quantify to some extent, but I am wondering how the S&W .40 Shield compares to the .40 Compact. I prefer the size and thinness and really love how it feels in hand of the Shield for conceal carry, only I cannot decide between a 9mm or a .40. I have been practicing at the range with my husband’s .40 Compact and am comfortable with it; in fact I enjoy shooting it the most of all the others (PX4, LCP [ugh], P89, etc.). I just wonder if the lighter Shield will pack that much more of a wallop in my hand or is it negligible compared to the Compact I’m used to (no way to try…the range has a rental in a 9 only)???
I’m also conflicted about having more firepower in the .40 vs. having one more round available with the 9 and “softer” to shoot. What sayest the experienced folk?
Jenni I say go with the 9mm. With +p hot loads pushing a hollow point like the Hornady critical defense the 9mm no longer gives up much of anything to the 40 short & weak. I am not a fan of the .40s&w. The 9mm will do everything it will do with more rounds on tap and while remaining more controlable. JMO. If you want more firepower than the 9mm step up to a 45acp or go with a revolver in .357 mag.
My wife and I shopped around for a CC pistol that would fit her little hands. She finally settled on an LC-9. She loves that pistol and shoots very well with it. Don’t get me wrong, that little Ruger looks pretty good but I can’t hit with it to save my life. So far I’ve looked at the M&P 9mm Shield, and the Glock 26 but have yet to shoot either one. I’m concerned that I will have the same problem with those that I’ve had with the LC-9. I have a S&W in 40cal. that I shoot just fine with but it is rather large and hard to conceal. I do like the sights better on the Shield and Glock better than the LC-9.
The M&P 9c is a little thicker than the shield, that gives you 4 more rounds than w/ the Shield’s 8 round mag, but the grip is longer on the Shield with that 8 round mag than the 9c. I ended up w/ the 9c after comparing w/ the Shield. Also, the 9c gives you the option of a 17 round mag w/ an X-Grip sleeve. Having said all that, try them all, get the one you want. 🙂
Wow I just read the “bitch fest” about the safety on the m&p shield and how they don’t want this gun with it. Well good news! Stop your crying about having a safety because they make the shield without a safety also! So dry your eyes and go buy one it’s a great gun!
Until 4 days ago all of my self defense guns for the last 14 years have been 1911 45ACP. Then I handled the 9mm Shield, 15 minutes later and I owned one!!!! I won’t have a pistol without a manual safety and the safety on the Shield acts just like the ones on my 1911s. Up for safe down for fire, what’s so hard about that? I have a very bad back and carrying a fully loaded 1911 45ACP just isn’t very practical at times. The Shield is a breeze to conceal. I bought a Kydex OWB holster that is very slim and fits close to the belt. The Shield disappears in it with a loose fitting shirt.
I’m not a 9mm fan but at 40ft or less it will do the job and I don’t mind dumping the 8 round mag if that’s what it takes to stop a bad guy. The 6.5lb trigger will take some getting used to as my 1911s all have 4lb triggers. I may wind up buying the after market part kit and putting it in but I want to dump at least 500 more rounds thru it first and see how it does at that point.
While I will still carry my 1911s when I can, the Shield will definitely see a lot of carry use!!!
I am sorry but I did not get past the part where you said Salma Hayek and fitting good in your hand.
I carry a shield in .40 cal. its very easily concealed and really shoots way better than I thought it would (recoil wise I thought it would be a wrist breaker being so small and lite) its very manageable and accurate. This is a great little powerhouse you can carry in your pocket !
I want to make one more comment to add to the safety comments above. I owned, and carried a Ruger LC9 for quite some time. I had the Galloway trigger job done on it and it did improve the trigger, but still, it wasn’t as good as the trigger on the Shield. I always carried the LC9 with the safety on. I learned to pull off the safety when drawing the pistol to shoot it. If a pistol has a safety on it, then by all means use it. After the LC9, I began carrying the Glock 19 and the Glock 42, both good guns with no safeties to worry with. Now my main EDC is the M&Shield, and mine has no thumb safety. The point I am trying to make here is this: If your pistol has an external safety on it, then carry it with the safety engaged, and learn to instinctively take the safety off when you present the pistol. If you don’t do this, then the day might eventually come when you draw and fire and the safety is engaged, either by mistake, or negligence. That is why none of my carry guns have safeties. One less move to make when time is of the essence.
Referring to Dan’s question of July, 2012 regarding potential legal consequences of altered trigger pull. Pls. see the article starting on page 42 in ‘American Handgunner’ Sept./Oct. 2014.
Just ordered a S&W Shield in 9mm. I handled and dry fired (in the stores that allow that) quite a few subcompacts and the Shield just felt right, and I love the feel of the trigger. I thought this article about the FBI’s justification for switching to the 9mm from heavier calibers might be of interest.
http://looserounds.com/2014/09/21/fbi-9mm-justification-fbi-training-division/
My 9mm Shield finally arrived. I meant to try it out at the range where I bought the gun and shoot maybe 20 or so shots to get familiar with how it shoots. It was so enjoyable to shoot that I shot all the ammo I brought (2 full mags plus 50). My accuracy was not as good as my full size 9mm Taurus PT 92, but still quite good. I love the Shield, safety and all.
I have a friend with a shield in .40 and he is complaining that the recoil is too much for such a slender grip and that his hand hurts after a few shots. I am not a fanboy of any brand. I use what works for me. I gave him some advice of what he could do for the recoil , but if he dont feel confiden because of the recoil then what good is to carry a gun like that. I have an xd 40 subcompact and I find the recoil very controllable. I shoot his shield and found that what he says its true, although I hit the target with his shield more that he could do himself. Maybe because my hand is bigger and I also shoot a 1911 regulary. I would tell to anyone here the best way to end the shield , glock ,sig, etc gun comparison is just to buy a CZ PCR compact or P01 compact. Light alloy , all metal, no plastic junk to deform in extreme heat and very concealable. And you can have it in both 9 or 40. I have 9, 40 and 45 and I stayed with the 9 and the 40 for carry and the 45 for home. Buy a CZ with deckoker, problem solved.
I like my LCP an Bersa thunder. Looking for a few new CCW options and I really like the shield but not the safety, price is good. . .
I’ve had my 9mm Shield for about a year now. The mag springs have loosened up so easy to load, it’s been very reliable other than several FTL with cheap Russian ammo in the entire time I’ve owned it (I shoot fairly regularly). It’s a pleasure to shoot & easy to carry.
Why is a deserted parking lot dangerous?
I enjoy reading pistol reviews, not all the gay ass metaphores and comparisons by Ralph.
One of the thinnest 9mm pistols I’ve found to date has been the older model S&W 3913. It’s a single stack pistol that sits well in a belt slide or IWB holster.
I’m a Glock man for sure, but after searching for a single stack subcompact size gun, I tried the Shield. I also looked at the Beretta Nano, but the trigger on the Shield was better to me, also the Nano doesn’t have a slide stop, I know, weird right! LOL. Being a Glock man, I must say that S&W made a heck of a gun with the Shield! It’s my new EDC gun. This replaces a snub 38 revolver. I took my Shield out of the box, didn’t oil it or clean it, ran 2000rds+ through teaching CCW classes (dirty Wolf ammo), didn’t clean it or lube, 0 malfunctions. Ran another 1000rds of cheap reloads through it, had 1 stovepipe. I finally cleaned it after 3,000rds+, 1 stove pipe (shooting cheap reloads), I give it a 99.96% (2999/3000rds) on my reliability test. Glock is still my SHTF handgun of choice, but Shield is definitely my choice for EDC wearing khakis, dress pants, very discrete carry, etc.
The Shield is awesome, and that’s coming from a Glock man! Ruger LC9 and Beretta Nano have worse triggers than the Shield. The trigger on the Shield smoothed out at about 1000rds, feels good now.
My wife and I both own 9mm Shields. We love them. I have the M&P compacts in both 9mm and 45 cal but we prefer this weapon for concealed carry. Have not had any problems with either weapon.
The Shield can now be had with or without safety. And, you know, there’s a reason they make SWs, Kahrs, Glocks, Kel Tecs, Rugers, Springfields, etc. Demand is sufficient to support supply. Pick the one you like. There’s probably more choices in truly good, concealable and quite shootable 9s than ever before. Why get all gnarly over that?
Two things jump out at me reading the comments: The one about the Shield being the gun Glock has to date refused to make. A thinner (flatter, if you prefer) single stack of moderate cost and high reliability. The other was the number of Glock shooters who find this pistol very attractive for carry and who have even switched.
It’s a more than decent gun for the money, IMO.
I bought mine last week without the annoying safety. Being a Glock only owner to this point I have to say it fits in the single stack 9mm better than any of the competition. Easy to conceal and accurate it will become my go to carry gun. The breakdown is easy which is good as I plan to feed this S&W a large amount of ammo and it may need some cleaning from time to time!
I procured some 9mm range ammo like I was paying for it. I bought cheap, dirty, crummy and mostly Russian steel-cased bargain stuff.
FAMOUS LAST WORDS.
If you deliberately want a gun to fail, trhere is no surer way of doing that than to cram steel-cased crap through it.
Crappy ammo makes for crappy reviews, too. What is the deal with this bogus canard about, “It ate everything I fed it?” So, did a stray dog who ate everything his human neighbors left it and it died two weeks later. Pinching pennies on a cheap gun is one thing. Doing it on a $1,000 gun is inasanity. But, reviewers do it as much as users do.
It’s like these guys who run El Cheapo Petrol thorugh their Mercedes, BMW’s and Lexi (plural of Lexus) and wonder why their car is not running right.
BTW, you mentioned RIGHT below the photo of the RIGHT side of the gun, the following WRONG information:
“I checked the controls, which are located on the right side of the pistol.”
CAUTION: you may be pointing the Shield’s muzzle at your own muzzle if you see controls on the right side of the gun.
I know it’s a typo (of Biblical proportions) and that you really do know your left from your right. That being said, the others things you said about those same controls “being right” are far fromn it:
“All those right-hand controls are finger friendly, tactile and lock positively into position.”
Well, at least you got the right side right. The teeny-tiny, stiff-as-hell slide release is as “finger friendly” as an alligator. I agree that the slide release does “lock positively into position” and also “positively stays in place” while you tear up your thumb and distal joints to depress it. So much for its UGHonomics.
Now, when you did a BUTT SHOT of the backsides on the M&P Compact and the Shield to show their “differences in girth,” if you had side-by-side views of Kim Kardashian and Jessica Alba from the rear, a lack of “girth” is not what I’d be focusing on here, either.
It’s not the lack of girth in the Shield that makes it attractive – it’s the lack of curves along its back strap that makes the Shield “a cut below” everything else – except a Glock. The lack of room between the frame and slide is also that “Space – where no man has gone before.” Dude – there is no room to put a thumb there – or any other part of your support hand and come away without getting sliced and diced like a Salad Shooter.
The M&P Shield stands right next to the Glock 23 as the only other gun to do a self-sacrifice on my hands. BTW, gun range owners just love it when you bleed all over their countertop.
A lot of songs come to mind when I think about my experience with the Shield. But the one that fits the best is, “Can’t Touch Dis!”
The Bodyguard didn’t do this to me. Neither did any of the Springfield 3″ & 3.3″ XD-9, XD(M)-9, and XDS-9 models. None of the other EDC’s I’ve shot ever did this to me.
And I could go bigger or smaller and still keep my first-aid kit in the car.
Also, none of them had a major recall like the Shield had.
On the plus side, it does feel good in the hand. But, so does a deli sub.
The “Shield” – what anapporpriate name for a gun whose Ginzu-sharp slide edge can bisect a support hand faster than you can yell, “Medic!” It’s low riding slide is the one area where they should have never aped the Glock: bore axis be damned. For a self-defense weapon, the only defense against slide bite (or slide slice) is to shoot it, off-handed.
I’ll take a Springfield XD-9 subcompact, thank you.
No clue where the above comments about the ginzu sharp slide on the Shield come from? The Shield is my EDC as well as main carry for several friends and family members, none of us have ever been cut or injured by the slide. I started with a LCP, then a PM9 and still have both but the Shield is what I carry everyday. Also own a XDC 45 which is my headboard gun, to big an heavy for my carry needs. JMHO
No one mentioned what is in my comparison, one of the most important aspects of picking one pistol over another in the category of a carry gun that is almost everyday going to be in contact with your body, skin, and sweat..
The Shield slide and sights, like all M&P , are made out of stainless steel..
The ”rust-able” portion of the Ruger LC9 is made out of NON-stainless blued steel.. You can have the shield in contact with your sweaty body daily, and its not going to cause degradation of the slide, whereas I have a LCP .380 that I can point to that shows you what will happen to a Ruger carry slide which is carried daily in very humid, hot, sweaty and constant contact with a human body.
If you only carry a Ruger compact to take your grandchild to the park every Tuesday, and strip it down at the end of each day and coat it in anti rust compunds, its gonna be fine, however most people either wont or cant take that sort of care of a utilitarian carry gun.. No one buys a LC9, LCP or Shield as their idea of the ultimate gun or favorite pistol of all time with all the ultimate features and construction that ones hear could ever desire. Its a utility gun that suits a need, which is conceal-ability.
Its in a class that does not compete with a hi cap hog leg full size pistol, you cant hang railed gadgets from it, and its not intended to be ‘the’ pistol you WANT to own above all others, its a gun that you can slip in a concealment holster and largely forget til you need it, and for this reason, making the weapon resistant to salt/sweat, humidity, heat, and corrosion in general, is a critical component of the feature set that any such pistol should have as its basic specs. In my exp with Ruger compacts, they do not stand up to corrosive environments or humid/sweaty conditions concealed on a persons body.
The shield will, and a stainless or anti rust finish should be a basic mandate in a compact of sub-compact pistol aimed primarily at carry close to the human body and perspiration. I have no use for a blued finish non-stainless material construction in that market niche, which is what Ruger offers.
Let me start by saying I’m primarily a revolver kinda guy, so the only semi-auto pistols I own are my new 40 shield and a hi-point 40 JCP that is my “yes officer I did shoot that home invader and yes you can have the pistol I shot him with until you close your investigation 18 months from now” pistol. I got the shield specifically for IWB carry and gave a lot of thought to what to get. The one comment that is confusing me here are people’s complaints that it has a safety. So far I have found it very easy to practice dropping the safety with my thumb as a I draw and making that simply “part of the motion”. I don’t find it at all difficult. If I were to have any actual complaint with it at this point it would be that the front sight is so wide it’s hard to get a good picture in anything smaller than “yeah that’s his chest” at anything other than point blank range….
I don’t understand their complaints about the safety, either.
Off, it stays off. And if one really hates it and doesn’t want to trade for the Shield made without one, just remove it. I have not tried it, but removing it while swapping sears left me with the impression it could simply have been left out of re-assembly.
Handling loaded guns requires caution. One tactic for safe(r) reholstering might be to snap on the safety, holster, then snap it off. Also, if removing the pistol from holster for cleaning, etc. one could apply the safety as an added barrier to negligence while dropping the magazine and retracting the slide to eject the loaded round.
I just wish the safety was ambi. If I was right-handed I’d carry Condition One, safety on (not that I’m distressed to carry Condition One, safety OFF, given a good holster.)
I’m a Sig guy, always will be. My EDC is a P938. Awesome little gun. Probably had 5-6 k rounds through it with no hints of a hick up. Picked up a Shield today and went straight to the range and put 250 rounds through from el cheapo to gold dots. It’s a great little gun. I got the 9mm. They do make it with or without a safety, they had both versions in the store. I got one with the safety as I’m used to carrying my Sig cocked and locked.
I guess my point is I think it’s a great shooting little gun and I look forward to shooting it more.
I’m not gonna argue all the points made in this thread as its my belief that you use what works for you. Period!
If your looking for s nice little carry gun, definitely take a look at the shield.
I will continue to carry my Sig but I’m definitely pleased with the shield.
Just bought my 9mm shield and really like it, but loading the 8 round mag is incredibly difficult. Talk about a strong spring.
The Shield 9 is nifty.
Add the following and it is astonishing:
1. Apex’s flat-faced trigger (with or without their replacement sear and/or striker block.)
2. Talon’s rubbery grip decal
3. Magguts.com’s replacement follower & spring(s), which make the Shield’s 8-round mag a 9-rounder, or the 7-round mag an 8-rounder, with no change in mag base or reliability.
4. A decent IWB kydex holster.
What results is a durable, light, ten-shot (9+1) pistol that shoots almost like a Springfield EMP, with the greater safe-handling of what amounts to a two-stage trigger, that carries all day like it’s not even there. If S&W offered it in a 4″ version (to eke a few more fps out of ammo and yield a little bit more sight radius) it might be the perfect pistol.
I recently learned about this gun, and I have been looking for at least a 9mm that holds at least eight shots and is very concealable, but safe to carry under my clothes. After acquiring one, I took it to the range to test fire it at ranges up to 25 yards with 115 grain FMJs. The recoil was a lot less than I expected, it pointed well in my hand, and from the start I was scoring hits on the targets as well or better than with my Taurus .45ACP handgun. No jams or failures to feed occurred when I fired two 50 round boxes, but they were round nosed ball rounds. The next time I take it to the range, I will try a few hollow-point loads to see how they function with the Shield. It is no target gun, but the crisp and consistent trigger pull makes it clear with more practice I can expect better accuracy than the already good accuracy I got. It was not hard at all for me to hit six inch targets at 15 yards, with many shots in a two inch group in the center. The safety is a little difficult to operate, but I will get used to it. At least in good light, the sights work well and the bullets go right where you aim, even at 25 yards. At that distance, half of the shots struck the six inch black target pasted to a FBI silhouette, with most of the rest striking just outside of it. Any fliers that did occur were because of me, not the gun. I am no pistolero but if someone of my ability can repeatedly strike the center of a target 15 or 20 yards away, it would be a very effective weapon in the hands of a skilled shooter. The magazines work reliably, and drop freely out of the pistol. I had no problems fully loading the magazines that came with it, but I think it would be a improvement if they could hold nine rounds instead of seven or eight. Even my mother was taken with it, and she’s not into guns. I think many women would find it to be worthy of serious consideration when they decide to buy a gun for personal protection. Indeed, it is a good fit for folks who do not have large and powerful hands.
Hollow points also work exceptionally well in the shield. No matter the grain. I shoot only reloads and never had a problem. As far as lead bullets they to work fine. I reload those for target shooting . Hope this helps.
just bought my shield in 9mm yesterday & love it. Very accurate and easy to carry
I have owned a 9mm shield for a year or so. I love the weapon which has no safety but hated the trigger it was horrible. I sent the Shield to apex and it came back 4.8 lb It is great and I bet my life on it everyday. So triggers by a reputable company can be reliable Apex is great. You will love your Shield even more when you get it back from these pros.
I will take my SD 40 over that undersized limited capacity pocket gun any day.
For anyone interested, I’ve been running a long-term test on a M&P Shield 9 for just over a year now.
I’ve been posting the results here:
http://www.gunsite.co.za/forums/showthread.php?56366-Smith-amp-Wesson-M-amp-P-Shield-9/page17
Overall, I’ve found it to be a good, reliable and surprisingly-easy-to-shoot pistol.
How easy is it to carry/purchase a pistol in South Africa?
Just wondering.
I just recently purchased 9mm Shield. Whenever I had looked at them before I really liked the looks and the feel. I have put 100 rounds through it so far and it runs perfectly no matter what I was feeding it. I have mostly own DA/SA pistols so to me the trigger was just right, it was stiff enough that I don’t fear that it could be easily pulled without intent. The break was predictable, no grit, not squishy, and was far better trigger than I was expecting from a lot of the reviews I have read. Also the recoil felt really soft to me, but on this range day I brought it out with my Radom P-64 shooting 9×18 Mak, and it is a really snappy SOB, I brought it for comparison since it is my only other small hand gun. Compared to the P-64 it felt like shooting an Airsoft pistol.
First time out I was doing decent groups with the Shield, but consistently shooting left. Not sure yet if its me or the sights. I am going to add some Talon grip tape to give me a little better hold and see if that helps first. Once I am acclimated to it, I look forward to adding to my carry rotation.
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I bought a 9mm Shield back in August 2016 for CCW. Have close to 1000 rounds down range. Have to say it’s a great gun. It conceals well either IWB or OWB. Good accuracy even out to 25 yards with practice. Not that many people will ever need to use it that far out. Recoil is not to bad for a gun of it’s size. Great hand feel for a person with small to average size hands. Would definitely recommend it for CCW. Remember practice,practice.practice.
bought a shield in 9mm, on march 20, on march 23 it was on its way back to the factory,was missing the sear activation lever pin. the lever and spring fell out of the gun, while field stripping, to check the 7 lubrication points. this pin is captivated, and as such can not fall out it has to break to get out. S&W saids 5 to 6 weeks to fix. this is the worst customer service i’ve ever seen.Can’t tell you how it shoots because i haven’t fired a round thru it yet.
I bought 2 identical shield 9mm – one was missing the PIN inside the spring that houses the sear lever – the other had the pin. So something is clearly going on during inspection, Q.A, or the production line itself.
I had the opportunity to carry and shoot my son’s Shield for a couple of weeks recently and I was very impressed with the firearm. I usually carry a M&P 40c and I really felt the difference with respect to both the weight and width of the gun. I found that even with the shorter grip on the seven round magazine ( I use a pinky extension on my compact M&P) and a somewhat heavier trigger that for me this pistol was even easier to shoot accurately than my 40c. I will be getting one of my own soon.
Just got my Shield a few weeks ago. But, I’ve been reading about Pearl the Wonder Dog for years. RIP RBP
I was using the M&P .40c for my EDC and was happy……. until I got to shoot a buddy’s Shield 9. I fell in love with it after the second shot. I bought one about 6 or 7 months ago and have sent somewhere close to 500 to 600 rounds through it and have not regretted the purchase. Needles to say, it’s my EDC now and the 40c has been relegated to a change of pace at the range along with the Colt 1911 .45 it replaced. I finally talked my wife into going to the range with me and she has also fallen in live with the Shield 9 and wants to replace her Ruger LCR .38 with one. It’s a near perfect OWB CCW regardless of what I’m wearing and I really like that. The thumb safety is something I was already used to with the .40c and I practice with that every time I go to the range. S&W has made some changes since it’s release and all have been positive, such as a lighter safety release and a smoother trigger pull. In my humble opinion, it’s a damned fine weapon.
No thanks. I’ll take the full-size M&P. At least that is much easier to handle than some tiny 9mm with an uglier kick.
I originally thought this article was about the M&P Shield but rudely was I awakened when I realized it is a Glock Fanboy article. Get over Glockers there really are other handguns out there and most of them are better than a Glock. FULL DISCLOSURE: We have over 50 pistols/revolvers but not one Glock. It shall remain that way…
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I have both the 9mm and 45acp shield not much difference in size between the two but there is a little slight difference in weight. Both are reliable I had 500 rounds through each one without a misfire and a very easy to carry. Smith put a lot of thought into the manufacturing of these weapons they left a little out and created a world-class firearm that is totally reliable. Also Smith and Wesson Service is second to none. If you have trouble loading it use a loader saves my thumb on the 45. Another winner from Smith at a very affordable price break. By the way the 45 does kick do what I did get one thats ported very nice indeed. I spend hoirs shooting Metal silhouettes never a problem. Loan it to other silhouette shooters and the next week they have a shield and are extremely happy with them. I may want to mention it as a side bar I do not sell the product but I do use it Lucas gun oil amazing product Makes clean up easy.
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