Shield 9mm $359

[red dirt]

I though I saw 10-15 days due to holiday rush when I ordered mine.

[red dirt]

Email today said shipping in 1-3 days, can't wait.

[peejman]

Picked it up after work today. It's wrapped and under the tree. ;)

[Patton]

Pearce has extensions for the Shields now. http://www.pearcegrip.com/Products/Smith%20&%20Wesson/PG-MPS

[jgradyc]

I got caught up in the moment and ordered one. It arrived last week. When I compared it to my EDC, a Taurus 709 slim, I was struck by how similar the two guns are. Here's my initial take before shooting.

 

Size and shape: Almost identical

Weight: 709 is maybe 1-2 oz lighter. The balance is a bit different.

Packaging: The 709 came in a hard plastic clamshell with foam liner. The Shield came in a cheesy cardboard box. Really, S&W?

Grip: Both are a little narrow. Both are fine with a rubber tubing added (a section of mountain bike inner tube cut to fit).

Manual Safety: Both have them. The Taurus is a bit larger, which I prefer. Both are definitive and easy to disengage.

Looks: Slight edge to the Shield.

Sights: Edge to Shield. The white dots are bigger and easier to see.

Loaded chamber indicator: The Shield has a hole on top you can look into and see brass when a round is chambered. The 709 has a raised... lever, for lack of knowledge of the proper name... that you can see and feel on the top of the slide. I greatly prefer the 709 indicator because you can tell by touch if a round is in the chamber.

Cost:  I paid $399 for my 709 shortly after they came out (about $450 out the door), but they are available for $299 now.  The Shield was $359 plus shipping etc and came to $399.xx out the door. 

 

I think I'll check the internet for a side by side comparison. I don't plan on shooting until we get some nicer weather.

Edited December 14, 2013 by jgradyc

[jgradyc]

Does anyone make a full size 911-type thumb safety for the Shield? If I'm going to have a safety, I want to know by touch if it is on or off.  It seems like it would be easy to swap out the part.

[peejman]

The manual safety on the shield does seem a bit small. I think I'd sacrifice a little extra width for a little bigger lever. But... It's not mine so ill wait and see what the wife says.

[Chucktshoes]

I'm thinking real hard about a shield, it is definitely on the want list. As far as the manual safety, I'm just gonna yank it out altogether as I view it as an extraneous item and an extra point of possible failure. My carry guns don't have manual safeties.

[NRA]

I'm thinking real hard about a shield, it is definitely on the want list. As far as the manual safety, I'm just gonna yank it out altogether as I view it as an extraneous item and an extra point of possible failure. My carry guns don't have manual safeties.

I agree with you but it is so small it does not even get in my way.  I do not even know it is there. (the safety that is)

[Chucktshoes]

[quote name="NRA" post="1078962" timestamp="1387045838"]I agree with you but it is so small it does not even get in my way. I do not even know it is there. (the safety that is)[/quote] Oh I know. I have handled and shot them before. My thinking is that if I don't intend on using it, I don't want it there on the off chance it is accidentally engaged. I view it as a possible failure point, even if unlikely. If I practiced & trained to use the safety that be a different matter but since I don't, I don't want it to possibly trip me up when I don't have an extra second or two to figure out that my gun won't fire because an item I don't use got switched to the on position.

[mav]

Well, I guess I will be trading off the second Shield I got sometime in the future.  I finally got my girlfriend to the range.  She preferred the G19 to the Shield, which actually surprised me.  I thought she would have wanted the Shield because of its size. 

 

Out of all the guns she shot, she liked the Wilson CQB the best.  What can I say?  She has good taste, but I ain't buying her a Wilson.  She will get the G19.  :)

[TnEngineer]

Got a Shield 40 recently and got to admit, it has turned me around with respect to plastic guns. It grips, points well and the trigger is good. It may be my favorite carry gun currently.

[Patton]

The Shields are awesome enough that I can look past the fact it is a M&P. They carry like a small gun and shoot like a full size.

[peejman]

Got to try it out yesterday evening... 50 rds of WWB, 50 rds of federal ball, and 25 rds of Critical Defense with zero issues. :)

As most have said, really soft shooting for a small 9mm. Pretty accurate for me, though an inch or two to the left. Wifey was on target and was quite happy with it, though a bit more practice is in order.