Opinions of S&W M&P Shield 9mm for concealed carry

[Jenny1234]

Well, I've got the itch to buy something new and I'm eyeballing a S&W Shield in 9mm.  I handled one recently and liked the way it fit my hand.  I'd really be interested in your opinions of this weapon, especially concerning quality of build, reliability and accuracy.   Thanks to all that might take a few minutes to respond.

[Trekbike]

Pull the trigger on the purchase. You won't regret it. It handles great and shoots like a larger gun. There's a reason it's so popular in that size weapon.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk Edited April 6, 2016 by Trekbike

[Patton]

The Shield may be one of the best handling guns I have ever shot and carried, and this is coming from a Glock guy. I have owned one in 9 and 40 and not found any ammo it did not eat and shoot well.

[rugerla1]

The Shield may be one of the best handling guns I have ever shot and carried, and this is coming from a Glock guy. I have owned one in 9 and 40 and not found any ammo it did not eat and shoot well.

+1 I absolutely love everything about the 9mm Shield I bought for my wife. I haven't shot the .40 version but have heard the recoil is definitely noticeable for obvious reasons. I'm going to buy myself one as soon as my Glock 19 is out of layaway.

Edit: Want to add that it is very accurate, extremely comfortable in the hand, and very easy to conceal. Edited April 6, 2016 by rugerla1

[chances R]

A very good gun with excellent "pointability". IMO one of most important characteristics of a self-defense carry gun. Also reliabity is right up there and the shield has that as well.

[Jonnin]

Very nice pistol, you can't go wrong here.   I ended up with a sig 938 instead,  but the s&w was on my short list when I was looking.  I gave both a good test drive ... totally personal preferences made the final decision as there is nothing at all wrong with the shield.

Edited April 6, 2016 by Jonnin

[Dolomite_supafly]

I love my Shield. I carry it every day and most days I cannot tell it is there. One suggestion, get the one without the safety. The trigger is heavy enough and has enough trigger travel that it will be safe without the safety.

[hipower]

What all the above have said. lol Best small, relatively speaking, 9mm on the market. I can't tell you how many small 9mm pistols I owned and tried over the last 10 years or so.

 

The Shield is hands down the best I've had. Great accuracy right out of the box for me. I put in an order for one right after shooting one at a tryout day at a local range.

[leafinthewind]

Get one.... and here is the BEST IWB holster for it... search Amazon for ...

 

"Flashbang Holsters 9580-SHIELD-10 The Eliot Ness Gun Holster"

[Ron_TN]

I love mine...I'd wear it to bed if the wife wouldn't mind

[peejman]

I got one for my wife.  She likes it and so do I.  Softest shooting small-ish 9mm I've ever shot.  Took a little time for the trigger to break in, but it's pretty good now.  I'm told Apex bits will make it even better.

[jgradyc]

I love my Shield. I carry it every day and most days I cannot tell it is there. One suggestion, get the one without the safety. The trigger is heavy enough and has enough trigger travel that it will be safe without the safety.

I'm a manual safety guy, but I'd suggest the one without the safety. The thumb safety is too small to reliably hit 100% of the time when you draw. If you want a gun with a manual safety and a comparable feel in the hand, consider the Taurus 709 Slim. I have both guns. The Shield is a  better quality gun, but I carry the Taurus because I don't trust the manual safety lever on the Shield. 

[chances R]

.... The Shield is a  better quality gun, but I carry the Taurus because I don't trust the manual safety lever on the Shield. 

 

:eek:   and you would trust a Taurus ?!?

[peejman]

I'm a manual safety guy, but I'd suggest the one without the safety. The thumb safety is too small to reliably hit 100% of the time when you draw. If you want a gun with a manual safety and a comparable feel in the hand, consider the Taurus 709 Slim. I have both guns. The Shield is a  better quality gun, but I carry the Taurus because I don't trust the manual safety lever on the Shield. 

 

My wife's has the manual safety and I agree that it's too small to reliably disengage.  So we leave it disengaged and so far haven't ever found it to have spontaneously engaged. 

 

 

 

:eek:   and you would trust a Taurus ?!?

 

:rolleyes:

[DixieDawg]

I have the 9mm have around 4k rounds through it without a problem I haven't had any issues with the thumb safety and overall I've found it to be well worth the money spent

- Genesis 27:3 -

[Jonnin]

:eek:   and you would trust a Taurus ?!?

 

I have had 3 or 4 very dependable Taurus pistols.   I actually have more POS s&w guns (3) than I have had Taurus (1).   S&W fixed one of theirs, and Taurus fixed the 1 of theirs, but that still leaves me with 2 junkers ...   one is that escort 22 that has yet, in 30+ years, to fire a magazine without a malfunction.   One was an airweight and the cylinder cracked.   I can't recall the third one its been gone a long time.

[walthermitty]

I love my Shield with safety. I ALWAYS use the safety. It's set to be stiffer to engage than disengage (this is perfect for me.)  A little dry lube and a few flicks on and off did the trick. I grew up on guns with safeties, though. YMMV

[TGO David]

Love mine.  Small, reliable, accurate, good trigger, very concealable, perfect for pocket carry.

[1fast4by]

Probably one of the few, but I carry and prefer the XDS 9mm.

[Jenny1234]

Wow, I rarely have seen such consensus on any firearm!  I'm definitely looking to buy one now.  Thanks again!

[Jenny1234]

Probably one of the few, but I carry and prefer the XDS 9mm.

 

Why do you prefer the XDS over the M&P?  Thanks.

[Jamie Jackson]

Why do you prefer the XDS over the M&P?  Thanks.

 

 

While not 1fast4by...

 

The general "feel" of a handgun is very subjective...unique to each individual.

 

I'm a hardcore Glock guy...but I own a 9mm Shield and find it one of the best little guns I've ever own. Great handling, very good stock trigger, reliable, and as has been mentioned, it shoots as easily as a full sized handgun. I only have about 1500 rounds through it thus far, but it's fed pretty much everything I've put into it without issues.

 

One of our group was in the market for a single stack compact 9mm. We brought out my Shield, Matt's Glock 43 and an XDs and let our friend shoot all 3. He choose the Glock 43 because it "felt" the best "for him". Very subjective thing.

 

If you have the opportunity to try before you buy, that wouldn't be a bad thing. But I wouldn't hesitate to recommend a Shield to anyone. Great little gun imho!

[Patton]

I have owned a 40 shield, a 9mm shield, a 43, and an XDS. The only thing I found better about the XDS was the factory sights. While I preferred the Shield over the 43, I wouldn't talk someone out of the 43. I felt the finish was better on the Shield over the XDS and the 43. I also felt the Shield was built to handle more rounds during its lifetime; it felt like a combat handgun and not a pocket toy. The Shield, in both calibers, outshot the 43 and the XDS. The 43 may have been the least favorable as far as ergonomics, but honestly they all felt about the same. Three times over about three months I had the magazine come unseated in my pocket on the XDS. It only happened with the Shield twice in a two year period. I carried the 43 a couple of months and never had it happened. Basically, I just felt the magazine coming unseated because of the release getting pressed was far more likely to occur with the XDS.

I preferred the Shield enough that I sold the 43, and one of my best friends loved the Shield so much he made me an offer I couldn't refuse. I am without a pocket sized 9mm, and honestly will only consider repurchasing a Shield. It's nice that the Shield is the cheapest of all of them too, and this is coming from a huge Glock fanboy.

[Jenny1234]

I shot a 9mm Shield yesterday and am placing an order w/ Bud's today.  Again, thanks for all the good advice!  On a side note, the friend who let me borrow his Shield also had a Kel-Tec PF9 in his pocket.  Boy, the difference between those two is night and day.  I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with that PF9!!  But I guess if push came to shove I'd prefer it over a rock!

[1fast4by]

Why do you prefer the XDS over the M&P?  Thanks.

Im a bit of a nerd, Im an automotive technician with a degree in math.. I look at details...

 

Just looking in the way they are constructed and machined, I couldnt help but see the much finer detail in machine work and finish done to the XDS. Look inside both, and you cant help but see the quality difference in the finish  of the machine work.

 

The XDS feels good in my hand, the sights are better IMO. and I shoot it as well as I can a shield. Ive owned both, I sold the shield. I have 2000+ rounds through the XDS