First handgun purchase.

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Long time reader and first time poster.

I am going to by my first gun this evening. I received a Class A Unrestricted in Ma. My choice for CC is a Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm Shield. What do you think?
 
I have a Shield 9mm (APEX trigger and XS Big Dot sights). Good carry. Prefer my Sig P938 now.
 
go to mass firearms school in holliston and rent and shoot a few and see what you like...if that's not close to you find another range that will let you rent pistols...better than finding out what you bought you don't like
 
Try before you buy is the mantra around here. Have you fired a Shield? How does it fit your hand? What is your primary purpose for this firearm? Carry, home defense or both? If carry, how do you plan to carry it? Kinda big for pocket carry, IMO, but if you're 6'5" 270 it probably doesn't matter.

What other firearms are on your list? Do you have time to make it to one of the public ranges (but don't go to Bob's) and try out a few before you have to make a purchase?
 
Congrats on your LTC btw

As others mentioned above, if you are able, try to shoot it first - particularly since this is your first purchase

I was money-in-hand ready to buy a shield this summer but got to shoot it first and realized I really can't hold it all that well (I have monster hands) - YMMV but definitely give it a try first.
 
go to mass firearms school in holliston and rent and shoot a few and see what you like...if that's not close to you find another range that will let you rent pistols...better than finding out what you bought you don't like
Definitely agree with the "try as many as you can before you buy" approach.

If you live north of the Pike, another option for trying a whole bunch of options is Granite State Range and Gun Shop in Hudson, NH. Huge selection, nice range, helpful and informative staff.
 
go to mass firearms school in holliston and rent and shoot a few and see what you like...if that's not close to you find another range that will let you rent pistols...better than finding out what you bought you don't like

+1 please do this before buying anything. Granite State is another great place to try a bunch of guns, since the fee is per caliber, not per gun.
 
By the time you rent all these guns and buy ammo you would be able to buy a shield 2x over. Just go to the shop, tell them what your thinking of buying, hold it in your hands and then ask what else they have that's also a good carry gun with the features you may want. Most gun counter guys are very patient and happy to help a first time buyer, they want you happy and hope you'll be a repeat customer.
 
By the time you rent all these guns and buy ammo you would be able to buy a shield 2x over. Just go to the shop, tell them what your thinking of buying, hold it in your hands and then ask what else they have that's also a good carry gun with the features you may want. Most gun counter guys are very patient and happy to help a first time buyer, they want you happy and hope you'll be a repeat customer.


When the G43 came out I dry fired one for a long time and it felt great. The front sight was steady and the ergos felt great. Then when I took it on the range it was a complete disaster. I couldn't hit crap with it. And....I carry the original hammer fired LC9, which everyone hates, and that works great for me. Of course I don't know why exactly but the G43 wasn't working for me. I fired the Shield when it came out and had a similar experience. Holding isn't shooting. A box of 9 and a few rental fees are well worth the investment IMO. YMMV....
 
By the time you rent all these guns and buy ammo you would be able to buy a shield 2x over. Just go to the shop, tell them what your thinking of buying, hold it in your hands and then ask what else they have that's also a good carry gun with the features you may want. Most gun counter guys are very patient and happy to help a first time buyer, they want you happy and hope you'll be a repeat customer.

This! It's not like you aren't buying more and more and more lol.
 
PlatPro, where are you located? Lots of guys will let you try their guns to help you out. It would also be nice if you became a paying member and went green to help us to support this site.
 
contact MFS...explain your situation...I did so when my brother got his LTC and was looking for a gun and they offered unlimited rentals and shooting for @ $25 for a one day trial (ammo not included)....trust me you'll save a lot of money in the long run...
 
Congrats. As many said try it out. I went to granite state range in hudson, nh to try out handguns (well worth the 1 hour drive). Pay 1 rental fee and try any handgun in the same caliber. I paid about $80 for fees, targets and about 150 9mm rounds. Just consider it as research

I am a shield lover too but when i went to the range i discovered the m&p 9c. It is slightly bigger then shield, larger capacity and rail for attachments. I do regret not firing the glock 43 though. I am on a budget and the shield is an awesome price for a starter (just like me)

Again... Congrats. I am dreaming of my moment of taking a handgun home
 
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By the time you rent all these guns and buy ammo you would be able to buy a shield 2x over. Just go to the shop, tell them what your thinking of buying, hold it in your hands and then ask what else they have that's also a good carry gun with the features you may want. Most gun counter guys are very patient and happy to help a first time buyer, they want you happy and hope you'll be a repeat customer.

MFS is like $20/hr for the lane. BYO ammo so two $12 boxes of 9mm, and $10 per gun. Rent 5 guns for $100 and save yourself buying the wrong gun. It's a no-brainer.

Even cheaper if you go to Granite State, rent ten 9mm guns for one rental fee. They don't have a lot of subcompact stuff though, tends to be full size guns or at least Glock 19 size.
 
Shooting anything and everything you can get your hands on. I didn't do this when I turned 21 (at the time, there were no open pay-ranges in RI) so I bounced around a lot in regards to pistols before I learned how much I love SAO pistols.
 
Rent first if possible. I was all set to buy an M&P until I tried the full size and the Shield and did not like them at all and ended up buying a Sig and a Glock instead.

Shield's are cheaper than, say, a 1911, so I guess if you buy it without trying it, it's not a huge loss.
 
This! It's not like you aren't buying more and more and more lol.

some do and some don't...but to buy something without exploring other options wouldn't be a good move

say you just go buy something cause you don't have enough money to get what you really want or just don't do your homework...and later when you do have enough money or you shoot something that you like much better than what you originally bought...so then you get what you wanted in the first place or this new one you discovered...now you have 2 pistols and maybe you don't shoot the first one you bought anymore cause the new one replaced it and maybe you can't sell it cause they are cheap enough to buy new so it just sits there in the safe and you wasted your money...but hey if you don't mind that or collecting is your thing have at it, but personally if i don't shoot it or have a use for it i would sell it...but i only buy what i will shoot and intend to keep cause i'm not a collector cause i don't have the space to be and i don't want to have a ton of safes all over the house with guns that i never use or don't have time to use...but that's just me...to each their own
 
I'm always in favor of starting off with a good cheap .22 to buy and learn to shoot. then work your way up.
SR22 is a good choice. And as time goes on, join or rent guns from the MFS and try some shooting some of theirs.

Just in case you end up hating the way the Sheild fits in your hand or recoil etc.
The one out of the box has a terrible trigger. So most people pay $100 for a trigger job.
If you try it at the MFS before you go down that path.. you might not know why you hate it.
 
My advice: Before you commit to a pistol, ask the shop if you can dry fire it, safety check it, then point it in a direction that doesn't freak people out (towards the ground) and line up the sights and dryfire it. If the muzzle moves the front sight off target at the break, don't bother. The trigger is stupid heavy and will require gunsmithing to make the gun useable. And even then, some pistols shops won't work on because they are too complex to get a decent trigger action with.
 
Long time reader and first time poster.

I am going to by my first gun this evening. I received a Class A Unrestricted in Ma. My choice for CC is a Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm Shield. What do you think?

I think the Shield 9mm would be a great gun for CC, assuming you get a trigger job/Apex kit installed. My Shield is very accurate even at longer distances - not just inside 7 yards.
 
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