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S&W Shield

gerrycaruso

gerrycaruso

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I know that some here like to shit on the Shield so I thought I'd post this for your consideration. I carry one in .45. I like the sights and the trigger. (It's not a ridiculous Ma trigger that requires both hands and a foot to pull.) It's the only small 45 that's been reliable. It fits my hand well and I shoot it more accurately than some larger 45s that I own. I don't know who designed it but someone finally got it right.
 
See my comments about the .45 Shield from this 2017 thread:

www.northeastshooters.com

.45 Compact for Carry..Recommendations?

Why limit yourself with a .45? Pretty much what Mike said. I have seen and trained countless caliber nazis that couldn’t shoot their favorite firearm and caliber / any caliber to save their lives. Also, starring at a target at 5 yards and squizing the trigger every 30 seconds with your edc...
www.northeastshooters.com www.northeastshooters.com
 
i just retired my original gen 1 shield in 9mm after ten years only because i had problems racking the slide. i remember when it was the 365 of it's day. when i went to pick it up, the shop had 90 of em they said, stacked up against the wall on the floor, all going to back order customers. i can't remember any malfunctions really, always fired factory, and many thousands of rounds. just had the frigger worked on.

gerrycaruso said:
I know that some here like to shit on the Shield...
Click to expand...
same core group that shits on many guns. i almost think they never owned a gun since the only time they post about a gun is to trash it. then they spend the rest of their time here posting about stupid non-gun related stuff.
 
I have one with an Apex trigger. It is OK but I like my M&P 9C with the Apex trigger and Storm Lake barrel better.
 
I have the Shield and the Shield Plus. I like that they are made right here in MA.
They are very reliable, fit my grip nicely and the magazines are reasonably priced. Other than an Apex trigger in the original, I think they are a nice pistol.
Ymmv.
 
greencobra said:
i just retired my original gen 1 shield in 9mm after ten years only because i had problems racking the slide. i remember when it was the 365 of it's day. when i went to pick it up, the shop had 90 of em they said, stacked up against the wall on the floor, all going to back order customers. i can't remember any malfunctions really, always fired factory, and many thousands of rounds. just had the frigger worked on.


same core group that shits on many guns. i almost think they never owned a gun since the only time they post about a gun is to trash it. then they spend the rest of their time here posting about stupid non-gun related stuff.
Click to expand...

Absolutely 100% agree with this.
1 million points for being direct and to the point.
Not to mention extremely accurate
 
I actually threw a dot on it and am now carrying it again. Already had added extended mags and apex trigger before I "retired" it a couple years ago. Saw some with dots and figured WTH, now during summer it is a great little AIWC.
 
I carried a Shield for a couple of years, and put a few hundred flawless rounds through it. I now have an H&K P30SK cuz I like the decocker. I'm paranoid about shooting off some lower portion of my body, including the family jewels, so having such a system keeps me safe, and not worried about becoming an involuntary tranny.
 
Gen 1 9mm Shield. Apex DCAK, Apex trigger & sear forward setup and Trijicon sights. My EDC for years. I had a lot of trigger time on that gun. Shot where I pointed it and never malfunctioned. The only reason I got rid of it was because a friend of mine was going through tough financial times and sold it to me. I promised I would sell it back to him if he ever asked. Well I'll be damned if 6 years later he didn't ask to buy it back. Didn't have the heart to charge him for the upgrades so I sold it back to him for exactly what I paid for it when I bought it from him.
 
I got a shield .45 in trade for some work I did that the customer couldn’t pay for. I actually like the gun, haven’t done any upgrades to it because I only use it as a range gun but I haven’t had any issues in 800-1200ish rounds of factory ammo I’ve fed it over the years.

It’s accurate for what it is and a very soft shooter for the size and weight, it doesn’t have enough of a weight and size savings for me though so I would just rather carry my g30 if I’m feeling .45acp for the day.
 
Never could get used to the triggers. Didn't like the size either....too small of a handle. Had a 9mm and 45 even with the Apex was better, but hated the reset and feel. Trigger felt like a sponge. To me.....not bashing....they were reliable guns, just moved on from sub compacts anyway.

Give me a glock type trigger anyday with a compact size is smallest I will go now.

Most of the time full/commander size 1911 or G17/22.....will do just fine. Don't care about printing anymore.
 
I’ve been carrying my Shield 1.0 9mm for about 7 years. I replaced the 10# MA trigger with an Apex trigger and DCAK. I’ve also replaced the sights with TruGlo TFX Pro. The trigger is phenomenal and one of my favorite strikers to shoot. Every time I bring friends to shoot (experienced or new), they love shooting it. With Pearce grip pinky extension, the gun is a great size. My p365 is too small in comparison, the 43x feels comparable in size with more rounds. I still choose the shield over the 43x because I find the apex in the shield vastly superior to 43x with both stock and apex trigger. I just feel the Glock single stack triggers aren’t good. Not sure why the shield gets the hate it does, mine has been flawless for thousands of rounds and has held up great.
 
gerrycaruso said:
I know that some here like to shit on the Shield so I thought I'd post this for your consideration. I carry one in .45. I like the sights and the trigger. (It's not a ridiculous Ma trigger that requires both hands and a foot to pull.) It's the only small 45 that's been reliable. It fits my hand well and I shoot it more accurately than some larger 45s that I own. I don't know who designed it but someone finally got it right.
Click to expand...
ShieldPlus.jpg

The S&W Shield is one of the most popular CCW pistols ever made, like it or not (personally I do).

Since it came out around 11 years ago, well over ONE MILLION, Shield pistols have been manufactured and sold.

I find them to be accurate, well made and extremely reliable (even with crappy steel case ammo.

The 9mm "Plus" version has 10, 13 and 15 round magazines available.
 
My former FFL (because I moved to Maine) carries the same. Of course his has a 4lb trigger.
 
Solid, reliable choice. They just aren’t the new hotness. The wife and I both have Gen 1s. She shoots hers exceptionally well. Better than her G19, and prefers it over that.

I just wish I could put more than a 100 lumen light on it.
 
Bodhisattva said:
Solid, reliable choice. They just aren’t the new hotness. The wife and I both have Gen 1s. She shoots hers exceptionally well. Better than her G19, and prefers it over that.

I just wish I could put more than a 100 lumen light on it.
Click to expand...

Yes, assuming you have one that wasnt made on a bad day and doesnt have the pins drifting out or any of the other QC maladies that S&W often has with these things.

The G43X isnt the new hotness either and it still beats the shield in sales. If it was a woman, neither of them would be allowed to even smell the P365's farts, though. In the real world shields pretty much shelf rot compared to a P365.
 
Mark from MA said:
Never could get used to the triggers. Didn't like the size either....too small of a handle. Had a 9mm and 45 even with the Apex was better, but hated the reset and feel. Trigger felt like a sponge. To me.....not bashing....
Click to expand...

The newer more solid flat trigger on the Shield Plus and a few other newer hygeineproduct pistols is miles ahead of the old S&W rubber band business.... Smith would do well if they made that old POS trigger disappear from everything in the line. I'm sure theyll get to that right after removing the hillary hole from the revolvers, though. [rofl]
 
Mark from MA said:
Never could get used to the triggers. Didn't like the size either....too small of a handle. Had a 9mm and 45 even with the Apex was better, but hated the reset and feel. Trigger felt like a sponge. To me.....not bashing....they were reliable guns, just moved on from sub compacts anyway.

Give me a glock type trigger anyday with a compact size is smallest I will go now.

Most of the time full/commander size 1911 or G17/22.....will do just fine. Don't care about printing anymore.
Click to expand...
I carry full sized most of the time. I never understood the micro pistol/deep cover trend.
Why most people are hyper concerned about their carry gun being invisible is beyond me.
I shoot the micro guns just fine, the tiny grips don't bother me at all, but I just don't see the need. My Combat Commander under my shirt prints about as much as a mouse gun in a pocket.
And who cares about printing anyway, other than undercover cops and others in clandestine trades?
 
northframingham said:
Friends don't let friends buy GLOCKS. There are better options... [smile]
Click to expand...
Agree......I generally don't buy Glocks anymore......except when I want mag interchangability with a carbine rifle. Its why I will always have a g17.

Just bought a 280 dollar including night sights Mossberg MC2C that is better trigger than Glock, and has 16+1 free state capacity in a thin ass G48/1911 commander size thickness type frame.

Some of the Turkish shit like Canik throws out there isn't bad triggerwise either.

Nothing beats a 1911 pretty much triggerwise..but its physically heavy. MC2C carries like a commander 1911 even thinner without the weight....yeah its not a .45. But its got capacity.
 
Last edited:
Wickedcoolname said:
I carry full sized most of the time. I never understood the micro pistol/deep cover trend.
Why most people are hyper concerned about their carry gun being invisible is beyond me.
I shoot the micro guns just fine, the tiny grips don't bother me at all, but I just don't see the need. My Combat Commander under my shirt prints about as much as a mouse gun in a pocket.
And who cares about printing anyway, other than undercover cops and others in clandestine trades?
Click to expand...
It's not really about printing honestly for most of us whether people want to admit it or not it's about being lazy.... carrying smaller guns is less of a pain in the ass.
 
drgrant said:
It's not really about printing honestly for most of us whether people want to admit it or not it's about being lazy.... carrying smaller guns is less of a pain in the ass.
Click to expand...
In the winter, I don't care....in the summer, dropping down in weight is kinda nice.
 

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