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Smith and Wesson’s new 4” Shield

bigpick said:
Still a 7+1 and 8+1 capacity, no thanks. I don't get this one but that's just my opinion and like they say opinions are like aholes and everyone has one.
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I guess I assumed it had a longer magazine like the G48. If it had a longer grip and higher capacity it would make more sense. I’d bet they make one soon though.
 
Al-Jim19 said:
I guess I assumed it had a longer magazine like the G48. If it had a longer grip and higher capacity it would make more sense. I’d bet they make one soon though.
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Yeah that would make sense so they could maybe compete with the G48. The G48 can be had cheaper than the msrp shown for this but I would think that would be lower too at the shop.
 
I'm a fan of the Shields. Mainly because they offer a new shooter an entry-level handgun that will do what you ask of it. Range? Sure, Home Defense? Yep, CCW? You bet!
Remember, this makes a great first gun. There will be plenty of time for the Glocks, Colts, Sigs and HKs, but this gives you something Right Now to learn and train with and God-forbid, defend yourself and family...
 
bigpick said:
Yeah that would make sense so they could maybe compete with the G48. The G48 can be had cheaper than the msrp shown for this but I would think that would be lower too at the shop.
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I also doubt that this will remain a “performance center with red dot” only pistol for long. They’ll offer one with standard sights and a normal trigger and no porting.
 
enbloc said:
I'm a fan of the Shields. Mainly because they offer a new shooter an entry-level handgun that will do what you ask of it. Range? Sure, Home Defense? Yep, CCW? You bet!
Remember, this makes a great first gun. There will be plenty of time for the Glocks, Colts, Sigs and HKs, but this gives you something Right Now to learn and train with and God-forbid, defend yourself and family...
Click to expand...

Bought a shield as my first purchase after I got my permission slip in Mass for this reason. Had an apex kit put on it of course. No regrets.
 
The 11865 looks like a definite winner to me. I've been getting some optics on handguns lately and my old, tired eyes really like them. I have two Shield 45's currently, with one being the ported Performance Center job. I really like the PC trigger job, but I dislike the ported barrel.
 
shields claim to fame was it basically was the first of the thin micros. i had my name on a damn waiting list for several months to get it when it was released. some seriously good marketing on smiths part. that and it had a lower bore axis than the sweetheart of the time, springfields little xd's, which was the rage before the shield. i don't see myself going for the best and newest shield, i'm still on gen 1.

i've had a g36 in the safe for several years, dusty and forgotten, and i'm starting to carry that. if i'm going to be hampered by a low mag capacity it may as well make a bigger hole. i have taken to toting a spare mag. i've come up with an novel way of carrying it and experimenting with a prototype as we speak a friend manufactured for me. if it's successful i'll throw up photos for you to see.
 
Does the optic of choice sit on plates like the Glock MOS? Also, those sights are pretty useless if a red dot is on it because you’re going to lose the use of the front sight, unless the milling is low enough, but it doesn’t look like it in their pictures.
 
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Al-Jim19 said:
Performance Center | Smith & Wesson

Looks like SW just released a performance center shield with a red dot and a 4” barrel. I like my shield and I’ve always thought it would be a nifty pistol with a little bit longer barrel and a 10 round magazine from the factory. I bet we see one soon without a red dot.
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The page you link to shows models without optics. There are fiber right models of the 4" in 9, 40, and 45

The sights look like a super-low cowitness...
 
I really wish S&W would bring back the 327PD or NG 3". If anyone has one for non-batshit MA prices, let me know.
 
When the Glock 17x comes out people complain that they wanted a longer barrel not grip. This comes out people complain about the barrel length. S&W made this because this is what people "say they want." The G48 gives you 2 more rounds, it is slightly longer and slightly thicker. My vote goes to the G48, however once an MA version comes out of the Shield it will be much more attainable.
 
This is a defensive move because the G48 is such a hit. From a build quality and engineering POV, the Glock will always be superior to the Shield. I have one Shield 9 that is constant trouble.
 
I'm pretty impressed they got the entire carrier fresnel landing system onto the gun. When you skin that smokewagon you are going to have to call the ball to figure out what the hell you're pointing at...two orange fibers, green fiber, red dot lmao

97QdCwg.jpg
 
I like the size of the existing shield, not sure i would like the extra barrel length. I do enjoy hand guns with red dots though. That must be a custom dot, i have not seen anything on the market that is as narrow as a shield and it looks to be flush with the side of the slide in the pics. A cheap chinesium dot on a self defense pistol is not that great of an idea.
 
What a stupid concept. The Shield was supposed to be a gun ther could be easily concealed.

I guess it isn't anymore.

[laugh][laugh][laugh]
 
Noreaster said:
I like the size of the existing shield, not sure i would like the extra barrel length. I do enjoy hand guns with red dots though. That must be a custom dot, i have not seen anything on the market that is as narrow as a shield and it looks to be flush with the side of the slide in the pics. A cheap chinesium dot on a self defense pistol is not that great of an idea.
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Pretty sure it's just a Shield SMS/Jpoint (red dot name not shield gun name) mounted. They are pretty decent and pretty low profile think of it as the little brother to the Shield RMS. That might act be approaching a lower 1/3 with how low the glass sits.
 
I personally would love to add the Shield P/C 4" with Red Dot to my collection.

I have one of the very early Shield's (in Massachusetts, summer 2012).

No issues with my Shield since day one.

With the option of having/using the 7 round magazine (less printing)

Plus a super small Red Dot that is really low profile and co-witnesses... It's a great idea in my opinion.

Performance Center® M&P®9 SHIELD™ M2.0™ 4” Ported Barrel & Slide | Smith & Wesson

SHIELD 4 inch.jpg
 
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citoriguy said:
Does the optic of choice sit on plates like the Glock MOS? Also, those sights are pretty useless if a red dot is on it because you’re going to lose the use of the fron sight, unless the milling is low enough, but it doesn’t look like it in their pictures.
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The optic on the gun looks like it made by shield which is an English company. The shield optics mount low enough that standard sights can be used. I have heard mixed reviews about how robust they are.YMMV
 
GB1911 said:
When the Glock 17x comes out people complain that they wanted a longer barrel not grip. This comes out people complain about the barrel length. S&W made this because this is what people "say they want." The G48 gives you 2 more rounds, it is slightly longer and slightly thicker. My vote goes to the G48, however once an MA version comes out of the Shield it will be much more attainable.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Everyone bitched about why would glock make the grip longer because that's the harder part to conceal. That longer barrel isn't a problem. Smith does it and now people bitch about a longer barrel without more capacity is stupid and harder to conceal...
 
The frame appears to be the same. Would that mean you can slap one of these complete slides onto an existing M2.0 frame? Also wonder which would end up being the better real-world performance upgrade, this longer barrel or putting a threaded barrel and comp on an existing Shield. The net length would end up being similar for both.

Edited to say: This reminds me, I was once on the waiting list for one of these, but the company never seemed to make any more. Wonder if that's because they knew Smith was going this route:

Smith & Wesson M&P Shield Long Slide Kit
 
stinx said:
The optic on the gun looks like it made by shield which is an English company. The shield optics mount low enough that standard sights can be used. I have heard mixed reviews about how robust they are.YMMV
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yes it is s shield mini sight, the same one they shipped on the Performance Center 9L's. I have 2 of them, a 4moa and an 8moa. they are pretty good sights,
for a conceal carry gun they make sense, they are always on , the battery life if very good, the auto adjust is very good,the window is a good size picking
up the dot is easy with these, and they hold zero well.
the negatives I have about them:
the glass/plastic scratches very easily (both of mine are scratched to shit but I don't notice it while shooing), some of them don't have enough range
in elevation adjustment (I've had to use shims on mine , many others have as well , you can search it online)
and you need to be careful when making adjustments, over tightening can kill the dot (ask me how I know) :(
If I could get one of these new shields without the ported barrel and milled for the optic but without the optic included , I would grab one in a heart beat
I mean .....why not , I carry a shield 1.0 now , and I love using optics.
 

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