Tell me about your M&P "Shield"

[thinktwice]

I have been looking for the new M&P Shield ( like most of us across the Nation) for a while now. I can't seem to find a 9mm anywhere. I know they will be plentiful later but right now not a gun store with in 75 miles of here has one. My local dealer told me if they do get one in it's gone in 30 minutes or less. That being said some dealers have had the 40's a little longer, so I might settle for a 40 if I happen to see one at the gun show this weekend. Which I doubt will happen. My question is do any of you have the 40, and how do you like it? I know it's going to have a little more recoil, I am not concerned with that as I am not recoil sensitive. I just know I could pratice more with the 9 due to ammo cost. I have heard the trigger on the 9 is pretty nice, and was wondering if it is just as nice with the 40? Any input would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[willmc33]

I cant speak to the .40 variety but my 9mm Shield is as good a slim ccw auto loader as I have ever fired. I have 690 rounds fired with 0 malfunctions, recoil is very minimal, accuracy is surprisingly good, pistol is well made, ergonomic for me and points very naturally, trigger to me is a tad "springy" feeling but good, a little big for a pocket but IWB it dissapears under just a T Shirt, sites are good. The bore axis I say is low so I dont think a .40 would recoil to severely in this platform but if you can find one I can highly reccomend the 9mm Shield. Its once of the best buys I have made in regards to handguns.

 

[warningshot]

In those small packages....9mm all the way. Unless someone eles is buying the ammo..... otherise 9mm. XD's & S&W & Kahrs are all after the market Walther PPS owns. Let us know how your hunt goes & good luck.

 

[5RWill]

40 ammo isn't that expensive... if you want to train with a handgn IMHO reloading is necessary either way. Last i checked federal champion 100rd 180gr FMJ value pack is 29.97 including tax and the 9mm Federal champion is 20$. For defensive ammo i buy from underwood, 30$ gets you 50rds of Gold dots loaded in starline brass, i've yet to have any problems out of them.

 

[jason_iowa]

(I don't have one)

I don't do 9s or 40s. I have played with em. They have some around my uncle has a couple of each in his shop or did last time I talked to him.

They seem very nice I may buy one for a friend for their CC. I don't like the thumb safety but I don't care for manual safeties in general so take that with a grain of salt. Seems like a much more quality gun then say a glock or Khar. Shoots very nice. I was able to group well out to 20ish yards. 2-3 inches 9 shots of 9mil. Was low and left but I think I was pushing it that way. Emptied the mag and passed it along.

I would not hesitate to buy one in a 45 and would not hesitate to recommend it based on my very limited experience with it. Seems like a winner to me. Hope ya find one soon!


Edit
Ill prolly buy one at the gun show this weekend as well. A 9 for my friend. Hopefully were not going to the same gun show and if we are I hope you're not quicker then me. Thinking about it, it was prolly closer to 50ft then 20 yards.

 

[jfrey]

Haven't shot the .40 but my 9mm has been very good so far. Not a single failure. The recoil is minimal for a gun that size and I would think the .40 would be comparable. If you can find one, they are great carry guns and seem to be very well made. I think S&W has a hit with this one.

 

[Ridge_Runner_5]

Bought one not too long ago. Paid a over MSRP for a used gun because I didn't want to wait 8 months for one.

Stunningly accurate gun. Got it for my dad because he wanted something smaller than his XD9 to conceal. And I'm jealous. I might have to get one for myself.

 

[SloSolo2]

I have the 9mm. We haven't put too many rounds through it but will add some this weekend. My 14 yo son enjoys shooting it, he can't hit anything with it but the recoil is very manageable. It's a little more flippy than a full size gun but again controllable. This was all with Speer Lawman 124gr no defense loads yet.

What I didn't/don't like:
Gritty trigger pull - I used 1200 grit Silicon Carbide coated paper to polish the working edge of the transfer bar hump that pushes the striker block up. I was very careful to maintain all the angles but just made it a little slicker. It probably would have worn in eventually but I wasn't willing to wait. This helped but I will probably put the Apex USB in at some point, just not looking forward to removing the rear sight to do it.

Slippery grip - The Shield looks like it would be very rough to hold with all the texturing but mine feels slick so I will be getting some abrasive tape soon. I think that might help a little with the muzzle flip.

Extremely difficult to load magazines - my 7 round magazine was nearly impossible to load and the 8 round was pretty stiff. I disassembled both and put a very light application of Balistol on the front and rear of the mag. The spring on the 7 round mag was not seated properly on the follower causing it to bind. After reassembly my son was able to fill the mag without any assistance. Now he can load for me while I shoot

There were also some sharp edges/burrs on the bottom of the grip edge. I use the sand paper on them as well.

Just showed it to a friend who has a full size M&P and a Ruger LC9 that he carries. He said the grip felt much better than his LC9 FWIW. I've shot the LC9 and it was fine but I think the Shield is more comfortable and controllable.

Overall it's not perfect but it's a keeper.

 

[thinktwice]

Thanks for the input guys... I'll let you know if I see one at the gun show (Concord NC) this weekend. I'll even do better than that, I'll post some pictures because if I see one, I WILL buy it. I would really like to get the 9mm but I am not against getting a 40 either.

 

[cslinger]

I have a .40 shield with around 3 range trips through her and a little over 500 rounds. Love the gun. It is the single stack Glock 26/27 I have been wanting.

A little background on my desire for an itty bitty single stack 9/40. I have wanted one for a while but not have been good enough for me to buy. Kahrs QC is hit or miss, Rugers LC9 trigger is HORRIBLE and has had teething issues. I won't own a Kel-Tec as I have seen too many lock up tight, PPS has that stupid lock the gun if the grip plate is removed, Beretta Nano....this was gonna be the one but it had a horrible launch. At any rate Smith seems to have gotten this one right across the board.

I had planned on going out this weekend to run it and then put together a proper review but here are the high points.

Why the .40. I am not generally a .40 guy and my other smaller guns are 9mm (Glock 26/19 etc.) With the Shield I am only giving up one round for reasonably significantly more powerful round. Made sense in this regard. (I have no illusions about handgun rounds and have no problem with 9mm nor do I think .40 is a cruise missile nor .45 a particle beam etc. Just figured I would go for the round with more juice in this one as capacity isn't enough to matter.)

Recoil - Its a .40 in an itty bitty pistol. Is it .357 J-Frame stout? By no means but it barks. Its probably about like a .38+P through a 642 probably less recoil and more of a muzzle flip sensation. Its by no means punishing to me but its certainly not new shooter powder puff stuff either. Short sight radius and reasonable bark/recoil make any gun hard to shoot.

Build Quality - Excellent. It is just put together well and feels very solid.

Reliability - Couldn't get any better. I have shot everything from craptastic Tulammo to hot arse hollow points. 165 and 180 grain. Nothing has caused it to choke in any way. One handed, weak handed etc. It just works.

Trigger - So everything I read is how much better the trigger is compared to the full size M&P series, of which I have no experience. If that is true then the full size guns must have some seriously crappy triggers. That might not be a totally fair comment. The pull is smooth until it gets to its break point but the break point on mine, although crisp is VERY heavy to pull through the break. KAHR triggers are WAY better to me. That being said I am double action revolver/handgun guy from way back and have adapted myself to Glocks triggers so its probably more of a personal opinion or choice thing.

Accuracy - Fantastic once I started to figure out that trigger. My first couple outings were nothing to write home about. I mean easy center mass 4 inch or so groups at 30-35 feet but certainly not impressive shooting. The last trip to the range where I starting getting the trigger down it was stacking crappy ammo on top of each out. Typical groups were 5-7 rounds in a string touching each other. The vertical string likely due to the muzzle rise/flip. So at the end of the day trigger/sights/recoil, require some practice but mechanical accuracy seems damn good and my personal accuracy has finally found its groove. For me its all about that heavy trigger break. The trigger is by no means as bad as the LC9/LCP which are guns you start pulling on Monday to shoot on Wed.

Magazines - Like any new magazine they are hard to load at first but not as hard as some new Glock magazines. They seem to be made very well but are hard to come by right now. They are MUCH cheaper then Walther Mags. I have bought extras straight from Smith for 37 bucks which isn't bad for a magazine from the manufacturer.

Sights - Good three dots. Regulated well from the factory. Nothing sexy, they work.

Carry-Abillity - As an IWB gun its perfect. You don't feel it. With any kind of cant you can carry it with the full size magazine with aplomb/ no printing. The small magazine will allow for pocket carry in Dockers/shorts/cargos etc. but to me ALL small autos short of .32/.380 sized or the Rourbaugh(sp?) just scream gun in a pocket even the PM9. Its less about size and more about shape. Revolvers shine hear because they look like wallets. The long and short of it is this is a versatile carry piece that can do pocket in a pinch and easily does IWB/OWB. If feels so much lighter then the Glock 26 even thought its not hugely smaller. Its the thinness and less ammo weight, I believe.

So there you have it. I love my little .40 shield. It is proving to be a fantastic pistol and probably the best of the breed from my experience. I think Smith knocked this one out of the park. Is it perfect, absolutely not. Does it require a bit of effort / experience to shoot? Of Course but it seems to have hit the sweet spot in this realm of firearm.

Ohhh one more thing, the much maligned safety. I have tried to engage it through non direct manipulation in order to try to get to engage accidentally. I have been unable to do so. I think its a non issue. I don't use it. That being said I do practice swiping it off as there is no way to say IT CANNOT EVER ACCIDENTALLY COME ON but I am pretty confident that its not going to happen. It's really recessed. Easy to manipulate off and on with specific use but very difficult to manipulate without very explicit contact.

Hope this helps a little.

Take care, shoot safe.
Chris

 

[xLPlushy]

I also have the 9mm Shield. I have heard from a few guys at the one range that the .40's are just as soft-recoiling as the 9mm's and the triggers are the same between the two variants and the Shields have a much nicer trigger than the full size M&P or M&Pc lines as well as being much nicer than my G22. The fromt sight on mine is a bit tough to pick up in low light situaiin but i atteibute it to my weak eyes as the front sights on my PX4 and G22 are the same way. I'm not a fan of the manual safety on it, but it's personal preference since I'm used to the Glocks. I have a little over 100 rounds thru mine so far, no cleanings between range trips and it's my EDC along with my LCP. It disappears under a t-shirt, and carried in a DeSantis Sof-Tuck(item#-106NAI4Z0) it disappears in any kind of attire, the only downside is that all the weight of the gun is on a single point on the pants versus spread over a large area like with a CrossBreed. It's a bit big for pocket carry but is great for IWB, even comfy for small-of-the-back which I usually don't like.


Tapatalked via my highly abused iPhone

 

[cslinger]

xLPlushy,

Funny how either manufacture variation or personal pref. can make two people feel differently. My Glock triggers 17,19,26 are all much better to me then my Shield's. Again not that the Shield's sucks nor are Glock triggers anything to write home about. I guess its just a matter of pref. I still say full size M&Ps must be really lacking in the trigger department.

I would imagine the 9 probably recoils similarly but the .40 probably has a bit more flip. I have NOT shot the 9 though so I am only surmising this.

 

[xLPlushy]

cslinger,

As you said it's personal preference. I love the trigger on my G22, just the Shield is smooter and more crisp. However the triggers on my PX4 and M10-6 are much nicer being DA/SA, which is of no real relevance here as we're dealing with a striker fired pistol. As to the rest of the M&P line being lacking, I wouldn't say that, it just seems that they're not as well worked from factory as the Shields. Just like to me my buddy's Sigma 9mm has a horrible trigger while my dads Sigma 40 has an amazing trigger. To each his own! If money weren't a problem I'd say get both!

Not looking to start a debate here on what's better, just throwing my $.02 in the melting pot!

Btw that's a great review! Too much typing for me to think about on an iPhone, and the most well put together one I've read on the .40 variant.

Tapatalked via my highly abused iPhone

 

[thinktwice]

cslinger Thanks, that is a well put together informative post. Before I buy any firearm I always check with you guys first, and so far you all have steered me in the right direction. So thanks again to all.

 

[jfrey]

cslinger
Good report. If you have issues with the break of the trigger (I did) try the Apex hard sear. It turns a 6 1/2# trigger into a 4# trigger and large groups into much smaller ones. It took me several tries and numerous after market parts to get the trigger on my G19 the way I like it but only one piece to change in the Shield to solve the proble. If you are so inclined, you can also change out the striker safety to take the gritty feel out of it too. With a couple hundred rounds through mine so far I haven't had a bobble. I've carried mine OWB and in my boot and you can't tell I have it either way. It is a great little gun so far and if it holds up, S&W will definately have a winner.

 

[mete]

Trigger -- somewhere on the internet there is an extensive and thorough explanation of how to improve the trigger of an M&P. Maybe someone will do the same for the Shield . As this is a new gun S&W may also make improvements on the gun.

 

[jfrey]

mete Check out the Apex Tactical website. The parts that fit the M&P will also fit the Shield. Will cost you about $75.00 and you can install them yourself, if you are so inclined. I watched the videos they have on their site and did mine. The hardest part is getting the rear sight off. They have it on there with red Loctite and mine was stuck pretty good.

 

[mete]

I wasn't thinking about Apex.The one I thought about was a bit too involved for the average person. Yes the Apex is is one way for the average guy to improve things.

 

[Ed4032]

I got mine the day they came out, in 9mm. I have well over 1,000 rounds thru it and no problems. I have used cheap ammo and expensive. Ball and hollow point. All work perfectly. I have had a dozen different people shoot it. Everyone loved it.

It is extremely accurate. The recoil feels softer that other size guns. Yesterday I took my EMP, 709 and Shield for comparison.

Of course none are better than the EMP, but hey it's a 1911. The 709 has a sharp recoil, but the Shield shot a tighter group. The Shield has a noticeable softer recoil. I like the Shield trigger just the way it is.

 

[cslinger]

Not looking to start a debate here on what's better, just throwing my $.02 in the melting pot!

Sorry didn't mean to come across as debating or argumentative. I was just musing about how two people can interpret the same mechanical things differently. For example because I have always leaned towards traditional double action, no safety etc. (Think Revolvers/SIGS etc.) My brain/muscle memory is much more inclined to them. 1911 triggers are by far better triggers, lighter, straight pull and should be much easier to shoot. Me, I actually have a harder time with light single action triggers then I do with a long smooth double action pull. I am strange like that.

As for the APEX kit, thanks for the info. Not sure I will do it as I am getting used to the stock trigger and don't imagine it will be much problem. It doesn't suck it just took me more trips then normal to get a feel for it.