I agree that if S+W is planning a .45 ACP Shield they may have planned to wait until the initial 9 + .40 rush slowed down, selling as many as possible in those calibers before introducing the .45 version. It would have very little competition except for the XDS. I had heard there were some delays with Springfield getting the XDS out into the marketplace. Is that still the case? If so, S+W may wait until the XDS is more readily available. Then they might want to have the .45 Shield out there as an option for those customers who would buy EITHER an XDS or a .45 Shield. (They know that a lot of us S+W degenerates will buy a .45 Shield when they bring it out no matter what else we already own!)

I am definitely on the list of those who would buy a .45 Shield as soon as they became available.