Originally Posted by GKC

The only answer is what works for YOU. What I like and find to be the best may not be at all for you. I have owned a number of M&Ps, in FS and compact, in .45, .40, and 9mm, and for CCW the Shield 9mm is hands down my favorite. It is slim, has just the right grip for me (with the 8 round magazine), and I don't feel under-gunned with 8 rounds of 9mm. I have spare magazines if I feel like carrying them.

I still prefer a full size gun for home defense, but there isn't really a reason that the Shield couldn't suffice in that role as well. We could argue all day about capacity, caliber, and action (revolver vs semi, or DA/SA vs DAO vs SA, and so on) but there just isn't going to be one answer that works for everyone...because we are all different. There isn't one gun that is ideal for all circumstances, either, because there are too many variables.

I haven't needed to use a gun for 61 years, and I hope and pray that holds true for the next 61 as well. This is one time that I will be more than happy for all the time, thought, expense, and planning to never be used.