Originally Posted by S&W Rover

Some good points.

The Shield is more set up as a smallish carry gun, with lower ammo capacity. Not an ideal "range gun," with its short sight radius and slightly greater recoil, but not unpleasant on the range (like some little guns can be).

If you are looking for a pistol for home defense and range work, I tend to lean towards the SD9VE over the Shield. Not knocking the Shield; it is an excellent buy at this time ($240 after rebate). I have a Shield for a specific purpose -- I want to carry a few more rounds than I can carry with my J frames, in the concealed carry mode.

The SD carries more ammo and is a very reliable gun. I've had one for a number of years and NEVER had a malfunction of any kind! The trigger is long and stiff and requires extra effort and time to master. The gun has a longer sight radius and most people think it has excellent ergonomics. It is also very easy to clean (it uses the Glock system for takedown).

I don't think you can go wrong with either of these S&W offerings, particularly at the $300 or less price-point. The thing is, if you get the Shield, you will want a full-size; and if you get the full-size pistol, you will eventually want the Shield for carry! And I predict you will -- assuming you enjoy shooting -- eventually move on to a M&P or more expensive full-size pistol, to buy a little more responsiveness in the trigger than the SD offers.