To the OP:
My recommendation is to fire your new Shield .45 a bunch, using your intended self-defense ammo, before you carry it. You need to make sure it will work as expected. Most Shield .45s work perfectly out of the box, but some have quirks that need to be addressed before you carry. FloridaS&W mentioned the magazine drop problem. Mine didn't have that, but it came with a mis-aligned front sight and a failure-to-feed problem. My range fixed the sight, and a simple polish job on the lower feed ramp, along with a thorough magazine cleaning, cured the FTFs. My Shield .45 is now completely reliable (and impressively accurate), and I carry it regularly. It is a great pistol, and I hope it works well for you.

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What, me worry?