Which 9MM pistol would be best for conceal carry with the appropriate amount of rounds? Some people have told me that the Shield would not be a "prefered" amount of rounds to have and that I should just go ahead and jump to am M & P 9C instead because of the double stack - more rounds... I am leaning towards the Shield 9MM. I was looking at the XD 9MM subcompact but it felt heavy and I am scared abou the XDs issues. I will be buying my first gun for CC personal protection for me and my family. I do like the external safety on the Shield. The Shield just felt good in my hands with the extension so that my little finger fits the stock.

Thanks for your input!!!!

Shield is fine. Not enuf ammo is a matter of opinion. I carry a shield with one full mag and one in the chamber. Never feel deficient with that. I also carry an xds with only 6 rds at a time (45acp). Again if I feel I need to carry more mags I just decide not to go to a place where I would need 20 rounds or more. However if it's unavoidable just carry an extra mag. More important to be able to conceal it to me. Now for a strictly home defense pistol I will agree a full size high capacity gun is probably better.

Sounds like the Shield is right for you!

Go for it. Then but a couple dozen more guns and see if they are any better.

In that size and caliber, you can look at a lot of guns, but for S&W's I have the Shield (3 of the 9's actually.. they're so cute!!) the 9c and the 3913 / 3914.

I carry a Shield that is well broken in and doesn't suffer from staying out of battery, but often I'll carry a 3913 because it is a fabulous gun, dependable as morning and a joy to shoot.

The 9c I have has NEVER skipped a beat, holds a boatload of ammo and is a great knock-around gun when I will be crawling around in the shop or under a truck and I don't dare scratch my beautiful 3913...

The last gun I will ever get rid of (of the three) is probably the 3913, but for practicality, I'd keep the 9c.

The 9c is a great gun.

.

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Kirk / Spock 2020

I believe the right gun for self defense is best if it's the one you can hit with. Recommend you try several and comperable revolvers, due to simplicity and reliability, and then choose what you can hit what you aim at. Unfortunately many people who are not experienced shooters just get a gun that feels good in the hand. Then when they take training they discover that the comfortable little auto sprays bullets everywhere. Not going to stop a life or death threat with that. You can rent handguns to take your CC training with. BTW, in my training years ago, if you missed the target with even a single bullet, you could not get a permit.
My personal preference for CC is a revolver.

It's really difficult to prescribe a cc gun for someone else. Generally I would say buy the largest gun you can carry and conceal comfortably, unfortunately, you need experience with many guns to make that decision.

Try to rent and shoot as many guns as possible, and at least fondle as many as possible. That's the beauty of the gun shows if they have them in your area.

No right answer. I prefer double stack and only carry a bug if I have no other choice, which is almost never.

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It's a personal decision...so go with what you like. Go down to a gunshop and look , touch , feel , hold the different models and see what feels right for you.
I personally tried everthing from a full sized 1911 in 45acp to a Beretta Tomcat in 32 acp....know what I discovered works best for me, after a lot of trying different guns...A J-frame Airlite 38 special.S&W model 317. Why? for me it feels right, packs so easily and I can shoot it well. Whats important is to have the gun on your person and hitting what you aim at. You will not need 20 shots in most instances...that first one will save your bacon.
Gary

Often times that comfortable little auto that sprays bullets everywhere is the result of the shooter not the little auto. Its training that matters because most guns are accurate enough for center mass shots at 25 yards. Simplicity of revolvers has no effect on accuracy to a new shooter.

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What is the average distance for a self defense shooting?

I believe it is under seven feet.

If you can't hit a target at 7 feet, well then carry a knife.

A semi-auto will load much faster than a revolver.... And carry a lot more rounds to begin with.

My favorites are single stack 9's and 45s and j-frames...

.

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Kirk / Spock 2020

Cant go wrong with a 9c (just saying)

Stratman

The Shield with the flush magazine holds 8 rounds with one chambered.

If you need more than 8 rounds to neutralize a threat rather than invest in a double stack 9c which yields a few more rounds and less conceal options (try pocket concealing a double stack) I would suggest investing in some running shoes.

Seriously, if you shoot 8 rounds at point blank and miss center mass with all 8 shots the bad guy just killed you so another few rounds really will not make much difference when you are dead.

Russ

You planning on going up against an army? Way I look at it is if I can't stop a threat with the 8 rounds in my Shield (hack the 5 rounds in my J frame or 8 in a 1911) I'm in so far over my head a few extra rounds isn't going to make a difference.

The best firearm for self defense is the one in your hand when you need it. If the firearm is cumbersome or difficult to carry (too heavy for you, hard to conceal, uncomfortable to shoot, etc) and you leave it at home, then it's not much good is it? Any firearm is better than no firearm at all. Even a .22 will kill a bad guy graveyard dead with a well placed shot. Only thing is he may kill you, run away and die 15 minutes later.

The firearms I carry most are Shield 9mm (well for the past month or so since I got it), J Frame Mod 60 in 357 and a commander size 1911. Where I'm going and how I'm dressed determines which one I carry.

I do not feel under gunned with any of them. If need 15 rounds, I'm in a world of hurt.

Jeff

While I own more handguns than I can count, I use only 2 for concealed carry. My main carry is a Springfield Armory XDM compact 3.8 45. I carry it in a iwb holster from when I get up until I go to bed. At that time I place it on the nightstand. My other carry gun is a S&W 638. I carry it on days that I may have to go somewhere that concealed carry is not allowed. When I arrive, it's a simple matter to remove it from pocket and place it in console.

Yiu might not be going up against an army but you could find yourself in something more than an attempted robbery. While there is a fine line between carrying a giant gun with 20 rounds or a small one with only 5 no one who was ever in a gun fight wished they had less ammo.

Carry what puts your mjnd at ease

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The Shield is a fine CC gun. Lots of other good advice already given, I just wanted to put in a plug for my favorite CCW. Whatever you choose, practice as much as you can and carry everywhere you can.

I always get a kick out of reading if 8 isn't enough I'm in over my head, or 5 is fine - most fights end with three shots or whatever....

Yet when I read the news I find that a woman shot all 6 revolver shots into an attacker (5 hits, 1 miss) and the guy still didn't go down.

Maybe she was using poor technique. Maybe she didn't have her Weaver Stance on that day. Maybe she didn't focus on the front sight.

In reality she was probably creaming her britches pulling the trigger praying to God the bad guy falls down.

You don't get to pick your situation. You may not be rock steady on the front sight as the bad guy is putting some .25 cal lead into your belly.

There is no substitute for having enough ammunition, and who can say what is enough until after the fact?

Sorry to get off track, but ease up on the attitude that you know how many rounds you will need when your worst day ever comes...

I carry ten rounds when I deer hunt, and deer don't shoot back!

.

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Kirk / Spock 2020

Get the Shield; it carries better than the 9c IWB and with the right pants and a DeSantis Superfly holster it fits a pocket. Put some Hornady Critical Duty rounds in it and feel confident!

Buy the cheap FMJ range ammo for practice and also practice dry firing and getting that safety off on the draw.

As to the XDs, I agree it's good to avoid. There are more problems with that pistol besides the recent recall issue.

Due to wrist problems I have given up my 1911 Commander size and gone to the M&P 9. A little fatter, 9mm instead of .45, 18 rounds instead of 9 an extra magazine for both so now it's 35 rounds instead of 17. The gun is amazingly accurate or the recoil allows me to shoot it better and not worry about wrist pain. For right now, it's the most gun that I can handle accurately. If I'm wearing pants, I'm carrying this gun and I do dress around the gun, I don't try to make the gun work with what I usually wear. The KEY in any situation is practice and knowledge. Go to a good SD class as often as you can and then practice. If you think that classes are expensive have you priced attorneys lately, and jail just really sucks. If you are going to carry a gun, you'd best know how to use it and use it well. Just my 2¢

you might look at the Diamondback DB9 a 9mm which is very small and light will easily fit in my dress front pants pocket with a spare magazine in a RKBA kydex holster.

I recently looked at the diamond back, seemed nice but heard stories it was hard to shoot and made with the minimalest material. I checked out a couple other small 9's and decided on the Sig p938. Really like it

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Springfield issued a recall for the XDs, which is completely different from the XD Compact, even though the barrel lengths are similar (3.3" v 3.4").

The problems with the XDs is that the trigger would not reset if the gun were fired and the slide subsequently racked without depressing the grip safety. That's really hard to do, since there is not much grip to grasp below the safety. With the trigger left in the depressed position, the firing pin is left unlocked, possibly allowing a slam fire or fire if dropped on the muzzle.

The slide on the XD cannot be racked unless the grip safety is depressed. If you like the XD line, you should not be afraid to purchase an XD Compact, or the XDs now that the problem has been rectified. Full-sized XDs have a rather long grip, which would make them harder to conceal than some other pistols.

My own preference is for single-stack pistols, which are easier to conceal. The capacity is less, but a self-defense pistol is not designed to lay down a wall of fire. I also prefer something larger than a 9mm. .45 ACP is okay, since they're not making .90s any more.

Here we go again...

Ask 30 people which one they think is best. You'll get 30 different answers.

For me, the Shield is best for everyday carry. For you it might not be.

Don't get caught up in this "running gunbattle" fantasy mentality like you need lots of rounds to survive an ambush. Unless you're a cop, who's paid to go looking for trouble, or actively associating with stupid people who do stupid things, it's not a factor. 7+1 is more than enough to get you "the hell outta there". Now, if you find yourself in a shopping mall in Nairobi, that may be a different story.

Pick what you like and shoot well, find a good holster that will effectively conceal it, and carry that.

I've been carrying a 9mm Shield for over a year. I guess you need to pick something you won't mind carrying daily.


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I really don't think there is such a thing as the "appropriate" amount of rounds. The perfect 9mm for you would be the one that you shoot accurately with the amount of rounds you feel comfortable with.

Pick the one that feels best in your hand, AND allows you to make center hits fast!
Shield holds 7/8, 9c 10/12, three or four rounds aren't going to make the difference, the first two too three will. Unless your dealing with multiple threats, which while possible isn't necessarily so.
Also you can use the 17 round full size mag in the 9c as a spare/reload/HD. Just a little food for thought.
And welcome to the forum!
Dale

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"Long live the S&W 3rd. Gen.!"

Regardless of which you choose, if an auto, carry an extra magazine. This is not necessarily for the extra rounds, although as someone else said, I've never heard anyone complain about having too many, but in case of magazine failure. If carrying a revolver, it's still a good idea to have a reload or two. If I can conceal the gun, I certainly can conceal the extra mag or ammo.

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Dave Frost

Personal choice. Lots of people carry 5 shot revolvers. I have carried several different guns over the last 4 years. Mostly I carry a Taurus PT709 Slim with one in the pipe and a full mag. That is 9 rounds of 9mm. Other times I carry a Ruger SR9c or a SW40VE which is my "car" gun with an extra mag.

Whatever you do, find a system you can make an every day commitment to.

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SW40VE Sigma
Ruger SR9c

Personal choice. Lots of people carry 5 shot revolvers. I have carried several different guns over the last 4 years. Mostly I carry a Taurus PT709 Slim with one in the pipe and a full mag. That is 8 rounds of 9mm. Other times I carry a Ruger SR9c or a SW40VE which is my "car" gun with an extra mag.

Whatever you do, find a system you can make an every day commitment to.

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SW40VE Sigma
Ruger SR9c

They all run dry eventually. Carry extra mags and use the gun you shoot best and will actually carry.

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Centennial Every Day

Many claim they'd rather have more rounds (double-stack), over something that's easier to conceal (single-stack), but the question is...
If the double-stack is uncomfortable to carry, and you leave it locked up at home, what good is it?

As others have written, find one that you can consistently shoot well, with good, quick follow-up shots and can commit to carrying every day, all day. For me... It happens to be the Shield.

I carry a Sig P228 with 16 rounds of 9mm and the pistol is small enough to conceal and my other is a Browning HP with 16 rounds. It's thinner than the P228 so it even conceals better.

How many times do you think you're going to have to shoot the guy? Once? Fifty? Ten? Remember, running away is a great form of self defense. The last thing you ever want is to be in a gun fight. If you are a civilian, you'll probably never face more than one attacker at a time and most likely the attack will be within ten feet. Learning to quickly and effectively draw your weapon, aim and fire are much more important than the number of rounds your weapon holds.

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Armatissimi e liberissimi

It all comes down to what you feel comfortable carrying and what you wear. During business hours I mostly carry a Ruger LCP and a shield sometimes, but my work conditions, size, weight and clothes dictate pocket carry, and one gun is better than no gun. Fall through spring and afterhours/weekends I prefer my CZ PCR (very similar in size and weight to a M&P9c), but I can dress around it. I do feel more comfortable with 15+ rounds.

So what I'm saying is there different tools for different applications. Buy the one you can wear the most and if it doesn't work for all situations, buy another one that fills the gap, and another one, and another one, and another one

The best gun for you is the right gun. Get whatever 9mm makes you comfortable.

That said, I think you would be fine with Shield, M&P9c, Glock 19 or 26, HK P2000LEM, SIG 228/229 or anything similar from a reputable high quality manufacturer.

The key with 9mm is to get high quality PREMIUM ammo for carry, such as Winchester RA9B, Q4364 or, if you don't need barrier penetration, RA9T.

I would have said that if you knew how to accurately shoot a M60 5shot would be fine, but nowadays with the increasing popularity of the "knockout game" you might very well find yourself with multiple attackers. How courageous they might be once the fireworks start is an unknown, regardless, it will be a really ugly situation with no good outcome.

Nothing wrong with a Shield. I decided on a 40C when I realized it could hold the mags from my FS M&P40. Great for the range & if I have the FS mags in while CCing I never feel "outgunned", lol. How many zombies could I hold off if I carried all my mags at once - 76 rounds total? 30 more when I get the extra two FS mags. lol

I still want to get a 1911 someday & to heck with mag capacity.

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Former USN, Retired US Army

I stopped CCWing my LCR and switched to a 9mm Shield. The LCR conceals easily in a pancake holster (my favorite) with just a t-shirt. I like that the Shield holds more rounds, but that is not why I switched. The Shield just makes me look good! I find it very easy to grip (XL glove size) and shoot accurately. The LCR not so much. It prints just a little under a t-shirt, but I'm behind a counter all day at work, and I'm the owner/only employee. I use the 8 round magazine for a better grip. An extra magazine is always near-by.

Even if you don't end up carrying it every day, you should still own a Shield. It is a great gun, and mine has proven very reliable. They can be found around $400, which I consider a steal for a gun that hits what I aim at.

I'd rep Lost Lake's post twice, if I could. Someone do me a favor and "Like" it for me, huh?

OP, as far as I've seen, there are three components of choosing a concealed-carry gun:

1. Holds the largest amount of ammunition possible.

2. Chambered in the largest caliber you are able to effectively control and fits your environs.

3. Sized to fit your needs and lifestyle.

Number 3 gives you the framework that you have to work with. 1 and 2 will fluctuate depending on your particular needs. For example, in New England, I'd rather carry a .357 in winter than a 9mm due to better penetration through heavy clothing; the drop in capacity is preferable to less penetration.

Personally, I'd love to carry a double-stack 9mm pistol every day. I tried it, and it did not fit my needs. A 642 in my pocket does. Your particular needs are probably different than mine.

Decide where on your person you need to carry your gun and how important concealment is, and the rest will follow.

Whoever said all attackers travel alone? I feel you should carry as many rd.s as you feel comfortable carrying.
A 9c (12rd.) makes feel a little more comfortable than a shield (8rd). I would rather have rd.s available & not need them, than need more rd.s & not have them. (just saying)

I was all set to get a Shield until I handled the 9C. For me it was all about how each felt in my hand-the number one factor in my view.

I carry a m&p9 fs in an desantis intruder iwb plus an extra mag with no problems at all. It all has to do with what your needs and ability are. I wear jeans and polos all the time, so this rig works for me. Now do i wish at times i had something smaller, yes, but i make what i have work. Remember, its supost to be comforting, not comfortable...

I'm a Vietnam combat veteran and we always believe more ammo is better.

I'm 55 years old and have never been in a gunfight. Hope I never am. But if you carry 500 rounds on you and the attacker kills you with his first shot and you never get your sights on him, what's the point? You can never pick your fight. I think picking a weapon you will carry all the time and learning how to effectively use it is much more important than round count.

Thank you for your service.
Rob

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Armatissimi e liberissimi

Absolutely true, Rob. But - once the adrenalin starts flowing even the best shots can & probably will miss with the first few shots. This puts you at a great disadvantage when being attacked by more than one. We had a home invasion in this area a few years back where there were 5 that broke in. If you put the customary minimum of 2 rounds per invader, that could run you dry fast especially if adrenalin made you miss on a couple of shots.

I always carry a spare mag & practice fast reloads. Not so much for the capacity of rounds but in case of a mag failure. The extra rounds are a plus. I'm also trained to put a fresh mag in when the threat is neutralized regardless how many rounds remain in the first mag & there's a possibility of a second attacker.

My Military training & experience has taught me that one can never have too much ammo. Sure, that's in a combat situation but isn't it coming to that in our present society?

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Former USN, Retired US Army

Agreed!

A couple of thugs surrounding you in a dark parking lot is a combat situation too.

These conversations always remind me of a surveillance video I saw where two cops were pinned down behind a desk, and the bad guys were firing into the desk trying to hit them. The cops were holding their guns over the desk firing back, while they kept their heads down.

They went through a lot of ammo before a shot finally hit a bad guy!

.

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Kirk / Spock 2020

The best carry gun is the one you would actually carry. It is great to get a gun with a larger mag, but would the size get in the way and would there be times you would leave it at home, because of the size?

A shield is an easy gun to carry and conceal and you could always carry the extra mag.

Which do you shoot the best?
Which will you carry the most?

For me, I have four pistols...

Walther PPK .380
S&W M&P Shield .40
S&W M&P .40C
Walther PPQ .40

The PPQ holds more ammo but it only gets carried CCW with a heavy coat. So, it doesn't get carried that much because when I go inside I take my coat off usually. I also shoot it more accurately at long distances than any other pistol I own.

The S&W M&P .40C is good under a jacket. But it only holds a few more rounds than the Shield.

I can carry my .40 Shield with a pair of shorts on and a t-shirt pulled over it in my Remora holster. It goes with me everywhere. Even just outside in my yard because we have cases of rabies in foxes and racoons here. It's just like carrying my wallet, cell phone and keys. Always there. So, therefore it is the most effective weapon I own. Regardless of the number of rounds it holds.

My PPK is seldom carried. Mainly because it's about the same size as the shield. So, I carry the Shield.

So, that's my personal reasoning for carrying the Shield. If I live to be 100 years old I'll probably never use it in self defense. But it will always be there if I need it. And I'm pretty good at using it. Remora makes a pretty good magazine pouch as well. There's another seven rounds.

JMO,
Rob

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Armatissimi e liberissimi

I completely agree. Last week, i went to the range with my youngest son to try out his new Ruger 1911. Quite a beauty, However at over 36 ozs, it's just to heavy for me. I mean i can point and shoot it, but it's wobbling all over the place. I'll stick with the much friendlier Shield at 1/2 the weight, which might be the most accurate gun i've ever shot.

There is no right or wrong answer on what to carry. There is no right or wrong caliber. Carry the best gun you can afford in a caliber you can control with the most capacity you will carry every day.

I have carried a gun for over fifty years including twenty-two years in the military. As a civilian, I have never needed to shoot at someone. I carry a 5" government size 1911 with a spare magazine on my belt and a pocket BUG and spare magazine. It is what I feel comfortable with since I know Murphy's law works.

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U.S. Navy - U.S. Army, ret