While shooting my .40 Shield and after 50 or more rounds my hand hurts between my thumb and index finger.
Anyone knows of a pad or gel pad for the rear of the grip?

Check this out. It's on Amazon pretty cheap but that type of grip/pad is the only one I know of but their maybe more. The Shield doesn't have a lot of purchase at the backstrap & the 40 is a snappy recoil cartridge. Hope this helps. Scott

I also use the Pachmayer grip glove on my .40 cal. Shield.Made a noticeable improvement in comfort while shooting.

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JR

or wear a glove.

Something that's sometimes overlooked...
Make sure your hand is as high into the 'Armpit' of the backstrap as it will go. Whenever my grip wanders low, the web between my thumb and index finger lets me know.

I have heard similar complaints from shield 9 users also If you are going to have to put a grip on it to use it... looks like the amazon grip would make it wider than a 40C. If it is an option try a 40C and see if it hurts. Unfortunately the shield doesn't come with 3 different sized backstraps like the C does.

Hello, The 40 Shield is honestly the most uncomfortable compact I have when it comes to shooting. Funny because it feels great when I hold it! I'm going to try the Pachmyer but I don't think it's going to take care of it. I believe the Shield is going to be a short term player in my stable!

Well, If you've already made up your mind it's not going to work for you, it wont. I use the Pachmyer grip myself & I like it a lot. What was your intent when you bought the Shield? A range gun? You bought it to carry, right? When you use it for what it's meant to be used for it excels. As an all day range gun, not so much.

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Lounge Lizard Extraordinaire

get the limbsaver, it has a beaver-tail type extension to protect the web of your hand, worked great on my Glock 27 I have not tried it on my Shield 40 yet.....

edit..... ran a quick 50 rds through to make sure it worked....absolutely no uncomfortable snap.
this pistol is great, .......I had the limbsaver #12013 .... it made it very easy to shoot

That's what it's supposed to do. Two words: 9 mm . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

Lots of people forget about that when they're talking about carry guns, especially compacts. I don't have a Shield but I've made the same point over and over about my Beretta Nano. I've never heard complaints about it being uncomfortable to shoot (although I like it a lot better with Talon grips on it...) but rather that some of them could be picky about cheap target ammo. It's a carry gun, not a range toy. How many people carry a pistol with cheap ammo in it? Not me. Yes I had a few FTEs with cheap stuff before it was broken in but none with good self defense ammo. It's not a range toy so it should not be judged as one.

Point taken. This IS a cc gun. But if you can't get comfortable shooting it, you probably won't have the accuracy you should. For me, the 40c might be the better option. I do intend to try the Pachmyer tho.

2
I followed your lead and found a Limbsaver 12012 that fit acceptably. It covers the mag release a bit but still works. None of the others (Pachmayr and such) seem to have any shock absorbing quality at the backstrap. I feel that is what is needed for the Shield 40. The gun was unacceptable in stock form in my opinion. I'll check back when I get to the range.

My finger hurts my hand hurts ***? It's a gun. If you can't handle .40 S&W in a lightweight gun get something else. 9mm JHP is just as effective as .40 S&W as a defense round. It's like complaining my shotgun hurts my shoulder or when I punch someone in the face my hand hurts. Man up and lift some weights and stop being a *****.

Try the Pachmyer or Hogue grip sleeve. Take extra care with hand placement.

BUT all that said , it IS a subcompact .40 , and you can only bend the laws of physics but so far. It may well be a non-viable fit between the gun and YOUR hand. In general subcompacts are less forgiving of this kind of thing.

Options : 1. Use shooting glove for extended range sessions. You're probably not carrying enough spare mags to engage in a 50 round plus gunfight. 2. Or else move on to a .40 that fits your hand better , or a Shield that kicks less ( ie 9mm ).

I don't us .40 in a subcompact pistol, it's just too heavy on recoil. It's similar to shooting a S&W lightweight J frame in .357 magnum. Are you kidding me! That is an exercise in absurdity. Even the slightly improved ballistics(very slightly!) are not enough to warrant the increase of the recoil. IMHO, anyway.
9mm in a subcompact is just fine, and even some of the really light subcompact pistols(P*-9!), it is still too much to tolerate for very long.
Yes, some people can handle it. I can too, as far as a few defensive shots fired. But if a person is serious about his ability to use his carry pistol in CQC, then he/she needs to train w/ it, and that's where the heavy recoil problem will show itself. If it hurts to train w/ the pistol, then most will not train. That is a big problem. Each to his own, however.
Stay safe, All. Ofc.JL

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LEO, Instr, Armorer, Gov's 20

I shot 100 rounds through my Shield 40 yesterday and 2 mags of Fed HST 180 gr. The majority of my shooting was unsupported, strong & weak hand and I did not feel any pain or discomfort. Like RobzGuns said, make sure you have a high and firm grip. And make sure the backstrap is seated against the web of your hand and not the base of your thumb bone.

I own a Shield 40, and a Compact 40, and neither are anything that I want to spend a long afternoon shooting them at the range. Since they're both designed as self-defense pistols, practice should be planned around expected usage.

However, I've found that both work better for me, by using them for shorter periods of time. I may only run a total of 50 rounds through each, but do that over two sessions instead of one. I also run a 3-3-3 (3 shots-3 feet-3 seconds) drill, since that's what a likely encounter will be.

Shooting large numbers of rounds in one session will not only cause the web of your hand to hurt, but you'll likely develop a flinch that'll really be difficult to lose.

Thanks for the advice ATF. I'll really take that to heart.

A large part of my problem is Arthritis in my thumbs, all the way down to the base joint. I started riding Dirt Bikes when I was 12, started Moto Crossing at 15, and didn't stop riding in the dirt until I was almost 30. All the damage I did is starting to show up as I get older. Got me tossed off of active duty ARMY, back when.
So, I am doing better due to management and supplements, but I am still a little touchy, it seems. So heavy recoil thru my hands is something that I am acutely aware of. That was one of my major reasons for switching to M&P's over Glocks. Recoil comfort, as it were. Seems my old Trophy's don't do much to make my hands feel better...lol!

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LEO, Instr, Armorer, Gov's 20

Ofc.JL I feel your pain! Mine is due to nerve damage from spinal injuries when young (broken neck/compressed discs). Hit by a car when riding. Lots of arthritis once I got over fifty. I really appreciate your input on the Shield. Maybe we just don't lift enough weights huh? Good day!

Come on guys having a medical condition is no reason to blame the gun. The OP never said anything about a medical condition. There is a wealth of info on this forum and I'm sure that someone can point you in the right direction of the best gun for your needs.

Ladies and gentlemen, looks like nissanpon has left the building.

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M&P 9C, 22C, 15-22 Next!

Every good forum needs a troll. I guess that would be you ATF.

I think you misunderstand the concept of trolling this whole thread has been a troll post. Most posts here blame everything but the gun. It's like on golf forums people complaining that they can't hit their new driver 300 yds when Jack Nicklaus was doing that years ago with a persimmon wood

The only thing I misunderstand is your outlook on life in general. When someone asks for help with a specific topic, those that attack the person asking seem rather insecure. I don't claim to carry marksman status or hit a 300 yard drive. I have asked advice. And I definitely will NOT seek it from you! Thanks!

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M&P 9C, 22C, 15-22 Next!