I just bought the Shield Performance Center edition, and am seeing a lot of people displaying concerns about the muzzle flash from the porting on the slide. While I'm not going to give it up (I like the sights and improved trigger), I'd like to know if there's something I can do to resolve any potential issue with the flash.

Would it be okay to put a regular Shield barrel into the PC Shield slide and frame? Before I do anything to it, I'd like to make sure that I won't have any issues with a non-ported barrel even though the frame is ported. To me, I wouldn't think there would be any issues, but I'd like some input on that first. Any experience that you may have would be appreciated.

Thanks.

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Tocqueville is life.

Putting a non-ported barrel into a ported slide won't cause any detrimental effects, you'll just have decorative rather than functional holes in your slide.

Putting a ported barrel into a non-ported slide on the other hand...

Oh believe me, I would NEVER even dream of putting a ported barrel into a non-ported slide. That's just asking for all sorts of trouble.

Thanks for your input!

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Tocqueville is life.

But where are you going to find a non-ported barrel?

mb

Would S&W not have barrels available for purchase? People have to replace those on a regular basis and they're not going to just buy a whole separate gun just to get a new barrel...

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Tocqueville is life.

guess my question would be, have you shot it yet? If so do 'you' have any concerns on flash?

I have a PC Shield, and in darker inside range lanes have not noticed much if anything that would concern me. Not saying it doesn't exist just that for my needs it is a non factor.

So my humble suggestion would be to run some ammo thru it in it's stock format and see what you think and feel about it, then go from there.

I wouldn't worry about it until you have something to worry about. Spend the money on the non ported barrel on ammo instead and go shoot more.
You'll be better off in the long run.

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Straight shootin'
SWCA#2439

S&W won't sell barrels retail (or slides or frames either) sometimes they are available from outside suppliers (midway, brownells, etc) but they are not readily available. There are also aftermarket barrels (kkm, storm lake, etc) but I don't know what's available for a Shield.

I have a Performance Center M&P CORE with ported barrel/slide. I wanted a non-ported barrel also. Called S&W and they refused to sell me one. However, the guy on the phone pointedly stated that Storm Lake barrels were "factory spec". Hint!

I called Storm Lake and they affirmed they made the barrel I wanted but they had a waiting list. I found the barrel in stock at Midway, bought it and it's still in my gun. The ported barrel isn't permitted in USPSA production class.

It shouldn't be hard to find Shield barrels since S&W has already made over a million Shields. Google Storm Lake, call them up and ask.

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Bob.
SWCA 1821

The flash on my ported shield is of no consequence. Its to the sides in a V and is so fast, you hardly even notice it.

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Endeavor To Persevere

Over Four Years and One Million+ Shields later and there is STILL no aftermarket company making Barrels for the Shield. S&W stopped selling Shield barrels to anyone (stores, gunsmiths, owners, etc) back in 2013.

It seems that somebody did write (some time back) that S&W might sell an unported barrel to a PC ported Shield owner, but I wouldn't swear to it.

The only reason I've thought about a non-ported barrel for my PC Shield is to avoid the slight reduction in muzzle velocity from an already short barrel. Imo, the flash isn't an issue. (The velocity probably isn't an issue either.)

Why would any company want to sell a Shield barrel? This pistol is far from being or ever being a target pistol so the barrel is comes with is fine. Also a new barrel would be worth almost as much as a used Shield. just buy a new shield as I bet you could sell the ported barrel on E Bay for enough money to pay for the new gun and a couple boxes of defense loads. After all there is is no problem getting ports cut in the slide or the person buying it won't know he needs them.

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USN Retired/VN VET
M&P X5

In case anyone is interested, Brownells does in fact list a non-ported barrel for the 9mm Shield, primarily intended for use with suppressors, but can not see any reason why it could not be used for the purpose of just having non-ported barrel in the PC Shield as the op inquires. Can not help but wonder if the extra small length of barrel might increase velocity. I know, I know, will probably be a gazillion opinions on both sides, so before the flogging begins, my intent is merely to answer the original poster's question, just sayin.

http://www.brownells.com/handgun-par...rod101184.aspx

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DAV Life Member

Flash comes out the end of every barrel. I don't think its likely to be more of an issue.

Certainly agree, whatever visual flash that normally comes out of a standard 9mm Shield barrel would most likely be the same with the Brownells SilencerCo barrel, the only question point I was raising is - would the extra half or three quarter inch, or whatever extra length is added by the threaded section on the SilencerCo barrel, would that increase/improve velocity over the shorter standard barrel.

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DAV Life Member

I have a PC 9mm Shield and a regular 9mm Shield. When I shoot them I can honestly say I don't notice any difference in flash. My shooting buddy says the PC is louder when he is next to me at the range.

Yea, what he said. Try the gun before you go off modifying it on somebody else's advice.
FWIW, I have a ported PC shield in 45 and despite what the armchair warriors might say, I think it works perfectly for it's intended application. I don't notice any adverse flash /gasses. I do notice the reduced recoil in rapid fire ( as compared to my buddies non-ported version) though.

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Dave

Okay, now you've peaked my curiosity, going to have to go out and buy the regular non ported Shield to do my own comparison

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DAV Life Member