Hello all,

I've posted here and there on the forum and have decided to get more active.

I currently have a M&P 40 FS that is my only handgun. I love this gun. It just functions perfectly and the aim placement is true. So, though the sample size is small (basing it on one pistol), I am a big fan of M&Ps. I am familiar and comfortable with mine.

I want to get a CCW and it just makes sense to stick with the M&P lineup. It probably makes as much sense to stick with the 40 version - all ammo will work between both guns. So, the "big" question is - M&P c or M&P Shield. My impression is that the M&P c will handle the recoil of the 40 round better than the Shield will because it is a bigger/heavier gun. One other benefit is the higher capacity of the magazine of the M&P c. But, would the added weight be a deal breaker for anyone here?

One more option is fulfilling my lust for a .45 cal and going with the M&P 45c. My concern here is the recoil with the smaller, compact, frame.

What say you?

Thanks,

Rob

Go rent the .45 shield. They have done a great job managing recoil. Perfect carry .45, and fullfills the lust for a .45


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I you tolerate the snappy 40 most like you will love the 45 or the 9mm. The recoil on the smaller frames like the shield is very manageable, which one to carry depends on what feels more comfortable to you.
I have shot the shield 45 and it is hard to differentiate with the 9mm it feels very similar. The best you can do is try a rental that's what I do before any purchase.


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M&P 9, Shield9.

I say go with the M&Pc. More capacity. Easier to handle and accepts your full size mags which make a great spare carry mag. I've never had a time where I couldn't conceal a doublestack compact in just a tshirt and shorts.

That's what I was thinking. I like the idea of the Shield. I love what I've seen in online video and other reviews on the Shield but I love even more having larger capacity magazines.

The Walther PPS M2 beats out the G43 and even Performance Center Shield in every comparison I've seen. Better ergonomics and stock trigger. Versatility of 3 mag options with different capacity and base plate lengths. But yea your definitely better of with M&P40c.
http://accurateshooter.net/pix/ppsm204.jpg

This is probably the best argument...

However, if possible, rent all three (M&Pc, Shield .40, and Shield .45) to see which one suits you best. Or, buy all three and have a ball!

Some people don't care if they print (or partially print) with a larger capacity weapon. Or some can just get away with bigger bulges so to speak. I'll take a Ruger LCP in a pocket holster if needed, but prefer the Shield 45 in a IWB holster. The wider ones just ain't going to work. It's no contest, as far as I'm concerned. I much prefer the 45 ACP over my 9mm Shield, which no longer goes where I go.

I have a Shield 9, 45c, and 9c for CCW. I carry the 9c 90% of the time and the 45c 8% probably. My Shield is basically just a car gun at this point.

I'm trying to figure out how to work a LCP 2 into my EDC but I might just sell it. Pocket carry is really a PITA, what are you supposed to do with your light, knife, and keys?

Buy pants with more than one pocket...

I have a Shiled in 9mm and I love it. For my purposes it serves better than a compact would. If I carry something other than the Shield, it's bigger. Like my Glock 22 or 40 (10mm.). I'm actually going to buy the Shield again in .40 S&W. My vote is definitely in favor of the Shield because if I'm gonna carry a compact pistol, the few extra rounds don't really matter to me, but the M&P compact in .40 can take your fullsize mags, so that's a nice option.

I have both the Shield and the Compact (both in 9mm)
I carry both depending on what I can wear for clothing.
IWB I use Stealthgear (onyx for the shield, mini for the 9C).
IWB with these 2 guns and these holsters I can pretty much wear
whatever I want to. (6 foot 210 pound athletic build "34 inch waist")
I tend to prefer carrying OWB though, I find it much more comfortable and being in NewEngland , between October and April it's a non issue. a Fleece top or an LL Ban rain coat conceals just fine.
I use the Stealthgear Flex for my Shield (and my XDM 3.8C .45) and a JM Kustom Kydex V2
with my 9C.
I went to a mall today with my daughter and had the 9C on
OWB under a long shirt and the LL Bean raincoat......Invisible
and super comfy. I don't find the weight difference between the
2 to be very significant.
If I could only keep one it would be the 9C.
I shoot much more accurately with it than I do the shield (which I still shoot plenty accurate, but it fits my hand much better).
As far as .45's go for a CCW, I have the Xdm 3.8C in .45.
It's not much bigger than the 9C.
With my Pierce pinky extension on it it's 10 +1
A real joy to shoot too. it's another good option for a CCW .45
I haven't had the chance to shoot the shield in .45 yet.

I just got these it allows to load 10 rnds.

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M&P 9, Shield9.

When my wife was shopping for a compact 40 auto we looked at both the Shield and the Compact. She liked the feel of the Compact better so that's what she got. With the large grip insert installed, this is the softest-shooting 40 I've ever fired- and I've fired a bunch of them. This girl has had multiple hand surgeries and she handles the 40 Compact just fine.

Anyhow I liked hers so well, I got one for myself. It shoots a tad high and the rear sight is a froghair to the right. Otherwise, it shoots well for a little bitty forty. Five shots, standing unsupported, 25 yards.

I'm reading more posts in favor of the M&P compact. Bottom line is I have nothing at all against the Shield. I just think the compact will feel closer to my M&P 40 FS that the Shield will and, again, the larger magazine of the M&P compact is appealing and...it's not like the M&P compact is huge by comparison with the M&P Shield.


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And add to that your full size mags will work in the compact. Might as well carry a full size backup mag with grip adaptor.

That, and it ain't like we're going to ever hang a flashlight on a Compact. Both of ours were police trade ins and I don't have 700 bucks in the pair and all the spare mags. I may make the rail carefully disappear on mine, just to make it IWB a tad better.

I'm using a 15 round M&P40 factory mag as a backup. Snaps in and works fine w/o an adapter too.

The adaptor helps give a full grip and prevents potentially damaging the ejector by forcefully inserting on an open slide. But not necessary.

Thank you all. I've got my decision and you all were great counselors!


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Before you leave. The size of this poll was very limited. And most responses were from non-Shield owners. As to myself, I didn't have much interest in the Shield 45. I own full size 40 & 45's. I figured the re-coil would be on the high side, and didn't think it would have near the accuracy of my full size.

As it turns out, the 45 Shield has less recoil than my full size 40 with a 5" barrel. It's actually pleasant to shoot, and my wife who has small hands can easily handle it too. The accuracy far exceeds what I expected. There are many, many reports from Shield 45 owners who feel exactly the same as myself. But then........I just don't really like the 40 that much these days. Prefer the 45 over my 9mm Shield also.

I had been using my 40c as my EDC, just this week I started carrying my Shield 45, the Shield is much more concealable, only thing with the Shield is the grip is longer than the compact, so it sticks out a bit more, and the 3 less rounds as well

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Both.

The shield is what I carry during the 8 warm/hot months in Phoenix, and the M&P9c is for the cooler months or when I am going somewhere that I feel like having 30 rounds of ammo on me (12+1 in the gun and 17 in a full size spare mag). I'm not the biggest fan of changing up what gun you carry, but the guns have the exact same manual of arms, extremely similar triggers and are carried in the exact same position in the same model of holster.

Damn phone takes up the other front pocket and wallet in the right rear.

You won't over insert a double stack mag.

Depends on the gun. Can't say for sure on a M&P but it is 100% possible on my Walther P99c. Has nothing to do with being a double stack. Just has to do with the specific design.

I can feel a difference because of the thinness but it doesn't conceal any better for me. Heck I'm carrying a FS 9 right now.

I've taken off the slide from my M&Ps and inserted extended magazines really hard to see. They never come in contact with the ejector on my guns.

Good to know. I don't have one but it's common knowledge on the Walther forums that it can happen on the P99c without a grip adaptor or being careful.

Oh, I'm not going anywhere. I love this forum.

Thank you for the information on the 45 Shield. You have convinced me that the 45 Shield is a manageable firearm. I am not looking for things to dislike about the Shield but the 45 Shield only has a seven round capacity. Even the 40 Shield has only a seven round capacity, the 9mm an eight round capacity. I would like a larger capacity magazine and that's why I've settled on the M&P 9c or 40c. I just feel more comfortable with higher capacity magazines. Who knows, if Cabela's gets more M&P 45c firearms in stock I may end up with a 45c, which I would love. For what it's worth, I am also taking a very close look at the FN FNS Compact 40 (14 round magazine).

Another quick statement regarding the Shield 45 ACP. Accuracy! I have a Springfield XDM 5.25" barrel 45 ACP that's considered a target pistol. It does far better at 25 yards, than any of my 9 mms, which do exceptionally well at 7-10 yards.

Until I picked up the 45 Shield, I was really skeptical of how well it would do, compared to the XDM. The first shot at 7 yards was nearly centered in the bullseye. My wife shot it, and did the same. As I moved out to 25 yrds, this small 45 continued to surprise me, with it's ability. It's much better than any of my other concealable weapons at 25 yrds.

If you read many other threads on the Shield 45, you'll see the same statements. An amazingly small pistol with an easily manageable re-coil, and surprising accuracy from such a short barrel. In my mind, that wins over a few extra cartridges. I just carry the extra 7 round mag.

I agree with LAA the shield 45 is such an amazing gun, I shot a rental and really amazed me, put a smile on a face almost instantly. I was skeptical as well almost ready to be disappointed expecting a horrible recoil, but on the contrary it impressed me how well it handled.

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M&P 9, Shield9.

In addition to shooting both you should also see if you can see how both feel when you carry them. If you can test out what they feel like with an IWB holster before you buy that would be great.

Also, you should look around at other places besides Cabelas (or other big box stores). They usually sell guns at MSRP which is quite a bit more than a larger LGS. For example, I've seen 9mm Shields as low as $329 but Cabelas wants $450. Gallery of Guns is a good way to see who else might be selling the gun for less. And nothing beats visiting a few gun stores to see what kind of deals they have.

M&Ps from top to bottom are fantastic. Can't go wrong with any

As already mentioned above, there's good reason to go with the Compact in 40. I love the thin-ness of the Shield for CC, but there's a lot to be said for ammo consolidation, and magazine compatibility. That was one thing I always liked about my Glock 26: being able to carry a
G19 or G17 magazine as a back-up (even of it was just in my GHB in the trunk).

My wife has a 9C and her friend has the Performance Center Shield. I've shot them side by side and there was nothing in it on the range.

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K & N S&W revolvers

I have all 3 of the M&P (shield, compact, full size). All 3 have similarities and differences and will vary in terms of carry depending on individual’s preferences. With that said, here’s my subjective and objective take on them.

Full Size:
- Amazing pistol, period. 17+1 rds to deal with multiple attackers. Fantastic grip size with interchangeable strap to fit different hand sizes…grip and trigger control is very important for accurate shooting. Also fairly easier to shoot one handed, instead of the traditional grip. Viewed a news/video where a petite woman successfully defended a home invasion against 3 armed intruders with a full size pistol, emptying the firearm’s capacity subsequently killing an intruder in the process. Contrary to popular belief, a malfunction or changing mags during a civilian self-defense is not a realistic viable option during a firefight. In a firefight, if the firearm malfunctions or are out of rounds, chances are it won’t work out well for the defender. If one can find a method to carry the Full Size without too much discomfort, this is the pistol to go with.

Compact:
- Compromise between the Shield and Full Size. Good amount of rds with 12+1. Feels like a combat firearm or a back up pistol to the full size. Grip not as good as the FS. Weighs a few insignificant ounces less than the FS...mostly due to the lesser round mag.

Shield:
- Best conceal-ability…that’s about the only pros when comparing to the compact and full size. The Shield to me, feels like a civilian firearm…small and petite.


At the end of the day, with enough training, accuracy and shoot-ability of all 3 pistols can be equivalent. Carry whatever you feel most comfortable with. I’m currently trying to find ways to comfortably carry a Full Size as that is the ideal pistol which affords me the most confidence and fire power…currently carrying compact, Shield is the back-up.

Hey all,

Good conversation here. This is my first post coming out as a long time lurker, so go easy on me...

I recently went through this very same decision process myself. Up until recently, I only owned a FS 9mm (which is still one of my favorites), but was curious about whether a compact or shield would make sense.

I was fortunate enough to be able to rent several pistols at my local range to try them out before deciding. As a result, I've been able to shoot several hundred rounds through the shield series as well as the compact 40 during multiple range visits.

For me, the compact was the original target because of higher capacities, but unfortunately my hands just didn't work well with the short grip geometry.

On the other hand, the shields seemed almost like they were made for me! The slightly taller grip made a difference in terms of control of the gun and when I got the Shield 45 in my hand the even slightly taller grip than the 9/40 and the additional texture was the nail in the coffin.

I agree with the others' positive comments on the Shield 45, so I won't repeat them... You can probably guess that I picked up the Shield 45 recently and am very excited about it.

The lower capacity is a concern for me, but I'm going to work through that with carrying two 7rd mags alongside the 6+1 flush mag in the pistol. That gives 21 rounds with easier concealment (for me at least) than my FS's 17rd double stack.

As others have said it all comes down to how you shoot each gun and how well you feel that you can carry them. Incidentally, the weight between my FS and the other models have never been an issue. Frankly, it's near on unnoticeable for me. Obviously, your mileage may vary...

Ok, now I'll end with a potentially-stupid question that may help others (or expose me as stupid)...

With all the talk of the compact models able to support the full size double stack mags as an option for higher capacity carry, is there an equivalent case for the Shield 45?

Are there other S&W single stack 45's whose 8+ round mags will fit the Shield? Perhaps one of the S&W PC1911's?

This might help to close the gap in carry ammo capacity...

Cheers,
- J

I've got both. A Compact 9 and Shields in 9 and 45. The Compact was my first M&P and is still my favorite. It's only drawback, for me anyway, is summer carry. It's a little bulky in shorts & t-shirt weather, too big for pocket carry. If you can only get one, make it a Shield. Lighter, easier to conceal regardless of wardrobe and is more than able to get the job done should the worst ever happen.

I came across the 'M&Pc or M&P Shield' issue under different circumstances a while back as I was looking for reliable summer and winter carry guns. I went through a Sccy Cpx2, Taurus Pt111G2, Glock 19, Glock 26 G3 and G4, an M&P9c, and 2 different Shield 9s (1 with and 1 without safety). In the end it was down to which ones were going to offer me the best accuracy, most consistent eating of whatever ammo I put in it, and concealability. I ended up staying with the Shield 9 with no thumb safety for EDC during summer time, and an M&P 9c for winter carry. I sold a few of the other models I had which opened up some funds for holsters (each have kydex and hybrid models available), magazines, upgrades (both have night sights, apex kits, and talon grips), and ammo.

For .40, I feel like the M&P series was made for it and handles the round extremely well. I've shot it out of an M&P40c and found it extremely manageable but in my opinion I think the Shield shines as a 9mm or 45.

If you were to go the .40 route, get the compact. The grip is nice and short with the flush mag (which is what counts in the end for concealability) and you have the 10+1 which allows you to use it even in the states restricting magazines past 10 rounds. You also have the backstraps you can switch out to adjust for a better grip (they come with the medium installed, but even though my hands are medium sized I prefer the smaller backstrap). As an added bonus, you also have the choice of converting to 9mm or using .357 Sig.

As far as versatility you get alot with the compact model, which would be my choice in your position.

Being the contrarian, I went with the Compact in 357 Sig for CC.
Accurate and easy to shoot well.
The pinky mag extensions help, too.
If I, heaven forbid, get into a situation that 10 rounds of 357 can't settle, then heaven help me.
Quickly ditched that green laser, it was for a night training exercise.

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

Having owned both, I'd vote the 9c hands down. It has basically the same footprint as the shield and is SO much more ergonomic and easy to shoot well. I found the extra width and few ounces disappears in a good holster anyway. That said, I have moved on from both and now carry the M&P45c when I feel the need for more than a J frame.

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Dave

Agreed on the Compacts. You get a nice size for IWB, excellent shootability and the ability to use full size mags. A 'pocket gun' is an LCP and the Shield ain't a pocket gun. If you're going to carry in a holster, might as well get some mojo for your trouble.

The ability to have/incorporate magazines with a place for my pinky is pretty important to me. That and the wider grip. I need those two attributes.


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That's not a dumb question. The Kahr CW45 will accept 1911 mags, some stock and some with a little tweaking. I really don't know about the Shield .45, since I no longer own any 1911s (and thus, no 1911 mags to try) but I'm going to guess and say no.

Most 1911 mags (in .45) hold 7 or 8 rounds, so you don't gain much if any capacity. The advantage that Kahr owners find with the 1911 mags are they are usually much better mags than Kahr mags, and they are usually cheaper. S&W mags are generally very good, but they are usually more expensive than 1911 mags...although some, like Wilson mags, can be pricey too.

Someone might come out with a drum mag that fits the Shield, but that would be difficult to conceal carry!

I am in a similar pickle.

9C?
STD 4.25"?
4.25 CORE?

Thanks for the response on this one, GKC! I figured that might be the case. I may ask S&W just to see what they say. You're right though...an extra round or two isn't a BIG deal. That drum magazine though...

M&P c or Shield for cc ????

Either one is great. Both conceal well.

Which one fits your hand better and which one are you more accurate with and comfortable with? That's the one to carry.

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Hipcocked45

I've got both the shield in 40 and the 40c. You really can't o wrong with either 1. The shield is easier to conceal but the 40c is more comfortable to shoot and more accurate. I prefer having both guns in the same caliber.

My advice: go with the one you won't hesitate to put on daily. For me, the width of the shield makes all the difference. I do carry an extra mag also, usually just throw it in a pocket.


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