I carry one but it is not comfortable for competition, including BUG division, nor can I stand to shoot more than a couple magazines at a time. It is a purpose-built firearm and that is to carry a lot and shoot a little, your mileage may vary.

It is not fun to shoot. I shoot an FS9 in USPSA, a Glock 19 in IDPA and the FS9 or Glock 17 in 3-gun.

They're cheap.

If you think the Shield is uncomfortable to shoot more than a couple mags through, you obviously haven't tried the PF-9, original LC9, DB9, or Nano (to name a few).

I carried the PF-9 for a few Years before the Shield came out in 2012 and THAT pistol was one that I shot just enough through to stay proficient, then finished up my range time with either my XDMc, G26, or other larger pistol.

Try one of the other Subcompacts I listed above, THEN come back and tell us that the Shield is as harsh to shoot as those.

Affordable, shootable, reliable, concealable. I own other guns too for other purposes.

Ha. I don't want to experiment any more. I will take your word for it.

maybe its like "why do so many people buy Camry's" (or Accords, F150s, etc); the Shield has a certain job to do and for most buyers it seems to do it quite well at an affordable price.

I bought mine (PC model) as it is an intended carry piece someday, but in the meantime its just as much fun at the range as my full size MP.
Each range trip with the Shield has been close to or over 100+ rounds, and never any complaints from me.... only smiles....

just my .02 of course.

I just see so many posts here and other places complaining of poor accuracy at 25 yards, not comfortable for long range sessions, pinching while reloading....etc.

When I bring mine to the range I usually put about 100 rounds thru it. I like shooting mine.


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I suspect folks like these things because they are cheap, Light, small and readily available.

The drawbacks are that they are cheap, scream for aftermarket accessories and aren't useful over about 7 yards.

Lots of folks imagine defending themselves (and others) in a movie theater or shopping center.

Not possible in larger settings than face to face, arms length

Although we hear from folks who say they've fired thousands of rounds in one, I suspect they are a very small subsection of the consumer base.

There is also the problem with reliability: these things have had some problems.

A SD handgun must always work: every time.

Although I've used all them, they haven't impressed me.

They aren't sufficiently reliable, nor are they pleasant enough to shoot, for me to want one.

I use a M 38 or ( usually) a Colt Comander in 45acp for SD.

I can easily hit theatre or shopping center ranges with these handguns, and they are easily carried: and they all work, all the time and are easy to carry.

A bit pricier for sure, but reliability is the most important issue in a SD handgun, second is being able to reach beyond arms length from the holster in 1.5 seconds.

Thanks for the input.

It's the most carryable of the M&Ps without going to the .380. Their triggers are very good for a DAO.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I find it fun to shoot. I've put 400 rounds through in 1 session, and never put less than 200 through it. I've had mine for about a month and have 1500 rounds through it. I love shooting it every time. I just got a full size PC with an RMR...only thing I don't like about that gun, is it will take away from shooting my Shield. Not sure why some find it uncomfortable, but I have a friend who hates chocolate...I'll never understand that either.

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Something really smart

Not intended to be a 25 yard gun or for long range sessions. Its a concealed carry specialty piece.

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Some collect art; I shoot it!

For me, it's size, cost and reliability. My opinion is put 500 down the pipe to make sure it runs then run it a little every month to stay sharp. It's no problem for me to shoot, in 9mm anyway, and I can wear it 12 hours without noticing much till those last few hours. Finish wise could be better but for $350/400 it's good. Besides it's a tool not meant to be a safe queen and this is coming from a guy that's OCD about my firearms lol.
I also have trouble staying tight past 15 yards but then again it's a short barrel and not made for that. I can't hit squat with my model 60 or glock 43 at that range either.
As far as the theater/parking lot long distance scenarios mentioned above, lol, if they have a rifle I don't give a **** if I'm running my 1911, your screwed. If they are running a pistol they'd be missing just as much as anybody else.
Bottom line, to me anyway is they are auto versions of a .38 as far as use. I trust them as much as any of the others I have or I would not keep it.


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Absolutely. An older Series 70 Combat Commander is on my short list of must-have pistols. Preferably a blued one, but I'd buy a satin nickel one if the price was right. Just haven't found the right price yet. I search LGSs weekly in hopes of finding one. I have no interest in the newer ones. I'll find my Commander one of these days, I just know it.

Also...everything else you say in your post is true. Or at least I agree with everything else you say. Well thought out comments for sure.

This says it all. Or you can call them "inexpensive" if the word "cheap" sounds too derogatory.

If you don't like shooting it, get rid of the thing. You'll take a beatin' on it if you sell it, but there's no point in hanging on to a pistol that doesn't work for you. Ditch it and get something you like to shoot and carry.

For whatever it's worth, I carry a Glock 30S. I used to carry it in the Blackhawk Serpa shown here, but now it rides in an El Paso Saddlery Yaqui Slide.

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This. Not a range gun.

I also like shooting mine and usually practice with 150 rounds or more of 115 gr or 124 gr with no problem. I chose the 9mm Shield for price and felt good in hand , plus I'm a S&W fan

Not intended to shoot 2" groups at 25 yds....If you can do 10" you'll be fine for SD.....they'll be doin a 5 second 100 yd dash, as soon as the bangin starts anyway

because the shield is awesome.

Because they are good.

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Shield 45

I don't know about competition shooting, never competed. As for me, it is easy to carry. Much easier than the Canik 9mm I had and sold. And in my opinion, that is what the Shield was built for. A single stack, short barrel, thin handgun. Would I want to get into a running gun battle with it, no way. Defending myself or a family member from a person wanting to do me/us harm within 3 to 10 yards, absolutely.

As for me shooting the Shield, again no problem. I really like shooting it, and within 10 yards; I can place 7 rounds center mass on an IDPA target. I usually shoot 100 to 150 rounds per practice shooting time with great fun. The only down side shooting the Shield is the small mags, lots of reloading of the mags. However, I have 6 mags and doing 2 or 3 mag reloads during my shooting time/practice is no problem. BTW, I also have XS Big Dot sights on the Shield.

I then switch over to my M&P 9mm Pro 5" for more fun. I have 6 - 17 round mags for the Pro, and go thru 2 or 3 reloads of those mags. I love shooting both guns. But I realize that each have their own purpose. The Shield for EDC and the Pro for Home defense and open carry (If I choose to do that on my property).

As others have stated, I don't think the Shield was developed for competition, or shooting for accuracy at or beyond 25 yards. Again in my opinion, if you are shooting at people beyond 10 yards for "self-defense", you are in the wrong situation.

I shoot the M&P Pro with 5" barrel or my SR45 for fun and practice. Just like my 2 - AR15's. I have one AR with a 20" match grade barrel and Nikon P223 scope for targets out at 200 yards or more. The other AR with the 16" barrel is just fun to shoot out to 100 yards. Look thru the EOTech sight and plink away. Making that AR500 metal sing is really fun to me.

So why are so many people buying Shields. Price, easy carry, (for some) easy to shoot, and lots of ways to upgrade or personalize it. Just my two cents added to the conversation.

Take care and Happy Holidays, :-)

Because you can't get a new 3913 anymore.

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My sgntr is mor thn 30 chrctrs

I think mine is defective. The one I have is fun to shoot and accurate from contact to 25 yards.

Perhaps it's just cause so many of us fanboys just like them.

I've had my Shield for two years now and it gets carried every day. It's not a target gun by any means however it is IMO the best small carry gun on the market. I have no problem hitting center mass out to 25 yards and can easily run a couple hundred rounds through it in a single range session with no discomfort at all and I very much enjoy shooting it. Maybe more so than my FS. My wife has one as well and has done a couple hundred rounds in a session with no complaints. Both have been 100% reliable with all sorts of factory ammo and my own reloads. Both are bone stock.

Now granted, the Shield isn't for everybody. Some folks just don't like the small size of it. I can see someone with arthritis having issues with a few mags but the recoil really isn't that bad. Not even close to my Suoer Redhawk with full house 44 Mags! From what you posted sounds to me like you need to find a gun that is better suited to your tastes.

I have been looking at the Shield ever since it first came out and was all the rage for a while. I just don't care for it. They are cheap now and probably dependable. Appear to be durable too. A good quality gun for somebody who needs one.

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Dr. B

'Cause the intitial investment was more than reasonable; it fits in the front pocket of my jeans with no problem; it's accurate out to the 15 yards at my range; I can use or ignore the safety; and I'm good with it.

That said, I usually carry a Sig 320 IWB if I'm wearing an untucked shirt...the Shield is for tucked-in-clothes or summer.

And I probably invested too much in it....it was the first pistol I ever upgraded and went a bit overboard with night sights; Apex trigger package; and Talons. But then again I have a superb carry piece, have no problem putting a box or two through every other trip to the range, and have developed complete confidence in it.

People are different. I absolutely hate shooting a Glock. The grip angle is all wrong for me and it won't point for beans. My natural point of aim for a Glock is awkward and promotes poor recoil control. For other people it's perfect. The gun should fit the owner and you should buy what fits you.

Because they are cheaper than a 26 or 43?

My point exactly. Some buy them and think they are bullseye pistols.

Thanks for saying that because my Shield now sits in the safe where my 3913 was before I got it re-lamped.

Agreed. I tell people if I am 10 or more yards away, I am running! LOL

It does fit nicely in the front pocket of my shorts. It "prints" if I try to conceal it under a t-shirt. Shorts and the t-shirts are the norm here in the south.

I don't know. I bought a Glock 43.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

Not much to say here others haven't already.
I've had mine for just a little over a year now. probably 1200 rounds through it. It's very easy to carry concealed and now that I've put the time into it, I'm reasonably accurate with it out to about 40 feet.
I also have 9C and a springfield XDM 3.8C .45 that I rotate as my EDC's,
really dependent on time of year and clothing options. I like shooting my Xdm and 9C a lot more than my shield , but my shield has it's "niche"
and for what it does , it does very very well.

I agree. To me, the shield is a VERY comfortable shooter. I can run a couple hundred rounds in a single shooting session - no problem.

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Stay protected my friends.

When I decided to purchase a gun, I knew this would be a "one and done" proposition. The Shield is affordable, very concealable, (combat) accurate, and proven reliable. I never purchased it to practice dot torture, and you won't find me sniping an active shooter with my 3" barrel. Whatever challenges I find with a subcompact just adds to the fun factor, IMHO. These are guns with real personality. Considering that the OP has multiple firearms, I think the real question would be, why *wouldn't* the OP want a Shield, or the like, in the stable?

I am an old guy, I have arthritis, I own a shield. I shoot about 100 rounds twice a month. No problems. I have talons on mine and they helped. I bought it because it was nice in my hand , it is very reliable, it was inexpensive , and at 10 yards I am deadly accurate. I try a mag once in a while at 25 yards, I can keep the shots in a dinner plate size group. I figure that is good enough. I compete with a Ruger American Pistol pro version. I like it for most of the same reasons, and It holds 17 rounds. It is my home defense pistol just like the shield is my ccw.

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Regards from THE Old Fart

The Shield is fun to shoot at the range and in competition (USPSA), is plenty accurate*, and carries really well.

* Rastoff's Challenge- Dropping the Gauntlet

I am fairly new to pistols and I wanted one for carrying, I rented six different "carry" pistols. Two of them were shields, 9mm and 45, for me the shield fit in my hands very well. At that point i didn't care too much for accuracy, I figured with practice I would become more accurate. I have about 1300 rounds through it since October and I have had zero malfunctions at the range and I am able to hit a paper plate with all 6 rounds at 60 feet out. I usually practice at 15 to 30 feet out, so for me it A) fits my hand, B) shoots very well at any distance up to 60 feet, C) has proven to be reliable to me, D) not painful at all to me... oh and it was cheap!


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I ended up with the 45 and it's a good carry gun. I like shooting it at the range too, very comfortable recoil.

I really just wanted a shield, I had tried to warm up to the 9s but thought the 45 felt better in my hand.

Comparing it to other carry guns, IMO not much than the 9c I had. Carries fairly comfortably for me but not as well as my Ruger SP-101 nor my LCP.

Carries better than my CZ 75D.

Hopefully all of my guns will carry better after I get some of this belly down in the new year!!!

In my opinion I'd classify that as a problem with the owner and not a problem with the pistol. I have carried a Shield daily for 3 years and regularly put 100+ rounds through it in a range visit. I have ever experienced any of the issues noted in this thread. I regularly shoot 3-5 magazines worth into 6 inch centers at 15 yards and can put a box of 50 rounds center mass into a silhouette at 25 yards with no problem. I have yet to have a single malfunction and I can easily pick any box of ammo off the the shelve and not worry about feeding issues. If someone uses a pipe wrench to do a hammers job, it's hard to blame the wrench for it not being perfect hammering nails.


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I carried a 43 and still have it. I upgraded to the shield.

J/k about the upgrading part...but for me the Shield fits much better and I shoot it far better than the 43. Point is I would take the shield if the prices were reversed.

I haven't seen it mentioned, but many people like to have the controls the same on their guns (or at least similar) So my full size range gun (M&P 9l) and my shield have very similar controls...no need to remind myself which gun I am shooting.

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Something really smart

The Shield is perfect for its intended purpose; lightweight to CCW, easy to conceal, inexpensive to purchase, reliable and accurate at combat engagement distances.
I consider the Shield a personal defensive weapon, but not a fighting weapon. I would CCW something else as a primary weapon if I was a LEO, or some type security professional.
With that said, I do own 2 Shields in 9mm and recently purchased the Shield 45. They do get CCW'ed from time to time when the threat is low or I need deep concealment.
However, I never feel under gunned when I do CCW one of the Shields.

Less $ than a G43, XDS, PPS... feels good in your hand and they are reliable.

I love my 9 Shield. Easy to carry, easy to shoot, handles like a bigger gun. It's been 100% reliable so far 700+ rounds of assorted ammo. No complaints so far.

Same here. I have a Glock 30 and a Glock 26. Easy to switch between them. My wife likes her Glock 19. Again, easy to switch around.

I carry J & K frames mostly anymore, so I also like the similar "TDA-type" shootability they all somewhat share.

only thing missing is the shield in 380