Shield in 45 and recoil...

[fdw]

I've now had a couple of gun people including one from the local lgs comment on the recoil the 45 shield will have.

Am I wrong to think it won't be any worse than the 40? Personally I think the 45 is smoother shooting than the 9 in similar length guns... of course everyone's perception of felt recoil is different.

What do you think? Will 45 shield be hard to handle?

[RobzGuns]

The difference between the Shield45 and Shield 40 will most likely be comparable to the difference between the XD-S40 and the XD-S45.

To me, the XD-S45 recoil felt smoother than the either the XD-S9 or XD-S40 (with the 40 feeling the harshest) and (as mentioned) I would expect the Shield to be similar.

[Jakpro]

The .45 will be more of a "push" felt recoil while the 40 S&W is a "snap" recoil. It makes the .45 seem a bit softer.

[LTC_D]

Not certain I want the Shield in 45. Have the full size M&P in .45 and recoil is stout. Not abusive, but definitely makes this a "carry a lot, shoot a little" type pistol. Not certain that's what I want in a carry gun. My 9mm Shield is darn near perfect. I love .45 pistols, but most experienced with 1911 models. I could shoot my GI issue one all day long; not so with the M&P.

[wanderson7262]

I had a Kahr PM45 for several years, a much smaller gun than the 9mm/.40 Shield, and although the muzzle flip was considerable, with practice I found it was pretty accurate.

If you go to the 'Ballistics by the inch' website and compare the fps of a 185 gr .45acp vs. a 180 gr .40S&W in similar loads, you'll find the .40 averages about 100 fps faster out of short barrels. That tells me the .40 has more energy, so more recoil. A 230 gr. .45acp will smooth that recoil out even more.

I have mixed feelings on a carry .45. While it's effective, you're typically one or two rounds below a 9mm in terms of capacity. My Kahr was 5+1, my Shield is 8 +1.

A smooth shooting 9mm like the Shield or Walther PPS will allow faster follow up shots, easier operation with one hand, or better accuracy at distance or in high stress situations.

[Smith357]

Originally Posted by LTC_D

Not certain I want the Shield in 45. Have the full size M&P in .45 and recoil is stout. Not abusive, but definitely makes this a "carry a lot, shoot a little" type pistol.

Interesting how perceptions can be so different, I found my full size M&P45 to be a real puddycat and enjoyed shooting it. I suppose the only way anyone can be sure if the recoil of the .45 Shield is tolerable would be to give one a try.

[Wee Hooker]

Originally Posted by Jakpro

The .45 will be more of a "push" felt recoil while the 40 S&W is a "snap" recoil. It makes the .45 seem a bit softer.

I think this is pretty much true when comparing any handgun chambered in both calibers (At least when when using factory ammo.) Love that 45!

In the case of the shield, I'd be hopeful that the 45 flavor may have a bit more girth in the grip to tame that recoil even further. Time will tell.

[Holmes375]

I'm a big fan of the 45 ACP cartridge, it represents most of my handgun shooting. I do adore the little 45s but I discovered the last couple years that I just wasn't shooting them as proficiently as their 9mm counterparts. I'm not talking about casual target range stuff, I'm referring to tactical shooting drills we learn and study for defensive purposes. Quite simply I can lay in a bevy of 9mm rounds faster and more accurately than I can with a 45 in the sub-compact size pistols.

I have a military and law enforcement background but I'm not a youngster any longer which probably has a lot to do with it. Strength and agility are not what they used to be. I do practice regularly and I hold my defensive pistolcraft to a rather high standard. I will probably buy a Shield 45 as its a hard one to resist I'll work with it seriously for a few months but I won't be surprised if the 9mm Shield remains my daily carry handgun.

[McE]

M&P9C is to Shield9
as
M&P45C is to Shield45

as far as recoil goes, is my guess. Same forces felt in a narrower grip mean a more concentrated impulse. Some hands may not like it, some may not be bothered.

[TacticalReload]

Originally Posted by Jakpro

The .45 will be more of a "push" felt recoil while the 40 S&W is a "snap" recoil. It makes the .45 seem a bit softer.

I hear this over and over and over again. However, after many tens of thousands of each downrange in a wide variety of guns, I find .45>.40>9mm in terms of recoil. I used to love hard recoiling guns... well, the truth was that I never loved them; but I loved shooting them around other people. ;-) However, I'm older and smarter now. Plus a poorly healed "boxer's fracture" in my strong hand has taught me that shooting loud, punishing guns should be less about a penis-measuring contest with other people at the range.

Snap or push or whatever, the .45 hurts more than the .40 which hurts more than the 9mm. Just how much it "hurts" depends on the design, size, and weight of the gun. Teeny and light guns in big calibers hurt more after just a few rounds while medium or large or heavy guns in smaller calibers don't hurt at all even with extended shooting sessions. None of it compares to shooting full power .357mag out of a scandium j-frame with wood boot grips, but I'm secure enough in my manhood to say that I wouldn't describe .45acp in a small gun with a skinny grip as "pleasing". Maybe if I was only putting a few mags through the gun during a range session... but I tend to take at least 200 rounds to the range with me. So, for me, a .45acp subcompact would be a "shoot a little, carry a lot" type gun. I already have a SIG P290RS in 9mm that serves that role so I personally wouldn't have much use for something like a Shield .45. I love the .45acp but just not in tiny subcompacts.

[Shield9mm]

The only subcompact I had in 45 was an XDS45, and it was painful to shoot specially for the grip texture. One thing I noticed about the shield45 is the grip texture looks good so maybe it won't be that bad.
I'm not a fan of .40 specially on a small frame I shot the g27 before and completely hate it. On a larger frame it is not that bad either .357.
If you have a shield in 40 and like it mostly you will love the 45.
Like mentioned before it is more of a push than the snappy .40.
I have a M&P 45c and love it, my hope is the shield will be manageable too.

[Aksarben]

I have shot my Shield .45 several times now and it has more felt recoil, to me, than does my P320 in .45 ACP. That being said, it is not that bad, to me. Targets seem to bear out that it is a manageable pistol to shoot.

Today I shot 3 sets of targets and had good results with the groups. At the end I shot a magazine at my steel spinning discs with just my one hand (right) and hit them every time. Did not notice that much of a deterrent in the recoil shooting one handed.

Correct my thinking, but could you not shoot a lot of 9mm at the range through your Shield 9mm and a few through your 45 and still have reasonable belief in how it shoots for a critical defense situation? My thought is 9mm is a bit cheaper, but you are shooting it in a pistol that has the same feel and controls as the bigger .45 so it is not like you are shooting a Ruger .22 auto and then going to the .45 to carry for you self defense. In the moment of having to defend your life I think you will never notice the recoil, or have it as part of your reflex IF you had to shoot. Kind of like hunting. I have shot larger caliber rifles at the bench and remember the recoil, but after shooting and killing a deer I don't remember the recoil at all.

Targets shot 4-22-17

[Lasor1]

I have had both 9mm and 45 in shield the 9mm is more sharp recoil and 45 is like a mellower recoil but more push. It is not bad at all I shot 150 rounds other day with no problem other than loading magazines up. But a uplula loader helped me out lol.

[kthom]

For me, the Shield is MUCH better than the 40 as far as recoil goes. At least, it feels much better to me. But then I don't care for the recoil felt on any .40 I've ever fired as compared to others. I was especially pleased with the way the .45 Shield fired and felt. A bit surprised as well, but it's my EDC since I put it through it's paces to earn that place!

[CharlieP]

Originally Posted by LTC_D

Not certain I want the Shield in 45. Have the full size M&P in .45 and recoil is stout. Not abusive, but definitely makes this a "carry a lot, shoot a little" type pistol. Not certain that's what I want in a carry gun. My 9mm Shield is darn near perfect. I love .45 pistols, but most experienced with 1911 models. I could shoot my GI issue one all day long; not so with the M&P.

I will second this post. I also have an M&P 45 and as the magazine empties and the pistol gets lighter the recoil becomes noticeable. I never notice recoil with the 1911 .45 - but it is much heavier. I bought a 9mm Shield for carry.

[ScaryWoody]

The recoil pulse is different. The 45 Shield has that push while the 40 is snappier. The 45 is a slower bullet. My wife shoots my Shield 45 very well. No issue with recoil. She's 5'6" and about (being Kind) 130lbs.

[tnfan]

Just picked up my 45 Shield PC today and shot for the first time. I also have a 9mm Shield PC and a Sig P229 40. Ran 50 rds through the 45 today and found the recoil to be very tolerable. In my opinion not much different than the 9 and much better than the Sig 40. The Sig 40 is a handful and for me difficult to shoot. I will have no problem carrying the 45 as an EDC. This is the first time I have ever shot a 45 so I have no reference to other weapons in that caliber. I was expecting the 45 in a small frame to be difficult to shoot. Pleasantly surprised by the results.