Well after reading about the Shield and trying one out at the local range, decided I had to have on. So stopped by my favorite local gun store, Cabela's, I know I know, not exactly the discount KMart of firearms, but I love the store and always an enjoyable shopping experience, and they always treat me fair with trade ins, and they so graciously recently bestowed upon me their Cabela's Club Visa with a pre-loaded $20 credit, so I opted for the 9mm PC Shield with night sights.

So now the next thing is to get to the range and compare it to its closest competition for carry, my CS9, and put my 1974 vintage 19-3 Combat Magnum up for sale, as my semi-retirement policy is one gun in, one gun out.

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DAV Life Member

I saw an online offer today from PSA for a 9mm shield for $214 with the S&W $75.00 rebate and now I'm thinking I need one.

One???....

At that price, I am thinking I need a second Shield and have not even fired the first one!

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Keep in mind that PSA charges $17 for shipping and then you'll likely have the FFL fee on your end.

I recently bought two @ $295 delivered. If you act in the next couple hours and use code MBE, you can still score that price from Brownells.

Plastic semis will come and go but you should think HARD before letting that 19-3 go. A classic like that won't be so easy to replace when you start missing it.

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Dave

I agree with you completely, but I am primarily a target shooter, enjoy range time, like to practice with what I carry, small 9mm semi-autos like the CS9 one of my favorites. In the past, have not derived any enjoyment from something real cool sitting in the safe, nice to take it out and look at it, but that's just not for me, have never been a collector. The 19-3 Combat Magnum is super cool and looks beautiful, super smooth action, beautiful blued finish that you only see on older firearms, and from the 1 box of .38 I put through it shoots great even out to 75 feet, but I purchased it as an impulse and I am a semi-auto guy, I think someone else would enjoy it a lot more, just sayin'.

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So I made it to a nice indoor AC'd range today (111 outside). Used a selection of three different 9mm ammo, Winchester White Box 115 gr FMJ, Winchester 124 gr FMJ Nato (my normal range ammo and what I use for annual qual), and a box of Hornaday Critical Duty 135 gr FlexLock carry ammo to make sure works reliably and shoots to same point as practice ammo). The new PC Shield ran flawless, not even one hiccup, fed everything, slide stayed back on last round, etc. Very accurate at 7 yards out to 25 yards; the accuracy compared well to my previously used Walther PPS which I thought was one of the best small compact 9mm for accuracy, and the Shield did a little better than my CS9, so this PC Shield may be the compact 9mm that finally replaces my CS9 after 16 years of service. With regards to the mags, both the 7 round and 8 round mags seemed comfortable to use, with no difference in accuracy, so must be using the identical grip with both.

I did give it a thorough cleaning the night before, including the mags, as I have learned in the past that it is definitely best to get the assembly lubes, and other gunky stuff that might be left on from the manufacturing processes, cleaned off before firing the first time.

The other nice thing about the Shield vs the CS9 is the abundance of available holsters molded for it, so picked up a nice Blade-Tech Eclipse holster.

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One thing you might watch for is whether the 8 round magazine drops as easily as the 7. I've found that my fat hand rests on the 8's extension and it won't drop unless I completely alter my grip. For that reason, I carry with the 7 and have an 8 in the pocket.

I just picked up one of those Pearce finger rest grip extensions, going to try it on the 7 round mag, have you tried one of those? I run those finger rest mag floor plates in both my CS9 and 3913TSW, so have gotten accustomed to and like them.

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DAV Life Member

I'm glad to know somebody else has this problem with the 8 round mag, too. It's about the only thing (apart from the reinforced concrete magazine springs) I think I can complain about on the gun.

I haven't tried anything aftermarket on the Shield yet (beside Talons which are an immediate upgrade to every M&P I buy). My problem isn't with the 7, it drops like a champ. It is precisely the extension on the 8 that doesn't like my fat hand.

Does that Pearce gadget expand the capacity of the 7 or is it just an additional place for your finger to rest?

The Pearce gizmo just adds a rest for your pinky, does not add any capacity to the mag. I have found with my CS9 that resting my pinky on that finger rest floor plate does provide a little pressure to make the mag drop out nicely when the mag release is hit.

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Prior to purchasing my Shield, I read quite a few accounts about the mag springs being a bit stiff. However, even though mine were brand new, stiff springs were not an issue, actually did not even notice it, using my Maglula, highly recommend them, makes loading mags easy peasy, quick fast, and like a bunny. It seemed so easy to load I tried loading a few rounds manually just to see what everyone was taking about; the Uplula really tames that itty bitty mag spring, felt like loading my Bersa 22 mag.

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An immediate addition to my guns (large hands). Love them. Have them on all my Shield mags.

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Wish they made one for the 8 rounder.My bad....Belay my last...confusing the 45 with the 9mm. Thats what I get for writing at 6am
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Of course the Pearce fits both mags 7&8 on the 9mm. They also have fitment for the 45 6 round (wider than the 9mm...not interchangeable) Just not the 7 round on the 45.

MagLula...cant live without it

So DR, you're sayin' this wouldn't solve my problem with the 8 round magazine not dropping...right?

We keep bouncin back and forth between 45's and 9's.....lol I cant keep em straight.

Ill edit above in a sec. Of course the Pearce fits the 7 & 8 round mags on the 9mm. They are the same design. Just not the 7 rounder on the 45.

The "no" drop problem seems like it might be something else altogether. It might be that the flat mag bottom gets caught up in your plalm swell and a Pearce MIGHT alleviate that due to natural downward pressure being applied by the bottom of the pinky. Seems odd though that the 7 doesnt hang up but the 8 does

Since the 7 doesnt hang up it eliminates the gun itself.

Sounds more like something on the 8 is hanging up slightly inside the mag well on the gun. Check the mag catch notch on the mag for any roughness that might hang up.

You may do as you choose but I would NOT let go of a 19-3 for a new plastic gun even as good as they are.

Indeed...this thread is getting a bit hard for me to follow. Here are three photos that hopefully illustrate my issue with the 9mm magazines.

1. This is the 7 round. The fat part of my palm doesn't contact the base of the magazine so it drops perfectly.

2. This is the 8 round with the included spacer/grip. The fat part of my palm is always in contact with that spacer. The only way I can drop the magazine is to grossly change my grip.

3. Here's the 8 round without the spacer. Now no part of my palm contacts the magazine and it drops perfectly.

So, my problem is with the spacer that extends out to the rear of the grip and makes contact with my palm when holding the gun properly.

Attached Images

	IMG_4515.jpg (68.9 KB, 21 views)
	IMG_4516.jpg (65.1 KB, 21 views)
	IMG_4517.jpg (67.5 KB, 21 views)

Hope this helps, I am going to go out on a limb here so to speak and suggest that based upon what you describe, the Pearce grip extension might likely help you, as Dad_Roman accurately points out "due to natural downward pressure being applied by the bottom of the pinky", may assist with popping the mag out when the release is hit. By the way, it is only a $9.95 item.

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Yea, and I see what your sayin jeppo. Your palm contacts the spacer because its open to contact.

The Pearce ext. ONLY replace the baseplate. The spacer is still utilized.

No joy....I have to work night shift also tonight but IM gonna go look at mammas real quick.



EDIT: Ok, I see what your experiencing. I COULD do the same thing. I have pretty good sized hands but I still cannot reach the mag eject button with my grip. Mamma and I both played with it and found that in order to reach the button we both release/relax our pinky and ring fingers in order to slightly roll our hand around the palm swell in order to hit the button.

This pinky/ring finger release also naturally releases pressure on that piece of spacer in the back.

Apologies to 0849. Kinda ran your thread off the rails a little bit

No problem at all, a lot of good info coming out in this thread

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