Another issue with the Shield 9 that I recently purchased is the configuration of the barrel. The barrel has a shoulder and a larger diameter in the front 1/2" as seen in the pic below. My other Shield has no shoulder and has the same OD in its entire length. The bigger shoulder area is the same diameter as my other barrel. The shoulder barrel was made in 2015 (HVLxxxx) according to the box but I can't find a date on the straight barrel (LEJxxxx) box. It doesn't appear to be a damage issue as the bore internal and the outside bluing is perfect. It looks like it was machined that way. Does anyone know why the difference?

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At some they probably changed the slide bushing configuration(ie bushing and barrel dia. for easier manufacturing.

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S&W Accumulator

So, how do they shoot? If both barrels function well, don't sweat it.

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What, me worry?

Outside shape of your barrels doesn't really matter.
Barrel has only 2 main points of lock up - first 1/2 inch from muzzle and angular shape at chamber's side.
Mid of the barrel can have different outside dimensions but will function as desired.

They both shoot fine. My only purpose in posting this is to see if anyone knew the history of this particular stepped barrel. I've owned a lot of Shields and other semi-autos and I don't recall ever seeing a stepped barrel like this.

Could be that it’s one less machining operation.

I can't speak to the Shields specifically (I do own a 1.0).

However, the difference appears mainly between 1.0 and 2.0.

All of my 1.0s (Core, fullsize, Compact and Shield, including a few spare barrels) all have the shoulder at the muzzle. Even my Storm Lake barrel for my 5'" core.

I've seen pics here and on other forums looks like the 2.0 barrels are straight.

There was a thread last year about the 2.0 core having a ridge inside the muzzle end of the slide and no shoulder on the barrel.

Is your Shield a 1.0 or 2.0?

Both guns are version 1.0. The one in question with the stepped barrel has a mfg date on the box of 2015. Based on a higher serial number, I believe the gun with the straight barrel was made some time later (it has no date on the box), possibly toward the end of the 1.0 models. It may be that S&W started making the straight barrels just before the 2.0 came out and put some of them in the 1.0 models.

There is less of a jump from 1.0 to 2.0 for the Shields compared to the other M&Ps. It's certainly possible S&W used some 2.0 parts building late 1.0 Shields.

Are you sure there's no date code? You can call S&W customer service and they should be able to give you the build date from the serial number. By chance, does the 2015 one have a 6 digit number (which IS the date). Does the later one have a 4 digit number?

Did you buy both new?

I bought both guns used. Actually I found the date on the newer model as it was in a different location from where I thought it was supposed to be. The older gun with the stepped barrel (HVLxxxx) has a six digit date code of 012415. The newer model with the straight barrel (LEJxxxx) has a six digit date code of 050116.

If they both work, great but I would prefer the one that has more "Metal" on it, just because of pressures of the little 9mm ammo.

I'm curious, what are the outside diameters of both barrels in the area of the front 1/2 inch?

I don't have a micrometer that is sensitive enough to get an exacct dimension but the one I do have shows that both barrels are exactly the same dimension in the front 1/2 inch (about 1/2 inch in OD). It's a moot point now as I have sold the one with the stepped barrel in order to buy a new M&P9C.

OK, they probably just eliminated a machining step as someone noted above.

Seems to me that it would take more time, machining steps (and $$) to cut a stepped barrel.

It must be something positive with such manufacturing.
Apex makes barrels this way, and I don't think they do this to put more $$$ into the production.