My M&P Shield pics, internals, compare to Kahr CM9, M&P9c, Aprex sear, safety info

[cocojo]

I am a lefty and been shooting right handed guns all my life. I don't have an issue with mag button, I use my index finger. I don't have an issue with slide stop, I just work the slide instead, but a safety that can't be reached by a left handed person is an issue for me. Some one mentioned above just don't use it and I wouldn't, but for some reason it was unintentionally hit and moved up or for some unknown reason you needed the gun quickly,I think it's bad news. I would buy the gun if that safety was gone and not put there in the fistplace. None of their other guns have this why did they put it on this gun and they ommitted the ambi slide stop. All their other guns have these features and only a few models have this safety, I really don't get it. For those who use it sometimes and sometimes they don't. My advice would be either use it always or don't use it at all. I wouldn't be mixing my draw and firing gross motor skills, they should stay the same always. Just my 2 cents guys.

 

[turbo38gn]

I am a lefty and been shooting right handed guns all my life. I don't have an issue with mag button, I use my index finger. I don't have an issue with slide stop, I just work the slide instead, but a safety that can't be reached by a left handed person is an issue for me. Some one mentioned above just don't use it and I wouldn't, but for some reason it was unintentionally hit and moved up or for some unknown reason you needed the gun quickly,I think it's bad news. I would buy the gun if that safety was gone and not put there in the fistplace. None of their other guns have this why did they put it on this gun and they ommitted the ambi slide stop. All their other guns have these features and only a few models have this safety, I really don't get it. For those who use it sometimes and sometimes they don't. My advice would be either use it always or don't use it at all. I wouldn't be mixing my draw and firing gross motor skills, they should stay the same always. Just my 2 cents guys.

Ok,... so what M&P's do you own now...?

 

[crisco]

I am a lefty and been shooting right handed guns all my life. I don't have an issue with mag button, I use my index finger. I don't have an issue with slide stop, I just work the slide instead, but a safety that can't be reached by a left handed person is an issue for me.

As a lefty, I 100% agree with this statement. It's the same way I feel.

I have an M&P 40c with safety. My left thumb manipulates the right-side safety. I use my left index finger to work the left-side mag release. I can use either thumb or finger to work the slide release on either side.

That low-profile, right hand only safety is one of the things throwing me off. I'm one of those that actually wants a thumb safety, and it must be ambi in order for me to use it. There is too much competition out there in the market for me to re-train myself (ALL my handguns have ambi safeties), I'll just spend my money elsewhere on a CCW platform that does have an ambi safety. I was saving up for either a Solo or a PM-9 and was really looking forward to this when news started to leak. It's too bad they missed my boat, because my M&P is one of my favorite guns!

 

[kris7047th]

I had an ATEi sear installed 4/13/12 trigger weight at 4.1 lb. Full serrations are being done. Here is a vid of the trigger after the work was done. The safety is a non issue for me as it is nicely recessed. Even so, it disengages very easy, and is tight to engage it.

S&W M&P9 SHIELD - YouTube

 

[cocojo]

I don't own an M&P I own an S&W SD9. Why you have to know that is beyond me, but I do like S&W guns. I also like Glocks and other brands of guns. I bought the SD9 over the M&P because I liked it. The SD is a right handed gun with no ambi controls and the only difference is the safety it doesn't have one and there really is no need for it. One less thing to worry about. I much prefer striker firing guns with no safety's.

 

[turbo38gn]

I don't own an M&P I own an S&W SD9. Why you have to know that is beyond me, but I do like S&W guns. I also like Glocks and other brands of guns. I bought the SD9 over the M&P because I liked it. The SD is a right handed gun with no ambi controls and the only difference is the safety it doesn't have one and there really is no need for it. One less thing to worry about. I much prefer striker firing guns with no safety's.

Thanks, that's what I thought..

 

[Cervantes2010]

Skip, Coco,
So what M&P do you guys own now?




I'll be willing to bet most lefties are more like you....

I own M&P fs 9 and 9c

Skip

 

[turbo38gn]

I own M&P fs 9 and 9c

Skip

That's awsome Skip, I just spoke with a couple of friends, not to mention evry single review I've read all over the Net has been positive for the Shield. I can't wait for them to be legal in Mass... I can add at least one to the stable. You may want to at least give a good close look at one before shutting the door, especially if you like your existing M&P's.

 

[Cervantes2010]

That's awsome Skip, I just spoke with a couple of friends, not to mention evry single review I've read all over the Net has been positive for the Shield. I can't wait for them to be legal in Mass... I can add at least one to the stable. You may want to at least give a good close look at one before shutting the door, especially if you like your existing M&P's.

I've already trained my muscle memory on my other 2 M&Ps and retraining for one pistol, then having to remember which I was carrying is not a good thing. Having two sets of handling drills should not be required.

Skip

 

[cocojo]

Turbo, I am a bit confused on what owning a M&P over an sd has to do with a right handed safety and controls. My question to you is, are you left handed? If you are then maybe you have found a better way of dealiing with this issue. If your not left handed I can't see how you could even know what it's like to live in a right handed world.

 

[vegasgunhand]

I got my Shield on Saturday, but wasn't able to get to the range until today.

I shot over 300 rounds of mixed FMJ and JHP ammunition from several manufactures. I did not have a single malfunction of any type, the Shield fired flawlessly. I was producing 2 inch groups at seven yards right out of the box.

I also took my Kahr P9 to shoot both pistols side by side. I've carried my P9 for several years, and it works great, but the Shield was just an easier and more comfortable pistol to shoot. I like my Kahr, but I LOVE my Shield.

I did not use the thunb safety at all. At no time did the safety engage while I was firing the pistol. If the safety bothers you, then don't use it. As far as left handed shooters, I don't believe the safety will be an issue. I fired several magazines off hand, and the safety was a non issue.

The Shield is now my everyday carry gun!!!

 

[turbo38gn]

Turbo, I am a bit confused on what owning a M&P over an sd has to do with a right handed safety and controls. My question to you is, are you left handed? If you are then maybe you have found a better way of dealiing with this issue. If your not left handed I can't see how you could even know what it's like to live in a right handed world.

Don't be confusd, I was just curious. And No, I'm not left handed. Go Bruins!!!

 

[HLG]

Take-down lever

When you took your Shield apart, did you use the new take-down lever or just pull the trigger like other M&P pistols? I tried to use the lever like in the manual, but it wouldn,t come apart.

 

[jim28080]

I put this report in another thread too.


Sorry I didn't get to shoot yesterday... I went this morning. I put 150 of my 147 grain reloads through the new shield and followed with 25 Speer Gold Dots 147 grain. It functioned perfectly.
I shot both magazines 1 after another until I ran out of ammo.
I tried strong hand ,weak hand and even tried to limp wrist with my strong hand,no problems at all.
The trigger is very nice, it seems a little heavy but breaks crisply and helps to keep shots on target. I'm no super shooter but could keep my shots in a fist sized cluster even shooting fast at 7 yards. Thats about as good as I can do with my 1911.
I really like this gun in case you couldn't tell
Oh, buy the way, recoil was milder than I expected. I think the grip shape has a lot to do with that.
I think my wife is gonna steal this one too!!

 

[robotoid]

evnash, looks like you tore into yours pretty deeply. How big is the sear return spring? I.E., are they using a larger one like the fix for sear bounce in the earlier FS and C models?? Also, does it look like its using the same trigger return coil spring as the other bigger models?

 

[air8]

I had an ATEi sear installed 4/13/12 trigger weight at 4.1 lb. Full serrations are being done. Here is a vid of the trigger after the work was done. The safety is a non issue for me as it is nicely recessed. Even so, it disengages very easy, and is tight to engage it.

S&W M&P9 SHIELD - YouTube

Very nice.

 

[kawibunga]

Almost any lefty can learn to use a right-handed gun. However, they will be slower and sloppier. The mechanics are just different. It really is unfortunate to hear that this piece is not "lefty-adaptable." That's going to keep ME away from it- good reviews and all.

Do you think that S&W avoids this to keep the profile of the gun smaller, or does it just cost less to make? (you figure that if it costs 20% less to make, than they can afford to lose 16% of the gun-buying market...)

 

[kris7047th]

Very nice.

Full serrations will be done soon. Right now he has been so busy changing out sears and trigger work on all those who have been buying the Shield, he is probably lining up everyone who wants the serrations to do it at one time. I expect that I will have to wait a few weeks for it to get done.

 

[Ken NC]

So is the mag release reversible?

I'm betting my two cents that it is. On the pistol itself, from the photos i've seen, the mag release button looks like those on every other (reversible) compact and full sized M&P. Also, all the pics I've seen of the magazines themselves have notches for the mag release cut on both sides. Apologies for beating a dead horse here but I am really curious about this and haven't seen a settled answer!

 

[tgmorris99]

I'm betting my two cents that it is. On the pistol itself, from the photos i've seen, the mag release button looks like those on every other (reversible) compact and full sized M&P. Also, all the pics I've seen of the magazines themselves have notches for the mag release cut on both sides. Apologies for beating a dead horse here but I am really curious about this and haven't seen a settled answer!

As noted elsewhere, the mag release is not reversible. The giveaway is there's no description in the owner's manual on how to swap it like there is for the rest of the M&P line. Also, if you look closely at the shape of the button area on each side you will see that it is not quite the same.