What is a good alternative to the Shield?

dlbutler said:
.... Another way to look at it is the amount of complaints of the Shield on this forum.
Click to expand...

Could it be the fact that this is a Smith & Wesson Forum... and, as such, it is the place to spew hyperbole and jaundice at S&W firearms, the Shield being just one.

To the OP, patience might be the best call since the Shield is very well designed for concealed carry.
 
Hawkins,
That is exactly what I was meaning. Forums dedicated to a certain brand/gun will have many more complaint/help entries than general forums.
 
I also give a nod to the PM9 as it is was my primary carry until I got my 40 Shield and I still carry it sometimes. If the PM9 is too pricey for you then the CW9 is also a good alternative.
 
My wife is going to kill me but my bonus this year was a bit nicer than expected so I said screw it and bought a couple new ones. Since I absolutely love our new M&P9 Pro I picked up a M&P9c today! Yesterday I ordered a PM9 and it should be here by Wednesday!
 
jayman9207 said:
The instructor we were with today has the Shield as his carry gun as he conveniently aquired one when they first shipped some to the store he works at. He prefers the PM9 over the Shield and wishes he would have bought the PM9 instead.
Click to expand...

Really?

There's a waiting line several months long for the Shield, and he could sell it in under 5 minutes for more than he paid for it. I wonder how much he really wishes he didn't buy the Shield....;) :confused:
 
rraisley said:
M&P9 Pro, M&P9C and PM9. Now that is a VERY MERRY 9mm Christmas!
Click to expand...

You bet ya!!!!! :D

Lost Lake said:
Really?

There's a waiting line several months long for the Shield, and he could sell it in under 5 minutes for more than he paid for it. I wonder how much he really wishes he didn't buy the Shield....
Click to expand...

It is currently up on Gunbroker. He put it up there yesterday I think.
 
Hello to all here. My first posting on this forum today. I'm not qualified to give advice on personal choices for anyone else, but will give my opinion on what has worked for me.

On the subject of the Shield/Khar/PF9/LC9/PPS/Nano choices, I can say I've been blessed to have owned all of these at one time or another and will have to say the Shield 9 is my choice.

For me, it's always about the feel/hold of the pistol, then felt recoil and followup shots with any size but especially with the pocket or compact cc guns.

I found the trigger not acceptable to me on the Kahr. The feel and recoil impulse I found to be too much for my medium and arthritic hands with the PF9/LC9. The Nano, for me, was the worst, too small to grip comfortably, found it shifting in my hands when shooting, and it had the worst felt recoil of any of these for me anyway.

Until the Shield came along, the PPS was my carry choice. I had the 40 and found it way too snappy for me. Sold it and acquired a PPS9 which I found to be the best compromise of size, capacity, etc. for me.

Then had the opportunity to test a Shield at a lgs during a S&W day. Loved It.! Put my name on a waiting list immediately and 2 months later I have one.

Physically, the PPS9 and the Shield 9 are quite similar, the Shield actually a bit wider and taller. But it holds better and allows faster sight aquisition than with the PPS, at least for me. Haven't retired the PPS as yet, though that is my intention. A little more time with the Shield is required first.

Oh, yes I am a Smith fan, but not exclusively. Also, and first, purchased a M&P9c with CT grips, then found a FS with the threaded barrel. Guess where that may lead.

Anyway, hope I didn't bore you. As I said just my opinion and preferences. Yours probably will vary.
 
Last edited:
StatesRightist said:
1. Sights: CW has a pinned front sight, PM has a drift adjustable front sight (which is easier to swap for night sights)

2. Rifling: CW has convential cut rifling, PM has "match grade" polygonal rifling (both have Lothar Walther stainless barrels)

3. Slide: CW has fewer maching operations on the exterior and uses more angular edges, PM9 is more rounded

4. Slide stop lever: CW has a MIM lever, PM has machined lever

5. Rollmarking: CW has simple engraving of model and manufacturer, PM has actual rollmark

6. Magazine: CW includes one magazine, PM includes two


CW9
Length: 5.9"
Height: 4.5"
Thickness: 0.90"
Weight: 15.8 ounces w/o magazine (magazine weighs 1.9 ounces)
Barrel: 3.6" stainless steel with conventional rifling, 1:10" RH twist
Sights: drift adjustable white bar-dot combat rear sight, pinned polymer front sight
Capacity: 7+1 (single magazine included)
Ammunition: 9mm +P rated

PM9
Length: 5.3"
Height: 4.0"
Thickness: 0.90"
Weight: 14 ounces w/o magazine (magazine weighs 1.9 ounces)
Barrel: 3.0" stainless steel with polygonal rifling, 1:10" RH twist
Sights: drift adjustable white bar-dot combat sights, tritium optional
Capacity: 6+1 with flush floorplate, 7+1 with magazine extension (both magazines included)
Ammunition: 9mm +P rated

Related by Shanzlik out of TX on TheFiringline forum.
Click to expand...

CW9 is a great SD gun (P9 is a higher quility alternative).
 
For my wife and any female carrying in a purse, I suggest a LCR or another type of hammerless revolver. No hammer or slide to get caught on anything.
 
jdad said:
XD-S...............just traded my Shield for it. No regrets. It's as accurate as this video shows. I didn't think it was going to be better than the Shield, in basically the same package, but in .45 it sure is.
Click to expand...

I second this. I've had both. I now only have an XDS.
 
I will tell you why I would not buy a Kahr.
This is just my opinion and not necessarily supported by evidence but only an observation.
On the majority of their models the steel slide comes into direct contact with the polymer of the frame.
I am a revolver guy so I am not extremely versed on the subject but most guns like glocks, FNPs, and XDs all have a metal buffer of sorts in direct contact with the slide above where the dis-assembly mechanism is located.
The Kahr lacks this.
I do not see any possible way that constant movement of the slide could not effect the integrity of the frame.
I could be mistaken and would be glad to hear from Kahr owners with 1000+ rounds through their guns.
To me it just seems like a "Carry often, shoot little" design.
 
I am a Kahr owner, in fact double Kahr owner. There is steel enbedded in the polymer where the slide moves. I have over 2000 rounds in both my CM9 and CW45. There are many folks on Kahrtalk.com that have much more than that. In fact one poster, Jocko, has over 32,000 rounds through his PM9 without a problem.
 
Thanks to the Xmas and other circumstances push my PM9 doesn't come in until Friday! :mad:

In the meantime thought I have been shooting the **** out of my full size M&P9 Pro and new M&P9c! :D I like the 9c almost as much as the full size. I still want the smaller PM9 for my EDC gun (CHL class is on the 12th!) but I might carry the 9c from time to time. I already ordered a Crossbreed Appendix Carry Holster for the PM9 and depending on how I like it I might get another for our 9c.
 
The best "substitute" for a Shield, is . . . another Shield -- don't give up, keep hanging in there, and don't settle for less. If you find that another pistol works better for you, then, by all means, pursue it. But, if the Shield is what you want, don't go for "almost a Shield" -- get the real thing.
 
VaRecon said:
I will tell you why I would not buy a Kahr.
This is just my opinion and not necessarily supported by evidence but only an observation.
On the majority of their models the steel slide comes into direct contact with the polymer of the frame.
Click to expand...

The slide never comes in direct contact with polymer on any Kahr. It LOOKS like this is the case, as there are polymer "rails" that run along the slide. They're mostly there to block dirt from entering the internals. The slide doesn't touch those "rails." The REAL rails are actually along the inside of the frame, along the barrel "tunnel" and are indeed steel. If you don't know to look there, you miss them, but they're obvious when you know where to look. The rear rails are also steel and embedded in the frame above the handgrip. It's metal on metal, and Kahrs go tens of thousands of rounds without wear issues. Neall
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
Looking to get educated on non-appendix IWB holsters
Replies
18
Views
357
Bob A.
B
C
Bodyguard 2.0 Finally Released
6 7 8
Replies
140
Views
22K
MPWhite
MPWhite
RM Vivas
The small world of my NYPD Commando
Replies
13
Views
532
RM Vivas
RM Vivas
F
Young Brothers Massacre, A tactical expert opinion.
Replies
17
Views
2K
Timothy2700
T
B
Introduction-LONG post warning
2 3
Replies
41
Views
2K
rwsmith
rwsmith

Latest posts

Back
Top