Looking at buying an M&P Shield

[chele519]

I went to the gun store today to look at both a Shield and Glock 43. I have a SW 442 but it is so hard on the hand that I rarely go to the range anymore. I'm a female with small hands so the 442 is pretty uncomfortable for me. Spur of the moment today I decided to see what I could get for trade in value and look at a new gun. I like the feel of both the glock and the Shield. I plan to try them both out at the range in the next few days. I liked how both guns felt in my hand but the only issue I had with the Shield was that it was harder to rack the slide than the Glock. The salesperson said the rentals at the range would be easier and it was only because it was new. I'm curious if this is true and for women with this gun, do you have any issues? It wasn't even so much as racking the slide as pushing the little button down. For anyone who has fired both, which do you prefer and why? I would be using this for self defense/concealed carry but I want a gun that I will be comfortable practicing more with. Thanks

 

[9Shield]

I own a shield, and tried my friend's glock 43. The shield felt softer to shoot in both our opinions. In fact, he just picked up his own shield and is looking to sell his glock. Both our wives like the feel in size better as well just holding the shield. But please do try both for yourself. Only you will know for sure what you like better. Hope this helps a little. The shield is my first ever gun and I took my CCW Test with the class provided shield. I handled a glock in the class but didn't fire it. To me, it didn't make sense to spend $500 for the glock when I got the shield for $339. I have no problem racking the slide. You may have trouble at first, loading the magazines on a shield, as the springs are stiff. But a magazine loader like an uplula will help you there, and another tip, when you load the magazines, let them sit loaded for a few days, a week would be better and make a world of difference, if you can wait that long before you shoot it at the range. But 600 rounds in for me, and the magazines load very easy now.

 

[Grey.Ghost]

The little button on the shield isn't really designed as a slide release, you'll need to pull the slide back slightly and let it sling forward as opposed to using the button. It is true, as the gun wears in, the slide gets easier to manipulate. My wife prefers the shield over the Glock 43, she says it just "feels better". Racking the slide on the shield may take you a little time to master, but once you get the technique down, you'll do very well with it.

 

[miniSQ]

The slide will loosen up after a the first cleaning and lubrication as will the slide release.

 

[redwood0_7]

I have both. The 43 is a little more concealable. The shield seems to have a little less recoil but as you said the slide is hard to rack. I have shot several hundred rounds thru mine and the slide still is pretty stiff. I assume the button you mentioned is the slide release. Most are hard to push down on the small pistols. They are mostly there to hold slide on last shot. Between the two I would pick the shield but just my opinion. It's best to try both and see what works for you.

 

[chele519]

Thanks for the replies. I'm planning to try them day after tomorrow when the range is not so crowded. I saw that mag loader mentioned in another thread as well, I will keep that in mind.

 

[Ballistic147]

My wife and I both own and carry the Shield. I purchased mine first and she did have quite a bit of trouble racking the slide but with some practice and using the right technique she now has no trouble at all. She liked mine so much she bought one for herself. Both of ours have loosened up some after running rounds through them but they are a little stiffer than other guns I've owned. Still, racking the slide IMO is more about technique than strength.

The slide lock button will be hard to nearly impossible with an empty magazine fully inserted into the gun. This is because you are also fighting the magazine spring. Once again, it will get better with use.

My wife could not load rounds into the magazine however I don't have any trouble. She purchased an Uplula and since has no trouble at all. As already mentioned, leaving the magazines loaded for a while will help but the Uplula will be money well spent.

I really can't give you any firsthand experience between the two. We both purchased our Shields before the Glock 43 came out but it seems to me Glock missed on this one. Lower capacity and a higher price tag than the Shield would steer me away. After 1,000 rounds in mine and 700 in hers both of our Shields have been absolutely trouble free and amazingly accurate. Either way, you should shoot both and make your decision based on which one suits you best.

 

[Florida J Frame]

You mentioned trading your 442. That usually doesn't work real well since the dealer is only going to offer you wholesale. You will probably do better selling it outright to an end user.

 

[257wby]

Like Florida said. DON'T trade in your 442. Unless you really don't like it, keep it. If you are set on getting rid of it, you will get much more for it selling private treaty.

 

[JoeN.]

When you rack the slide on a Shield, try gripping the slide in your left hand and with your right hand push the pistol frame forward. Using that method makes racking the slide manageable for some people. It may not work for everyone but after I read about it, I tried it, and it sure works for me.

 

[JMichaelTX]

. . . the only issue I had with the Shield was that it was harder to rack the slide than the Glock. The salesperson said the rentals at the range would be easier and it was only because it was new. I'm curious if this is true and for women with this gun, do you have any issues?

There have been a number of threads posted here about the very stiff slide on the Shield. There seems to be quite a variance unit to unit, so be sure to actually try/test the actual unit you plan to buy.

The magazines are also very stiff. I use and recommend the [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Maglula-UpLULA-Universal-Pistol-Magazine/dp/B001HBHNHE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442116831&sr=8-1&keywords=maglula+uplula+speed+loader"]Amazon.com : Maglula UpLULA Universal Pistol Magazine Loader : Gun Magazine Loaders : Sports & Outdoors@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41QkD2BM-eL.@@AMEPARAM@@41QkD2BM-eL[/ame] mag loader.

See
Returned one Shield and bought another
 M&p 40 shield magazine and action springs too stiff 

 

[george_lehr]

chele519,
Here's a link to a video you might find interesting. Note the technique used to rack the slide. It may be different from what you do and may be something you could try.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tu9GB35lQcU[/ame]
For information, I've read that the Walther CCP (doing this from memory; hope that's the model) uses a gas piston delayed blowback system (may not be entirely correct terminology) that allows the use of a lighter recoil spring and is supposed to be easier to rack. I rented one to check it out and it didn't really seem that much easier to me. It also had a horrible trigger pull compared to my Shield.
George

 

[chele519]

I can't afford to buy the new gun without selling the old one. Just seems too much hassle to sell it privately online. I'd want someone to see it in person and not have to deal with something like an eBay sale. They did tell me to sell the Crimson trace separately. Maybe putting it on consignment would get more money. They said it would sell in 2 weeks. Just looked on gunsamerica and they are selling for $350 nib. They are offering me 272 on the trade

 

[MyDads38]

I can't afford to buy the new gun without selling the old one. Just seems too much hassle to sell it privately online. I'd want someone to see it in person and not have to deal with something like an eBay sale. They did tell me to sell the Crimson trace separately. Maybe putting it on consignment would get more money. They said it would sell in 2 weeks. Just looked on gunsamerica and they are selling for $350 nib. They are offering me 272 on the trade

What price are they asking for the Shield? Bud's has new Shields for $309, free shipping and no sales tax (at least to me in Indiana). $15-$20 transfer fee at my FFL. I bought a used, like new in box Shield 40 at my LGS for $321 w/tax. Went back a few weeks later and bought a new Shield 9 for $400 OTD. Few weeks later, everyone has them on sale for $339-$349 and then Bud's offers them for $309! I like mine so well, I was tempted to buy a few more at that price!

I did all my research before I ever handled either of my Shields-Tight Recoil Spring/Hard to Rack/Lock Slide, Stiff Mag Springs/Hard to Load Mags and dreaded disassembly/reassembly. I've had no issues with mine. I knew up front what to expect, and I worked with that knowledge to have a trouble free relationship with my Shields. I have separate threads on both my Shields and have posted pics of the accuracy I get from mine. If you can overcome the stiffness of the slide/loading mags, it'll make a fine replacement for the 442, IMO.

 

[Trons]

I will say that after close to 1000 rounds on my Shield 9, the slide is easy to rack and I can thumb the Slide Stop without a problem. Wasn't always like that, but it is now. Everybody loves shooting it. I've held the 43 and the Shield side by side and they are very similar in feel. If I had to choose now, I'd probably choose the shield (again) just because of the price difference. When I bought my Shield, Glock didn't offer the 43 so it wasn't a choice I had to make.

I will say that when I bought the shield, I did a lot of research into guns that size and caliber, and the shield kept coming out on top, especially for the money. I haven't seen anything in the last year to change that, including the 43.

 

[chele519]

Well, it was an easy decision after trying them at the range. I put 1/2 a box thru the Shield, at 15 and 21 feet, only a couple were outside the bullseye and I haven't been to the range in well over a year. No recoil at all. The mag was a little tight to load, had trouble getting that last round in but will order the mag loader. Loaded up the Glock and after firing just 2 rounds, took the rest out of the mag and loaded the rest in the Shield. Glock had more recoil, my accuracy was not as good.

The Shield was selling for $379, I had credit of $272. Yeah, maybe selling privately could get me a little more but it would be more inconvenient and I wanted the new gun now. Later this week I will stop back in and sign up for membership again. Now that I have a nice gun to shoot, I will be going a lot more often. Hopefully I can sell the CT grips and order the one for the Shield.

 

[Mister X]

I'd keep that 442. In an actual self-dense shooting, the distances will likely be extremely close, perhaps even contact distances. You will not likely have a perfect stance and two handed grip like at the range. Since you sound like someone without a whole lot of experience and perhaps maybe won't train a great deal, that 442 is probably the better choice. With a semi-auto, you should be able to operate it quickly and effectively to address and clear possible malfunctions. You also have to make sure you can shoot it one handed without causing it to malfunction(limp-wristing) as well as while moving. Auto's are much more prone to jam during a close quarter scenario. The enclosed hammer revolver avoids these issues completely. WILSON DEFENSE JOURNAL: The real ladies gun by Massad Ayoob

 

[chele519]

It's already gone. Actually, I do have some experience, former LEO, however back then we carried Ruger GP 100, this was 25 years ago. I LOVED that gun. I should not be carrying if I don't train with the gun and I just cannot train effectively with the 442. I may even do a class at the Sig Academy since I'm local to them.

 

[Ballistic147]

Take a look at the Armalaser TR4 for the Shield if you want to put a laser on it. My wife purchased one for hers at a gun show for $100 OTD. Simple to install, very easy to zero, and held a perfect zero for over 600 rounds. It also has a "touch switch" under the trigger guard and with standard hand placement on the grip you automatically turn the laser on. Very nice and less expensive than the CT. Only downside is they don't have it in green.

 

[chele519]

Take a look at the Armalaser TR4 for the Shield if you want to put a laser on it. My wife purchased one for hers at a gun show for $100 OTD. Simple to install, very easy to zero, and held a perfect zero for over 600 rounds. It also has a "touch switch" under the trigger guard and with standard hand placement on the grip you automatically turn the laser on. Very nice and less expensive than the CT. Only downside is they don't have it in green.

Thanks, I'll take a look. The only problem I see with the lasers on the semi-autos is that it affects the holster you can buy. I use an IWB, there's only one I saw online that I liked that would work with the CT.