Shield 9mm. Holy cow, what a nice gun!

[Bowserb]

My wife has been waiting for a sale on the Shield, but when we read on Saturday that the Hillary is talking again about a 25% tax on guns, she got off the fence and headed to Academy. $399 is a long way from the best price I've heard, but OTOH, one local dealer sells--or at least has a price tag--for $529. And no, that's not the model with the laser!

In any case it was a big moment. She has had a Texas CHL for several years but not carried or bought a gun of her own. The fear of the 25% tax or even a rush on guns and ammo like in 2012, caused her to act. It was such a big deal, I had to take a picture of her filling out the 4473 and then being shown the content of the box by the sales person.

Not been to the range with it. I was going to take it today for test shooting and initial break in, but Houston has bizarre 500-year rain and floods today. We've dry fired it a bunch with the LaserLyte system (both the target and the cans), and the thing that has stood out to me the most is the trigger. I keep reading about replacing the Shield trigger, and all I can think of is that you Shield users must not be familiar with Glock triggers. I've got a G19 and the trigger is awful. Besides having that annoying "safety" thing in the middle, it has a grooved surface like a file. The Shield trigger is so smooth it is like a miracle compared to the Glock.

The other thing I noticed during an initial clean and lube is that nothing about the Shield seems cheap. It looks like high quality stuff. Compared to a Glock 43 for a hundred dollars more, it really looks good. Plus it has a manual thumb safety, which my wife insists on and I can't disagree. After some shooting, I'll report back what she says about it, but my wife is so far delighted with her choice. She looked at a couple other compact single stacks, and thank goodness she hated the Sig P938 ($700, heavy, six rounds, short grip) and the G43 which also has a too-short grip, as well as no safety.

I ordered a couple more 8 round magazines and a finger grip base plate for the 7 rounder. Night sights are another question, though. My wife likes my Truglo TFX combo fiber/tritium sights on the G19 but not the Trijicons on my XDM-45 or the SigLites on the P227. However, the front TFX sight is about 7/8" long, which reduces the sight radius and can also hit your hand when racking the slide. I notice it on the G19 with a 4" barrel. I wonder if anyone has those sights on a Shield and if they are a problem.

Anyway, range report coming soon, hopefully. The Good Lord is willing, but the creek has risen, so it might be a few days!

 

[Bayoutalker]

All that rain is hitting here in Beaumont now too. I'll be looking for you if you happen to float by.

Cliff

 

[Bowserb]

All that rain is hitting here in Beaumont now too. I'll be looking for you if you happen to float by.
Cliff

I'll be in a black Columbia fishing shirt and khaki cargo pants. Everything here is shut down. IAH has had record rainfall for any day in April ever...and it's only 8am with 100% rain forecast for the rest of the day. The weather service calls this a 500 year flood event. And there we were, confident because we're well outside the 100 year flood plain. Luckily we have flood insurance. A mile to the west of us is the Barker Reservoir and two miles north is the Addicks Reservoir. 7/10 of a mile north is Buffalo Bayou, the major drainage for west Harris County. No we're not worried.

 

[Bayoutalker]

I'll pray for you. All that rain is heading here too. Look at the radar picture, this is a band that goes all the way into Canada. That should flood a good part of the country.

We live in our camper in part of the higher part of town. I sure hope it floats, "in case".

Cliff

 

[Bowserb]

I'll pray for you. All that rain is heading here too. Look at the radar picture, this is a band that goes all the way into Canada. That should flood a good part of the country.

We live in our camper in part of the higher part of town. I sure hope it floats, "in case".
Cliff

Good luck to you, too. Just a break for an on topic point, do you have night sights on your Shield? If so which?

 

[Bayoutalker]

Good luck to you, too. Just a break for an on topic point, do you have night sights on your Shield? If so which?

No. I started to get the night sights but I figured I'd save the money since I don't get out at night much. In the mean time I'm planning to get some of the Glo On paint and give it a try. If I don't like it I can still replace the sights.

http://glow-on.com/

Cliff

 

[Smoke52]

My Shield 9 is about 1 1/2 years old now. Apex trigger, and TFO night sights. Great carry gun. I have no Talon grip tapes or slide on enhancements to the gun. I found the factory 8 round mag was a better fit for my hand than the shorter 7 rounder and so carried the 8 rounders. Things changed when I discovered the Pearce extension for the Shield. That little angled addition made the 7 round mags absolutely perfect in my hand. Comfort, fit and spot on accuracy. Whats not to like?

Here is an Amazon link:

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Pearce-Grips-GFISC-P-Grip-Extensions/dp/B00FGL97CA"]Amazon.com : Pearce Grips, Grip Extensions : Gun Grips : Sports & Outdoors@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41DaOFU5JcL.@@AMEPARAM@@41DaOFU5JcL[/ame]

 

[Bowserb]

My Shield 9 is about 1 1/2 years old now. Apex trigger, and TFO night sights. Great carry gun. I have no Talon grip tapes or slide on enhancements to the gun. I found the factory 8 round mag was a better fit for my hand than the shorter 7 rounder and so carried the 8 rounders. Things changed when I discovered the Pearce extension for the Shield. That little angled addition made the 7 round mags absolutely perfect in my hand. Comfort, fit and spot on accuracy. Whats not to like?
Here is an Amazon link:
Amazon.com : Pearce Grips, Grip Extensions : Gun Grips : Sports & Outdoors

I do not shoot a gun with only 2 finger grips well at all. My wife is the same. The 8 round mag is an extra round and a better grip. I've used the Pearce mag bottoms on other guns in the past. They can transform impossible guns like Glock 26/27, Springfield subcompacts, and little Rugers. Will likely add the Pearce to the 7 round magazine, although that magazine will never be the carried mag. Might use it on the range, though.

Do you find the front TFO sight to be a problem at all?

 

[Deadbug]

<snip>....My wife likes my Truglo TFX combo fiber/tritium sights on the G19 but not the Trijicons on my XDM-45 or the SigLites on the P227. However, the front TFX sight is about 7/8" long, which reduces the sight radius and can also hit your hand when racking the slide. I notice it on the G19 with a 4" barrel. I wonder if anyone has those sights on a Shield and if they are a problem....<snip>

Bill, I have the TruGlo TFX sights on my 9mm Shield--and absolutely love 'em. I almost fell into the "overthinking" trap about the reduced sight radius. But it is so imperceptibly small--and I haven't noticed any problem at all in keeping tight 4-6" groups out to 20 yards or so, and 2-3" groups at the 7 yard line.

Heck, for most likely defensive shooting scenarios, it's debatable that you'll even have the time to line up the sights like you do at the range anyway. But no, my Shield with over 5,000 rounds has proven itself to be a smooth reliable "tack driver" at the range--even better with the Truglo TFX sights and the improved-design Talon rubberized grip tape.

 

[deputy970]

ive always enjoyed shooting/carrying my shield 9. was out shooting one day with my father and he loved it, so i gave it to him. i now carry a glock 43. not because i like the glock more, i just figured someday (hopefully not too soon) that i'll be getting that shield back. but, i shoot the shield better than the 43 without a doubt.

congrats on the new gun owner. i remember when my wife and i first met...she was so anti-gun, i dont know how many arguments we had over it. after five years of marriage (married now 12 years) i smiled as she filled out her first 4473. now that i have an 01 FFL, last year she ordered a gun for "us" (a smith 6" 617).

 

[Bowserb]

Bill, I have the TruGlo TFX sights on my 9mm Shield--and absolutely love 'em. I almost fell into the "overthinking" trap about the reduced sight radius. But it is so imperceptibly small--and I haven't noticed any problem at all in keeping tight 4-6" groups out to 20 yards or so, and 2-3" groups at the 7 yard line.

Heck, for most likely defensive shooting scenarios, it's debatable that you'll even have the time to line up the sights like you do at the range anyway. But no, my Shield with over 5,000 rounds has proven itself to be a smooth reliable "tack driver" at the range--even better with the Truglo TFX sights and the improved-design Talon rubberized grip tape.

Thanks, Deadbug. I usually subscribe to the philosophy that if it's worth thinking about, it's worth overthinking. Did you install the TFX's yourself? My nearby range has a gunsmith, and they'll install sights for $50. Of course, saving $50 is always appealing, but I've not installed sights previously, and my wife will be unhappy if I scratch her new gun.

 

[CSB]

No. I started to get the night sights but I figured I'd save the money since I don't get out at night much. In the mean time I'm planning to get some of the Glo On paint and give it a try. If I don't like it I can still replace the sights.

Glow-On

Cliff

I haven't yet been convinced that cost/necessity works in favor of night sights, but I'm considering it. Has anyone of you actually used the Glow-On product (I also see a SiteGlo product online; I'm sure there are others). Curious to know how long it would be luminescent -- considering it would be in an IWB most of the time.

 

[Deadbug]

....Did you install the TFX's yourself? My nearby range has a gunsmith, and they'll install sights for $50. Of course, saving $50 is always appealing, but I've not installed sights previously, and my wife will be unhappy if I scratch her new gun.

The range I go to has a S&W-certified gunsmith on duty who is very experienced and also owns a Shield. I had him do a trigger job, internal and mag polish. He installed my TFXs at the same time and zeroed the sights at no additional charge.

Yeah, I didn't have the proper tools, nor was I really wanting to screw up this beauty of a pistol. There are plenty of posts from people who have done it and happy--and those who weren't.

Hopes that helps. Feel free to PM if you'd like.

 

[Bowserb]

S&W-certified gunsmith. Worth a search in Houston. Thanks.

 

[Deadbug]

I haven't yet been convinced that cost/necessity works in favor of night sights, but I'm considering it. Has anyone of you actually used the Glow-On product (I also see a SiteGlo product online; I'm sure there are others). Curious to know how long it would be luminescent -- considering it would be in an IWB most of the time.

Another consideration: I carry my Shield always when I leave the house. Otherwise, it is in my spring-loaded-open biometric small safe under my bed...serving double-duty as a home defense weapon. It's totally dark inside the safe. If you have to pull it out at night many hours or days since recharged in light, the TFX or similar tritium sights will be brightly lit--Glow-On or similar luminescent paint would be likely dark. Just 'sayin.

 

[Bowserb]

Here are some night sights (all tritium; the TFX are also fiber) I have on handguns. Left to right they are Truglo TFX on a G19, SigLite factory sights on a Sig P227, XDM-45 with Trijicon HD, and a Colt XSE with conventional Novaks for comparison. The four pictures are in overhead light, omnidirectional room light, dim light, and pitch dark. May be useful for comparison. Note the TFX advantage in overhead light, especially outdoors, with fiber in addition to the tritium. The SigLites have a kind of built in reflector that makes them look larger in the dark. The Novaks of course, disappear in the dark.

Just FYI.

 

[Protected One]

Thanks, Deadbug. I usually subscribe to the philosophy that if it's worth thinking about, it's worth overthinking. Did you install the TFX's yourself? My nearby range has a gunsmith, and they'll install sights for $50. Of course, saving $50 is always appealing, but I've not installed sights previously, and my wife will be unhappy if I scratch her new gun.

If you ask I'm betting the gunsmith will install the sights for $30. That's about the going rate these days. $50 is high.

 

[Bayoutalker]

I haven't yet been convinced that cost/necessity works in favor of night sights, but I'm considering it. Has anyone of you actually used the Glow-On product (I also see a SiteGlo product online; I'm sure there are others). Curious to know how long it would be luminescent -- considering it would be in an IWB most of the time.

Another consideration: I carry my Shield always when I leave the house. Otherwise, it is in my spring-loaded-open biometric small safe under my bed...serving double-duty as a home defense weapon. It's totally dark inside the safe. If you have to pull it out at night many hours or days since recharged in light, the TFX or similar tritium sights will be brightly lit--Glow-On or similar luminescent paint would be likely dark. Just 'sayin.

For $10 I am willing to be the guinea pig. If it works, great. If not, it can be removed and/or the sights replaced. I rarely go anywhere that there is not enough light to shoot by if necessary. Part of my situational awareness.

I normally take my gun off when I get home and it sits on the bed in the light until I go to bed. I guess the question is how long does it glow after a "charge". It is just me and the wife at home so no need to worry about anyone else getting the gun. I don't think the dog can pull the trigger. [emoji1]

Cliff

 

[McE]

You should be able to point shoot a man sized target within legally justifiable self-defense distances. If you cannot, then all of that money wasted on night sights would've been better off spent on ammo and range time.

 

[Bowserb]

If you ask I'm betting the gunsmith will install the sights for $30. That's about the going rate these days. $50 is high.

Thanks for that. Last time I had night sights installed, they were Trijicon HD's and the shop sold me the sights and installation for $125. Unfortunately, that gunsmith has since passed away. My nearby range published that $50 rate on their website, however, that place is notorious for its deluxe pricing. Their guns are all listed at MSRP, as are their accessories. I've asked S&W for a list of certified armorers in the Houston area. No gunsmith would be as expensive as shipping the gun to S&W and back!

Incidentally, Amazon wants $108 for a set of Truglo TFX. That beats Midway, Brownells, Natchez, or Cabelas.