I presently do not own any of the plastic guns, only revolvers after many years of carrying a 1911 daily. I have been considering a shield and have read a bunch on the internet etc. For those who have one, how do you like it. Want to know pros and cons. Compare to your Glocks. How does it shoot. Tell me all about it please. I would use this for CCW but not pocket carry, have an M&P 340 for that.

Tom, Hello first I am going to advise that if you do want this type of gun I would caution you to wait about a year before getting one. Usually with first production models they usually have problems with them. I would say let all the kinks come out and be fixed before you take that step...I too want a new sheild but I will wait the year before getting one. I am also a revolver guy and have carried revolvers most of my life. I also shoot Glocks at wirk as I am forced to carry one. I will say that I have shot both the M&P and the Glocks. I think they both have good ergonomics, I do not like the trigger on either gun and I do not like plastic guns as I had a Glock 21 blow up in my hand..(again I am a revolver guy they are all metal and I have never had a problem out of one.) I am forced to make the switch as plastic guns seem to be the wave of the future. I did take a chance and bought a Sig 290 and I really like it even though it is plastic...It fits in my pocket a little better than my S&W 642. I have heard great things about the little gun so far, maybe S&W kept the sheild off the market until they worked out all of the kinks unlike every other company,,,only time will tell.

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M.J.Hanna

Try to find a range near you that has one as a rental gun. Easiest way is to shoot one.

There are several posters on these forums that have the Shield with one even having more than 1000 rounds through his and he absolutely loves it. Has gone through all 1000 rounds without a hiccup.

S&W warranty/customer service is so dang good I wouldn't even concern myself about waiting to buy one if you've handled one and like it. If I had read even one smidgen of bad about the gun I'd say different but there is absolutely not one bad thing I've read/seen about these guns.

Good luck!!

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Live For Today Not Tomorrow

Normally I would agree too, but this is not a "new gun". It is identical to the M&P series just a bit slimmer. All of the trials and tribulations from those have been applied and used on this pistol as well. Also, the reviews and experiences people keep posting seem to indicate that this gun was done very well. I have not read a single post about any failure to feed, extraction or double feed issues nor failures of the slide locking back on a full mag or not doing so on an empty one. One guy has over 1,000 rounds through his even. You can rest easy buying this one new, I sure did - and you've got some of the best customer service in the industry at your disposal should you need it from Smith & Wesson.

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Wheelguns 'n 3rd Gens.

I completely disagree. The Shield has practically the same internal makings as the larger M&Ps. It is simply a single stack M&P .. nothing really new. What kinks are you talking about? I know several guys who have bought the Shield and not one has reported any issues. They love it, stating that the Shield is very accurate and dependable. I have close to 1000 rnds through mine mostly with reloads .. not one hiccup!

I have been reading all the posts on the forum and also have looked at all the reviews on the net. So far it looks extremely good. I have been a bit devided between the .9mm and the .40cal but I think that the .40 makes more sense in some ways even though I have never been a big fan of the .9mm. I am also considering the soon to be released Springfield XDs. Keep the comments coming!

Tom

I rented a Shield recently and can attest to all the good things posted, at least for the short run. If you want one I see no reason to wait, the price will only go up and the customer service @ S&W is excellent.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

I come from where you are coming from. For years the only plastic pistol I owned was a KelTec .380 some time ago and more recently a Ruger LCP. I've always preferred and only owned J- and K-frame revolvers as well as a couple of S+W "3rd Gen autos" and 1911's and a BHP. I've always wanted to like Glocks because of their well-deserved reputation for reliability, simplicity, ruggedness, etc. My only problem was I just didn't LIKE Glocks. I had been looking at the M&P line for a while but never really took the plunge. I even happened on a really good deal on a full-size 9mm and turned it down. I was always kind of interested in the M&P9c, though, and finally happened on a deal I couldn't pass up on one, "used, but barely fired". The gun shop owner told me someone ran one box of range ammo through it, decided they didn't like it and traded it right back in on something else. Not hard to believe as this was in early Feb 2012 and the fired case envelope is dated late-November 2011.

Anyway, even though I was looking forward to getting it, I immediately liked the M&P9c way more than I ever thought I would. It has proven itself to be 100% reliable so far, is easy to shoot accurately and I love the way it looks and feels. I just bought a "Shield" Friday and ran an initial 200 trouble free rounds through it yesterday. It carries more easily than the 9c being noticeably slimmer, shorter and lighter, but so far has proven itself to be just as accurate and reliable as well as handsome and feels good in the hand. No, it's not a true pocket pistol, I wasn't looking for one. (Like many guns, it COULD be carried in the pocket for a brief run to the store or what-have-you, but not what I call a true pocket pistol.) Like my other favorite S+W models, the 3913 and 3953, I feel it's a great gun because it is small, thin and light enough to be a great carry gun while being "substantial enough" to be fun to shoot many rounds through in a single range session.

Many on this forum and others have lamented the discontinuation of the 3913 (as well as other fine 3rd gens). It's extremely doubtful for many reasons (mostly financial) that you'll ever see them produced again, but maybe S+W really has been listening and is offering us the next best thing. My 3913, BHP and 1911 aren't leaving me anytime soon, but the Shield isn't, either, and in the immediate future will see most of my holster and range time.

Maybe you guys did not read my last line....I do not care if it is a single stack version of the M&P the dimentions have changed and other mechanical and engineering factors are involved....The bottom line is it is a new production gun and is based off of the full size design of the M&P...Now I refer to the last sentence I wrote.....

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M.J.Hanna

pretty sure that the price will go down... very few people actually pay msrp for a gun unless it's new and hard to get a hold of. I am sure they will be in the 370's in a year or so.

300 rounds through my Shield and ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEMS of any kind. 115/124/147 Grain. Everyone whose held or shot it likes it.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

My wife and I both carry a M&P9c, they have both been completely trouble free for the past 5 years. I bought a new Shield last Tuesday, took it out and we both shot about 50 rounds a piece through it. Yesterday my wife bought her own Shield and we took it out this morning and ran 50 rounds through the new gun. At 25 yards her first target wound up with one big hole in the center of the target and there was a big smile on her face.

The Shield breaks down just like every other M&P. The Shield has a Thumb Safety, where my 9c does not.

The Thumb Safety does not lock the slide, but rather blocks the Sear from movement, so it can be unloaded and cleared with the safety on. The Ruger LC-9 locks the slide and must be moved to the Fire position to unload and clear the gun. The Ruger also has a Magazine Safety; the Shield does not. There is no Internal key lock as well; the LC-9 has an Internal key lock.

The recoil of the Shield is just like my M&P9c. The trigger is crisp with a good reset, the same as my 9c. I will run another 100 rounds through the gun before I replace my 9c as my daily carry gun, but I don't anticipate any surprises for the new Shield. I have been carrying it in a Blackhawk size 3 pocket holster in my daily uniform of shorts and T-shirt. It also fits in my Crossbreed SuperTuck IWB and my Galco Stinger OWB holsters.

The store where we bought both guns is now sold out...the sold almost 30 guns in less than a week.

I would say S&W knows what they're doing. I think there is indication enough that with the factory test fire dates of many of the Shields on this forum being in February, S&W might just have done some testing on this pistol before releasing it to us all. The Bodyguard 380 and M&Pc series offered plenty of experience to S&W on how to construct a small, lightweight, polymer framed pistol effectively.

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Wheelguns 'n 3rd Gens.

Mine was test fired on April 6TH and I pick it up at a LGS on April 18TH.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

M&p shield assembly - YouTube!

I don't usually like to be a Beta tester either...but as others have said, this being another iteration of the M&P line, and given S&W's great service, and the already extremely positive reports on the Shield, I bought one and then a second one for my wife. I really like everything about this pistol, so much so that I am letting my M&P 45 and M&P 9c go...I want to focus on 1911s, and carry the Shield. I think the Shield feels better in the hand than any of the other M&Ps anyway.

That way, I only have to stock two kinds of magazines: those for my 1911s, and those for the Shields...plus my wife and I can share magazines for the Shield (she will normally use the 7 rounders, and I like the 8 rounders, but if we are in a zombie shootout, we can share!)

Since the OP asked for input from people who actually have and shoot the Shield, I will give my opinion.
I have over 1/2 half of a Folgers coffee can full of empty brass that has cycled through my pistol. All but 75 jhps were my reloads.
I have had zero failures of any kind.
I think the Shield is the best shooting small pistol I have ever tried. Low recoil and flip and as accurate as any gun I own. I would recommend anyone looking for a small carry gun to try one out.
I have a couple of Kahrs for sale....

Thanks for all the input so far. What about the .9mm vs. .40cal? Some feel that it is better suited to the .9mm due to less recoil etc. I have never been a big fan of 9mm but in this particular gun it might just be a better choice.

Tom

Forget the Shield and get a full size M&P.Either that or just get a M&P compact if you want a smaller gun.

Personally I think the Shield is an awesome weapon. It's small and light and comfortable in my hand. If I had one criticism of the weapon is that it's built for a right hander... and I'm a southpaw. But, to be honest, the lack of an ambidextrous safety and right side mag release is little more than an annoyance to me. I purchased this weapon purely for concealed carry. If I can't drop a target in 8 rounds then I've got a bigger problem since I don't plan to carry a spare magazine.

Unfortunately I can't assist you with comparing the Shield to a Glock since I dislike Glocks. I own one only because my better half wanted one... and whatever momma wants momma gets (or I don't)! My large frame weapon of choice right now is an old Spanish Star BKS. It's a single stack 9mm based on a 1911-style frame. It's light, comfortable in my hand, and fun to shoot.. That said I'd still rather carry the Shield...

I doubt the OP is going to find much if any feedback of the .40 S&W version of the shield - from what I have read they haven't shipped yet. In any case, all of the reviews I have read are for the 9mm version.

Mine is the best shooting small handgun and the best new handgun I have ever owned. I shoot it noticeably better than 9cs I have rented, and equivalent to the full size. 150 rounds through it so far without any trace of a hiccup. Smith are going to sell a lot of these. The only role I don't feel it serves well for CC is as a pocket pistol. However, for an IWB 9mm it is awesome and will replace quite a few LC9s, Taurus 709s, PPSs, CW9s, etc.

Tommato

Attached Images

M&P Shield.jpg (38.3 KB, 84 views)

And the accuracy for 25 yds is amazing! I really think the grip mag design has a lot to do with it, keeping the recoil low for consecutive shots on target. What I been reading the nay-sayers for the most part haven't even fired a Shield, where as we have.

Hickok45 just posted a 30 minute video on Youtube. Amazing shooting and explanations and size comparisons for the Shield.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

I just posted my review of the Shield on this site.

A left hander's perspective on the M&P Shield

I put over 400 rounds through mine so far and no issues whatsoever.

As far as the argument of .40 vs. 9mm, that is a whole other religious discussion. I did some research on what the FBI and Los Angeles police department published on the calibers and different LE ammo. I chose to go with Federal HST's in both my 9mm and .45's. There is not a statistical difference on wound lethality between the .40 and 9mm. 9mm is cheaper and more fun to shoot so I chose that caliber.

Anyway, I am happy to try and answer any questions you have on the Shield. Just let me know.

Jack

Marshall Tom

In response to your questions.
I have been shooting Glock in IDPA competition for going on 19 years now.
Glock is a great gun (1st thru 3rd Gen) IMHO. but as a lot of people have posted before, they have their issues.

Spent shell locations can be very problematic. Hot casings down the shirt, next one hits the guy next to you at the range... you get my point.

The Shield is probably the most consistent ejection I have ever seen, I was actually amazed.

Now I know all we keep hearing is great things about this gun, but I really tried to find an issue with it but I could not.

The safety is a complete non-issue, I tried to imagine a grip, or condition where it could be accidentally engaged either thru firing or presenting from concealment, and because of its design (very low profile) i cannot see an instance where that might happen. Not saying it won’t, but I can’t see it. It has a VERY positive engagement off and on.
I actually like to use it as it is perfectly placed to disengage with the thumb quite easily.

Here’s the main thing I noticed on the gun after 400 rds. without a single issue of any sort.

Because of the way I train, I do allot of controlled group drills, firing the second shot ASAP after acquiring the front sight.
With every Glock I have ever shot, regardless of the type of sights used, under the initial recoil, the gun raises on an even plane. in other words the muzzle does not rise above the rear of the gun, they both lift equally. Hope that makes sense!

The Shield seems to flips the muzzle but barely, basically pivoting at the wrist, whereas the Glock, for me anyway, pivots more at the elbow.
And before anyone starts flaming me about how I shoot, let me get to my point!

Whether it is grip angle, and they are different. Or it is the internals; the Shield has the internal chassis system, whereas the Glock does not. Seems to me the Glock frame might flex more than the Shield under recoil. I don’t know as I am not an engineer.
All I do know is this, the Shield is faster on follow up shots than any Glock I have ever owned, might be the trigger, and the Shield has a great trigger.

I managed to keep all rounds (16) in a 4" Shoot N See at 7 yds. using controlled group drills.

Crazy accurate and controllable for a 3" barrel.

Really doesn’t feel like I am shooting a polymer gun at all, feels more like an alloy frame to me.

I always have my doubts about a "new" gun, but this is not new, it is a refinement of the M&P design.

Basically, I wanted to dislike this gun because I have been a Glock devotee for a long time, but S&W totally got this right as far as I am concerned.

After 400 rds., this is my new CC gun, IWB appendix carry. a simple T shirt and it’s totally hidden with complete confidence.

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Recovering Glockaholic!

Mine shoots 100% on any ammo I put through it. It is ergonomically wonderful and easy to shoot, easy to conceal.

It is just about my favorite CCW gun...if only I had not been ruined by my HK P7. After the P7, nothing else will quite measure up, but the Shield is 2nd place in my book.

Mine has a serial number of XXX00003 (I put XXX in there in place of the letters) so I think it is an early manufacture, but I don't know what the letters mean so it could be a later series.

I say get it as soon as you can find one in stock anywhere, you won't be sorry. Smith & Wesson knocked it out of the park on this one.

Just got back from the range with my Shield, M&P 9c, and M&PFS 9. No hiccups with any of them, first time I have fired the FS & Shield. The Shield & 9c shot to point of aim and the sights were easier to see with 62 yr old eyes(maybe the shorter sight radius, I don't know), FS shot a bit low. I sold a HK p7 and bought the FS and the Shield. The Shield smaller thinner and lighter than the P7 & it does not get hot after 50 rounds. I don't know, maybe plastic is better for me, even though I always have loved 1911's. Bottom line is I am happy!

After talking about it, I had to go shooting today. I shot both the shield 9mm and my P7. They both shoot great and conceal well. I did notice the P7 gets warm but I put a whole box of 50 through it as fast as I could (only have two 8rnd mags so I had to stop to reload them) and it got warm but not hot at all. Of course so did the shield (barrel and top of slide in front) but not quite as much. I buy the cheapest ammo I can find (Federal white box at $220 per 1000 rnds) and both of these guns just eat it up.

I did notice the recoil is different. The P7 has a sharp recoil but less movement up and back than the shield. It comes back on target easier too. It is 1/2 pound heavier so I attribute it to that and the low bore axis. Still the Shield is so much nicer to shoot than my late and un-lamented Ruger LC9. That gun was easy to conceal but I just hated shooting it and was not very accurate with it.

I needed to check sight alignment anyway as I just put night sights on it. I went ahead and ordered the green Meprolight night sights that fit the full size M&P. I lose about 1/3inch of sight radius but I have the ledge shape to the front of rear sight that allows you to pull back the slide on a pocket or other object. The rear sight of the Meprolight sights comes out exactly flush to the top of the slide and the sights are bigger than the stock 3-dots. I like it better really, but it does not look as sleek as the stock sights. Overall, I am pleased with the night sights...just need a good holster to make this my EDC for a while (need to take the P7 out of rotation to get that Robar finish I have been craving).

I would like to hear more about people's holster experience for IWB or OWB carry.

My Shield is working really well for one application I have that my other guns just weren't working for...in my motorcycle jacket pocket. While it's not a pocket gun, a motorcycle jacket is a different deal. Mine is a flap-type pocket with zipper, velcro and a snap at the front to aid in keeping the velcro stuck if you don't have it zipped. That's how I carry it, velcroed and snapped. I carry it slide down, grip to the rear. I can get it out pretty quick.

Before this I was forced to carry an old IRMA .25 I have! No good. I traded my 638 (too small to get ahold of for me) in on an SP-101 .357 2 1/4" DAO. I like it, but just too heavy for my bike jacket, so this is nice. I've also found I can carry it in my jeans without a holster if I put the muzzle in the watch pocket and the pistol under my belt.

May I suggest that it would far safer to get a good IWB holster instead? Guys have stated that it IWB very comfortably and disappears. You won't risk it falling out of your belt either while on your bike.

Hi fella's new guy on the forum but a gun freak for a very long time. I bought the shield last week and very impressed with it . I own a Glock 26 and 19 but after putting 200 + rds down range the shield is my daily ccw. John

I took my Shield to the range on Saturday and put 150 rounds through it (50 were Hydra Shock JHP) with no bobbles whatsoever. With a good solid grip, I found muzzle flip almost nonexistent and very quick to get back on target. I've had the M&P compacts and had issues with the grip. I don't know how to describe it, but I had some trouble getting a good grip when drawing from a holster, and because of the shortness of the grip, it didn't quite fit in my hand as well as the full size, so I sold the compacts off, and stuck with my full size. Something about the slimness of the Shield makes it fit much better in my hand and I am very confident with it.

After the range session, I took it home and cleaned it, then carried it in a Remora IWB holster that I have for my LC9 when we went out to dinner. It's very easy to carry, as well as being very easy to shoot. I liked it so much I bought a second one (just in case!)

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Gary

Hi
I never understood this logic about waiting for possible problems. The Shield is an M&P, a very proven and very popular pistol platform. Its a slim down easy to carry M&P end of story. Much like the glocks, when the G17 hit the marked in the USA it was quickly followed by the 19, then the 23 27,26 etc etc. At the end of the day its a Glock, with S&W at the end of the day its a M&P just a scaled down version of a very popular, very reliable and accurate pistol.

Tom, waiting a year is good advise. At first flush, I think S&W has hit a home run with this single stack, striker fired beauty. I plan to wait that year and then replace my Ruger LC9 with one. In the meantime, I'd recommend you spend that year with a Kel Tec PF9. Size wise it's very very close and the trigger, though not as good as the Shield's 5.5 lbs striker, is still a very nice double action. Not to mention they are inexpensive to buy and easy to sell - or keep as a backup.

Thanks for all the responses to my questions about the Shield. I went ahead and purchased one on Friday. I have not shot it yet but likely will today. I really like it so far. I think it will be just what I was looking for in a small concealed carry pistol. Now I have to find a holster or two for it. I am a lefty.

Tom

I am not a S&W fan. Its obvious that S&W has used the same technology and mechanics on their 9mm M&P line. Thousands of hours of testing before a product is released. "Dont buy it, let another idiot do the testing for you" If that was the case no one would buy any guns. I think that you will be happy with it. I bought a Bersa BP9CC earlier this year and love it as well. Our feedback to the World, and improvements its what makes a good gun a great gun.

Good for you. The M&P system is well tested and proven. You wont regret it The Shield is my new carry.


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I am here: http://tapatalk.com/map.php?ccsure

Excellent assessment and observations here. I too share your affection for the HK P7, so much so, I have two. Great to see that even though they're not being made anymore...there's alot of people that recognize what awesome pistols they are. However, the M&P Shield seems like the ultimate CCW pistol. I recently became an M&P convert last year after buying the incredible M&P40c and then the M&P40 almost immediately thereafter. Sounds like my M&P collection is getting ready to grow again really soon. Might need two Shields, just in case, like another here commented.

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40c FS,9Shield(2)40,9Pro

take the 1911 in a 5in. gun, then compare it to a 3in. gun the reliability goes way down on the 3in. i hope this doesn't happen to the shield.. pyper

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N2GUNS

These weapons are made to satisfy the Military as well as Law Enforcement which basically means that they do quite a bit of quality control as well as torture testing to ensure that these are reliable weapons, when you are one of the foremost names in this industry then you should be able to rest assured that a weapon assembled by a company that has been around since 1852 in the United States of America will be one you can count on.

Looking at anecdotal evidence about the Shield I see no bad ones I have three 9 millimeter weapons but like my 40 and 357 but shoot the 9mm very accurately any of these will do the job. I like my 40c for daily carry because it is easy to conceal, but even that weapon is not small or lightweight.

I will be getting a Shield but only when they are available in 40 caliber as it is the weapon I am most comfortable with, of course your options are take anything you can get or wait for what you want.

I would like to report that I have a Shield in 40 cal but they are not around when they are I will report all about them but til then nothing except that Smith & Wesson makes some of the most reliable guns you can buy for a reasonable price!

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59,M&P9,40,40C,357,(2)45,G26

I finally found a shop that had a Shield. Already sold but they let me handle it.

I was underwhelmed. Not that it felt bad but not all that great either. I wanted to like it enough to decide to get one but didn't.

I have to admit I am a revolver guy and was looking for an alternative to J-Frames that I use. This gun is not that. As many have noted, you can't really carry it in a trouser pocket, it's just too big.

So if it's going in a holster, either IWB or OWB, why not go ahead and get the doublestack compact M&P? Or even a full size M&P? You gotta cover the holsered gun with a garment anyway.

So I'll pass for the time being. I hope all who buy the Shield find it works out well. I'm sure it will prove reliable and reports seem to be that it is easy to shoot accurately.

For us old-timer revolver guys, there are always the J-Frames.

For some reason that's true with 1911s but not with the modern day polymer wonders...and I don't think the Shield will be an exception.

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40c FS,9Shield(2)40,9Pro

I guess my 3" 1911 is an exception to the rule as it's been flawless in performance and function since day one.

I own a Beretta Nano and I am trading it in for a Shield that I have never handled.

My decision is based entirely on the reports I have read on the internet. I knew within 3 days of owning my Nano I made a mistake. You don't need to wait a year to know if a CCW is going to be reliable. You know the gun is solid when you Google "S&W Shield FTE" and get a zero match. Yes the Shield has only been out less than a month but with the internet 100s of people have already posted reviews and trust me if there was a problem it would have surfaced by now.

Russ

The Shield is the first 100% reliable out of the box small pistol I've ever owned. Not a single FTE, FTF, FTL, or any other "FT". Have 300 rounds thru mine - all JHP so far, but will start trying out potential carry ammo next week. First up is Federal 124 +P HST (P9HST3). If that works well, I will try it out with Speer 124 +P Gold Dots - probably the desired carry load. Although there are clearly some notable differences between the Shield and the Compact and Full Size M&Ps, the pedigree is clear. Smith learned a ton from the bigger M&Ps and I think that helps to explain the excellent execution here.

Tommato

Agreed and S&W also learned from their *Oops* from the BG.380 small gun. They took their time and TESTED before they put the Shield on the open market.

I laid away a Shield last week. In the whole of my gun loving years I have never seen a gun get so much good praise. I like how it felt, it has decent sights, good trigger, and looks pretty good. It also has 2 mags, which is nice, a 7 & 8 rounder for the 9mm. It also does not have an annoying magazine disconnect. I really can't wait to get mine.

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John 3:16, Carry Everyday!

Have a Shield. 250 round through it from 5 different shooters. 0 problems. Nice gun. Fits a Glock 23 IWB holster well but I am going to look at the Remora line of holsters.