S&W 9 Shield or Kahr CW9

greg_r · Sep 5, 2015

A while back I went to trade my 40 Shield. My intention was to trade for a 9 Shield without the safety. Not really a big fan of either cartridge, I bought the 40 because at the time 40s&w was about all I was able to find on a regular basis.

Anyway, I ended up with a Kahr CW45. The biggest selling point was the chambering. I just like the 45.

Well, here is my problem. I have decided I do want a 9mm after all. I am torn between the Shield and the Kahr CW9. Both pistols are close enough in size to not really matter. Both have the same manual of arms except Kahr says use the slide release. I never could release the slide on the Shield except for the overhand method. Both have the same magazine capacity, except the Shield comes with a second 8 round extended magazine. The Kahr is about $40 cheaper, so I could purchase a CT9 magazine and be back on equal footing. Plus Kahr has a promotion now and will send me a magazine with my purchase.

The Shield has a better trigger reset, but I kind of like the long DAO trigger, reminds me ov the revolvers I grew up with. The Shields magazines drop free, the Kahr mags do not always, sometimes need a little help. The Shield is also easier to take down.

The bottom line, IMHO, is that both are about equal with the Shield being somewhat easier to maintain due to disassembly. Both are the best of the best for social work. I can only afford one, but which one?

Edit: I know a firearm purchase is a personal choice, and I am leaning to the Kahr, just because I have Kahr's in 45 and 380. This would be anther just like the other two except for size. I have posted in the KahrTalk forum on this very subject and noted that in my opinion the Shield barely edges out the Kahr. If S&W made the Shield in 45acp, we would not even be having this discussion!

triaxle · Sep 5, 2015

I have a Shield 9mm and its been flawless. My son has one also and no problems . Some guys use the slide lock to chamber but over hand works best, my shield 9 shoots like a laser beam, you can get mags any where all I need is a front nite site .

greg_r · Sep 5, 2015

Absolutely no problems with my Shield either. I'm just not a 40s&w fan. That's the only reason I traded it.

hardluk1 · Sep 5, 2015

Its Your choice . If you had also had larger or other m&p's for carry I would say buy the shield but like me you have other kahrs so you know the handgun feel and if under stress you could have any kahr in your hand and know how it will react , all the same . The cw9 makes for a great small thing iwb pistol. When I retired from building homes I bought a tp40 and ended up giving my cw9 to one of me daughters as it never got CC'd any more . She loves it . Its 10 years old with several thousand rounds thru it 100% reliably .

I don't think a stock shield trigger is better . Lighter , maybe , maybe not , Add a wolff rp striker spring for a 5lb pull + or - a couple oz . Kahrs far smoother than even an apex trigger kit in a m&p. We have m&ps too just never found a need for a shield .

For your cw45 Mec-gar has 1911 mags that drop in and work , CMC mags only need 5 minutes work to make reliable and with 1 extra round in your cw45 with a flush fit mag . Then up to 10 rounds for back up is practical .

Good luck with YOUR choice , Not ours . I don't see one being better tan the other , Just different. It good to stay with one design for carry . Less change of a mistake .

B3500 · Sep 5, 2015

I like carrying 45 when I can. Also like Kahrs and have a cw45 that is very accurate for me, but I found it a bit too tall in the overall height for me for daily carry.

Ended up with a XD-S 45 3.3". It has been a treat for carry in a single clip all kydex holster, also have a Lobo owb holster for it. It was a long wait during the lengthy recall some time back, but that isn't something you have to deal with now.

It is essentially the same size as a Shield, but in .45. If you want to carry 45 and the size of the Shield is appealing to you, you may want to take a look at them. They offer magazines in 5/6/7 round capacity.

deputy tom · Sep 6, 2015

OP, I've owned four different Kahrs, an XDS9 and a Shield 9 NTS. Today I only own the Shield. It fits my hands better, the trigger is better for me, it shoots like a lazer-beam. The only other pistol I would consider would be an XDS45 for the larger caliber but it would suppliment the Shield, not replace it. Good luck in your quest. tom.

GKC · Sep 6, 2015

I've owned a Shield in 9mm, and a Kahr CW45 and a CW9. I didn't have any problems with them...I just like to buy/sell/trade a lot. (I made a deal with my wife...I'll buy/sell/trade guns, and keep her; now, she thinks she got the worst of that deal!

)

One thing I will mention: as it stands now, and my plan for the future is, I will only buy guns made by companies who offer a lifetime warranty, pay for shipping in case repairs are needed, and have excellent customer service. It's been a few years since I've owned a Kahr, but I think they have reduced their warranty from lifetime to some fixed number of years...and at the time, their service wasn't particularly good.

That's just my approach...I'm not saying it should be everyone's. I too wish the Shield came in .45, but for a CCW/SD pistol, 9mm is fine, and .40 is as well.

Edited to add: I just checked the Kahr website, and the warranty period is 5 years. You have to pay for shipping as well.

federali · Sep 6, 2015

I have no personal experience with the Shield but enough people have reported problems with them on this forum that I would hesitate to buy one. I owned a Kahr CW 9 for a time but I simply could not warm up to having but two fingers on the grip. I now use a Kahr P9 which I love. Eventually, somebody will make a handgun that can double as a tie tack but that doesn't automatically make it good or worth owning. The Kahr is small enough.

As an aside, when doing a reload drill from slide lock, picture the left hand upon inserting the magazine. It should be palm up and extended. Now, rather than reaching over the slide with the left hand to release it, leave the hand where it is and rotate the gun 145 to 180 degrees to bring the slide to the left hand. It's super fast, no wasted motion and relies on gross motor skills.

Goblin · Sep 6, 2015

I have a CW9 and am happy with it, totally reliable and it's my primary carry gun. However, if the Shield had been out when I bought my CW9, I probably would have went with the Shield.

M29since14 · Sep 6, 2015

I prefer the Shield because it has the safety lock, but you see it the other way so I'd say it makes sense to stay with Kahr. You'll have three pistols that should be very similar. That could be a decided advantage to you if worse comes to worse some day.

If Kahr didn't make their safety work the wrong way I might have a different opinion in my own case. My PM9 has a good trigger and is very easy to shoot at close range. Unfortunately that safety working backwards just struck me as a terrible idea for a guy more familiar with 1911s than anything else.

M29since14 · Sep 6, 2015

federali said:
...Eventually, somebody will make a handgun that can double as a tie tack but that doesn't automatically make it good or worth owning. The Kahr is small enough.

Well put. IMHO the quest for power in a compact autoloader seems about maxed-out at the PM9 size. The next step down in size inevitably has to sacrifice something in control and rate of fire, if not reliability.

S&W 9 Shield or Kahr CW9

greg_r

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triaxle

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greg_r

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hardluk1

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B3500

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deputy tom

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GKC

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federali

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Goblin

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M29since14

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M29since14

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