Who woulda thunk? Shield 45 is same size as 36 J-frame.

Redcoat3340

Redcoat3340

Member
Silver Supporter
Joined
Feb 17, 2014
Messages
1,441
Reaction score
1,761
Location
Washington State
For some reason I always figured a .45 was gonna be BIGGER than a 38 J-frame, and I can pocket carry (in jeans) my MODEL 36 with Pachmayr "Gripper" grips. A 642pc with even smaller grips carries even easier.

So when I was putting away a couple of guns I happened to lay a .45 Shield 2.0 ported Performance Center next to the Model 36 and to my amazement they were the same length and height. The revolver was a bit thicker due to the cylinder.

Who knew. I should have, but for some reason, didn't.

So now I'm wondering why I would carry a .38 if I can just as easily tote a .45? Especially as the .45 loads 7 rounds vs 5 for the wheel gun.

And just to add to my confusion I just "won" a model 638 humpback on the big auction site that I was figuring to carry. (But part of that purchase was that's just a too-cool gun, I've wanted one ever since my middle son "borrowed" mine, and the price was pretty good.)

I guess my problem is there are simply too many good guns around and I just don't get out as much as I used to, thus not as much chance to carry them all (one at a time, of course). (Mopre time at the range is clearly called for.)

I gotta stop reading stuff in this forum, it's costing me a fortune. Kinda. Sorta. (Not really.)
 
Register to hide this ad
IMHO, the overall profile of a revolver lends itself to being pocket carried easier and drawn from a pocket faster. The 642 and 638 will be smaller and lighter than the Shield. They can also be fired from the pocket unlike with the Shield. I typically carry my Shield 45 on my hip. I carry small revolvers (Ruger LCR) in a jacket/coat pocket or as a BUG. If I was worried about capacity, I wouldn't carry any revolver or single stack 45acp's. I'm fine whether it's 5, 6, 7 rounds.

Might be similar hight and length especially with the grips you have on the 36, but I wouldn't exactly say they're the same size. There's certainly more real estate with the Shield.
Resizer-17072060798171.jpg
 
Last edited:
Kahr arms CW45 can use 1911 mags but the flush metal bottom mags have one more round added and are only a 1/4" taller than the J frames . Heavier but a better trigger that's sort of a da style but far lighter in the 4lb 12oz to 5lb ultra smooth pull then I can carry as back up full size mags up to 10 round 1911 mags too . Lots of better choices than a j frame for carry unless semi autos are outlawed !
 
Took my Shield 45 out shooting yesterday. Got 4 or 5 stovepipes out of 125 rounds. That's 4 or 5 good reasons right there for carrying a J frame.
 
Last edited:
1sailor Might be time for you carry a mid size 380 or 9mm rather than a smaller 45 . Being weak of wrist and grip is an issue . A 38sp in a J frame might not be very accurate or fast shooting in your hand ether .
 
As always the hardest part to conceal is the grip. J frame grip is noticeably smaller. Especially the round butt
 
Not sure why everyone always assumes it must be the shooter. If I can handle a 14 ounce 357 snubbie I don't see why a much heavier less powerful .45 would give me much trouble. As I've gotten older the snubbie has become a lot less enjoyable to shoot but I still shoot it pretty well. Spent most of my life as a logger and weak hands is not my problem.
 
1sailor said:
Not sure why everyone always assumes it must be the shooter. If I can handle a 14 ounce 357 snubbie I don't see why a much heavier less powerful .45 would give me much trouble. As I've gotten older the snubbie has become a lot less enjoyable to shoot but I still shoot it pretty well. Spent most of my life as a logger and weak hands is not my problem.
Click to expand...

What you did when younger can have little effect on you as you age and some times you just have to wake up to that fact . Or was there another reason you started this tread ? If you feel the handgun is the problems then find a young guy that you know has no issues with pushy lighter handguns to give your shield a try.

That revolver does not care if you have old man grip or wrist issues while the shield can as you well know now !!

I was a hands on custom home builder for 40 years and I know how time and wear effect each of us. Handguns or ammo I did not mind shooting are now no longer on my carry list .
 
1sailor said:
Not sure why everyone always assumes it must be the shooter. If I can handle a 14 ounce 357 snubbie I don't see why a much heavier less powerful .45 would give me much trouble. As I've gotten older the snubbie has become a lot less enjoyable to shoot but I still shoot it pretty well. Spent most of my life as a logger and weak hands is not my problem.
Click to expand...

I can respect what 1sailor is saying, but what is obvious is not always the case. Up until '22, I was doing rather respectable in both the GSSF and Adaptive Defensive Shooting Summit matches. However, towards the end of '22, things started to change for the worst. My grip started to loosen (I'm right hand dominant) and I was starting to no longer "feel" my pistol as I was shooting. Cycling issues developed, and my lower fingers would occasionally start to lock up.

Having had both carpal and cubital tunnel release surgery in '21, I automatically started thinking that I had the onset of neuropathy, due to my diabetes. I never thought that carpal tunnel syndrome could reappear! Low and behold, it was a reoccurrance of carpal tunnel! I am currently recovering from this surgery (39th since the accident that left me disabled in '07)!

Hopefully, this procedure will be my last! BTW, the surgeon's speculation is that how I use and depend on my cane triggered the latest episode of CTS.
 
Well Armed said:
IMHO, the overall profile of a revolver lends itself to being pocket carried easier and drawn from a pocket faster. The 642 and 638 will be smaller and lighter than the Shield.

Might be similar height and length especially with the grips you have on the 36, but I wouldn't exactly say they're the same size. There's certainly more real estate with the Shield.
Resizer-17072060798171.jpg
Click to expand...

Yeah exactly , my 642 is far and away easier to pocket carry than my 45 Shield. Don't really consider the two be anywhere close to each other in size. Would not even consider pocket carrying the Shield.
 
I love my .45 Shield and it has never had a single malfunction with either ball or hollowpoints, but I don’t think I’d pocket carry it. In my waistband - no problem.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0133.jpg
    IMG_0133.jpg
    97.6 KB · Views: 25
That pretty much sums it up for me as well. I've been pocket carrying my 442-1 99.9% of the time ever since I bought in 1997. Ankle carried it as a on-duty backup all those year up until retirement from the P.D.. I still carry my 442 today, it's a lifetime companion now for me.

I trust my life with my 442 because it actually saved my life once, and I have no doubt it would flawlessly perform again if God forbid I ever needed it again.


Well Armed said:
IMHO, the overall profile of a revolver lends itself to being pocket carried easier and drawn from a pocket faster. The 642 and 638 will be smaller and lighter than the Shield. They can also be fired from the pocket unlike with the Shield. I typically carry my Shield 45 on my hip. I carry small revolvers (Ruger LCR) in a jacket/coat pocket or as a BUG. If I was worried about capacity, I wouldn't carry any revolver or single stack 45acp's. I'm fine whether it's 5, 6, 7 rounds.]
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

H
Shield. 45 threaded barrel
Replies
1
Views
347
Harper
Harper
rubiranch
45 Shield, 2.0 or not?
Replies
19
Views
799
swsig
swsig
B
Shield .45 Holsters
Replies
18
Views
1K
Harper
Harper
B
M&P Shield 45 Serial Number
Replies
5
Views
679
hyena
H
L
Shield 2.0 slide fit on a Shield Plus Frame?
Replies
3
Views
890
RobzGuns
RobzGuns

Latest posts

Back
Top