Any known reason for an apparent shortage of Shields?

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oldbill

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It seems that the supply is drying up again.

In June, I was down to number three on the waiting list for a new 9mm Shield at my LGS. (About nine months now!)
I know there was a vacation at S&W, I know there was a trigger spring issue. But, have they maybe stopped making them while they make something else?

About six weeks ago I went to a different LGS and bought a 9, made before June. It cost me about $45 more than I expect to pay for the one I've waited for. I just got tired of waiting, but I want the second one for my wife.
 
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Congrats on finding one!

I partially gave up waiting for a a Shield. I bought my first gun in July and at that time put a counter ticket in for a 40 Shield. I was 12 on the list. Seeing that, I stopped at area GS and put my name on counter tickets there. I called each shop a few weeks ago. Not one has seen a Shield come in yet... At that point I visited the LGS to look at other CC options. Went with the 40c.

Compared side by side to my friends shield. I think I made the right choice, trade off was worth the comfort and capacity...

That said, he came across a 40 Shield in ME while on vacation proceed a bit high but reasonable. Guy said it had been sitting there for a couple of weeks now.... 2hr drive and it could have been mine after FFL.. So it pays to look around a bit

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There is a shortage, but not as much as one might think. The wait for a 9mm Shield as far as the dealer is concerned is weeks, not months. Often, a gun store will just sell what they just received to whatever customer happens to be standing there when it is unpacked.

That means money NOW as opposed to waiting around for someone who ordered it to get there, look it over, gripe about something, refuse to buy because of buyer's remorse, or because of another expense that the gun money got used on, or because they found one somewhere else.

Then the store has to call the next guy or gal, wait for them to come in and go through the same tired routine again. Why do that when there is a customer with cash standing right in front of the register? Presumably, the customer who ordered and never got a call is never the wiser, and just thinks they are that hard to get.
 
They had plenty of 40's and a couple dozen 9's at Kittery Trading Post on Sept. 5 when I bought mine there ($399.99 + 5% ME sales tax).
 
While ur waiting, maybe u should buy an XDS to get u by. Then when the Shield comes in u can sell the XDS for more than u bought it for. It never fails, u can always find a fan boy who just for some reason wants an XDS and is willing to pay more than its worth. Its literally a win/win situation for u.

I actually sold an XDS owner on a .40 Shield Monday. He realized what i was shooting next to him and he asked if he may try it out. I always smile at the oppertunity to let an XDS owner change his own mind. Of course at that moment i had the 9mm barrel in and was plinking. But i gladly put the .40 barrel in for him and let him have at it. After a few mags of .40, he wants to try the 9mm. And after a few mags of that, he decided he needed to go put himself on the waiting list........It's sad that he offered to trade his XDS + $100 for my Shield. All i could tell him was that I wish the best to him on finding one.
 
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There are a number of them available on "GB". I just bought one this morning. 5 were available from a Florida shop.

$419 + $20 shipping, 2 day right to my local FFL. FFL charges $15. My CCW bypasses the need for a background check (a NV thing).

There's still a number of Shields left.
 
shawn mccarver said:
There is a shortage, but not as much as one might think. The wait for a 9mm Shield as far as the dealer is concerned is weeks, not months. Often, a gun store will just sell what they just received to whatever customer happens to be standing there when it is unpacked.

That means money NOW as opposed to waiting around for someone who ordered it to get there, look it over, gripe about something, refuse to buy because of buyer's remorse, or because of another expense that the gun money got used on, or because they found one somewhere else.

Then the store has to call the next guy or gal, wait for them to come in and go through the same tired routine again. Why do that when there is a customer with cash standing right in front of the register? Presumably, the customer who ordered and never got a call is never the wiser, and just thinks they are that hard to get.
Click to expand...
You my friend must work in a gun store, because I do, & that's EXACTLY what happens. GARY
 
N4KVE said:
You my friend must work in a gun store, because I do, & that's EXACTLY what happens. GARY
Click to expand...

Do you do that to waiting customers that put down a deposit???

Ever consider the fact gun people are friends with... gun people? It's a small world. It is not impossible for a "waiter" to discover the firearm he's waited for got sold to a lucky walk-in customer. Think the 'waiter" will ever do business with that store again?
 
AwfAxis said:
I would have assumed that in Kommifornia, your LGS would not be able to sell firearms not on the CA-DOJ list. As far as I know, even the LE's have to deal with mag safeties.
Click to expand...

Nope, LE are exempt from the roster. They are also not restricted to 10 rounds.

However, these guys do quite a bit of mail order too.
 
Smitty357 said:
While ur waiting, maybe u should buy an XDS to get u by. Then when the Shield comes in u can sell the XDS for more than u bought it for. It never fails, u can always find a fan boy who just for some reason wants an XDS and is willing to pay more than its worth. Its literally a win/win situation for u.

I actually sold an XDS owner on a .40 Shield Monday. He realized what i was shooting next to him and he asked if he may try it out. I always smile at the oppertunity to let an XDS owner change his own mind. Of course at that moment i had the 9mm barrel in and was plinking. But i gladly put the .40 barrel in for him and let him have at it. After a few mags of .40, he wants to try the 9mm. And after a few mags of that, he decided he needed to go put himself on the waiting list........It's sad that he offered to trade his XDS + $100 for my Shield. All i could tell him was that I wish the best to him on finding one.
Click to expand...

If you find one of these XDS "Fanboys" please send them my way. I have had my bi-tone .45 listed for a week locally for $550 and have not had any takers...

The springfield recall absolutely killed the 2nd hand XDS market.
 
S&WForty said:
Do you do that to waiting customers that put down a deposit???

Ever consider the fact gun people are friends with... gun people? It's a small world. It is not impossible for a "waiter" to discover the firearm he's waited for got sold to a lucky walk-in customer. Think the 'waiter" will ever do business with that store again?
Click to expand...
We do not accept deposits for guns we don't posses. We do not take names to put on a list. If someone should call to ask if we have a Shield, & we have it, we will hold it for that day only. Life is much easier that way, & this system has served the owner just fine for 30 years. GARY
 
I got on "the list" for a 9mm Shield at a shop in California (that up to that date I had never stepped foot in) that specializes in off roster handguns and sells them as SSE.
I got the call about two weeks later but was out of town however the sales person kept me at the top of the list. A week later and back home the phone rang again and I jailed the Shield the next morning.
This shop does honor their waiting list.
 
shawn mccarver said:
Often, a gun store will just sell what they just received to whatever customer happens to be standing there when it is unpacked.
Click to expand...
If this is really happening, it's extremely poor ethics. Why take names and then ignore them?

I worked in a video rental store. We would take names for new movies coming in. When it came in, we would call and tell them we'd hold it for an hour. If they didn't pick it up in that hour, it we went to the next name on the list. Everyone complained when we told them we'd only hold it for an hour, but I never had a customer not show up in that time either.

Most gun stores I know won't take orders for guns like the M&P. They just tell you to keep coming in.
 
So mine just came in. Cleaned out all of the "packing" oil, and its ready to go. Leaving for the local range in an hour. Going to put 100 rnds through her to see if I can hit something.

Trigger is very smooth, although the pull is heavy. Magazines both release perfectly, and it cycles snap-caps better than my FS.

Oh, and the trigger safety works. Built July 27th - 2013.

$439 total (inc 2 day shipping), off GB. My local LGS did the FFL transfer "on the house".

Shield.jpg
 
My brother had a hard time selling his XDS at the show with me and we both had to take a big lose. I only got $275 for my 2 month old Shield 9mm and he got $300 for the XDS. Cheap made pistols don,t hold there value. Used Glocks were getting $375-400 and they seem to hold value better being better made with a good track record.
 
jeeps said:
My brother had a hard time selling his XDS at the show with me and we both had to take a big lose. I only got $275 for my 2 month old Shield 9mm and he got $300 for the XDS. Cheap made pistols don,t hold there value. Used Glocks were getting $375-400 and they seem to hold value better being better made with a good track record.
Click to expand...

You got ripped off because you sold them at gun shows. Your going to get dirt value at a show.
You should have sold privately online or on gunbroker.
 
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