Can't hit anything with my Shield!

[gamma72]

I'd like to know, what was your reasoning for getting the Shield?

For CCW the Shield will fit the bill nicely but practice to normal engagement distances is key to controling these light and short weapons. If you are looking for just a HD or range gun, then the Shield might be the wrong gun for you.

I hope you are not one of the folks that got caught up with the hype of small pistols without determining what you are going to use it for.

 

[RIDavid]

I bought the Shield because I am eventualy going to go for CC permit. You have to shoot to qualify at 25 yards. I know it is me and not the gun. I just didnt think I needed to buy a fullsize for range and a compact to carry.I do catch myself flinching sometimes. I am going with a LEO friend this weekend to shoot so I will see what he has to say. When I bought the Shield I didn't even know there was hype about it. I went looking for a compact 9 and looked at several others but this one just felt good in my hand and I knew S&W has a good product. Thanks for everyones help.

 

[gamma72]

you might want to qualify on a longer barrel if that is possible. longer barrels have a longer reach as far as accuracy is concerned because of the longer sight radius.

25 yards is a long ways even for an experienced shooter. little errors in your technique is greatly magnified by the longer distance.

My suggestion is start close and when you are happy with your accuracy, move the target back and repeat the cycle until you get to your intended distance. Also, make sure you take notice of your hold over. Hold over for your sight is different from 5 yard compared to 25 yards. Example on a man sized target, at 5 yards you can hold your sight at center mass and hit center mass. at 10 yards you might aim an inch or so higher to hit center mass. at 25 yards you might need to aim higher still to hit center mass. this is just an example and it's up to you to discover your hold over.

lots of ammo will be expended but you will get there. good luck.

 

[Tim_Ballz]

I did some trigger work and stippled the grip on my .40 and it greatly improved my accuracy. I shoot pretty decent at 40-55 feet!!

 

[Ram48]

I bought the Shield because I am eventualy going to go for CC permit. You have to shoot to qualify at 25 yards. I know it is me and not the gun. I just didnt think I needed to buy a fullsize for range and a compact to carry.I do catch myself flinching sometimes. I am going with a LEO friend this weekend to shoot so I will see what he has to say. When I bought the Shield I didn't even know there was hype about it. I went looking for a compact 9 and looked at several others but this one just felt good in my hand and I knew S&W has a good product. Thanks for everyones help.

25 yards seems like a long distance to shoot at for a ccw permit. Here in NC we shot at 3,5 and 7 yards. Are you sure it is 25 yards and not 25 feet?
I would think it would be really difficult to prove being in fear of your life with a BG 75 feet away.

 

[gamma72]

25 yards seems like a long distance to shoot at for a ccw permit. Here in NC we shot at 3,5 and 7 yards. Are you sure it is 25 yards and not 25 feet?
I would think it would be really difficult to prove being in fear of your life with a BG 75 feet away.

Agreed. sometimes feet and yards are interchangeable.

 

[Houdini1953]

In Tennessee to qualify you shoot 18 rounds at 3 yards (9 feet) 18 rounds at 7 yards (21 feet) and 18 rounds at 15 yards (45 feet) you must hit the paper (not the bullseye) but it is 2' X 3' 33 out of those 48 rounds, I think you need to look into your CCW quals more closely. 25 yards is 75 feet and unless you are an expert or at least a sharpshooter you will not be able to ever qualify.

Most self defense situations are less than 21 feet or seven yards if I lived somewhere that they expected me to be proficient shooting any handgun at 75 feet I would either practice like hell or move out of state, that is an unrealistic range for most handguns!

 

[RIDavid]

Training Requirements – No person shall be issued a license or permit to carry a pistol or revolver concealed upon his or her person until he or she has presented certification as prescribed in § 11-47-16 that he or she has qualified with a pistol or revolver of a caliber equal to or larger than the one he or she intends to carry, that qualification to consist of firing a score of 195 or better out of a possible score of 300 with thirty (30) consecutive rounds at a distance of twenty-five (25) yards on the army "L" target, firing "slow" fire. The "slow" fire course shall allow ten (10) minutes for the firing of each of three (3) ten (10) shot strings.

I think it's kind of far too but that's what I have to do. If it was 10 yards I would be fine,but 25 yards is pretty far. I'm going to practice with my bro in laws 1911.

 

[OKFC05]

Training Requirements – No person shall be issued a license or permit to carry a pistol or revolver concealed upon his or her person until he or she has presented certification as prescribed in § 11-47-16

Could you please identify the state?

 

[danysw]

Yes please could you tell us in which state is that?

 

[oldafsp]

If the 25 yard requirement is correct, and a 30 shot string??????

Ok, I won't dispute it.

But do you HAVE to qualify with the Shield. Or can you use something else?

I know in Texas if you qualify with a revolver you are not allowed to carry a semi auto..(someone please correct me if I have the wrong info on this).

That being the case, borrow a 4 inch K frame .38 from someone. And with a couple of hundred rounds you will have no worries if you do your part.

25 yards with a striker fired pistol requires better than average shooting skills.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Titegroups]

There's a reason for the need to qualify with it.

 

[gamma72]

Must be a Cali resident.

 

[SGT_Kramer]

Training Requirements – No person shall be issued a license or permit to carry a pistol or revolver concealed upon his or her person until he or she has presented certification as prescribed in § 11-47-16 that he or she has qualified with a pistol or revolver of a caliber equal to or larger than the one he or she intends to carry, that qualification to consist of firing a score of 195 or better out of a possible score of 300 with thirty (30) consecutive rounds at a distance of twenty-five (25) yards on the army "L" target, firing "slow" fire. The "slow" fire course shall allow ten (10) minutes for the firing of each of three (3) ten (10) shot strings.

I think it's kind of far too but that's what I have to do. If it was 10 yards I would be fine,but 25 yards is pretty far. I'm going to practice with my bro in laws 1911.

That is a Large target and I beleive for a 195 you can miss 10 times . Doesn't seem completely unreasonable but for a CCW weapon kinda stupid.

 

[RIDavid]

I am in Rhode Island (RIDavid)..lol You don't have to carry what you qualify with. You can only carry whatever caliber you qualify with and under. So I would be better of using the .45 because I can carry above 9mm. With the shield it would be 9mm and under only.

 

[SGT_Kramer]

I am in Rhode Island (RIDavid)..lol You don't have to carry what you qualify with. You can only carry whatever caliber you qualify with and under. So I would be better of using the .45 because I can carry above 9mm. With the shield it would be 9mm and under only.

Yeah... don't ditch your carry gun because you will want that size....but you need a full size too. You could practice for awile and get there with the shield but it's just unrealistic distance with that gun. At that range with that gun could be alot of people that could never carry. Easiest solution is to take your friends .45 qual and get permit then keep practicing with CCW.

 

[team sidewinder]

Good thing I didn't have to gualify at 25 yards for a CCW permit here in Montana or I still wouldn't have one. Here you only have to show 4 hours of firearms training of any kind to qualify for your CCW. A hunters safety course certificate is enough proof here.

Oh bye the way I am still working on getting my shot groups all inside a paper plate at 10 yards also and I know it is the shooter not the gun. I still need lots more practice with this shield pistol. I have no problems doing that with my Sig. 229R.

 

[RIDavid]

I had to take a safety course to be able to buy hand gun. I also took the NRA basic pistol course. Its a big process to get a permit.

 

[Tim_Ballz]

That's crazy that you guys need to qualify with your guns to carry them. It CT you take an NRA safety course, shoot about ten rounds out of a .22 and pay taxes and you can carry what ever u want!!

 

[Mike McLellan]

On the other hand, maybe it's a blessing that you can't hit your target. Use it for a home defense gun. The noise and muzzle flash will be enough to drive out the intruders, and you won't have a lot of blood to clean up. You might take out the cookie-jar or your wife's favorite lamp, but that'll be better than some hoodlum leaking blood all over the living room carpet. Maybe. Maybe not.

 

[gamma72]

WA state only requires that i pay the fee and pass the background check.

 

[danysw]

In Nevada it's just common sense to be required to actually know how to accurately and safely shoot the gun you intend to carry. It seems crazy to issue ccw permits to someone who can't demonstrate proper skills. If the state doesn't care enough to make sure their ccw permit holders have proper skills they may as well just include them in cereal boxes.

It is truly amazing the difference in ccw qualifications from state to state.

What I think is crazy is that we, the american people need a permit for carrying a weapon.

 

[gamma72]

the funny thing about WA state, i dont know about others, i need a permit to hide a pistol on my person but no permit is required when I open carry.

 

[Marine24]

Same is true in CO. I can conceal a handgun in my car in condition one since it is considered an extension of my home, but a rifle has to be unloaded.

OP: I made the similar transition between shooting and carrying a 1911 for nearly 25 years to an M&P Pro in 9mm. As noted previously, there is a vast difference in a single action 1911 and the striker fired M&P. I installed an Apex FSS kit to make the trigger more 1911 like. Trigger is better but the M&P is more of a range toy/pistol to give to guests/friends when they come to the range with me.

If you decide on the M&P as your primary carry piece, echo the comments on practice, practice, practice.

 

[Radworm]

Newbie to the forum and the Shield. I have a Berreta 92 FS and I can shoot pretty decent groups out to 25 yards (not a bullseye shooter). I started out today with the Shield at about 10 yards and could only get about 50% in the 1 foot target on my first 10-20 rounds. After concentrating on the front sight and not squeezing the trigger too fast I was about to get decent low groups. As this is my first subcompact, I realize that it is going to take practice, practice, and more practice.

 

[tennisguy]

Shooting the Shield 9mm

I just took my new Shield 9mm to the range about 3 weeks ago and went again last week. Put about 250 rounds total through it. I am also new to shooting, but I could hit the targets at 3, 5, and 7 yards although at 7 yards I was pulling them a little low and left. Last week I took a 8.5" by 11" paper target and was hitting at well at 3 and 5 yards and was also hitting it at 7 yards although a little low and left. I haven't tried shooting it past 7 yards. I'm pretty sure my problem is the way I'm pulling the trigger, anticipating recoil, and possibly not gripping properly. But I did notice some improvement each time I shot.

I plan to take a class to help me learn the correct way to grip, pull the trigger, etc. There's no sense practicing the wrong way.

 

[RIDavid]

I am gripping properly. I just think it is the trigger part. I'm shooting Saturday so I'm gonna take my time and analyze my shots.

 

[tennisguy]

Shooting Shield

Last time at range, there was a guy beside me and he was a former military, police officer and current security officer elsewhere. I asked him for some tips shooting, and he gave me a few which were helpful and something to build on.

He asked if he could take a couple of shots after seeing me pull them low and left. His first shot was low of center and slightly right and his second shot was still a little low of center (but higher than 1st shot) and right on center.

He said to keep shooting close targets (a lot) and slowly work my way out.

 

[Bashful]

I am gripping properly. I just think it is the trigger part. I'm shooting Saturday so I'm gonna take my time and analyze my shots.

A lot of *dry* practice will go a long way on building the fundamentals of the trigger press (as well as grip, presentation, and sight picture). Use the range time to confirm what you did in your dry practice sessions.

 

[srgvaz]

If all else fails throw the shield at it. The plastic may just need to melt in place.