Carrying the Shield this summer!

[Houdini1953]

I have a M&P Shield 40 which has a 7 and a six round magazine, I got a Crossbreed Super Tuck holster that is quite comfortable with it.

I am a small man 5'6" and 140 pounds and wear tight fitting clothing and can conceal this fantastic new addition to Smith & Wesson. As you can see below:

Front view of me in normal attire temperature about 90 degrees outdoors 75 inside my house!

View from the side!

From the back!

Another from the back!

There is the Shield with my Tee shirt untucked!

My M&P 40 Shield alone!

I hope that those that wish to carry a 40 caliber weapon pretty much undetected even with what I wear on a daily basis can see the Crossbreed Super Tuck is a good comfortable investment. As you can see from the photos I wear IWB at about 4:30 to 5 o'clock behind the back with comfort even while sitting and driving. With my M&P 40 Compact in a Minotaur MTAC which is also a comfortable my weapon was still hard on me when driving driving the butt of it into my backbone but not with the smaller Shield!

 

[charlie9280]

Thanks for the pics! It looks like the Crossbreed Super Tuck conceals very well with shirt tucked in. And I have read many users who agree with you about the comfort. The only thing I have a concern with is that the belt clips are such a dead give-away. If they made it with the clips that slide behind the belt that would be great! But I may invest in one anyway because I've heard such good things about them.

I love everything about my M&P 40 Shield. IMHO S&W has hit a home run with this entry in the small gun market. Right now I carry mine in a Galco Southern Comfort that I bought from S&W for my M&P 40c. The Shield fits well, but is just slightly loose (or better put, just not really snug). This is not a problem since the belt holds it snug. However, obviously I have to wear with my shirt out. Most of the time this is not a problem.

 

[Hunterfz6]

Nice pics

I was carrying my glock 23, until I got a shield .40. Now I want to trade my glock for a M&P 9c. I will be carrying the shield year round due to comfort and 6+1 is ok with me, with the 7 round mag near by. I defiantly do not feel out gunned.

 

[charlie9280]

Good point, Moondawg. They also sell clips that tuck behind the belt with just a tiny bit of the clip showing. I think I'll go that route.

I've been carrying for about a year. Until I got my shield 40 I carried my Khar PM9 in my pocket. I was always concerned that people would "see" it. That never happened. Where I live and shop I think people just aren't looking to see who is carrying. I think most people just don't care, and that's to my advantage. You're right, unless you do something really stupid to draw attention to it, you can pretty well hide it in plain sight. Same with my new Shield that I carry in a Galco Southern Comfort IWB holster. This holster is custom for my 40 compact, but works fine for the Shield as well. I also use it for my FS 45 when I go on hikes.

 

[Donn]

Where I live and shop I think people just aren't looking to see who is carrying. I think most people just don't care, and that's to my advantage.

Don't think that's it, Charlie. Most people aren't looking. Current and former LEO's and those of us who carry know what to look for. 9 times out of 10, I can spot someone carrying regardless of whatever rig they've got on.

 

[MP22]

I custom made this holster to fit my Ruger P95. In the process of making one for my M&P. Takes about 3 hours.....cost....less than $6.00 bucks.

 

[Hunterfz6]

Don't think that's it, Charlie. Most people aren't looking. Current and former LEO's and those of us who carry know what to look for. 9 times out of 10, I can spot someone carrying regardless of whatever rig they've got on.

Just look for the dude with a t shirt and a untucked and unbuttoned shirt over it. lol clearn giveaway.

 

[charlie9280]

Don't think that's it, Charlie. Most people aren't looking. Current and former LEO's and those of us who carry know what to look for. 9 times out of 10, I can spot someone carrying regardless of whatever rig they've got on.

I really like this Smith and Wesson board. Posts and responses are usually very informative, as is this one.

Donn, your comment is intriguing. I've wondered about this many times. I'll still stick by my basic statement, but I'd like to hear some feedback from others regarding your comment. And please understand that I'm not arguing here. I really hate reading forums where participants just argue. ("I drive a Chevy, and if you don't, then you're stupid!" Really??) I'm just looking for good answers to my questions and reasons for differing opinions…

When I go to Walmart, for example, most of the shoppers seem to be blissfully ignorant of what's going on around them. I say it seems that way because I really don't know what's going on between their ears. I'm trying to be more alert to my surroundings. I sense that most others do not seem to be.

So here's my question to any current or former LEO or CCW holder. If you think that I'm carrying because you see a slight bulge in my pocket or at my 4:00 o'clock, what would your response be? Like I said, I contend that most people just wouldn't notice. But, like Donn says, if you are an LEO or CCW holder, you might think I'm carrying. Would you then confront me? Would you challenge me? Unless you actually see my weapon, how do you know it's not just a wallet, or cell phone case, or my digital camera, or maybe an insulin pump?

I've read and heard much about a weapon "printing". I can understand if I'm wearing a tight body shirt (which by itself would draw a lot of gawks at my age! My six-pack abs have long since become a keg!) and I try to carry my FS 45 in my IWB holster – duhh!. But like Hunter suggests, does anyone with a T-shirt untucked or a shirt tail hanging out mean they are carrying? That's 99% of all Walmart shoppers. When I carry my Kahr PM9 in my front pocket, I know what that bulge is. But do you? Are you sure?

And if you feel 100% confident that I'm carrying (assuming you are an alert LEO or CCW holder), what will your reaction be? Once again, you have not actually seen my weapon; you just notice some "telltale" signs. Would you think, "This guy's breaking the law and I must do _______". Or would you think, "Yeah, I think he's carrying. Good for him, and good for me as well." Don't the good guys have this unspoken fraternity type relationship? Yes, I think you're carrying, but that's okay between me and you. At what point does my bulge or print break the law or get reported?

And here's another twist that I would like LEOs to weigh in on. In Colorado, we are legally allowed to open carry. It's not very smart, but still legal. Open carry would most definitely get the "man with a gun" response mentioned earlier. We just have to have a CHL (formally CCW) to carry concealed. So, if I'm carrying concealed and I bend over and my 4:00 o'clock weapon is displayed for a moment (oops), doesn't this now fall under our permissible open carry rules? Think about it – open carry is legal while "printing" with concealed carry is not? Seems a little bit backward and confusing to me.

I sometimes play this mental game, trying to guess who's carrying and who's not. I know what to look for and I still can't tell for sure.

So I'll continue to carry and be careful with the telltale signs, and hope that there are not too many other CCW holders or LEO detectives shopping at Walmart while I am. So far no one else has ever noticed, or at least brought it to my attention.

Donn, Hunter, thanks for your comments, because it caused me to think more about these things. Houdini, sorry if it seems like your post has been hijacked. That was not my intent.

 

[shield]

I think the reaction you would get to someone noticing varies by state and their different laws. Here in AZ, a CCW license is not required, and open carry is allowed. So even if I were to print or have the gun show, it's not illegal. However, it may get me tossed from Walmart if the management finds out.

 

[MP22]

I CC everyday....when out and about...if I thought someone was packing...I would not say a word to them. It's none of my business....an LEO....that's different. I can see them asking for your permit to CC....not the average joe....just plain dumb.

 

[Packard]

The M & P Shield (and the Walther PPS) are thinner than the Glock 27. But the butts of these guns are about 1/2" longer than that of the Glock.

So on the belt (or tucked in the trousers) which conceals better. From my experience the heel of the butt of the gun is what telegraphs through a garment. It is the reason you see a lot of round butt 1911s.

So it seems to me that the Glock 27 would be more concealable than the M & P Shield. It does not have a round butt, but it is shorter and will telegraph less.

I carry my G27 on the ankle; my G23 on the belt in a speed scabbard. In the summer I swap out the G23 on the belt with my 640 Pro. The grip on the 640 Pro, not only curves nicely but it thins out at the very tail of the butt. It does not seem to print through at all.

 

[GKC]

I wish we had open carry in Texas (and you would think of any state, Texas would) because of that very issue: printing. We have to have a CHL to carry, and your gun must be concealed. If we had open carry, and if your shirt lifted or something else happened and your gun was momentarily visible, then it shouldn't be a legal issue if open carry was legal and you had a CHL (since you were carrying concealed, despite the momentary glimpse.)

 

[Blueface2]

I just got my Shield this past week but the 9mm.
Carrying concealed with a Don Hume IWB holster for now.
I really wanted the .40 but debated it and was talked into the nine.
Can't help but ask, have you shot yours and what is the recoil like?
My nine has nominal recoil in my personal opinion.
Wondering if the .40 is milder than what was represented to me.

 

[Ilike9mm]

I was told at my interview, if you are caught printing; you can lose your permit. Kalifornia.

 

[charlie9280]

"My nine has nominal recoil in my personal opinion.
Wondering if the .40 is milder than what was represented to me."

Reports of massive recoil in the .40 Shield are way overstated. I have no recoil problem with mine. I've put several hundred rounds through it. You got talked out of a great gun!