J frame or Shield

[rednichols]

Because I live in neither USA nor NZ I don't have such concerns; but if I did I'd want sight radius so I didn't have to stand on top of the badguy to accomplish something. As true as it is that most gunfights happen right up close, I'd want to shoot back from behind a barricade. And an M60 would be one of my last choices; as would lots of magazine capacity. I'd want a big, slow bullet in a pistol I could fire accurately from some kind of distance beyond the classic 7 yards.

My 2c worth, I'm not a gunfighter. I didn't vote in the poll because I wouldn't choose either one. Once owned a target-sighted Swenson 1911 with 8 round mags in 45 and I'd be mighty happy to have it and the spares with me if the time came. Carried IWB at 4:00 back in the day when I weighed less than 150#.

Few know that Elmer Keith acknowledged, he learned to shoot because he was small and had a crippled hand; feeling he was not match for the brute strength of strong men. I'd think of a 1911 as being on that same principle vs a AR assuming the shooter didn't know I was there.

 

[ken158]

Keep the J frame. Why learn a new gun when you have an adequate carry gun already?

As stated prior, the Shield doesn’t provide much more firepower to justify the switch.

I would suggest more practice. Shoot, reload. Repeat.

Two hours is a long way. Evaluate your current surroundings. Adjust accordingly if necessary.

You don’t have to drive two hours to find a mentally challenged individual... it can happen anywhere but the odds of being in the middle of such a situation are astronomical. Be aware and prepared.

 

[Echo40]

Get a M&P Compact and continue using the 642 as a backup gun.

 

[Telecaster]

You might find the all-steel 640 to be easier to hit with, and the reliability and heavier trigger to be more comforting than a Shield.

Carry what comforts you.

 

[Old cop]

It’s hard to teach an old dog (me) new things, I’ve been carrying/shooting Js for over 50 years. While the Shield is top notch it is heavier and not as convenient to pocket carry as a J frame.

 

[fredj338]

It’s hard to teach an old dog (me) new things, I’ve been carrying/shooting Js for over 50 years. While the Shield is top notch it is heavier and not as convenient to pocket carry as a J frame.

I think when guys say pocket carry it needs a clarification, pants or jacket.just sayin.

 

[Old cop]

I think when guys say pocket carry it needs a clarification, pants or jacket.just sayin.

Understood, but for me the Shield is just too heavy for pocket carry in a jacket or trousers. I also prefer to be able to shoot from a jacket pocket if necessary and the J is still a better choice.

 

[Fastbolt]

Understood, but for me the Shield is just too heavy for pocket carry in a jacket or trousers. I also prefer to be able to shoot from a jacket pocket if necessary and the J is still a better choice.

Nothing particularly wrong with selecting the optimal choice based upon personal experience and anticipated need.

Experiential knowledge still deserves respect when it comes to different folks making their own informed decisions regarding what they believe will best serve their own purpose, in the circumstances they've learned to expect or reasonably anticipate.

There's seemingly no shortage of folks who still seem to think of whatever weapon/caliber choice they may make as more or less being the equivalent of a talisman or charm against harm.

Like when even intelligent folks might carry a rabbit's foot or plastic-encased 4-leaf clover on their key chain, or in their pocket. It made them feel they might have a bit of luck on their side.

While there are still some anticipated circumstances (other than a whim ) that influence me to belt on one of my larger 9, .40 or .45 pistols, or even one of large revolvers, most of the time I'm not expecting that sort of "trouble" to come find me.

I'm no longer being sent (or planning caseload activity) that takes me into suspected or known dangerous situations every 15 or 30 minutes, or hourly, for a whole day or night shift. Trouble is going to have to work to come find me, and I've acquired a little bit of experience in recognizing the sort of situations where that might have a better chance of occurring.

If I'm wrong? Hey, it could happen, right?

Well, that's why I invested so much time in practicing to effectively run my snub revolvers, to the extent humanly possible, in the same sort of conditions I practiced and trained for with my larger personally-owned and duty weapons.

We learn to work with what we have,m and I spent my own fair share of years having to belt on and spend 8-18hrs a day with a "full-size fighting handgun" (slight homage to an older expression from the late 60's. ).

I hardly ever gainsay the choice of someone else when it comes to off-duty and retired cop or private person CCW choices.

Now, if I do happen to observe them using it on a training or practice range, and they don't seem capable of effectively using whatever it is they've chosen, and they ask me for an opinion? Hell, I might just tell them.

Bottom line, though, is that they're adults and fully capable of being responsible for living or dying by their own choices. Not really my business whether or not they decide to "choose wisely" or "choose poorly". Sometimes we can choose and do everything right and still find events stacked against us. Life in the real world.

 

[Johnnu2]

J FRAME

I have to admit that I only trust revolvers ... My vote, carry TWO Airweights.....
J.

 

[Old cop]

Nothing particularly wrong with selecting the optimal choice based upon personal experience and anticipated need.

Experiential knowledge still deserves respect when it comes to different folks making their own informed decisions regarding what they believe will best serve their own purpose, in the circumstances they've learned to expect or reasonably anticipate.

There's seemingly no shortage of folks who still seem to think of whatever weapon/caliber choice they may make as more or less being the equivalent of a talisman or charm against harm.






Like when even intelligent folks might carry a rabbit's foot or plastic-encased 4-leaf clover on their key chain, or in their pocket. It made them feel they might have a bit of luck on their side.

While there are still some anticipated circumstances (other than a whim ) that influence me to belt on one of my larger 9, .40 or .45 pistols, or even one of large revolvers, most of the time I'm not expecting that sort of "trouble" to come find me.

I'm no longer being sent (or planning caseload activity) that takes me into suspected or known dangerous situations every 15 or 30 minutes, or hourly, for a whole day or night shift. Trouble is going to have to work to come find me, and I've acquired a little bit of experience in recognizing the sort of situations where that might have a better chance of occurring.

If I'm wrong? Hey, it could happen, right?

Well, that's why I invested so much time in practicing to effectively run my snub revolvers, to the extent humanly possible, in the same sort of conditions I practiced and trained for with my larger personally-owned and duty weapons.

We learn to work with what we have,m and I spent my own fair share of years having to belt on and spend 8-18hrs a day with a "full-size fighting handgun" (slight homage to an older expression from the late 60's. ).

I hardly ever gainsay the choice of someone else when it comes to off-duty and retired cop or private person CCW choices.

Now, if I do happen to observe them using it on a training or practice range, and they don't seem capable of effectively using whatever it is they've chosen, and they ask me for an opinion? Hell, I might just tell them.

Bottom line, though, is that they're adults and fully capable of being responsible for living or dying by their own choices. Not really my business whether or not they decide to "choose wisely" or "choose poorly". Sometimes we can choose and do everything right and still find events stacked against us. Life in the real world.

Agree. My choices in retirement are based on the three deadly force encounters I had w/my issued thirty-eight. We transitioned to the Glock for my last 20 years, but I was in management by then and street time was limited by daily admin nonsense.

 

[Broke Hoss]

Are you sure you get "better accuracy" with the Shield? I can still shoot my Mdl 60 just as, if not more, accurate than the M&P9c I carry most of the time off duty.

I went through 2 off duty pistol courses with my Mdl 60. Even the instructors kidded me about the up to 8 second reloads (usually speedloader, but speed strips too). But they were just impressed with the ability to put a small group of holes in the target in a short amount of time.

Nothing wrong with staying with the wheel gun.

 

[Doug M.]

I can see that with a Gen 1 M&P 9; the accuracy problems with those are well documented. I find the pro J frame results amazing, putting aside the mass shooting events are very rare in the US. At least with regard t my 4" Shield w/RDS, the results are not even close.

 

[max503]

The likelihood of me needing a whole lot of bullets is remote. But that's only one reason I carry revolvers.
The crime I read about around here leads me to believe 5 shots would be more than enough if needed.
The gun control people want us to believe that mass shootings are common and an everyday threat which they aren't.

 

[Whitwabit]

Where I live I'm not as worried about a mass shooter as I am the 3 or 4 perps doing robberies or car jackings .. or being at the wrong place during a drive by shooting with multiple perps shooting .. there have been 18 homicides in the town just 6 miles away with the last one shot spotter recorded 10 shots .. multiple caliber's of shell casings were recovered at the scene of the shooting .. so multiple shooters ..

That's why I carry a Beretta PX4 Sub Compact with 12 +1 with a spare mag .. and not one of my 6 shot revolvers !!

If you live in a sleepy Mayberry like town a revolver may be more then enough but many of us live in or work around areas where less the desirable individuals may be encountered !! And we feel much safer with a few more rounds available to us !!

 

[BC38]

The likelihood of me needing a whole lot of bullets is remote. But that's only one reason I carry revolvers.
The crime I read about around here leads me to believe 5 shots would be more than enough if needed.
The gun control people want us to believe that mass shootings are common and an everyday threat which they aren't.

Where I live I'm not as worried about a mass shooter as I am the 3 or 4 perps doing robberies or car jackings .. or being at the wrong place during a drive by shooting with multiple perps shooting .. there have been 18 homicides in the town just 6 miles away with the last one shot spotter recorded 10 shots .. multiple caliber's of shell casings were recovered at the scene of the shooting .. so multiple shooters ..

That's why I carry a Beretta PX4 Sub Compact with 12 +1 with a spare mag .. and not one of my 6 shot revolvers !!

If you live in a sleepy Mayberry like town a revolver may be more then enough but many of us live in or work around areas where less the desirable individuals may be encountered !! And we feel much safer with a few more rounds available to us !!

Interesting that two individuals separated by less than 100 miles have such different perspectives - especially when the person with the "a revolver is enough" belief is the one living on the edge of what has recently been branded as one of the most dangerous big cities in the country (St. Louis - my original home town).

 

[Corn Fed]

I own a shield and like it a lot, but I am much more likely to tuck the 642 in my waistband. It just melts away. More comfortable by far. Therefore, more likely to be with me.

 

[Whitwabit]

Interesting that two individuals separated by less than 100 miles have such different perspectives - especially when the person with the "a revolver is enough" belief is the one living on the edge of what has recently been branded as one of the most dangerous big cities in the country (St. Louis - my original home town).

I've also found that interesting .. Just a few miles (25-30)continuing away from the big city from me .. crime is almost non existent .. and most would feel comfortable with a revolver .. Seems Perps don't travel far from their home base unless they're running from the police or another gang ..

In run down areas of a larger city gangs proliferate where smaller towns have little to no areas like that ..

It comes down to where you live and the crime's and crime rates in your area .. If you live where gang members frequent your much more likely to encounter one or more in your daily life ..

 

[badge 851]

I have carried a j frame for very many years. Still trust a revolver over other choices.

Me too!!!!!

 

[badge 851]

I like the J-Frame and carry Two daily with reloads.

Me too!!!!!

 

[Glouglou]

I voted for shield.
Better capacity, less recoil, easyer to use and reload.
Now, as usual, if you can take both.
The shield in a IWB holster and the J in a pocket/hankle holster