left-handed operation of the Shield

[kennnethk]

Greetings,
After much thought and research, I have decided to add the Shield / 9mm to my collection. My question is in regard to left-handed operation of the Shield, E.g. safety release, as well as magazine release. Will either of these be a problem for the lefty?
Thanks in advance

Ken

 

[Prodigal Son]

Hello, fellow lefty!

I have a Shield in .40 and have no problems with either. I release the mag with my index finger and sweep off the safety with my left thumb as I present. It takes some time and practice to get comfortable but you'll have it mastered in no time.

 

[Llando88]

I'm a lefty owner of an M&P FS9 considering a new shield.

It would not be a problem for me because 1) I would not get one with a safety and 2) I just use my strong hand for the mag release anyways.

Reasons being 1) I want the gun to go bang when I pull the trigger, not click, and 2) if I have to change mags after 7/8 shots of Speer GD 124 HP, I have bigger problems.

YMMV of course.

 

[kennnethk]

Thanks so much

Ken

 

[skypilot7103]

I did take some off of the magazine release. On the draw at times i would bump it loose. It is made of steel and has to be ground a little. I did post a picture here quit a while back it may still be in the forum.

 

[mark32812]

I am a Southpaw shooter, I will not buy any more weapons where I have to play the right hand only game anymore. The reason I got my first and second M&P was due to the controls on both sides. With that I avoided the shield for my own use. I bought a Shield 9mm for my wife and she uses it. With that said I have put 250 or more rounds through her Shield. I put a pink Hogue Handall Jr on her Shield 9mm. I was thinking about getting a Shield 40 cal for myself and wanted put a black Handall on mine to be able to tell them apart easier.
With my Full sized 40 and the 22, I had switched the magazine release buttons over to left hand, after a few months I switched them back. I have gone too long with the magazine release button on the side for right hand shooters and have always just used my index finger. So this does not matter to me if the Shield cannot be switched.
When I first started shooting I was happy that I had a slide release that I could use. Granted one thing it was hard to reach and hard push down. I learned that it is not a release it is a slide stop, it was easier to just let it go Glock style. The Glock method releasing the slide works for me on the Shield as well.
Now I do have a trouble when I want to lock the slide back on the shield. In that case I have to switch hand. For the full sized or compact M&P no trouble.
I have never used the thumb safety on the Shield, so I cannot give any input on the part.
Since my 1911’s P-99 and others were that way, it was something I had learned to live with as a South paw. When it was time for me to buy a shield of my own, I was 70% happy with getting one. Not being able to lock the slide back in my shooting hand was my major gripe. As I went in to my LGS to get A shield of my own, I picked up a Compact to compare it to. I can now admit that I am too used to double stacked magazines and the M&P 9C felt better in my hand. So I ended up walking out with a 9C that day. The two free magazine rebate offer swayed me in the direction some as well. But getting a Shield for my own use is still on my radar.

This is just my 2 cents.

 

[kennnethk]

Thanks, this way very helpful

Ken