M&P Shield vs. M&P Compact: Once and for all.

[AITG]

I picked up a Shield to carry in the summer under T shirts. It is thin, light and a 9mm (not 380).

That said, it's not a gun that's fun to shoot at the range. It just doesn't fill my hand like my other pistols. However, at 4 yards point shooting 6 rounds go into a 4 1/2 inch circle in 2 seconds. That's perfect for a defensive gun.

Once it runs through 500 rounds without a hitch, it will be a part of my summer wardrobe. It won't displace my Glock 26 or Smith CS9 for the rest of the year.

 

[Stuck_in_Cali]

Just remember that in order to gain something you have to give up something and that is mainly control and recoil. A wider heavier gun distributes the recoil over a much wider path and reduces recoil as well as gives you better control. Also note that the new Shields are being bumped up quite a bit do to demand. If this is so in your case i would check around and i would wait till the market settles and then buy one and not overpay for one now just because there the newest and latest craze. You got along this far with your C model, I'm sure it will be OK for a while yet. Besides just think if they did not come out with the Shield!!!

Just some good old Horse sense. In any event Good Luck Panther.

Couldn't have said it better myself! ~ Caveat emptor!

Use what you are comfortable using however, paying mind to RICK SR, go find a range and maybe rent a Shield (if you can find one) and blow a few hundred rounds through it then see if you still like it as much as your C. Maybe that will help you close in on things. ~ Remember, tiny frames jump around in small hands more than they do in large ones!

 

[Firewagon]

"I am small framed...."

I like many of the S&W offerings, just none for defending my hide. I have a couple Smith revolvers, no semi's. You should compare the M&P to a couple of the GLOCK offerings - G27 (40 - 10 rds) and G39 (45 6/7 rds). Both of these guns are comparable in size to either Smith offering. Not trying to start a flame war; however, ‘imitation is the best form of flattery.’

There are reasons the FBI, 'most' police departments, etc., issue the GLOCK pistol - simplicity and RELIABILITY! Another is, as in your case, they are 'tailorable' to fit nearly any hand.

My 'carry' gun is the G29 w/Speer 180 gr. GDHP's in a crossbreed holster.

 

[bimmerland]

I put an apex trigger in my 9mm shield plus a set of tru glo tfo's. Can knock 6 inch steel plates at 10 yards plus my trigger pull is down to 4.25 pounds.

 

[Bikemobile]

The shield is thinner by a large margin. Carries better iwb. It also fits into a baggy pants pocket with the short mag.

The compact is a little nicer to shoot.

 

[RockHard2407]

The grass is always greener. The shield is not that much smaller, and you give up ammo. I don't know about you but in a situation like that I want as many chances to hit BG as I can get, with a full size mag+xgrip as backup in case he has a bunch of friends.

Love it!
I have (just got) a .40c and I have not found a perfect carry method for me yet. IWB. But I am going to keep trying.
I upgraded from a 439 which was very flat for a full size pistol.
I like the lager caliber in the .40c and the extra rounds.
You all remember the 439 has a 8 shot mag.

 

[squekydad]

MP22:

The only trouble I see with the Shield 9mm is finding one to buy.

Russ

Same here friend, none to be had easy in CT

 

[FLY FIS]

I own the M&P Shield 9 mm. I also have an M&P 22 for target shooting, and an M&P 45 for home defense as well as an M&P 15 Sport. I carry the Shield every day. I work for the Courts in NH as a Court Security Officer, and got the Shield to use as my every day, all day long CCW. It is perfect for the application. We wear a sport coat daily and the Shield is very unobtrusive to wear in the Courtroom, as well as comfortable in the Disantis pancake holster. It is very light and feels good on the hip. I carry two 8 round mags and one in the pipe. I can't imagine any situation that it might not perform perfectly given this application. I do like the 8 round mag for the fit for my hand, actually better that the 9 or 40 compact. I have had zero problems with any of the M&P's. I think each has it's own application and purpose in what ever we do. I think the M&P line is actually well designed and there is an M&P for every task, that we as Law Enforcement in our daily duties, or just gun owners and enthusiasts in life could encounter.

 

[J. Galt]

MP22:

The only trouble I see with the Shield 9mm is finding one to buy.

Russ

Ditto. I've been looking for weeks and am staring to wonder if they actually exist!

My dealer says his suppliers just laugh at him when he asks for Shields.

 

[baccusboy]

If you wanted to pocket carry then I would go with the shield but it seems like this isn't what you want to do. I would go with the compact since it does have more fire power and is a bit more easier to handle.

The Shield is NOT a pocket pistol.

IMHO, if you have a decent holster, like a Crossbreed, Theis, or similar, the difference between carrying the two won't matter a whole lot, but the Shield will hide a little better.

 

[timn8er]

I got tired of waiting for the Shield & decided to go with the M&P40C &
I've got to say I love it. It will be my CCW in a Bladetech holster. I still
might pick up a Shield when they finally become more readily available.

 

[pyro]

After carrying the Shield 40cal for 5 months, I love it, After reading so much about the M&P compact, I thought that maybe I would want one of them also. I went to my LGS yesterday and handled an M&P compact. I was surprised because it felt huge to me by comparison. If I get another M&P it will be a full size. That would be better for a house gun.

 

[jake1530]

40c

I really can’t be considered a real vote as I’ve never even picked up a shield. I have done a lot of online research though. I picked the 40c as it’s my ONLY pistol and it’s what I feel comfortable with for carry, and home defense.

 

[RussC]

SHIELD IS I REPEAT IS IN MY POCKET EVERYDAY

The Shield is NOT a pocket pistol.

IMHO, if you have a decent holster, like a Crossbreed, Theis, or similar, the difference between carrying the two won't matter a whole lot, but the Shield will hide a little better.

baccusboy:

I feel like a broken record. I don't mean to disrespect you but If I had a shell for every time I got on this forum to explain that my Shield is a POCKET gun I would own a case of shells.

I will say it for the one-millionth time.

The stock rear Shield sight catches on most average size pockets (34 x 32 pleated slacks in my case) when you do a quick draw.

If you stick with the flush magazine and change out the stock sights for XS Big Dot the rear XS sight which is a lower profile sight with rounded edges and beveled forward design will not catch even with quick pocket draws.

I wear 34 x 32 pleated slacks from Sam's Club and the front pocket is very average in size and for 10 hours per day I POCKET conceal my Shield 9mm and no one in my office has a clue. (I am very mobile at work and the Shield in my pocket is just fine)

I practice drawing my Shield from my Desanti model E1 and in 1 1/2 seconds I can pocket draw, sweep safety, acquire target, and dry fire.

The Shield trumps the compact for concealment because thinness is critical for pocket concealment and the M&PC9 is 1/4 inch thicker which will stand out in average pant pockets and scream gun. I know I have tried pocket concealing the Glock 26 which is just as thick as the M&PC9 and it screams gun from my pocket.

If a person plans to IWB you can get away with a double stack like the M&P compact, however, I am not interested in wearing a second layer of clothing to cover the holster especially in 100 degree weather.

The Shield provides more concealment options over the compact, has a better trigger and is 100% reliable and that is why I own the Shield.

Russ

 

[snowman.45]

With all the trouble with the Shield....go with the compact.

Really? Again?

 

[snowman.45]

I've had a M&P9c since they were first introduced. I managed to buy a 9mm Shield a week after they were announced.

My Compact is my daily off-duty gun. My Shield is my BUG while at work. The Compact is just too thick for vest carry. But the Shield is a dream for this type of carry.

I have RCS Phantom holsters for both guns. I carry OWB over my kidney at about 4 o'clock or so. In this type of carry, they are about equally concealable, so I carry the compact. (A good belt does make all the difference!)

I shoot the compact slightly better than the Shield. But don't take this as a slam on the Shield. With the Shield, I can clean the 6" pie plate rack at 25 yds, using mandated frangible ammunition, at my agencies facility.

Shooting the 9mm Shield, I quickly forget it's a compact gun designed for a specific task. One quickly starts to compare the Shield to full size platforms. It shoots that well.

OP, we all have different size and shaped bodies. The best thing you could do is to shoot both. Carry both and see which works best for YOU. You already own a Compact. Buy a Shield if you can get one without paying scalper's prices for it. If the Shield doesn't work out for your needs, you would have no problem selling off a Shield right now.

I agree with Beat Trash completely. Different pistols are for different uses, as he illustrates so well in his writing. My Shield is for summer carry (often in the pocket) when lighter clothes are the norm. I also use it as a back-up to my department-issued G17. In cooler weather, I carry the largest pistol I can comfortably conceal off-duty. It my be an M&P45c, M&P45 midsize, M&P40FS, M&P40c, G19 or one of my 1911's or 4566. However, there is nothing I have had in the same class as the Shield that I like as much, or have the same level of confidence.

 

[snowman.45]

The Shield is NOT a pocket pistol.

IMHO, if you have a decent holster, like a Crossbreed, Theis, or similar, the difference between carrying the two won't matter a whole lot, but the Shield will hide a little better.

The Shield may not qualify as a pocket pistol for you, but it seems to fill that role for a number of people. I like my M&P40c also, but it has different carry characteristics than the Shield.

 

[vista461]

I love my 9c. Got it before the shield came out. I have no problems concealing it and shoots easily with the flat bottom mag. A coworker just got the Shield and he loves it. For me the ability to use the full size mags from my full size M&P outweighs the thinness of the Shield since I dont have a concealment problem. To each their own.
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[redrock]

Summer - Thin for the win.

Winter - Fat is where it's at.

 

[apd148]

It's all in what works for you, of course, but given the very minor difference in size, I'd think the compact might be a better choice. As one of the previous posts pointed out, there's a trade-off for everything. You want lighter, you get more recoil and less controlability. You want less recoil and quicker follow-on shots, you're going to have to go to a little heavier/bigger pistol. Your call.