M&P9c vs. Shield in 9mm

[M3Stuart]

I'm sure there is a thread on this already, but I searched and could not find it, so I'm starting a new one...

I have the M&P9c. Does anybody have both the M&P9c and the Shield in 9mm and can they explain the practical differences? Accuracy? Recoil? I got a smokin' deal on my M&P used, so It's not an issue for me, but looking at the difference between the two, I'm curious if the M&P9c is worth that much more than the shield?

Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[sharpshooterassassin]

I have both the 9mm compact and the 9mm shield. I got the 9c first. I carry strictly for concealment. It was pretty easy to conceal the 9c with the 12 round compact mags. I also bought the X-Grip sleeve to be used on the full size 17 round mags. Then I was able to find the 9mm Shield. To me, it felt better in the hand, the recoil was more manageable because of the dual spring guide rod compared to the 9c, and it feels better concealed because it is not as thick as the 9c. Yes you do lose rounds if you decide to carry the Shield. But hopefully you'll be able to stop a threat with 8 rounds including an extra mag. But it's all about how they feel to you and how comfortable they are to you. Just because I prefer the Shield over the 9c, doesn't mean that you're going to feel the same. Try them both out to see how they feel at your LGS or if you have a range close to you that rents them then you could test fire to see how they shoot and the feel of the recoil. Just my $.02

 

[rraisley]

I got the 9C, and while I don't have a Shield, I have compared them in size. For me, the 9C is a bit too large for concealed carry, except under jackets (obviously, it's just me, as the above post indicates they're comfortable with it). I didn't see enough difference in the Shield, for concealment, so I went to a Kahr PM9 for my concealed carry gun, which works under tee-shirts or anything.

 

[BBS1]

If I could, I would rather carry a compact over my shield. Since I work in the ghettos of Philly, I want to cut printing as much as I can so the shield works for me. Else, I'd def take the compact over the shield purely for capacity reasons.

 

[Smitty357]

If I could, I would rather carry a compact over my shield. Since I work in the ghettos of Philly, I want to cut printing as much as I can so the shield works for me. Else, I'd def take the compact over the shield purely for capacity reasons.

Capacity should never be an issue when statics show that intruders are stopped in 3 or less bullets 99% of the time.

I guess what im saying is........As long as you have 3 rounds, you should be good to go. So why carry more rounds (more weight) if 99% of the time u'll never need it.

 

[Stuckless]

I carry the shield, and shoot the 9c in Idpa competition.

The 9c is much easier to carry (it's 38 degrees outside) under a coat, but in the summer I'll be back to my shield.

I have them both because my wife said I can.

 

[jeffhughes]

Capacity should never be an issue when statics show that intruders are stopped in 3 or less bullets 99% of the time.

I guess what im saying is........As long as you have 3 rounds, you should be good to go. So why carry more rounds (more weight) if 99% of the time u'll never need it.

Why carry a gun at all? You will not need it 99.99% of the time...

 

[Smitty357]

Why carry a gun at all? You will not need it 99.99% of the time...

How many people do u see running around carrying like this. Keep in mind, ammo capacity is what is important, right?

Yes I know its my Block.....But i'm giving an example.

 

[BBS1]

Capacity should never be an issue when statics show that intruders are stopped in 3 or less bullets 99% of the time.

I guess what im saying is........As long as you have 3 rounds, you should be good to go. So why carry more rounds (more weight) if 99% of the time u'll never need it.

capacity can always be an issue. Whats a couple more ounces to have double the capacity?

Shots Fired: Skokie, Illinois 08/25/2008 - Article - POLICE Magazine

Cop hit a perp 17 times with 45acp. Perp was not high off drugs or alcohol. Shot placement is everything and having the extra rounds can help.

 

[Smitty357]

capacity can always be an issue. Whats a couple more ounces to have double the capacity?

Shots Fired: Skokie, Illinois 08/25/2008 - Article - POLICE Magazine

Cop hit a perp 17 times with 45acp. Perp was not high off drugs or alcohol. Shot placement is everything and having the extra rounds can help.

Key words.....Shot placement.

It should never take more than 3 rounds for proper shot placement. If it does, then you shouldn't be carrying at all. If its that much of a problem, feel free to carry your AK with 30rds or ur AR with 30rds. But lets me a little on the "real" side about it.

 

[frdfandc]

Why carry a gun at all? You will not need it 99.99% of the time...

Why do you have car insurance? You will not need it 99.99% of the time.


To the OP,

I'm going to go with the 9c over the Shield for 2 reasons.

1. I'm a big enough guy (6'1", 190lbs) that I can conceal the 9c just fine. For me the 9c is just a tad wider and longer, but is very similar in size to the EMP I used to carry. The 9c is a tad shorter in height, but .2" longer. Not a deal breaker.

2. I've had a Shield on order since the end of May.

 

[mrbort]

I have both and never carry the 9c since I got the shield. The shield's thinness allows carry options that are amazing (just a shirt!) while the 9c requires pretty much the same as my 9FS or 45c. When given the option, I'd much rather carry either of those if I'm going to be making concessions to a carry garment etc.

Summation: If I carry and a cover garment is appropriate or easy, I'll opt for the FS over the 9c. If I carry and don't want the hassle of a cover garment, the shield conceals just under a normal shirt or in my pocket and no wardrobe concessions are really necessary.

Either way, the 9c is quickly losing my favor and would be my truck gun if I had a non-work truck. I can't put it in my normal one because I work at a place where that's a very big no no and have a protective force armed with M-4s and other stuff to dissuade you.

 

[Lost Lake]

Capacity should never be an issue when statics show that intruders are stopped in 3 or less bullets 99% of the time.

I guess what im saying is........As long as you have 3 rounds, you should be good to go. So why carry more rounds (more weight) if 99% of the time u'll never need it.

Another one that thinks 3 rounds is enough... Some good teaching by others BTW, and I read the Skokie cop incident.

So here's a well trained officer that used what, 32 rounds in a fire fight? Do you think he should have just used three and maybe have waited for good shot placement while the perp was blasting holes in his windshield?

If a 1% chance that you may need a gun is reason enough to carry one, then a 1% chance that you will need more than 3 rounds is reason enough to carry more!

 

[Smitty357]

Another one that thinks 3 rounds is enough... Some good teaching by others BTW, and I read the Skokie cop incident.

So here's a well trained officer that used what, 32 rounds in a fire fight? Do you think he should have just used three and maybe have waited for good shot placement while the perp was blasting holes in his windshield?

If a 1% chance that you may need a gun is reason enough to carry one, then a 1% chance that you will need more than 3 rounds is reason enough to carry more!

Nope 1% is not enough to claim "capacity" is important. Without shot placement, capacity isnt going to you much good. What you gonna do, shoot for hopes and dreams? People should train more on how to handle weapons and make proper judgements and adjustments when firing. If it takes you 16+ rounds to stop and intruder, you may as well throw the gun at the guy.

Or as I said......If capacity is that BIG of a concern. Just carry around your AR or your AK. Hell carry around your BAR if you feel 30rds isnt enough. But as I said earlier......Lets be real.

Capacity is and always has been a "excuse" to say mine is bigger than yours. And we all know size is nothing, if you dont know how to use it, lol.

 

[Laird]

This afternoon my wife and I went and rented both the Shield 9 and the M&P 9c for a true side-by-side comparison.

Magazines removed, the 9c is 2.7 ounces heavier than the shield, and ALL of that weight is above the hand. For an average-sized guy it's no big deal, but it was really uncomfortable for my wife. Having a loaded magazine installed makes a big difference in the balance, moreso on the 9c because of the extra finger grip. When switching back and forth between the two, the 9c feels slightly top-heavy by comparison.

The extra mass up top isn't all bad though; the 9c feels very sturdy and fills the hand completely, where the Shield feels a little small with my long, skinny fingers. The 9c does have less felt recoil than the shield - it's manageable enough for her to shoot one-handed (and that's coming from the same person who complained about the 9c's top-heaviness). But what's shocking is how well the Shield 9 cushions the recoil and recovers! In both my and my wife's estimation, the felt recoil was significantly less on the Shield 9 than the Kel-Tec P3AT or Ruger LCP .380s, both of which we have shot many times.

We did all of our shooting at 7 yards, and accuracy-wise it was a toss-up. She shot better with the Shield, I shot better with the 9c. If we had the smaller back-strap available for the 9c it would have been more comfortable for both of us, but it wouldn't have been a game changer.

In Florida where it's shorts and t-shirts year round, the Shield has the concealability advantage - a quarter of an inch in thickness makes a huge difference in light clothing IWB or pocket carry. It also fits better into purses, where the 9c is just a bit too bulky.

What does the 9c have going for it? Aside from holding 4 more rounds, ambidextrous controls matter to a lefty like me. And if you're going to burn through ammo at the range, fitting a full-size 17-round magazine to the 9c means twice as much shooting, compared to the max of 8 rounds in the Shield. If you've got space to concealed carry a full-size mag, you can have 30 (!) rounds at your disposal with just one mag change.

At the end of the day, my wife has chosen the Shield 9. I'm still on the fence between a Shield .40 or a 40c... luckily a friend of mine recently picked up a Shield 40 so I should get to try that one out soon!

-Laird

 

[KnightHawke®™]

M&P Compact vs M&P Shield - Buying choices/decisions - YouTube

 

[N4KVE]

When the Shield first came out, the distributor said he had 3 we could have. Of course this was 3 days before the official day we could sell the gun, & we didn't know if we'd sell them right away, or be stuck with them, so we took only 2 Shields. Who knew? However the 9c felt better in my hand. For years I carried a Glock 30 in my belt, & now I carry a full size HK USP 45. I'd rather have the extra ammo, especially since the 9c fits perfectly in my hand. GARY

 

[BBS1]

Nope 1% is not enough to claim "capacity" is important. Without shot placement, capacity isnt going to you much good. What you gonna do, shoot for hopes and dreams? People should train more on how to handle weapons and make proper judgements and adjustments when firing. If it takes you 16+ rounds to stop and intruder, you may as well throw the gun at the guy.

Or as I said......If capacity is that BIG of a concern. Just carry around your AR or your AK. Hell carry around your BAR if you feel 30rds isnt enough. But as I said earlier......Lets be real.

Capacity is and always has been a "excuse" to say mine is bigger than yours. And we all know size is nothing, if you dont know how to use it, lol.

Must be nice to sit behind your computer and figure youd hit 100% in a firefight. Ask any actual leo/mil if they hit 100% in a firefight. Lets not also factor in the stress, surrounding environment, rules of engagement.

I agree that capacity means nothing compared to shot placement. But they go hand in hand. The more shots you're able to take without reload, the more you'll place on target.

But lets be real. You'd hit your target 100% in a firefight.

 

[JSM&P9C]

Key words.....Shot placement.

It should never take more than 3 rounds for proper shot placement. If it does, then you shouldn't be carrying at all.

Smitty - Please don't be such a concealed carry snob. Look, I agree with you regarding shot placement. It just seems presumptuous to say how any of us would react or shoot in a real situation (LEO's excluded of course). There is what we would like to think will happen, and then there is the reality of SHTF lets hope for the best. I'll carry my 9C with 10 + 1 rounds and a spare 10 round mag (NY) and I guess you will carry your firearm with just 3 rounds loaded (no more please) since that is all you will need.

 

[Smitty357]

I'm not leaning towards any particular weapon for self defense. I'm sure any is better than none. But i personally dont see capacity as being and excuse "not" to carry a more comfortable weapon (Shield) vs the 9C. I dunno about you guys but I walk around 12 sometimes 16hrs a day with mine. I'm yet to find any of my other weapons near as comfortable as my Shield. On the other hand, I dont find my Shield to be as accurate (for distance) vs my others. In the end its going to depend on what you want today. Do I plan on working 16hrs a day and want my comfortable weapon to carry. Or do I plan on working 12hrs a day carrying a bigger (more uncomfortable) weapon with a larger mag that is capable of engaging targets a little farther distance.

IMO, comfort is the #1 priority for me. I will use the comfort a hell of a lot more than I will ever use a high capacity mag, lol. Now on the other hand, I dont mind carrying my 1911 on occasion. Of course for short amounts of time (maybe a few hours). But lets face it, whats the point when its not comfortable at all times.