Question for those of you that own the Shield, Compact and Full Size

2tango2

US Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2013
Messages
784
Reaction score
235
Location
New Hampshire
I own both a Shield (actually both flavors) and a Full Size 9

Have my eyes on a LNIB 9c for about 400 dollars.


Am I missing anything by not having a Compact in the stable? I'm asking owners of all 3 to get some feedback. Now that you own all 3 is there part of you going "man I really don't need all 3" or why did I buy a Shield, compact etc

At this point I guess it is more of a want than a need for me, just looking for opinions on which of the 3 you like the best etc.....


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
Register to hide this ad
If the Shield had been available at the time I bought my compact I would not have bought the compact. Used to carry the c, now just carry the Shield. FS is better for home defense and range, Shield is better for EDC. No need for the c. If I could only afford 1, it would be the c. Hope this helps. If you want all 3 and can afford it, go for it! Be safe, shoot straight.
 
What a great price grab it an run!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why not own all the S&W M&P'S you can afford, they are great guns. I am at number 10 only caliber I don't have is 357sig, have both shields love them both. I could go on for ever so if you can afford buy it.
 
If you are not going to shoot it at the range, you are not using it for home defense and you are not going to carry it... it doesn't seem logical to dump $400 on something you will never touch.

It is a good price but why not use that money to diversify your arsenal? Maybe an M&P 22 / M&P 15/22 for cheap range/plinking fun?

Like MumbleyPeg said the M&P compact is a great gun and makes a ton of sense if you are only purchasing one. That is the choice I made. If you already have a shield and FS I don't see the point.
 
Honestly, the 40c was my first M&P, I loved it, it was and can still be a do it all gun (carry/home defense). That said, the FS 40 fills my HD need and my Shield fills my carry need (I carry it 100% of the time now, it's just flat out easier to carry). That leaves my poor 40c collecting dust, nothing wrong with the compacts, I like them but I really don't have a need for one.
 
I had all 3. When I received my Shield my son inherited my compact. I didn't really see the advantage of having both outside of the capacity of the compact.
If I had to pick one, I also would choose the Compact.
 
I had the C first as it was my only pistol and, as such, it was the most capable single weapon platform for carry, HD, range. When I bought the Shield I replaced the compact with a 5" Pro. Now I have the best of both worlds.
 
I have an M&P 40 FS & am waiting delivery of a compact. I had thought about a Shield long & hard but two factors kept me from buying it. The most important was the mag capacity. Since I buy my firearms from a police supply store the FS & compacts come with 3 mags. The Shield only 2. Compacts hold 10+1 rounds so that would give me 31 rounds on me as I plan on carrying both spares. The FS carries 15+1 & I carry one spare. Same round count between the two. The second factor was the wait time. I was told it could be up to a year. I know I could have gotten one a lot sooner through a regular gun store but they wouldn't come close to the price the police supply store sells them for.
 
Candidly, I have all 3 and thought that I did not really "need" the 9c, but I really like carrying it in the winter months (better conceal ability) with the right clothes and it has 12 rounds vs 7 or 8 of the Shield. I love all 3 the 9 full for home protection, and range, the 9c for winter carry and range and the Shield for warm weather carry.

Just all around great pistols, as most on this site know :-)
 
I don't know why people have to own 10 guns of the same mfr, be it HK, Smith, or Kimber. I'm not a huge S&W fan, but the 40c fits my hand like it was made for me. It's my carry gun, so there's no reason to even look at a Shield, as I find it too slim. I'm also not a Beretta fan, but the 9000s fits my hand so well, it's my night stand gun. Working at a LGS, I have been checking out the new XDS 9mm, & while I like it, I won't buy it because I already have a great carry gun, the 40c. It seems like many people have a Mon, Wed, Fri carry gun, & also a Tues, Thus, & weekend carry gun. What's up with that??? Working at gunshows, there's plenty of guns I can buy on the cheap, but I keep what I have, as it's good. Years ago I used to buy a gun, & trade it in a year later for something different, but I now regret doing that, so when I get a great gun, I keep it, & I don't buy guns to just sit in the safe. If it were me, I'd sell all the M&P's, & just get, & keep the c. GARY
 
Lots of good opinions here, thanks!

I have found that the 9c was made in Sept of 2011 so it has the older trigger.... It feels like it has a decent break on it.. Perhaps even a bit crisper than my FS
 
Good discussion, I'll throw in my .02. For me the only FS semi autos I have are all .45's. As such then I have no want or need for any other FS framed guns. I choose the 40C because it can shoot three calibers, it's still small comparatively, has excellent capacity, and with good night sights is a great night stand gun. The Shield and XDs 9 have never appealed to me because my CCW is either a Kahr PM9 or XDs 45. The XDs 45 I only carry occasionally during the winter because for me size matters in a CCW gun as at least 80% of the time I want to pocket carry comfortably. So the Shield, XDs 9, or PPS, do not tempt me as they will not pocket carry well for me. I only got the XDs because being a .45 fan I was intriuged by a .45 that small, it's been a great purchase. For me if I could only have one M&P it would be a Compact hands-down. I'm very happy with my 40C but have no plans to add any other M&P's to that.
 
Last edited:
I had all three. I sold the compact after rationally thinking about the niche it played, deciding that that niche was very small for me, and then waiting for three months to see if I would ever get the urge to carry or even practice with it (which I obviously didn't). I sold it with a nice holster and a 50 rd box and picked up a SIG P220 that I've wanted for a long time. Everyone won.
 
The MP9c to me has all the worst attributes of a Glock 26 without being as small.

Skip it.
 
I have all three or should I say had. My wife shot my 9c and I no longer have a 9c since she has taken it as her gun. I still get to carry the Shield and have the FS for home defense.
 
My FS is for IDPA, My 9C is for HD and my Shield is my carry weapon. They are all great and each has its place. They all go to the range.

If I had to have only one it would be my 9C. Small enough to carry and large enough to me for IDPA. I use the 9C with 17 rnd mags and the mag adapter. Fits my hand great with 17 or 12 rnd mags.
 
Last edited:
I'll play...

I have all three, in multiples of each in fact.

I love them all, but I have my favorites.

The FS models are great for the range and home defense.

The compacts are great for EVERYTHING. I can put a FS mag in a compact and it becomes essentially an FS.

The Shield is okay. It's fun. I have three. It would be the FIRST I let go. My favorite is the compact. Easy to carry, easy to put extra rounds in, very reliable.

Your signature shows you are Air Force. You can buy brand new M&P's from Bud's Police for $399 with three mags anytime. I wouldn't be excited about a used one for $400. Just sayin' .;)

.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top